The Tunic (part 11)

(The Tunic is a fictional story based on the Passion of Jesus. The story began on post March 18, 2019.)


  Cato was about to report into work when he saw one of his fellow soldiers running towards his horse. The soldier was obviously very upset. He looked at Cato and just started yelling.  "It's not my fault!  I didn't take his body!  No one did! The whole ground started shaking and there was a powerful source of light. It was too bright to even look at it!  But I saw something move the stone away with ease.  Trust me it wasn't human! He never carried out anything from the tomb, because the tomb was empty!  It's not my fault!  I don't know what happened to his body!  It's just not there!"
  "What are you talking about?  Whose body is gone?"
  "The King of the Jews--that Jesus preacher--the one we just crucified!  I'm getting out of here!  Pilate is furious! Someone is going to pay for this and it's not going to be me!"  The soldier jumped on his own horse as swiftly as possible and commanded the horse to run.
  Cato could feel his body shaking. What did this even mean? Why would anyone take the body of Jesus?  For what purpose?  Suddenly a few more soldiers came running from the court yard.
  "I don't see him anywhere! We will deal with him later."  They looked at Cato and yelled, "Pilate wants everyone to report directly to him right now!  We've got problems!"
  A few moments later Cato found himself and others in front of a very angry Pilate. " We need to find Jesus' body and get it back into that tomb! If we don't we are probably going to see another riot!" screamed Pilate.  "There are reports that Jesus rose from the dead!  The Jewish leaders claim his followers stole his body! I think everyone has lost their minds!  Find me that body and the ones responsible for taking it!"
  Cato and his fellow soldiers searched the streets.  No one was claiming to have stolen the body.  Few would even talk to the soldiers out of fear.  No one seemed to know where his small group of followers were hiding.  They spent the entire day searching with little to report. Only a few people were willing to speak. They all claimed Jesus predicted he would be raised up.  He had just recently rose a man named Lazarus from the dead. Also there were reports of two young children being raised from the dead.
  When they reported back to Pilate, Pilate was again furious.  He sent them back into the streets. It was obvious no one was going to talk to a Roman soldier about what had occurred.  After a very long and unsuccessful day, Cato and the others were allowed to return home but ordered to begin the search again early tomorrow.
  Exhausted, Cato rode home trying to understand how someone could rise from the dead?  In the army, he had seen men die all around him.  No one ever comes back once they die.  None of this made any sense. Cato's mind couldn't understand any of this, but his heart began to secretly hope Jesus was alive. It was such an odd feeling to have.

(to be continued...)

-Susan