Indy and the Amazonian Shroud (Part 12)

Indy, Rick and Short Round waited anxiously. Indy hoped the king would wake up but he thought it seemed fairly unlikely, considering he had never actually seen a man rise from the dead before. Rick on the other hand was confident. He had seen lots of dead guys come back to life, and those had all been dead much longer than this king. Short Round knew it would work, because he believed in Indy, even when Indy didn't believe in himself. The tribe was not being as aggressive toward the outsiders, mostly because they were in shock and grief at the death of the young king and the destruction of their ancient temple. Indy felt like if they ran, then the tribe would let them run. Indy also knew running wasn't a realistic option, they needed tribesmen to guide them out if they had any chance of getting back to civilization.

Two nights had passed. The king had not stirred. The men who had pulled him from the temple continued to stand guard diligently with him. Some of the older women of the tribe brought them food and water, which they eventually eat and drink, but only sparingly. Indy hadn't seen either of the men sleep in the two nights they had been waiting for their king to return.

"So, Indy, dude, what's the deal, when is this guy supposed to wake up?" Rick asked.

"Well, it's not super clear. See, the Hebrews counted days in a weird way. Jesus is the most popular story of resurrection, and he died on a Friday, most likely in the late afternoon or evening, but he came back to life Sunday morning before Mary Magdeline had even gone to clean the body for burial, which means it was really early in the morning. So, basically Jesus was dead for something like 36 hours, but it counts as three days because he died before the sun went down and resurrected after the sun had come up."

"Ok, so this guy should be waking up in no time!"

"Well, that's where it gets complicated. There is also the story of Lazarus, he died, but did not return to life for four days, and based on the biblical account, Jesus revived Lazarus midday, and since they had said he was dead four days, he most likely died before the sun set, meaning he was dead over 772 hours.

The other factor which needs to be considered is that both Jesus and Lazarus were revived through the direct power of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ himself, not through the shroud. That could mean that the shroud is not as powerful."

"So, what you're saying is that we have no idea and it could still be days before..."

Rick was interrupted by yelling. The three men had been sitting at a table eating. They were not near the body of the king.

"Short Round, what are they yelling about?"

"The king, Dr Jones, the King is alive!"

"Glad we weren't placing bets, Indy ol' boy!" Rick laughed.

The three men got up and ran to the tent.

The king sat up. "I'm thirsty," he said through coughs.

"Get the king some water!" one of the guards yelled to an onlooker.

"Hey Roundy, what did he say?" Rick asked.

Short Round shot him a dirty look.

"Short Round, did you hear what the king said?" Indy asked.

"He said he was thirsty Dr Jones."

Indy couldn't believe it, it had really worked. Indy had Short Round speak to the guards for him.

"We will go call the elder of the tribe and the three of you can speak with your king and fill him in. Just let us know when he is ready to speak with us."

Indy led Rick and Short Rond from the tent.

"Short Round, please go find the elder of the tribe and tell him that he is relieved of his burden, his king has returned to life and needs to speak with him."

"Sure Dr Jones." and Short Round ran off to get the elder.

Indy and Rick sat down. Rick started laughing.

"What are you laughing about?" Indy said with a chuckle of his own.

"I really didn't think God would honor a mail-in ordination!" Rick bursted out with a hearty laugh.

Indy started laughing too, the two of them were crying they were laughing so hard. Some time must have passed because Short Round was back from his errand.

"Dr Jones, are you ok?! What's wrong?!"

"No, Short Round, I'm fine, just a joke between a couple old men."

Well, Indy could check teleportation and resurrecting the dead to his list of accomplishments, which he thought was pretty neat, but he had realized that accomplishments would never leave him fulfilled, after all he had done in his life, before all this started, he had been sitting at home feeling totally alone and unsatisfied, despite everything he had accomplished before. He knew these things would also fade in importance, they would be memories, and they would be fun to relive and tell, but they would never fill the void he felt. What could he do differently this time to actually get something from this adventure that he had never gotten before. He looked at his friends, and thought he knew what would make this time different. memories were great, but they meant much more when you had friends to share them with, friends that were there that could reminisce with you. It had taken his whole life but he was starting to learn that it wasn't the adventure that mattered, but the people that you went on the adventure with. They'd be there when the thrill was over, and they're what you want around to keep from feeling alone and empty.

As Indy was lost in his thoughts, one of the guards walked over to them. he spoke and Short Round translated.

"The King has been filled in on the events since his death. We told him of how you came to be with us, and what you have done for him. We told him that you could have run, but that you stayed to try and return his spirit to life. We told him of his son's passing and the destruction of the temple. In his wisdom he knew many of these things before we told him. You have his gratitude, you need not fear his presence, he wishes to speak to you."

"Did you tell him what his son promised us?"

"I did."

"Ok, let's go speak to him." The three men rose and walked to the tent. When they stepped inside, the king was sitting up. He was on a raised cushion in the center of the room, the elder of the tribe, was to his left, the right seat would be held in memorial of his son until and unless he was able to produce a new heir to the thrown. His guards, the men who had rescued his body from the temple were still there, they stood each to a side just past the seating cushions. The king looked tired, but well. Not like a man who had been dead for days, a man that had been dead just a couple hours earlier.

Indy bowed to the king, not on his knees, but bending at his waist, more of a respectful greeting and less of a show of obedience and servitude. Rick and Short Round followed suit. The guards looked unhappy. They moved in to force the men to their knees, but the king shewed them off. Having died and come back from the land of the dead, he no longer cared much about power and submission, these were things that men who were focused on this life cared about. King Arua had his mind on his time at the Great Feast. Indy stood back up and so did Short Round and Rick. The king waved to some pillows on the floor, directed the three to sit on them. Indy sat crossed legged (thinking his old body might struggle to get up from this position, but it was the respectful thing to take the king up on his invitation to sit). Rick and Short Round followed suit on either side of Indy.

"I hear the young one speaks our language."

"Yes sir, I can translate for you."

"Good, my name is King Arua and I am deeply indebted to you for returning me to my people. I must say I was a little disappointed to delay my seat at the Great Feast, but my people need me and you have given me the opportunity to keep my people safe and prepare them properly for their future when I leave for good next time. I have heard that you were very brave, you could have escaped several times but chose to stay, to help. You tried to rescue my son." At this the king choked up. "but, in his youthful foolishness, or bravery, whatever the case may be, he did not allow you to help him, instead forcing you to help get me out of the falling temple. His bravery has surely earned him his seat at the Great Feast, although sadly it was much too soon. Your bravery has earned you your freedom and my assistance to see you back to your people."

At this, Indy reached into his pocket. He pulled out the talisman, "Thank you King, but there is one other thing we need from you, one other promise your son made to me with this talisman as evidence."

"No! You will not take the cloth!"

The guards stood at the ready, spears pointing toward Indy and his friends.

"King, I know what you want, but it isn't possible."

"You do not tell me what is possible, my son left too soon, he left to save me, I need him back, his people need him back, you cannot have the cloth, that is my final word on it!"

"You can't do the ritual without us."

"My men know the words, we don't need you!"

"You need a priest of the God of the cloth to perform the ritual."

"We have priests, stop trying to trick me!"

"King, your son's body was broken under those boulders, his skull was collapsed. If somehow he was resurrected, that damage will not be undone, he won't be able to lead, or even talk, he will be in constant pain, he..."

"STOP, guards, get them out!" The king was in a rage but also tears were flowing down his cheeks.

The guards moved in on Indy, Rick and Short Round.

"Jeez guys, why do we gotta keep doing this?!" Rick said as he got up.

They did not respond. They led the men out of the room. They led them to the edge of the village. They led them to a small shack that looked like an outhouse.

"No guys, I don't need to go, really I'm fine!" Rick said.

The guards pushed them toward the door. one guard opened the door, and inside Indy saw there were stairs going underground. There was also a torch on the wall. The guard who opened the door grabbed the torch. and led them down the stairs. They followed, the other guard followed behind them. They were led to a cell, where Indy understood they were to be kept, probably in case the king did need them for the ritual, and to kill them if and definitely when his son was not restored as his grief-stricken mind hoped he would be. Indy knew that if they went in there, they weren't leaving here alive. He was trying to figure out what to do when all of a sudden, one of the guards knocked the other one in the head. The other guard fell.

"Listen to me now! I will honor the promise of the Young King because I was the one that he made the promise through and my honor is tied to the fulfillment of his dying promise. You can get out of here, but you can't go through the village, if you do, they will catch you and you will be killed on sight."

"But what about the shroud?!" Indy asked.

"Here!" the guard reached into a pouch he was wearing around his waist. he had the shroud, he handed it to Indy who quickly shoved it in his pocket. "I took it while the king spoke to you, he will notice, but it will take some time. I was the one who told the king what his son promised you, and I heard him discussing with the elder wiseman of the tribe. The elder tried to dissuade him from breaking his son's promise, but the king is deeply grieved and he will not listen to reason. The elder is finding two men that he trusts that will meet you where this tunnel comes out. Only the elder knows of these tunnels, I only know because he told me. Everyone else just thinks this is just a dungeon. Come, over here, I'll show you the way out!"

Just then the other guard started to stir, before they could stop him, he ran up the stairs.

"Hurry, I'll shut the false door behind you, they'll never know!"

"But they will kill you!"

"If they kill me, I will sit at the great Feast next to my king, for I will have died fulfilling his promise, now go!"

Indy looked at Rick who shrugged, "do we really have a choice?"

The guard pushed on a wall in the back of a cell in the far corner of the room. It had another smaller room behind it. There were two small torches on the wall. he lit them with his torch. "Get in!" he said "and make sure to take the door on either side to get out, DO NOT TAKE THE MIDDLE DOOR!"

"But, I told myself, someone told me that I should take the middle door!"

Indy, Rick and Short Round had made their way into the small hidden room ducking down because the space was so small.

"I don't know who told you that" the guard said as he began to shut the false wall, "but they were no friend to you, if you go through that door, you'll run into the..." and the rest was muffled as the false wall was totally shut.

The three men pressed their ears up against the false wall to hear what was going on. They heard men run in and there was shouting that none of them could make out. Then there were sounds of a fight and then for some reason Indy could not understand, all three of them heard, clear as day, "To The Great Table, to My King!" It was silent after that for a moment. Then there was some quiet talking and then the men proceeded to look for Indy, Rick and Short Round.

"You think they'll find us Dr Jones?" Short Round whispered.

Indy waved a hand to shush him.

The men looked for what felt like hours, but finally there were no more sounds. After it was silent for what felt like several hours more, Indy took the torch off the wall. He held it around the room to see what they were supposed to do. There was a small tunnel ahead of them. Enough to crawl through on hands and knees, but Rick might struggle getting his beer gut through. Indy crawled into the tunnel, the other men followed, Short Round in the middle and Rick in the back with the other torch. After crawling for about 100 yards in what felt like a somewhat downhill grade, taking them deeper underground, the tunnel opened into a big room. There were more torches in here, Indy lit them. He looked around, and there, on the far wall, three doors.

"Where do we go, Dr Jones?" Short Round asked.

After Indy didn't respond for a moment, Short Round added, "That guard said to take the left or right door, but you think we should take the middle door don't you?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Rick asked.

"Because I know."

"how do you know?"

"Because I told myself. A future version of me told me that it was very important to take the middle door."

They stood there silently for several minutes.

Rick walked up to the middle door and said, "well, fuck it, with all the crazy shit we've seen so far, why wouldn't I believe that you from the future told you from the past to go through this door? Let's see what's behind door number two!" Rick said with a gameshow host voice, and swung it open and the three men stepped through it.