We were all in the parking lot right now and Mark insisted on driving us all the way to the port and seeing us off. All of us were getting inside the van and sat on our seats last night. "Thank you so much for assisting us, Mark." Thanks Yeshua. "My pleasure, Teacher." Mark replied.
And our journey to the wilderness began. "Teacher, why the forest?" Andrew asked. "Hey! I thought I told you not to question Him?" Simon. And it began as well.
"Is it wrong to question?" Matthew.
"I did not ask for your backup!" Andrew.
"Just trying to help." Matthew.
"Don't question Teacher again, brother." Simon.
"Fine!" Andrew.
"But why the forest though?" John.
"John!" Simon.
"He has a point, Simon." Jaime.
"Teacher, what are we to do in the wilderness?" Thomas.
"Please let's not hike anymore!" John. Yeshua chuckles.
"John, if you don't shut your mouth…" Simon.
"Hey, hey, hey. That's my brother, Simon." Jaime.
"I didn't know they were this loud." Mark. Yeshua chuckles again.
"You'll get used to them… eventually." Tabitha.
"Do you?" Mark.
"Sometimes." Tabitha.
"You two good back there, James and Jude?" Mark.
"Yep, we're good!" James.
"We're all right here, Mark." Jude.
"How about you, Miss Maria?" Mark.
Huh? What?"Oh. Uhm. I'm-I'm good." I replied while stuttering. Tabitha chuckles. Then I looked at Yeshua. Not You too? Then I heard the boys murmur at the back.
2 hours have passed and we've arrived in the forest, or what Yeshua calls the wilderness. "Are You certain we're not going to do some hiking?" John asked as we got out of the van. "Are you that afraid of hiking, John?" Simon asked as he jumped out the van. "Hey! Easy on the van!" Thomas said to Simon. "Okay, okay." Replied Simon to Thomas.
"Teacher, what are we to do in here?" Matthew asked as he got out of the van. "Maybe it's to cut trees!" Andrew answered sarcastically as he got out of the van as well. "The two of you really are brothers." Jaime said. "Is it really necessary to get out of the van?" Asked Tabitha as she got out as well. "Don't you want to stretch?" Jude asked as he followed her out of the van.
And as soon as I was about to get out of the van, we heard a rustling sound coming from the bush near us. I froze at the doorway of the van. "Everybody, don't make another sound." Mark commanded as he tried to approach the bush with high alert but Yeshua preceded him. "Teacher!" Mark called in a whispering manner to Yeshua but He did not stop. "Yeshua!" Mark called again, but this time He stopped and looked back.
"He's a friend, not a foe." Yeshua answered and continued approaching the bush. Tabitha and I then looked at each other and I'm sure we told each other that we were right. "'A friend'?" John asked. "What is happening, Maria?" James asked while he's still sitting at the back. "Yeshua just called a person hiding behind the bush 'a friend'." I answered James while I'm still watching what's happening at the doorway of the van.
And then, a man with a bob haircut came out of the bush. "Ow! Get off me!" Said the man as he removed multiple branches from his clothes. "Let me help you with that, my friend." Yeshua said as He helped the man remove the branches from him. "Teacher?" Said the man as soon as he saw Yeshua's face.
"Hello, Philip." Greeted Yeshua. "Who is it, Maria?" James asked. "Yeshua just called the man 'Philip'." I answered while still watching them. Not long after, Mark also helped remove the branches. "Can somebody lend Philip any clothes?" Yeshua asked as He helped the man fix himself. "The coat." And I quickly took Mark's coat from my bag and hurriedly gave it to Yeshua in front of Mark.
"Nice coat. Is this your boyfriend's?" Philip asked as Yeshua put it on him. I just stayed quiet because Mark is not my boyfriend but I felt my cheeks get warm. "I'm glad you could make it, Philip." Yeshua said, making the attention of Philip go back to Him. "Yes, Teacher. I am here to tell you two words." Philip replied with a smile.
Yeshua smiled back at him. "And I only have two words to ask you," Yeshua said with a smile still, "Follow me."
"I will."