The 13th Tablet

‘Is it a coat of arms? Who does it belong to?’ asked Jack.

‘I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. This is a simplified version of a really famous diagram, the Kabbalistic tree of life.’

‘Come on Mina, I think we’ve spent too much time conspiring together. You’re seeing things.’

‘No. I know I’m right. Check it later on. You’ll find it on any website about Kabbalah. It represents many things, including the mystical sefirot that Eli told us about in Safed.’

‘And in English?’

‘Think of these circles as spheres of knowledge, or sefirot, to approach the divine, step by step.’

‘OK. I agree. It’s weird to find this here. What about the rest of the church?’

‘That’s where it gets interesting. Let’s go in.’

As Jack and Mina walked into the church, a dark shape moved out of the trees and closer to the building. The man was holding a small device in his hand which he had been pointing towards the couple since they started their walk. It was a ‘shotgun’ microphone, a directional sound-locating device. It was specifically designed for medium range frequencies, which allowed its user to isolate and pick up distant human voices. He hadn’t missed one word of Jack and Mina’s conversation so far. It would be more difficult to hear what they said now that they had entered the church.

‘This church’s amazing. It’s like a precious jewel lost in the fields,’ said Jack.

‘Yes. Don’t you feel it’s all too good? asked Mina. ‘What do you think of those wall paintings?’ she asked.

‘The colours are so vivid. But the style of the paintings is medieval. Were they restored?’

‘That’s the point, they’re made to look medieval, but they’re not. No. Everything’s fake here. The most ancient thing in this church is the altar slab.’ She let the word hang, waiting for Jack’s reaction.

‘No…’ said Jack, ‘You’re not trying to tell me that the Jerusalem tablet is right here, under our noses?’

‘Why not? Why couldn’t the tablet be hidden under the altar slab, or be the altar slab itself?’

‘There’s only one way to find out. We’ll get some tools from Joshua’s shed and return tomorrow to check it out.’

‘Alright,’ answered Mina. ‘But if we do, we must be very careful not to break anything. If the tablet is part of the altar, we just take a photograph and put it back in its place. I feel uneasy about desecrating an altar but especially because Joshua is the keeper of the church.’

‘I thought he was Jewish?’ asked Jack.

‘He is, but he makes sure the church is cared for and plays the organ from time to time. Never mind. You’ll be careful, won’t you?’

‘Of course, Mina.’

In the evening, after dinner, they all sat by the fire. Joshua spoke of the magic of the Gog Magog hills just outside Cambridge, of the strange stone circle nearby and the ancient Roman road you could still follow from Cambridge to Linton. Jack and Mina were fascinated by their host’s every word.

Chapter 25

December 17th, 2004. Hildersham

Jack and Mina both woke up to a loud wailing coming from downstairs. They rushed out of their respective rooms and bumped into each other in the corridor.

‘Did you hear that?’ asked Jack.

‘Yes. It’s Joshua,’ she said alarmed, as she ran down the stairs. The old man was sitting in his armchair. Mina approached him carefully.

‘Joshua? Is Daniel alright?’

‘Oh God, oh God,’ he kept repeating.

‘What is it Joshua?’

He looked at her with vacant eyes and said, ‘It’s gone.’ Mina and Jack looked at each other in total incomprehension. They both knelt next to Joshua, and Mina held his hand.

‘Talk to me Joshua,’ she whispered to him kindly.

A car pulled out near the house. A few moments later, Daniel opened the front door. He saw an expression on his father’s face that he hadn’t seen since the day his mother died. Mina was by his side with another man.

‘What’s going on here?’ he shouted.

Mina walked up to Daniel and said, ‘I don’t know. We just came running down the stairs when we heard your dad screaming. He’s been like this ever since!’

‘And who are you?’ Daniel asked Jack.

Mina answered for Jack, ‘This is my friend I told you about. He arrived yesterday afternoon.’

‘Hi, I’m Jack,’ he said.

‘Daniel’, replied Daniel quickly before kneeling at his father’s side.

‘Dad, what’s happened?’

Old Bamart took a deep breath, and sighed.

‘I went to the church early this morning and…’ he broke off.

‘And?’ asked Mina.

‘And the church was vandalised during the night.’

‘What?’ said Jack and Mina simultaneously.

Daniel looked at them suspiciously.

‘The altar was smashed and… and an object I care about was stolen,’ said Joshua wearily.

‘What was stolen, Dad?’ asked Daniel.

‘I can’t speak of it here,’ he replied, glancing at Jack and Mina.

But Mina quickly interjected, ‘You can Joshua. I think I know what you’re talking about. Was a cuneiform tablet stolen from the altar last night?’

He looked at her in wonder.

‘You knew?’

‘What does she know, Dad? What the hell’s going on here?’ asked Daniel.

‘I think it’s best if Mina and I filled you in on what we’re really doing here,’ Jack suggested.