jefflong.yearzero-第56节
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〃Why？〃 questioned one man。
〃They feed us；〃 said another。
A small band walked over to examine the food。
Izzy hung back with Nathan Lee。
〃What was that Egypt thing all about？〃 Nathan Lee asked in a whisper。
〃I'm not certain；〃 said Izzy。 〃He said something about how they've been brought out of Jordan； down into Egypt。 Into the iron furnace。 Where the sky is made of bronze。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？ The metal walls in their cells； maybe？〃
〃No idea。 You want me to ask him？〃
〃Too soon；〃 said Nathan Lee。 〃Just keep your ears open。 It looks like the feast is about to begin。〃
After some discussion； the men decided to transport the food back to the fire。 Several of them carried the lamb over by hand。 Others toted plastic jugs of water and sacks of food from under the cart。 They stoked the fire higher…the guards had left plenty of logs…and sat in a large； crowded circle。
The food rallied them。 Nathan Lee had scrounged jars of cocktail olives and bags of dried dates。 One of the bakeries had mitted some bread。 The loaves steamed when the men broke them open。 Soon they were all pulling meat from the lamb with their fingers。
The meal went on for hours。
The sky and food worked magic on them。 With greasy chins and full stomachs； the clones began to talk； at first quietly； then with more clarity and excitement。 Even two thousand years ago； they would have been unknown to each other。 Jerusalem in the first century had probably contained fifty thousand people or more。 At the height of religious festivals； thousands more from throughout the land had poured through the gates。 For the time being； though they had Jerusalem…and now their captivity…in mon； everyone was equally a stranger。
Men stood to walk off their fullness。 The cameras jinked right and left； their remote operators trying to follow everyone。 The drowsy ones pillowed their heads on their arms and took naps beneath the tree。
The sight of human faces and the sound of their own language revived them with amazing speed。 The inconsolable ones who howled at night were pacified。 Men held each other's hands and walked in the sunlight。 Some chattered like long…lost cousins； Izzy eavesdropping at their heels。 Matthew and others wandered about with tears running down their faces。 Ezra and Jacob kept bursting into great laughs hailing God in the heavens。
Sitting on his heels； Nathan Lee let the rhythm of the yard gather around him。 Several clones had begun aggressively striding around the perimeter in clockwise circles； their sandals slapping。 A man faced each of the walls and proclaimed his name with a thump of his chest。 Two others； philosophers ormagi perhaps； entered some deep discussion about the meaning of the parking stripes。
The man who held his attention most was the fugitive。 He kept apart from the rest； quietly circling the walls。 There was no impatience in him。 He didn't look up at the sky。 He didn't examine the walls。 Nathan Lee could tell he was already thinking of escape。
Now that they were mixed together； the clones' differences became more apparent。 In their steel cells； they were mainly distinct because of their behavioral tics。 But out here in the open air； moving about； you could see the variety of men whose remains…for one reason or another…had e to litter the roadside beyond the walls of old Jerusalem。 There were tall men； squat men； lively men； wary introverts。 Soon their words and the way they walked were revealing the men they had been； bullies； sorcerers； merchants； herders； sycophants； slaves； and peasants。 They had e from many places before ending up at Golgotha。
Not everyone entered into the pany。 One poor fellow stood in place； hooting over his shoulder； possessed。 Another developed the sudden urge to publicly masturbate； and was driven away with annoyed shouts。 But aside from these broken misfits； there was remarkably little mental illness。 For men who had been so badly abused； they had done a remarkable job at holding onto their dignity。
A bark of recognition suddenly echoed in the courtyard。 Two of the clones embraced and began shouting excitedly。 Izzy lingered by them； then came over and squatted beside Nathan Lee。 Apparently one of the men was the great…grandfather of the other。 They had died ninety years apart； but looked like identical twins； both of them twenty…five years old and with hawk noses and tight black curls。 They kept touching each other's faces。
Another shout of recognition： Izzy listened。 Two of the men had been crucified back to back。 They had never seen each other's faces； but somehow recognized each other's voices。 With great animated disbelief； each felt the other's limbs and checked for the lash wounds and broken bones that had marked their last days together。 Weeping； one told of the other's final breaths。 He said it had been like watching his own child die。
ALL AFTERNOONtheir discoveries unfolded。 More and more； they began to piece together family ties or identify neighboring villages or shared trades。 Before Nathan Lee's eyes； they were being a tribe； fused by their lost worlds and this strange new heaven or hell。
Like a bird of prey； Izzy cast off and came back； bearing new stories。 〃It's too much； too much；〃 he kept saying to Nathan Lee。 〃I'm missing so much。 They're giving me a headache。〃 Then he would fly off again to snag more tales。
Three men came over and stood above Nathan Lee。 〃Who are you？〃 they asked。
〃Nathaniel；〃 he said。
〃Where is your village？〃
〃Gurrr…byaa； td'oo…rraa…n'e；〃he answered。North。 The mountains。 He and Izzy had decided that was the safest disguise for him； a mountain yokel on the far edges of Aramaic country。
One asked him something about Jerusalem。 Guessing； he answered；〃saa…paarr…chee。〃 He had been a traveler。 That seemed to satisfy them； and they continued their rounds； interrogating other prisoners。 Gathering a database； Nathan Lee realized。 Organizing。
He steeped in the words； gaining the cadence； expanding his grasp。 Aramaic was not a pretty language； heavy on consonants； very guttural； very macho。 Helped out by their body language； he was able to pick up the gist of some of their conversations。
One topic of fascination was their new bodies。 They talked about their bodies as if they were exotic animals。 It didn't matter if they had died when they were seventeen or seventy； Miranda's magic had resurrected them in their physical prime。 Their bodies were metabolically twenty…five years old。。。and free of their previous defects。 The marks of their crucifixion were erased。
Most were satisfied with the new vessels into which they had been born。 Slaves who had been tattooed for ownership seemed lost without their tattoos。 Men whose broken bones had set crookedly two thousand years ago； or whose spines had grown bent； were awestruck by their new bodies。 Warriors who had lost an arm or leg were whole again。 Skin diseases； gout； and arthritis had vanished。 The jury seemed to be mixed。 Resurrection was bad； but also good。
〃I was never this tall；〃 one marveled。
Another patted his soft belly and pulled at the fat。 〃I look like a rich man；〃 he gloated。
They opened their robes to pare lab scars or show how birth…marks had been erased。 They gestured at their genitalia with disgust； and Nathan Lee finally understood that they were scandalized to find their circumcisions reversed。
〃Who said life would be easy？〃 a big man said。
〃Why are we here？〃
〃When will my family arrive？〃
They were irrepressible。 The yard had been swept of debris； but they found all kinds of strange artifacts： a bottle cap； a pair of sunglasses some scientist had left perched on one of the tree branches； pieces of wire； nails； and several dollars' worth of nickels； pennies； and quarters。 The coins were examined and debated with great interest。
As the sun sank； the pit grew colder。 They added more logs to the fire。 Someone broke off a bough of green needles and laid it on the flames； and a pungent smoke rose up。 Men gathered； mumbling prayers； passing their hands through the smoke； drawing it into their lungs。 It was a universal habit。 All you needed for an altar was a place out of the wind。
A group formed and began kneeling and prostrating； touching their foreheads to the ground。 〃How can that be？〃 Nathan Lee muttered to Izzy。 〃Mohammed wasn't born for another five hundred years。〃
〃Where do you think the Muslims picked up the habit？〃 Izzy asked。 〃From the early Christians。 Do you hear them？〃
〃Abwoon d'bwashmaya；〃they chanted together。〃Nethqadash shmakh； teytey makuthakh。〃
〃Our father in heaven； sacred is thy name； thy kingdom e；〃Izzy translated。 His eyes were gleaming。 〃It's the Lord's Prayer； pretty much the way Jesus would have spoken it。〃
Nathan Lee darted a glance at the cameras and all were fixed on the knot of primitive Christians。 For the most part； the Christians were ignored by the other clones。 It would have been just one more New Age cult to them。 In fact； only two of the clones seemed to be paying the slightest attention。 One was the man so certain this was Egypt； and his eyes were narrowed and musing。 The other was the fugitive； who stood back； as if he had been thrown into a pit of lions。
24
The Year Zero Ho
