Martin Fieber - He Who Returned

Michael shook his head. “Would you like to know what really happened back then?” Michael barely breathed a “yes.” Then he noticed that he was still talking to himself, yet that Tai Shiin had anticipated his reply. “Back then, Jonas had received a mission from us Santinians, which he however refused to carry out. He fled across the sea in a boat. However he got caught in the anti-gravitation area of our spaceship. Naturally an angry storm broke loose. In the end Jonas was cast overboard by the crew of the ship. We Santinians made a rescue effort by turning off the anti-gravitation source of our spaceship and landing on the water. Due to its form and size it was taken to be a whale by the seamen. Jonas was taken into the spaceship and cared for by us for three days and nights until he his health had been fully restored. Quite simple. A logical explanation.”

But Tai Shiin was not finished yet with his remarks.

“Nowadays our activities are even more intensive than earlier, since the conditions on your planet demand our presence under all circumstances. Let me again mention that this is not a science fiction story but rather based on true, unmodified records. They are all original recordings made by us Santinians. The papyrus scrolls contain more detailed information regarding the film which you are about to see. But the scrolls of parchment are most important. At the end of the film you will know exactly what is to be done. I hope that the following moving images will lend you a more comprehensive view of the great soul Jesus than you were given in the past by the church or in school. I am Tai Shiin, space-commander of the near-earth space station Share.” After that the DVD changed to the menu option ‘Play History’.

Michael exhaled deeply. He was shocked and speechless. Not because this was about the person whom he had successfully avoided in his life hitherto, Jesus. No, now a kind of Mr. Spock had appeared and explained God and the creation of the universe to him. The idea of the movie “2001 – A Space Odyssey” that an extraterrestrial race had interfered in the events on earth had always fascinated him. But that was a fantasy; it was just a movie, even if a grand one.

Good, he had to admit that that which he had heard and seen so far from Tai Shiin was gigantic and logical enough, but he simply felt more comfortable among numbers, data, facts and normal business letters than in the realm of cosmic origins.

First of all he needed to grab a bit to eat. He was hungry. Should he sleep first and watch the movie in the morning after a good nights rest? His impatience and interest won out. No. He wanted to engage in an all-night viewing if need be. So he set out to the nearest grocery store, which he fortunately found right next to his hotel. He got all he needed there, for instance licorice pastilles for snacking in between. But before he returned to his room, he drank a strong coffee at the bar and enjoyed the hustle and bustle all about him there. He looked around. No secret service far and wide. No one took notice of him. Everyone was occupied with their daily joys and cares.

Eventually he returned to his room and stared at the light brown and green striped wallpaper for about half an hour. His thoughts still were jumping around like wild monkeys, they simply could not settle down. That is why he sat down on the bed of his fairly dark hotel room and put the laptop on his lap. The musty, faded curtains of his room were not a plus for his room, but he had other problems than that right now. And he had something much more interesting to consider and do.

After what seemed like endless moments in which he tapped the table or restlessly swung his left leg back and forth, he took heart and started the film. Although despite the closed windows there was wild honking and deafening traffic noise coming in from the street, he concentrated on the film.

A man roughly his age appeared on the screen. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, his skin was lighter than that of Tai Shiin, and he wore a violet robe with golden decorations which seemed oriental to him. This man too seemed timeless, and almost genderless. The man, or perhaps better the being, stood on a paradisiacal meadow of flowers.

“My name is Joshua, and I am currently in the spiritual realm. After all I lived in the time of Jesus and already, as you put it, died before my friend.” A new shockwave rolled over Michael. Just a moment ago he was having to get used to the idea that an extraterrestrial was speaking to him, and now it even was one who even happened to be dead. However Joshua truly looked nothing like a zombie. There was something that Michael simply could not grasp just at the moment.

“I was born in Nazareth, in a small village which was consider3ed to be the home of Jesus for a while, the Jesus who, many hundreds of years from now when you will be watching this film and reading these scrolls, will have become more well known than in my own time, which is roughly 30 years after the birth of our saviour Jesus. I was a good friend of his although our paths went their separate ways for quite a while. Back then I wrote down my life and now want to familiarize you with my own life and that of Jesus, as I experienced him, the way he really was. The Santinians have told me about my death on earth and that they have recorded the lives of Jesus and me via moving pictures. They also said that they now desire to make this story available to all of humanity via a certain person. What is still missing and what I will now catch you up on is an introduction to these true events.” Joshua paused briefly. “However what you should know...” Joshua laughed merrily and knowingly.

“What should I know?” Michael was still speaking to himself.

“You should know that, if the divine plan succeeds, then you, Michael are the person the Santinians have chosen. However you already know that. But what you do not know yet is: You are me, and I will be you.”

Michael pressed the pause button and gazed up from the laptop. He let his gaze sweep through the window over the roofs of Jericho. Now what was that supposed to mean? Why am I Joshua? What did he mean by that? What was the point of all of this? Michael was in turmoil. His soul was in commotion. Despite this great restlessness he took a big sip of tea and continued watching the film.

“I am placing all of my hopes in you, for the true events about Jesus are too important than that they might be allowed to be lost forever. Already in my lifetime I experienced how easily records were falsified and how recklessly many people dealt with the truth. I was a scribe in my time and was occupied nearly from morning to night with that. There should be four papyrus scrolls in front of you, one larger and three smaller, as well as three parchment scrolls. The papyrus scrolls show my life, while the parchment scrolls are the eternal teachings of Jesus. His scrolls are considerable more important than mine, perhaps even more significant than any records that exist hitherto in your time, for Jesus wrote these scrolls personally. The words of Jesus, saviour of all human souls, are to be found in these scrolls. However perhaps also the original film-recordings of the Santinians will convince you and many people, since the preference for viewing moving images will be on the rise in your time, whereas the willingness to read will be in decline, as the Santinians have informed me. I wish you and your soul a deep recognition. I am Joshua, a friend of Jesus.”

Michael paused briefly, pressed the pause button of his laptop. Could this truly be? He took a licorice. Was it possible that original writings of Jesus could be right here in front of him? Why did this Joshua seem so familiar? Was he really right? And if yes, then he must have already lived before. His girlfriends Susanne had told him this again and again and also given proof for the reincarnation. He just had never taken her seriously.