Chapter 2 Part 3

Chapter 2 Part 3

At precisely eight o’clock that night, the Greek theater in Los Angeles burst into flames.

A fluttering orange glow reflected off Roberts black tuxedo as he stepped onto a long red carpet leading to the entrance of the amphitheater. Fire was to be the theme of that night’s show and Beth had spared no expense on the venue.
Beth had formulated a list of great American landmarks she wished to set ablaze. This was her way of getting back at her eighth grade teacher, Mr. Willis, who failed her in American history. Though Beth was well passed puberty and most of this anger was long since left to simmer in her unconscious, she still harbored destructive feelings toward her country’s historical background.

The lights dimmed. The crowed drew quiet.

‘Ever since I was a child’ Beth said as she came on stage. ‘I had an ability none of my brothers and sisters possessed, the power to breathe flame.’
Beth held out her hand, where a small candle like flame floated gently above her palm. Although Robert knew his sister’s conjured flames were rarely dangerous, he wondered how anyone would notice a real fire, if one were to break out. It’s a good thing she also possesses the power to heal.
‘Not unlike myself, this flame started small.’ She continued. ‘And just like me it grew.’
The venue was suddenly set alight with a fantastic array of flames, which crept up the walls of the stage and cascaded down the aisles to the trees surrounding them. Rows and rows of black pupils shrank. All heads seemed equipped with generic stares of awe, plastered with gaping mouths that shrieked with admiration.

Robert looked at his watch.

When the show ended, the herds began to disperse. A few stray groups scurried to the stage to bask in whatever glow Beth still emitted. This glow was one part holy and one part smug, with a dash of fake humility; a trait her mother had taught her.
Robert remained in his seat and loosened his tie. He was bored, and so to pass the time, he decided to do some mental exercises by branding the different groups of fans huddling in front of the stage. The largest group, he decided, was comprised of giddy school girls, who to Robert seemed less like people and more like an assortment of brightly colored fashion accessories jumping up and down.
Another group was the anarchists. Black clothes, black hair and yet colorful tattoos, this group must have organized their arrival to bask in the ‘almost’ destruction of Beth’s show.

The fans began to disperse. Hordes of giddy, bouncing accessories scurried passed Robert in waves. A moment later, the herd was gone and all that remained was Beth smiling at her brother.
‘I wanted to be mad at you’ she said. ‘But every time I see you I go gooey.’
‘Hello Beth.’ Robert replied with a smile.
‘How did you enjoy the show?’ she sat beside him.
‘It was a little extravagant for my taste.’
‘You think that’s extravagant?’ her eyes lit up with imagination.
‘Wait until next week. We’re literally setting New York on fire. The show itself is in the park, but the entire Brooklyn Bridge will go up in flames.’
‘Sounds big.’
‘It will be. Wanna come?’
‘I can’t. I have things to do.’
‘You have nothing and you know it.’ She pressed.

Every one of Roberts brothers and sisters, as well as his half brothers and sisters, took a different view of their father. One of Roberts’s first memories was of his sister, starved for attention, burning down the kitchen. Since her own flames had not yet acquired the ability to scorch, she used a newspaper and matches. Robert was afraid of how she would react to her father’s return from prison.

‘I do. Adam sent me to pick dad up from prison next week. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with him once he’s out, but…’
Robert noticed a change in Beth’s expression and stopped talking. A silence filled the night air for the first time. The sort of silence one would expect to get morning sickness and suffer mood swings.
Beth’s face turned stone cold. She had replaced the image of her father with apathy, working hard not to feel anything toward him.

‘Ok. Don’t come. See if I care.’
Robert took a moment. It was a rare occasion that his father was mentioned and in those cases the entire family would usually be there to gripe together. Beth was now alone with her thoughts.

Robert began to leave.
‘You know…’ She said reflectively, while he was leaving. ‘Dad was never really home, even before he left us. He was gone most of the time and I would run around acting up. I used to beat up the little brats in kindergarten and mom made Adam come and heal them all. But when dad was there, he had this way about him. He made time stand still. Every time he picked me up and held me in his arms I felt like I was the only person in the world.’
‘I never knew him.’ Robert replied. 

‘So maybe it’s a good thing you go pick him up. Maybe you should get a little of what hurts us all so much to remember.’ Her face hardened again ‘But don’t bring him here!’

Chapter 2 Part 2

Chapter 2 Part 2

Later that day, Robert arrived at Sunrise Hospital in Los-Angeles, and parked in the assigned space Adam had set aside for him alongside a row of handicapped spaces. Robert was a common sight in this hospital, visiting his brother Adam every few days.

As always he took the elevator to the seventh floor.
This was a special floor, which was once a normal department in the hospital, namely the oncology department; however, it had long since been gutted and refurnished. It now offered a comfortable, lounge like, experience, where Adam would see and heal those who a small, overpaid yet understaffed, committee would deem most in need. Despite the large number of cases put before this committee, it would only be in session eight months out of the year, forcing those most in need to wait at least four months before they could be instantly healed by Adam.

The elevator opened, and Robert inhaled. No matter how often he came to visit his brother, the smell made him regret it. It was the culmination of the ails of man, squeezed into one place and forced to stand in line. Nothing in this room felt natural.

Robert walked past the long winding line of the hopeful afflicted. He was well passed the temptation to stare, though every once in a while an oozing rash or pulsing boil would catch his attention. At the end of this line sat Adam.

Every day Adam would spend three hours healing at Sunrise Medical Center, and then moved on to his main occupation running for the US Senate.

Approaching his brother, Robert noticed he looked bored. He had reduced the required healing touch to a simple prod with his finger, and his mother’s prayer to a mumble. A few feet back in line, before reaching Adam, patients would be encouraged to pick up a flyer explaining the procedure. It read:

Each patient will receive one single touch, for every separate ailment.

***

Neither the Hospital nor the prophet holds any liability for any lack of progress that may or may not occur.

***

All patients must be properly insured.

Immediately after healing they would be given a button: “Vote Adam.”

‘You look preoccupied.’ Robert commented.

‘I am. Did you know dad’s getting out of prison next week?’

A man stood in front of Adam. Adam reacted automatically. ‘What’s the problem?’ he asks the man.

‘I have prostate cancer’ the poor man replied.

Adam took a deep breath and unenthusiastically touched the man’s buttocks.

‘NEXT!!!’

‘So how is he getting out so soon?’ Robert continued.

‘Good behavior. Plus, at his age they don’t want to keep him in without real cause. He’s been in and out of prison since they got him for bigamy, but this was a long stretch. 10 years is more then I’d wish for the old man.’

A woman now stood in front of him.

‘What’s the problem?’ he recited.

‘I’m pregnant.’ She replied.

Adam was actually dumb founded for a moment.

‘You are aware pregnancy is not a disease, right?’

‘I can’t afford an abortion.’

Adam resisted the urge to preach to this woman.

‘NEXT!!! This has to stop happening.’

‘So do you want to go to lunch?’ continued Robert.

‘Sorry, no time today, But I want you to pick dad up and get him sorted out.’

‘No.’ Robert exclaimed. Realizing he may need to expand on this fact a little, he unimaginatively continued ‘I have things to do.’

‘Someone needs to do it.’

Robert’s phone rang. It was Beth.

‘You’re coming to my show tonight!’ she orderd. ‘I’m not taking “no” for an answer.’

‘Not today Beth, I have things to do.’

‘I thought you would say that. Well, I’ve told the press you’re coming and E news should be there, so if you don’t come it would be a big scandal. Third row, center. Dress like you give a crap.’

She hung up.

‘Why don’t you go to her show?’ Adam asked, as he was cupping an old woman’s breasts.

‘I don’t know. I’m not one for this whole celebrity business. The spotlight is for other people. You can run for office, Beth can have her show, but there’s nothing interesting about me.’

‘In a way that makes you more interesting than any of us… NEXT!!!... You’re the only one of thirteen not to have any powers.’

‘I’m honored.’ Robert said ironically.

‘You should be grateful. These abilities are not all fun and games, it’s quite a burden.’ He reluctantly looked at the long line ahead of him before he could go wash his hands ‘Now, go to Beth’s show tonight and have a good time. Then go collect our father from the arms of the United States government.’

Capter 2 Part 1

Chapter 2 Part 1

Twenty three years later a large plasma television flicked on. Thirty four year old Adam was giving an interview on the Larry King show.
'…Every prophet or messiah in history was given two things: Great power and great responsibility. They were always provided with a profound prophecy to announce or a quest to fulfill. As a boy I received these abilities, which are undoubtedly divine, but no one ever told me what to do with them. I had the magic shoes but no yellow brick road. But today I know what I need to do, I've found my calling, I have my road and that is why I'm ready to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate representing the great state of California!..'

Robert opened his eyes to a new day.
Little Robert had grown up and could now be best described as a relatively good looking person. As is the case with most matter in the universe, Robert’s life moved forward on the merit of the external forces acting upon him. His mother Margaret had pushed him through high-school and into a reputable college. His older brothers and sisters, each with their own miraculous abilities, made sure Robert would be given special treatment by all. Even though all twelve of his brothers and sisters had a tendency to compete with one another over their respective powers, keeping tensions high at every family gathering, Robert had no abilities whatsoever. Some may call this a blessing in disguise. Lowered expectations meant he would not suffer from the same stress induced emotional whiplash that plagued his siblings and most child actors. Nevertheless, this crowned him ‘Keeper of the Peace’ in the family.

However one looked at it, Robert pursued a certain relationship with mediocrity. He was of average height, average weight. His clothes were unspectacular and his hairstyle was not the most progressive. Even though Robert finished school as an honors student, this was nothing more than a by product of his miraculous heritage rather than a miraculous mind.

Robert rolled out of bed in his Los Angeles apartment to get himself something to drink, and then walked out in his slippers to get the mail. As with every morning, a flyer was pinned to his door. It read: “Join the Prophet, Change the World!”
This was a religion his half brother Paul had started which, to anyone with sense, sounded more like a cult. Nevertheless, it had plenty of followers who were more than happy to sign over their possessions in the name of the cause. Robert had always wondered what it would be like to care so much for something that you surrendered to its will completely. Such commitment scared him. Even though he was undoubtedly of biblical stock, he never felt tempted to turn to such extremes like religion, patriotism or marriage.

Paul himself was rarely ever seen. After an attempt on his life a few years back, he went into seclusion, hiding away from the world. This rarity made the cult even more popular attracting many more consumers. In his divine absence the empire was now run by an accountant. Robert liked to call it: “prophet for profit.”
A closer flip through his mail revealed another flyer: “Beth’s Incredible Act!”

Robert promised his sister he would see her fire show the moment he had the time. He, in fact, had far more free time on his hands then a healthy person could handle, but didn’t want the publicity. Regardless, today he had to visit Adam at the hospital.

Chapter 1 Part 6

Part six

The train ride south was less than comfortable. Even Joe, who had a talent for sleeping sitting up, was forced to get only minutes of sleep at a time, due to the constant shifting of the carriages. At only one point during the entire trip he found enough peace for a dream.

He was standing in a large room. In front of him was a large table with twelve dark figures sitting facing him. They were all standing in the shadows but he knew them all by name.
‘You’re here to be judged for your actions.’ said one of the figures with a deep voice. Joe lowered his head, accepting his fate. A man appeared to his right.
‘Is that really why we’re here?’ asked the man ‘He’s your father Adam.’
Joe looked to his right to see an adult Robert, The only one of his children too young to remember his father, for better or worse.
‘Do you see father? The only one of your children you didn’t have time to hurt has come to your defense.’ said Adam.
Robert turned to him.
‘He has a point.’
The train jolted. Joe woke up.
Twenty minutes drive from Tucson, Arizona was a small house in the country. In it lived a beautiful woman named Evelyn and her four children. She was married but only saw her husband two months out of every year due to his unorthodox sales route. Nevertheless, she loved him very much. He put food on the table and gave the children a lot of care every spring that he was around. Evelyn tended to keep to herself. She was kind to others whenever she would come across them but always preferred not to come across them at all. The only other character in her life besides her children was her mother in law.

Gertrude was a bothersome old woman who had nothing better to do than spend time with her grandchildren. This would otherwise have been a good thing, only Gertrude was about as educational as a slice of ham. Evidence of this could be found in the strong moral fiber from which her son Joe was made.
Gertrude had heard about the phenomenon of the wonder children and felt the need to make her feelings on the subject known.
‘It’s a bowl of crap if you ask me.’ No one had asked her. ‘This business about little Jesus children sounds to me like someone has found a new way of making money. I’ve got their Jesus right here.’ She motioned.
Joe came home expecting a decapitation. He was pleasantly surprised to see a smile on Evelyn’s face when he walked up the drive.
‘Your mother is driving me crazy.’ She said. ‘I think we should move to some place more secluded, like Alaska.’
She must have heard, Joe thought. Evelyn took him in and served some cold tea.
‘Some man from the paper came by the other day telling me you have another family.’ She continued ‘and that you have other children with god like powers.’
‘Evelyn, I love you and the kids very much.’ Joe apologized.
‘I know. Your mother keeps poking them to see what they do.’ She stopped for a moment ‘I don’t know about you, but I don’t think it’s very healthy for the kids to be prodded by their grandmother like that.’
Joe laughed.
‘I’m sorry, Evelyn.’ He finally said.
‘I know.’

At that time, in that moment, you couldn’t find a happier man than Joe. For all he had lost, one family could be salvaged. He thought about giving up the traveling life style and settling down with Evelyn and the kids. In his mind he knew he could finally begin to put this whole ordeal behind him.
There was a knock at the door. Joe walked out expecting to see his mother; however, instead there were two police men in uniform holding a warrant for Joe’s arrest.
‘Oh yes’ Joe exclaimed ‘bigamy is illegal.’

Chapter 1 Part 5

Part five

That evening, Joe took the last flight to New York. Unlike his family in Seattle, he knew of Paul’s strange gift. He arrived at the house at four in the morning, having not slept since reading the article two days earlier. This city looked different as well. It was much hotter then he was used to. He took the elevator to the fifth floor and walked down the hall to his winter home. He dared not use his key and decided to knock on the door.
After a short while, there was a resonating sound of locks being undone. Joe, who had until now been too tired to be anxious, now felt his heart begin to beat faster. Nicole opened the door. Her eyes were half shut. She had clearly been woken up. Without a word she let him in and went into the bathroom to get organized.

Joe stood in his own living room as if a stranger. He was afraid to sit or get himself a drink, though he was thirsty.
Joe walked to the children’s room and looked in. There slept Paul and his little sister Margie, as quiet as angels.
Was this the last time he would see his children? He thought.Nicole returned to the room. She was now as angry as could be expected.
Nicole was short, thin and usually energetic. She would otherwise never walk into a room ready for a fight, but in this instance she had good cause.
‘Nice of you to turn up’ She said sarcastically.

This was one of only a few times Nicole had successfully used irony. She was simply not that sort of person. In her mind she thought: if one enjoys the company of others there should be no reason to be rude to them. She was a housewife with two children and a husband who was never there. Math gave her a headache and she felt quite content sitting in a coffee shop and flipping through design magazines.

‘So is that your real job? Traveling the country fathering children with magical powers?’
Oddly enough, in a way, she was right.
‘Nicole, my dear, believe me when I say I never meant to hurt you.’ Joe finally uttered.
‘Well, it almost sounds as if you mean it.’
‘All I ask is if I can see the children before I go.’
They noticed little Paul standing at the door to his room. Joe motioned him to come for a hug, but Paul walked into his mother’s arms instead. She picked him up.
‘You told him?’
‘He read it on his own. Your son is smarter than you think.’‘I’m sorry…’ Joe’s apology was interrupted by a slap in the face by Nicole.

The grim reality of what had happened in the past few days finally dawned on him. He had experienced almost nine months in two days and had lost everything at every stop. It may not have seemed like it, but Joe loved every one of his four families. He loved all of his wives equally; each was so different in every respect from the other. He loved each of his children and wondered if they would ever look up to him the way they had until then. Each season, Joe would walk into each house bearing gifts and good spirits. He feared he would never feel loved in that way again. Sadly he was right.

Joe accepted Nicole’s feelings. He turned to give his son a kiss goodbye but Paul, angry as well, struck him in the face as hard as his 11 year old hands could.Joe felt a little better.

New York can be a peaceful place in the early mornings. Joe stepped out of the elevator and stood in the lobby. All that was left was to say goodbye to the doorman. He had been vacated from three of his four homes. Before him was a long trip to Tucson and his wife Evelyn. But Joe was tired and in no mood for an airport. He decided to take a train down south. Maybe time would do more to save his image than he could. These good reasons aside, Joe was also a little afraid of his mother.

Chapter one Part four

Chapter one Part four

With no where else to go, the next stop for Joe was Seattle. It was still summer and so Joe was not used to the sun presenting itself so often, albeit, it still rained most of the time. Little Jeremy stood in the yard, watering the plants. He was now 13 years old with bright red hair and blue eyes. His mother had heard the news and spent that evening after school giving him an earful about his father.When Jeremy suddenly noticed Joe walk up to the house his face struggled to show no emotion. But there was one physical manifestation of his feelings he couldn’t easily hide. The plants began to smell heavily of apple juice.
‘Mom, Dad’s here!!!’ Jeremy announced.
Erica ran to the door.
‘Come inside Jeremy’ she said ‘help your brothers with their homework.’
Joe opened his mouth to talk, but was interrupted.
‘You have a lot of nerve showing up here after what you did.’‘Erica…’
‘I had to find out from the newspaper? Do you know how humiliated I felt? And you couldn’t even pick up the phone.’
‘I’m sorry.’ He uttered, trying to keep his answers short so they wouldn't be interrupted.
‘I guess the reason it took you so long to get here was that you were visiting your other families?’
Joe turned silent.
‘Is it?’ she asked again, as if not believing she was right.‘Can I see the kids?’
‘No.’ she said abruptly. ‘I want a divorce.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Can we even get a divorce? Am I even legally your wife?’

Erica had not yet told Joe about his children’s gifts. They had three children together. There was 13 year old Jeremy with his love for apple juice. There was 11 year old David, who to Erica’s knowledge had not yet presented, and 8 year old Timothy who had a certain influence over water that was, at the time, confined to the bathtub.Even though no one had noticed, 11 year old David had presented with an ability no one could call trivial. When he was sad, or angry, or even anxious it rained. Every mood warranted a different type of downpour. Extreme anger would sometimes even make it hail, as was demonstrated when he was denied his first trip to summer camp a few years earlier. Hail poured over the city for days. It being Seattle, no one noticed.

Joe was tired. It had been two days since he slept or ate. This trip had taken its toll, both emotionally and physically, and it was nowhere near finished. Erica sat at the kitchen table and cried. Her three children sitting next to her, helpless to help, were shedding tears of their own. Joe walked to find a place to eat. When he arrived at a diner, all he could order was coffee. He stared out of the window at the rain, oblivious to the fact that his son had manifested it. This was not going well, he thought. He had another flight to catch in an hour and another sleepless night ahead.

Chapter 1 Part 3

Chapter 1 Part three

When baby Robert was two, his father came home for the last time.He parked his car at the end of the block and walked past a long line of devoted followers all the way to his doorstep. Margaret had Adam, Beth and Kate, who was now also presenting, posing for a picture.
‘Oh. Good thing you’re here’ she said, not really making the usual fuss out of his return. ‘You can join us for a family photo.’
‘I prefer not to.’ Joe replied. He noticed a boost in Margaret’s self confidence since he had last seen her. She no longer threw herself at him with love and longing as she had before. The children had shifted the spotlight of her attention.
‘Nonsense, you’re their father; you have to be seen with them sometime.’

Two things snapped at that moment. The first was a camera taking what was undoubtedly a beautiful family photo. The second was in the mind of a reporter from the New York Times who happened to be watching the whole event. This particular reporter had been following the phenomenon for some time and had recently visited Joe’s New York wife, Nicole. She was so proud of her little son, she decided to ignore Joe’s advice and call the paper. Moreover, she decided to be thorough and take him on a tour of every photo album in the building, some containing pictures of Joe. Albeit, a younger and happier Joe than one could find today.

That week a story was printed in the paper. It was about the five prodigy children found around the country and their common father. To three of the four families this came as a very big surprise. The fourth lived in Tucson, Arizona and hadn’t yet heard the news.

Joe woke up that morning with the business section of the Sunday paper. It was being slammed against his head repeatedly by Margaret.
‘You son of a bitch’ she screamed.
Joe wanted to ask what was wrong, but having just woken up so violently, couldn’t think of much to say.
‘How many families do you have?’
Margaret stopped hitting him and threw the paper on the bed. She stood over him and gazed into his eyes in a way she had never done in the past.
‘I thought the children were a gift from God, something that came out of our love for each other. Now it seems it’s all about you.’ She screamed 'get out'. Go live with one of your other wives.’ Margaret left the room.
Joe finally picked up the paper and saw the headline. It read: “children of sin.” How colorful. He gathered his things and walked downstairs to say goodbye to his children.
‘How many brothers and sisters do we have, dad?’ little Adam asked as he came down. Joe kneeled.
‘Thirteen, beautiful children, including you, son’ Joe replied truthfully.
‘Can they all do what we can do?’
‘It appears so.’ He said reluctantly ‘I'm leaving now children, but I’ll come visit you from time to time. I promise.’
Joe noticed Beth was angry with him. Her fists were clenched and she was concentrating. He quickly turned to check on his bag and rightly so. It had burst into flames.
‘Put it out honey.’ Margaret said.
She didn’t listen. After a few short moments, Adam put the flames out for her.
‘You should leave’ he said calmly and maturely.
Joe quietly took his things and left.

For the first time Joe broke his pattern of travel. He was on his way to the only place he knew to go, the next city in his list, his next family. Seattle.

Chapter 1 Part 2

Chapter 1, Part two

Robert was born in the shadow of his big brother’s fame. Adam was 13 when his brother joined the family and had gone from walking on water to healing the sick. A long line of people would stand outside the house while Adam was exposed to the sickest and poorest people in society, spending hours a day being asked to touch the most disgusting of sores and deformities. His mother had even taught him to recite a small prayer before healing each of the beggars. This wasted a lot of time and had no real effect on the process.

Little Robert went unnoticed by his mother for his first year in the world. Who could blame her? She was fostering a prodigal son all alone. Joe wouldn’t leave his sales route, even after the incident at the pool, and was still gone nine months out of the year. Adam was getting mainly local attention at this point, so Joe was safe to lead his quadruple life in secret.

When Robert was one year old, his sister Beth set her room on fire. Nothing in this family was usual and neither was this fire, it birthed no smoke or damage. About half an hour passed until the fire was put out by Los Angeles finest, and the room remained unscathed. Beth had presented. She was 10.
Now there were three: Adam, who was getting most of the attention, Jeremy, born to his mother Erica in Seattle, and the somewhat destructive Beth. All were happy about this turn of events. The children were getting more than enough of everything but love, and their mothers were happy with the attention. Joe, on the other hand, was unpleased. It was all fine by him at first, of course, but now he began to see a pattern emerging that no one else had noticed. All three of these special children were his. They were all becoming famous and soon someone would have to notice their common father. These little curses, as blessed as they were, were threatening to destroy his life. Or at least change it. Then the phone rang.
‘Joe, honey, something amazing just happened.’ Said his wife Nicole from New York ‘you won’t believe it if I told you.’
But Joe did believe. He knew what she was going to say before she said it.
‘Little Paul got into a fight today. He beat the hell out of some boy at school...’

Paul was a special child. Only 10 years old but had the temper of a teenager. His ability to heal presented itself through a certain amount of violence. A simple touch wouldn’t do but a good smack would clear up just about anything. This would be a cause of much frustration to the boy, who would genuinely be interested in harming those he struck. Sadly for him, each time his opponents would come out of the experience feeling better than when they went in.

‘Are you coming home?’ she added, finally.
‘I’ll be there in two months, as usual.’ Joe replied coldly. ‘Please, try not to tell anyone.’

chapter 1 part 1

Part one

At this point, things began to go wrong for old Joe and his families. At the tender age of five his first born son, Adam, who lived in Los Angeles, California, witnessed their dog Pooch get hit by the milk truck. Having no brothers and sisters, with a father who was only home three months out of each year, Adam felt Pooch was the only thing that would always be there for him. He leaned over the poor dog’s suffering body and touched him gently on the nose.Nothing happened at first. Pooch just lay there. A few moments later there was a sniff. That sniff became a whimper which transformed into a full fledged bark. Adam, it seemed was blessed with the power of healing, among other things. The irony of it all was that this path would be not at all unique.

Unknown to little Adam at the time, was his little brother Jeremy in Seattle. He was only three years old but had already learned how to drive his mother out of her mind. Jeremy was diabetic and had been forbidden his favorite brand of apple juice. This, of course, would not stop him from drinking it. His mother noticed two interesting talents her son possessed. The first was to be able to reach the apple juice, no matter how high up she would place it. The second was that even though the boy would always have his beverage in his little cup, and would drink it constantly, they would never run out of juice in the fridge. These wonderful feats would go unnoticed for a few more years. In those years Joe would be blessed with 11 more children.

One summer, when Adam was 12, Joe returned from work early and decided to treat his family to an afternoon at the pool. The family had grown and included five souls. There was Joe, his beautiful wife Margaret, and their three children: Adam, Beth and Kate. Upon arrival at the pool, all had their rituals. Joe would immediately sit on the lawn and read the paper. Margaret would take the two girls to play in the shallow end of the pool, and Adam would run as fast as he could to stand in line for the water slide. This trip would be no different. As always, Adam stood patiently in line at the slide until he reached the top.
‘Dad! Look over here.’ He called.
Adam pushed himself down the slide as hard as he could, generating quite a bit of momentum in the process. There was a thud and then silence. A crowd of half naked men and women covered in sun screen, gathered at the rim of the pool. All were amazed. Adam picked himself up and rubbed his sore bottom in disbelief. What went wrong? He thought. Why is everyone staring at me?
Joe was as surprised as everyone else to see his son stand on the water as if it were stone.
‘Come here boy.’
He held out his hands. Adam walked across the water towards his father’s outstretched arms. As he stepped off the surface of the water everyone’s heart returned to their normal rhythm.
‘That boy is a miracle’ one woman said. ‘God be praised.’

Three things happened that day. Adam’s life had taken a turn for the biblical. He would now become a celebrity of sorts; at least until his half brother Jeremy would be discovered. Joe’s life would take a turn for the worse. His new found fame would call some unwanted attention to his, somewhat, unorthodox escapades. The third happened that evening when Margaret became pregnant for the fourth time.

That same year in June, Robert was born.

Chosen Ones

Chapter one

exposition

Meet Joseph.

Joseph was once a traveling salesman. He was 45 years old and content with his life. Every year he would travel the same route to sell Teflon coated tools and nails in bulk. There’s no reason to go into his exact route. To be honest, it wasn’t really important to specify what he sold, as all that is now in the distant past. Suffice it to say he was good at his job, mainly because he had a pleasant demeanor and a winning smile.

Some, however, would say Joseph was not an especially moral man. In every city to which Joe traveled he started a family. He had a grand total of four wives, all of whom loved him immensely. How could they not? Joe was, after all, a very nice man.

Two things could be said to be wrong with our traveling salesman, besides his questionable moral character.

The first has its roots in ancient times. It seems, apparently, much of all that biblical mumbo-jumbo was true. Stories of gods, miracles and messiahs are, for the most part, less imagined than many of us might have thought.

How is this relevant to our friend Joe, you ask? Well it is rather simple. Before leaving us to fend for ourselves a couple of millennia ago, our chosen deity left a small genetic marker imbedded deep inside our DNA. This marker was intended to eventually bring forth the new great prophet of our day. The messiah in all his or her glory. Joseph was the last link in this chain, and so his son would be our great savior.

That brings us to the second thing wrong with Joe. This was also a genetic defect and it was placed in his scrotum. The powers that be felt it prudent to leave this defect to ensure the coming of only one chosen savior. A small connection deep inside Joe’s testicles was to snap off after his first child. And it did.

However, Joseph then did something the Gods had not anticipated. Joseph went to the doctor and had it fixed.

Four families would breed thirteen children. Each child would attract the type of attention that would make rock-stars blush. And why not? How could a guitar solo compare with the power to heal or turn water into wine? However, this is all in our future.

First, let’s talk about Joe…