Temple Boys by Jamie Buxton Page A

at the bridge and again in the kitchens.
    â€œEasy,” he said. “What are you going to do?” Suddenly nervous about going it alone, feeling the weight of responsibility.
    â€œJudas!” Yesh’s voice cut across the line of followers, sharp and commanding.
    â€œLater,” Jude murmured. “The boss is in a real mood this morning. Hungover most likely, so keep your head down.” He called out, “Master?”
    â€œMaster. Master. Yohan calls me Lord,” Yeshua barked back. “Did you know that? Shim calls me Lord. Even Tauma calls me Lord. Only you call me Master. Any reason for that?”
    Yesh stopped and beckoned Jude to join him. The followers parted to make two ranks that Jude had to walk between. Flea hurried to join him.
    â€œYou know me, Yesh,” Jude said quietly. He stood in front of Yesh, half a head taller but looking meek. “We go back a long way. I find it hard to change.”
    â€œYes. We noticed. But if you have stayed the same, do you really think I have?”
    Jude flushed. “That’s not for me to say, Master.”
    They were standing in the middle of the road, forming a solid plug. Above them, washing hung on lines across the alley. People had put benches outside their houses so they could sit and catch the morning sun. Two small fig trees, neatly clipped, stood in pots on either side of a front door. Yesh pointed to one of them. “So tell me, Judas: is a plant that doesn’t grow any use to man or beast?”
    â€œI don’t know, Master.”
    Two small red spots appeared on Yesh’s face. “Let me tell you this, then. A follower who doesn’t follow and a man who doesn’t change are like a fig tree that doesn’t grow.”
    He grabbed one of the trees and lifted it, pot and all. Then he dropped it so the pot shattered and stamped on it until the trunk splintered. The followers huddled around to make a barrier between Yesh and the crowd. They looked wary.
    â€œDo you understand now, Judas?” Yesh said. He was breathing heavily. “You’re about as much use to me as that tree, unless you change. You want to go back to the old days. We can’t. As soon as I was chosen, that was it. I moved on. Everyone moved on. That’s why we’re called a movement. But you, Judas, my oldest friend and my first follower, refuse to budge. Can’t you see how that might upset me? Can’t you see how at this moment, the last thing I want to do is waste my time splitting hairs with you? Can’t you? Can’t you?”
    Flea did not dare move, even though Jude was gripping his shoulder so hard it hurt. He watched the clench of Jude’s jaw muscle and noticed a tic shiver the skin on his scarred cheek.
    Jude took a breath and said, “Yes, Master. I see.”
    Yesh turned away. “Mat, pay for that tree. The rest of you, pray for it.” A twisted smile. “Now come on. There’s still a lot to do.”
    â€œIs that what you call keeping your head down?” Flea asked Jude. “It’s just that…”
    â€œEnough! Listen, at the Temple there may be trouble, and remember what Shim said last night? They’ll be trying to use you as a sort of shield. It’s one thing to chuck us out of Temple Square; it’s quite another to hurt little children, especially if Yesh has the crowd on his side. Believe me, that’s one thing he’s good at.”

 
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    The wide steps that led up to the Temple’s southern doors were normally crowded. Today they were empty, the crowd kept back by a cordon of Temple guards. But the crush of people made room for Yesh as he led his followers and the Temple Boys toward it.
    â€œLord, they’re obviously expecting us,” Mat said. “We won’t be able to get into the Temple today. Should we discuss what to do next?”
    Yesh did not pause. “Should the crowd see us run away at the first sign of