Through Hell and Into Heaven

Chapter 3

     Jim looked at Tina through the rear-view mirror while they drove as if to examine her. "So, you're that girl Israel's been talking about." Israel's face grew warm. He wished that his stepdad had not said it like that. Tina chuckled and gripped her seatbelt. "Yes, that's me, Mr. Pirran." Jim raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and British, too?" Tina frowned and lowered her head. "Y-yes. I get my accent and my eyes from my pa." Jim quickly ceased looking at her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I won't dig in to your personal life." Tina raised her eyes. "No, no, it's okay.... My pa ran off a few years ago. He left mum to fend for herself.... I still can't believe he just.... left." Jim blinked. "You mean he just.... disappeared? No warning? No note? No nothing?" Tina looked away from the rear-view mirror. Israel had had enough. "Jim, stop interrogating her!" he snapped. Jim was surprised at his stepson's fierceness. "I'm only trying to help," he said, steering into the beginnings of a town. Tina managed to smile. "That's what Izzy says when he gives me tips in math class." Israel turned red and mouthed, "Tee! Don't say that name in front of Jim!" Tina simply giggled. Jim eyed Israel mischievously. "Oh, so you have a nickname, do you Sport?" Israel said nothing and stared at his sneakers. Jim made a good impression of a thoughtful look. "Maybe I'll start calling you that." Israel glared at his stepdad. "Oh, you better not."

     Jim shrugged as they drove through the busy town. Cars beeped, people were poking their heads out of second story windows, and others walked through the chaotic streets. Who could bare to live in this place? thought Israel as they parked in front of a massive building. Jim frowned and scratched the back of his neck. "Are you sure Taran lives here?" Israel nodded confidently. "Yep." Jim looked from Israel to Tina. "Well, what are you two waiting for? Go up and knock on that mansion's door." Israel shook his head up and down and practically kicked the door open. He and Tina began to race down the brick path towards the house, but soon they slowed down to gaze at the scenery. The mansion was a sandstone color rimmed with gold on some of the edges of the pillars supporting the front porch area. It was surrounded by a huge yard filled with apple trees, bushes, and marble water fountains. The two friends strolled down the path and up the steps to the huge front porch. The door to the house was quite big and was tinted blue with a gold handle. A doorbell was set on the side. "Go on," Tina said out of the side of her mouth, "ring the doorbell!" Israel looked at her and blinked. "Why don't you?" The girl let out a sigh and said, "Because you invited him to come with us to the excavation!" Israel nervously rubbed his hands together. "But what if his dad or mom opens the door? How am I going to respond to that?"

     Tina just groaned and grabbed his left hand. Israel jumped and looked at her angrily. "Hey! What are you-?" Without replying, the girl pulled his hand up to the doorbell and smacked it against it. "Ow!" Israel grumbled as the doorbell rang. Tina let go of his hand and rubbed her palm against her jeans as if Israel's hand had just been in a garbage dump. "Well, someone had to do it. It might as well be both of us." Almost immediately, a man in a black tuxedo opened the door and smiled down at the two kids. "Ah, Master Israel and Miss Tina," he said in broken English, "have come for Master Taran?" Israel nodded lamely. He had never met a hired servant before. "I call Master Taran now." The man assured them, "Come in! Come in!" Israel and Tina gave each other a look of surprise. They had not planned to enter the manor. Hesitantly, they stepped into the inside.

     The inside of the mansion was amazing, even if it was only one room. The room was massive, with white walls and a quartz floor. A pair of marble stairs curved from the floor to the top of a railed balcony looking over the huge foyer. The servant patiently walked across the big room, his footsteps echoing across the walls. When he got to the stairways, he cupped his hands around his mouth and called, "Master Taran! Master Israel and Miss Tina come for you!" A few quiet seconds passed, then came Taran, leaping down the stairs, carrying his bag. Israel thought it looked more like a man-purse, so that is what he had called it from the day he met Taran. Taran was similar to most boys who lived in the Middle East: dark skin, thick black hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a happy grin. But there was one thing that made him different from most boys: He was rich. Very rich. He wore a white tunic with beige pants and sandals. He looked like he had jumped out of a page of the Bible.... except for the man-purse he carried. Israel was pretty sure that the Jews did not have anything like that back in Bible times. Near the end of the long stairway, Taran leaped onto the railing and slid down the rest of the way, his sandaled feet hitting the quartz floor with a mighty clap that reverberated through the foyer.

     "Thank you, Mr. Fidway!" he said to the servant in a Middle Eastern accent. With that, he excitedly approached his friends, who were still standing just in front of the exit. "Israel!" he cried, "So, your blessed father has agreed to take us to the excavation site?" "Stepfather," Israel reminded, "and yeah! But he might change his mind if we stay here talking too long! Let's go!" The trio ran out of the manor and raced toward the jeep where Jim was waiting. When they got there, Taran blocked Israel's way when he tried to open the door to the front seat. "Ah-ah!" he grinned, "I call shotgun, as you say in America!" Israel chuckled and instead opened the door to the three back seats. He and Tina hopped in while Taran captured the front seat. Jim stomped on the accelerator and they were off.