Nate B Quill

Claudia Minervina tossed and turned all night. Her body tensing, her fists tightened until her nails drew blood from her palms.

She watched her son scream in pain while being whipped by Roman soldiers. 40 times, holding back 1 for mercy. She cried out and pushed against the wall of Roman soldiers blocking her from her beloved son.

Latens, now nearly 19, had not once been seen by the public. His mind still 10 years younger than his body. Supposed to be her greatest shame: that from her womb she created a lesser, an invalid; instead, she loved and cared for her beautiful boy anyway.

After every strike he bit into his lips until blood flowed from his mouth. Minervina clawed at the Roman soldiers before her, trying to reach her beloved. A glow shined from his head; a crown made of light lay there.

Minervina trembled in fear, her bones aching for her Latens. Her breath shook and slowed till she could no longer breathe. The one thing she could ever truly care for, the kindest man she ever knew, the son who she rejoiced with at all times was being treated like a criminal. The wall of soldiers shoved her to the ground, where she lay unable to take in a breath. As her mind grew thinner, a voice echoed.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you do unto the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do unto me.’

She woke up with a shudder and quickly ran into Pontius Latens’ room, and hugged him with tears flowing from her eyes in the windowless room.

The next morning, she saw her husband on the balcony, with 2 prisoners before him. One, the notorious prisoner Jesus Barabbas, and the other sat quietly with a tear leaving his eye. Adorned on his head was a golden crown made of light.

She ran to her husband and put her hands on his shoulders, leaving blood stains on them, and whispered into his ear,

“Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”