THE WALLS OF JERICHO -- by Ellis St. Joseph
The Time Travellers land outside the walls of Jericho and become
the spies who, according to the Bible, entered the city.
Materializing out of the Vortex of Time, Doug and Tony find
themselves before a desert tent and ore immediately in danger
of being killed when they are saved by Joshua, the Commander
of the Israelites. They explain that they have come from the
future, and he, unbelievingly impressed by the pair's knowledge
of his plans for tumbling the walls of Jericho, sends them over
the wall into the city as his spies. In suitable dress, they reach
the city only to find its leadership upset and that sacrifices are
about to be made. Doug and Tony watch as a procession of virgins
is marched up to the Temple and one of them, Shala, is to be
killed by High Priest Malek. They quickly intervene, surprising
everyone so that Shala is able to run to her sister, Rahab,
and the two disappear. In the ensuing confusion, Doug is
captured while Tony slips into an open door only to find that
he is in Rahab's house. She gives him shelter because he saved
her sister. She tells Tony that she can get him back to the Israelites
through a back window at night and send for her father, to tell Tony
how to get into the dungeon to save Doug. Those at the Tunnel are
appalled to see that Doug is being tortured. Suddenly he vanishes
from the Tunnel screen, the reason being Tony, who's slipped in
by a secret entrance has knocked out his captor, and cut him free.
But they find the way out barred by a group of idling soldiers. It remains
for Rahab to distract the Soldiers so that the pair can escape. But a
great search of the city is immediately instituted, and when the servant,
Ahza, hears of a reward, she reports the two spies. As a result of
Ahza's treachery, a Captain marches in and captures Tony as Doug
escapes through the wall. At the Tunnel, Ann grows increasingly
distraught as Tony and Rabab are sentenced to be stoned.
With everything in the Bible thus far borne out, Tony is calm,
knowing Rahab and all who belong to her will be safe, but Ann leaps
to the Tunnel controls and activates the recall system. It simply blows
the connection into a shower of sparks. By now Joshua's marching is
incessant, and he orders all the horns blown, a tornado bears down
on the frightened city, and the walls indeed begin to tumble. Tony and
Rahab are freed by Doug. The Temple totters, the altar falls, and the
Israelites sweep in. Rehab is reunited with her family and the Time
Travellers dematerialize into the Vortex of Time.
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