The Whip

By De-Witt A. Herd

Its Human Nature to explore the past, present and fantasied about the future. So, if you look back in the first century where you have a man name Ponce Grineadi who created the perfect gift for his younger brother in the Roman Legion under Governor Pontius Pilate in Judaea. When the gift was used for the first time to draw blood and then it was lost. The search was on as it continues through generations after generations until the present day where the Grineadis family, private collectors, foreign countries and two artifact investigators from the Vatican follows a hidden clue that takes them far from the truth and journey through the REAL DEAD-MENS CHEST. Therefore, the question remains; if the quest is found how would it affect the present and future religious and scientific world as we know it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499049947

De-Witt A. Herd

Biografía Nacido en el Bronx, Nueva York, he compartido en mis escritos que yo era siempre un soñador de corazón. A pesar de que aprendí muy poco durante mi crecimiento, me ayudo a auto-superarme. Fui a la escuela Preparatoria Evander Child en Gun Hill. Y me he podido superarme como Cocinero Gourmet para Banquetes, he obtenido un título en Licenciatura en Servicios Humanos para avanzar a una Maestría en Consejería Matrimonial, familia, terapia infantil, y el control de la ira. Sin embargo, todavía existe la necesidad dentro de mí de aprender más. He escrito otros libros como “Poesía en los pensamientos de un Soldado”, “Fuego Fantasmal”, y “Los senderos de un cocinero militar", y ahora “Dotados”. Dotados es verdaderamente notable en sí mismo mediante la adopción de realidad y ficción para crear un mundo a la iluminación.

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Copyright © 2014 by De-Witt A. Herd.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 12/16/2016

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CONTENTS

Letter from the Author

Chapter 1 The Birthday of a Lasting Time

Chapter 2 A Secret Lie: Present Day

Chapter 3 The Real Dead Men’s Chest

Chapter 4 A Secret Lie II

Chapter 5 The Whip

Chapter 6 Let’s make a Deal

Chapter 7 Whose Blood is it?

Chapter 8 Do Not Cross the Line

Chapter 9 Deception has a new Name

Chapter 10 Safe or Safe Haven I

Chapter 11 Safe or Safe Haven II

Special Note from the Author

With great

dedication to:

Laura Cepeda; Antonio Gomez; Paul Razo and Elsa Ruiz for so many efforts to make a difference in others even when it becomes harder each time after time.

Only to make an even greater effort to get the message across time after time.

Special Thanks to:

John Sides; Alicia Salazar; Irma Ribota and Ricardo Delgado help is never a long way to go.

LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR

W hat better way to explore the unknown but by suspense and the journey beyond the imagination. Now, everyone loves a good mystery now and then, yet there is always something missing. And even though you may figure it out; when it comes to a mystery the excitement has vanished. But what if you mix a sense of mystery with suspense and a bit of adventure as well; it becomes a lasting memory you’ll never forget. Now as a reader, do you think this is an interesting concept? So! What if you add a little of your own adventure to them both? Well, the results not only leave a lasting memory, it encourages someone such as the readers to want to know more. It even draws you into the story and makes you think in advance on how it will end.

In order to write the ‘Whip’ I had to think about Human Nature. Now, let me explain for though who’s not quite sure what I’m talking about. Human Nature creates the urge to explore the unknown; to understand the past and fantasize about the future. Human Nature even goes further to the extent that you have to believe in SOMETHING. It doesn’t matter what it is we have to do it. And if you take it to a religious point of view, the higher power of your choice can say Belief creates a sense of hope. So, it draws the question; but before I get to that, millions of people reads and heard the story of Jesus in the 1st century. Yet to actually find physical proof that he existed rather than grasping on written proof so the say. So! Please don’t get mad but this is where Human Nature comes to play, WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING". Therefore, the question: What would you do if you had the actual blood of Jesus? You would be surprise what people would answer. So, sit back and let your mind explore the WHIP.

Chapter One

THE BIRTHDAY OF A LASTING TIME

A round the quarter of the first century, the Roman Empire now rules by Emperor Tiberius. With the increasing chaos and hostile population in and around Judaea, the Empire was not willing to except defeat nor have plans to withdraw their legions from the vast region. Tiberius knew there has to be order, since the region continues to be profitable in spite the problems, he needed someone who could bring order to the region and train and build up the Legionary’s confidence. He elected Pontius Pilate for his leadership ability and for his several battle campaign successes. Now Governor of Judaea, one of his first orders is to up held discipline in the Legionary and to relieve the conflict between the Roman Empire and the Sanhedrin Jewish high councilmen.

Governor Pilate quickly brings his Romans and Jewish law to order. He tries not to interfere with the Sanhedrin’s Jewish written laws as long as the people faithfully comply with laws of Rome. However, other matters, Pontius Pilate tries to restrain from but with the persistent of the Jewish council out of good faith, he collaborated with the Jewish leaders.

Back in Italy in the province of Latina a coastal small city call Gaeta, a blacksmith name Ponce Grineadi who thought of a perfect birthday gift to give to his younger brother in Judaea. He thought to hand crafted a special whip in which he folded and weave strips of sheep leather from a rare golden ram. The braided leather extended sixty inches with 4, four inch leather strips with each strip caped in a half inch bronze tips that was flatten and sharpen on both sides. He then used a bore’s tusk as the handle, and in scripted in Greek: Punish those who force upon me and in Latin: Spare those who paid in blood. When his brother Marco Grineadi received the gift he was quite please and couldn’t wait to show-off his fine tool, much like a child in a show-in-tell day in school. Marco was respected by his team of punishers and defender of Caesar’s Law. That’s a fine tool Marco said Flexuous (he was named by his mother due to his constant turning and appears to be wining inside her womb). Yes it’s beautiful and crack with precision as it whish like singing to the GODS. Look, feel as Marco hands the whip to Flexuous as he gaze upon it. Flexuous looks closer and feels the fine leather and said this is a prize of Rome, well balance; you are to be proud to possess a fine tool as this. Marco through his head up and chest out and said I am proud for my brother presented this as a gift for my birth to this world.

The Roman governor Pilate pace up and down the halls contemplating what to do in the peoples decision. He felt there were no sound reasons for the Jewish council to ridicule this man call Jesus. He try not to pass judgment on Jesus but when Herod Antipas refused to pass judgment as well on the proclaim King of the Jews and therefore had sent him back. Governor Pilate was now force to make a decision and lean favor towards Jesus as his final attempt failed when the Jewish councilmen and the people elected for a criminal Barabbas to be released. However, Pilate felt he needed to try once more, but the people were firm on their decision. But instead of ordering the death sentence he hope the Jewish council and the people would be satisfy with ordering that Jesus to be flog and beaten, hoping this would be sufficient. As Jesus lay tied to the post in the courtyard full of spectators; and there lies on the table with fully lined up with different types of torture equipment’s and tools of pain. The Captain of the team looks up and down the table trying to decide which method of pain should be use first. Hum, he muddles a sound and then picks up a lion’s claw (over time it was rename the cat of nine tails). Captain, someone calls out, Marco has a new toy to try out. Very well he said and calls out Marco. When he came to the front the Captain said see what you can do with this criminal. Marco takes his whip out of a bag and stretches it out. He stretch his neck and back, crack his fingers and loosen his wrist, he then throws the whip back and whip it forward with ease as it met its mark, drawing the first blood. Several more times as the metal bronzes tip torn open flash and skin sending splattered blood in every direction. The Captain wipes blood off this cheeks and said that’s a fine tool you have, and then he himself takes a turn.

When the Roman soldiers elected punishers had completed scourging Jesus, it wasn’t enough to please the Jewish council leaders as Governor Pilate reluctantly orders the crucifixion to be carried out. The soldiers take Jesus away while the punishers gather their tools of the trade and return to their chambers. Moments later a man arrived called Gillette the Blacksmith. Gillette would travel to each garrison to clean and sharpen the tools of war and even forge new ones to the soldier’s specification. He came in with an assistant and gathered everything from the soldier’s, taking it to a readymade area next to the stable. Put everything on the table and start cleaning them, he instructed the assistant. The assistant brings several pales of water, a brushes and rags to the table. He then picks up one pale of water and throws it on top of one end of the table, wetting everything on the side. Another pale was picked up and right before he empties the water on top Gillette yells Stupido! What are you doing? He rushes over saying all leather must be clean separately, just take the belts and whipping straps off the table and toss them to the side. He nearly missed on the far end of the table opposite from the wet end and at that point Gillette notice the hand crafted whip. He picks it up and said you see this, you can’t get it wet. The assistant said but their full of blood and you said clean them. Gillette became angry and raises his hand while holding on the whip with intention on back slapping him for stupidity. Yet he holds back and lowers his hand, then said pay attention, if you wet leather it will shrink and became hard when it dries, do you understand. Before the assistant could answer, Gillette carefully rolls up the whip and places it in a bronze chest about 18 inches in length and 10 inches in width. He said I will attend to this later. You have to treat the leather with a special ointment to clean and smooth the leather. Gillette puts the chest off to the side and said don’t touch it, I’ll attend to this later, hand me that jar over there