Judas wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe. "Why would I betray him, my friend, my rabbi? Why would I hurt him when my life has only been about me doing whatever he willed?" Judas glanced up into the night sky, a bitter smile curving his lips. "Maybe I'm the devil?"

Michael felt his skin crawl as Judas' smile spread across his face. He stepped back and shivered involuntarily.

Judas' smile vanished, replaced with a pained sneer. "Maybe I am. I feel like I am." His eyes filled with fresh tears. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"What do you mean?" asked Michael.

Judas jerked to his feet. "I mean, he wasn't supposed to let them take him. I thought he and the others would fight back. Finally, it was time for him to fight, to defeat them, to stop the Romans. To rise up and defeat our oppressors!"

Michael shifted uneasily. "Did you really think he would?"

Judas hunched his shoulders and didn't reply.

Michael continued. "Look, I'm the last person to preach, believe me. But I do know that Jesus' teachings always seemed so nonconfrontational, so selfless, so kind. He was all about love and peace, not violence and hate. He's not someone to use a sword."

Judas glared back. "You don't know him like I do. I saw him do things no other man could do. Things that were impossible to believe, and yet I did and so many of us did. He said he was the Son of God, King of Kings! He's more powerful than anyone, anything. Everything bad can be changed. Every wrong righted. He is the Son of God. Or I thought he was."

"But now you're not sure?"

"He went without a fight! He surrendered! They're just going to kill him. He won't rise up now and defeat anyone. They will beat him, destroy him. No one is that brave."

Judas paused a moment, then continued in a whisper. "We can't stop them from killing him." His head dropped into his outstretched hands, and he began to week again. "I've killed my friend."

Michael grabbed him by the shoulder, shaking him. "Come back with me, Judas! It's not too late. We can give the money back. Tell them you've made a mistake. He isn't the one. Tell them he isn't claiming to be the Son of God. Just tell the soldiers he isn't the one."

Judas glanced at Michael with sorrow. "You don't understand. He is the one." Judas' shoulders rounded as he sank to the ground.

Michael fell to his knees frantically, pulling at Judas. "Stop it! It's not too late. We can still do something about this! Get up and at least try!"

Michael seized him by the arm, but Judas pulled away from his grasp. "Stop your crying! We've got to do something. We just can't let this happen." Michael snatched at him again, but still Judas woiuld not budge.

"Just go," Judas mumbled. He lifted his head to look at Michael. "The others are coming for me. You will be in jeopardy. I am nothing. Worse than that: I just betrayed my friend."

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