Jago (Part Three)

Jago did not adapt quickly to the idea of immortality.  You see, my dear reader, in the beginning, it didn’t seem like we were immortal – we lived life day-by-day, and looking at life as long-term didn’t occur to us - so we didn’t really know how special we were until much later.  When we explained about the medicine and how we couldn’t die, Jago would just grunt and smile, then laugh and say we were crazy. Eve thought him to be insulting because he made stupid remarks about what we were trying to explain to him and he seemed to regard our mercy and the medicine as nonsense.  After a few days of this, Eve became so frustrated with him that she pulled a dagger from beneath her ‘peplos’ (tunic) and jabbed it into his heart.  As he lay slowly passing out from loss of blood or what he perceived to be death and dying, he exclaimed, “Why?!”

Eve stood over him and laughed, “You dumb child!  You’re not dying - you’ll pass out for a second and then get up good as new.”  She no longer could take his irreverence to our situation and had to teach him to accept what he was . . . now . . . not later.  I then realized that we’re going to be connected to this person forever and Eve was already showing little tolerance after 3 days with him healed and at his peak.  (There are many stories regarding their arguments).

When he understood that the sting of the blade had subsided and he was no longer bleeding, he jumped up, tore open his vestments and looked down at his hairy chest for a wound.  Eve found this to be humorous and went up to Jago and handed him the blade and said, “Do you want to take a turn?”  She opened her tunic exposing her breasts. “Right about here you’ll pierce my heart … just thrust the . . . .”

I interrupted, feeling the anger flush my face. “Eve, stop this nonsense and cover yourself.  He is in shock and needs our help to accept the reality of his new circumstances.  You’re not helping.”

“It’s true then?  I cannot die?  You are both not just two crazy people who were kind enough to take care of me and feed me and make me well?  Are you demons? Have I become a demon, too?”

I sat him down by the camp fire as the sunset warmed our backs.  I explained how I created the ‘medicine’ and how it saved Eve and me.  We are people like everyone else with the exception that we have a gift of long life and we are safe from death.  He buried his face in his knees as he lifted his legs up for warmth.  After I finished with my story, he sat with his eyes blank gazing into the fire.

“Joseph, I’m sorry.” Eve apologized. “I just couldn’t take his indifference any longer.  I acted childish and I should have more self-control for an old lady my age.”

I looked at her with a harsh scowl and then laughed, “But it was funny.  You should have seen the expression on his face when you stabbed him and when you opened your tunic.”

She looked away holding back an impish grin. “He has such potential to change things.  Now he has the gift of life and I hope he uses it for the good of all.”

Jago stood to his feet and walked over to us.  “If I am like you and cannot die by sword or of old age, then who will want me?  Joseph, you have Eve and I hear the both of you moaning with ecstasy every night in your tent.  Will I have someone to walk with in this life?  Will you give me Eve when I want her?  Will you share?”  He directed his anger toward us. “Why did you make me like this if I cannot have what you both have?”

“Jago, you cannot have a normal woman or Eve.  The potion has seen to that.  My body is set to Eve’s body.  If you kiss or if any of your fluids touch her or if her fluids touch you, it scalds and burns like boiling oil.  One man for one woman . . . be patient.  We have all the time in the world to find someone for you.  I promise it will be good.”

“Good for who?  Will it ease your guilt when I am sad?  Look at me…woman loved me as I was.  Not I can be with only one (if I am lucky) for the rest or eternity?”

Eve walked over to him and gave him a hug.  “Jago, I am sorry I was so mean, but you wouldn’t listen or believe. What can I do to make it better between us?”

He looked at me then turned to her, “Well, you can open your tunic again.”

(TO BE CONTINUED . . . .)