Pocketbook Verse Novels & Stories

Thorns sinking into marked flesh like venomous teeth, the man pushed his crown deeper as red fluid leaked through the fresh marks, trickling down the side of a hairless chin. He was naked again. Like he was. Like he'd always been. Like he'd always be. The small book of scriptures, lay in front of him, as always. The worn out edges of the old Bible touching his bare knees. The stained pages showing powerful spiritual words which were going faint from age.

Mom said as she drew Ola into a gentle hug. I walked over to the corner of the room where a little shelf was placed, I pulled out the big, black familiar book. It was my dad's most cherished belonging, his Bible. I opened to his favourite verse, walked over to my mom and handed it to her. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8: "So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

But then, I felt something in my pocket. I reached in and pulled out a small, crumpled piece of paper. It wasn't a silver envelope. It wasn't a corporate report. It was a page from a book. On it, in a messy, handwritten script, were four words: **[START FROM THE BEGINNING.]**