Look! cried Eben. A covey of sacrificial doves had escaped and were forming shapes in the sky among the columns of the temple as they beat white wings in graceful flurries of motion. How they knew to change direction at the same time, how they managed to dodge all the protuberances of temple architecture was an amazement and wonder to the boys. Each thought, “If I could only catch one . . . I would take it home and give it a name . . .” People were everywhere. The boys were jostled more than once by unthinking passers-by oblivious to their presence. They were bumped, cursed at, frowned upon and ignored. They looked around and discovered that their parents had disappeared. At first, they panicked. To lose their parents in a place like this could be serious. Yet, their panic was fleeting as their boyhood curiosity distracted them.

As they wandered about, they came upon a drainage grate in the floor. It was ajar, exposing a hole which gave way to darkness beneath. Jesus wanted to investigate. Struggling, the boys managed to pull the heavy grate open just enough for each of them to squeeze through. Stepping-stones had been fixed into the walls of the opening that allowed them to descend into the darkness. It was not deep but it opened into a long dark tunnel just low enough for the boys to have to get down on their knees rather than crouch. As their eyes adjusted to the poor light, they noticed another light in the distance of the tunnel, indicating another opening to a grate above. “Let’s crawl to the other grate,” Jesus said, excitedly.

“What if we get caught?” responded Eben cautiously. “We are not supposed to be down here.”

“Who’s to know?” remarked Jesus.

“GOD will know!” shot back Eben.

“Yes, that’s true, now come on!” With that, he started to crawl toward the next shaft of light. It seemed to Jesus that rather than God punishing them for this adventure, he would be with them and protect them. There wasn’t much that frightened Jesus, and as for getting caught doing something of which adults would disapprove, well . . . In a few minutes they were there. Voices and noise from the floor above drifted down eerily. “We’re exploring a cave,” said Jesus as if he had to add imagination to the adventure.

“Maybe we will find some bones or a skull.” Eben’s imagination quickly followed. Since they had made it through the tunnel this far, he emboldened himself to be a co-discoverer with Jesus. Another shaft of light beckoned in the distance. Off they crawled. And so it went, from shaft to shaft, from grate to grate the boys explored the tunnels of the temple until at length the next shaft of light was barely discernable in the distance.

They stopped. Neither boy seemed eager to proceed. “I think we should get out now,” said Eben. They sat under the last grate to which they had come. The sounds from above were quieter. They had apparently moved from the center of traffic and activity in the temple to a place of lesser interest. Eben continued, “This is a good place to escape before we get into real trouble. It doesn’t sound like there are very many people around.”

Jesus looked above and then peered at the gray light so very far away down the tunnel. “Let’s try it,” he grinned impishly.

“I don’t know,” Eben was afraid but did not want it to show.

“It will be all right, Eben.” Jesus coaxed, “God will take care of us.” Eben was unconvinced.

“God will kill us!”

“No he won’t!”

“It’s a real long way and it looks pretty dark.”

“This will be the last one,” Jesus said conspiratorially. “At the next light, we will definitely get out of here.” Eben’s heart was pounding. “Come on,” and off he crawled. The other boy had no choice but to follow.

They had not gone far, maybe one-third of the way to the next shaft of light when Jesus cried, “Ay-yah!” and abruptly stopped.

“What happened?” from frightened Eben.

“I don’t know. I crawled on something.” For the first time, Jesus found himself apprehensive.

“Is it alive?” Eben groaned.

“No.” Jesus paused as if searching. “There! I’ve got it. It’s . . . it’s some kind of weapon.” The light in the tunnel was too dim to see much of anything. Jesus felt the instrument with his hands. “I think . . . I think . . . It’s a dagger!” Both boys shrieked.

“Oh no!” cried Eben.

“And it’s covered with blood!” cried Jesus.

“Oh no!” again from Eben. “Murder!”

The boys had not realized it, but the tunnel floor had begun to rise in the direction they were headed. The light they had seen was not the direct light of the next shaft, but its residual light from even further up the tunnel. Hearts now pounding with excitement, they crawled faster, knees skinning against stone. From the point where they found the “knife,” the incline increased sharply until direct light from above came into view.

“Come on,” said Jesus, “let’s get out of here.” Off he scurried toward the light as fast as he could. Eben followed.

When finally they reached the next grate, they stopped to catch their breath. Both boys were panting.

“Let’s see,” said Eben breathlessly. The light was enough now to make out the object of such consternation. To their great disappointment, it was merely a trowel left behind by some worker many years ago. When the boys saw what it was they breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s only a mason’s tool,” said Eben. “It’s no dagger at all.”

Jesus tossed it aside, a look of disgust on his face. “It still could have been used in a murder,” he replied. “That brown stuff on it really looks like blood.”

Light streamed from the grate above. It was a moment before the boys realized that no sounds could be heard. Cautiously, they made their way up the stones in the wall to the grate. The climb was higher here than was their descent into the tunnel. That combined with the long incline of the tunnel indicated a floor level much higher than the place they entered. Once again, Jesus first. To their thankful surprise, the grate moved easily. In a moment, they were out of the tunnel and standing on — a marble floor! The grate opened between two tables. There was a large altar with a ramp leading to its flat surface. A laver stood to the left as they faced a flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs there were two golden candlesticks followed by an opening into another large room at the end of which hung a thick curtain. The boys approached the curtain hanging wider and taller than anything either them had ever seen.

Visibly moved by the sanctity of the cavernous structure, the two explorers became quiet. They could hear themselves breathing. The spirit of adventure was pounding at their temples, yet not a sound was uttered. His demeanor sober, yet soft, Jesus’ face turned serious. He was almost of age, and something inside him exerted itself. He stood looking at the great purple and scarlet curtain. He said simply to Eben, “Wait here,” and without waiting for his friend to protest, he stepped inside its folds. Upon doing so, he instantly encountered another curtain, slightly less dense than the first. In the darkness, the boy calmly bent down and lifted the second hem. It was then that young Jesus found himself standing in the Holy of Holies.