Now you’ve done it, he thought. He clenched his teeth and desperately tried to fight off panic. He looked back toward his car by the road. There was a cell phone in it. But how could he get to it? With the ligaments in his knee most likely severed, he realized that he couldn’t get up, much less walk 50 yards. And he certainly wouldn’t make it by crawling.  There wouldn’t be enough time.

      I’ve got to stop this bleeding, he thought. He tried to straighten his leg to close the gash. This seemed to help a little. He rolled his left hand around to the back of his knee and pressed in with his fingers with all of his might. He thought about a tourniquet, but what could he use? He wasn’t wearing a belt, nor was he wearing socks. The only thing he could possibly use was his T-shirt. He released his knee and started to take off his shirt, but the sight of the increased flow of blood out of his knee made him want to panic again. He quickly grabbed his knee again as before, adding a sweat-rag that he took from his pocket. It was then that the tears came. 

      John Barkley started crying, his sobs prompted not so much by the dull ache that was beginning to spread from his knee, but by the surge of fear and shame that was welling up in him. “Lord, what am I going to do?” he said aloud. “That was such a stupid thing to do!” He cried uncontrollably for a few minutes, and then took several deep breaths to calm himself. He blinked the tears out of his eyes and looked at his watch.

      It was now 2:14 p.m. Some of the guys get off at 3:30, he thought. They would usually get here by four or so. I’ve just got hold on until then. I can do that, Lord. I’ve got to just hold on until then. He clenched his teeth in determination and held his knee as tightly as he could. 

      By three o’clock John had already started feeling cold and slightly dizzy. He believed that he was still holding onto his knee tightly, and could actually see that the blood flow had lessened considerably, but in reality his weakened hands were barely draped over his knee. The blood flowing from the wound had decreased due to the lack of pressure.

      He didn’t feel fear or shame anymore. He simply concentrated on holding tightly onto his knee. He raised his eyes and looked around. It was still a perfect day. The cool, South Carolina autumn sky was a clear blue that seemed to stretch infinitely upward. He could hear birds singing nearby and he smiled slightly. He looked down at the axe that lie where he had dropped it. He saw his tea jug next to the tree and wished that he could reach it. He slowly blinked his eyes and looked back up at the sky.

      Above the trees, away to the southwest, something caught his eye. He turned his head to look at it. It was barely there, like the edge of a faint cloud. He watched as it grew more distinct. It seemed perfectly round and was growing larger. At the bottom of the circle was a small object. When he heard the faint thrum of the engines, he realized it was a gondola. His heart leapt.

      “A blimp!” he said aloud. He smiled weakly. I didn’t know there would be a blimp flying around here, he thought. Maybe he’s coming back from Daytona.

      The object was coming directly at him. It would pass right overhead. What luck, he thought, I might’ve been indoors somewhere and missed it!

      As he watched it get closer, he noticed that the engines were not attached to the gondola, but were suspended from their own cars further back along the long, silver hull. He also noticed the longitudinal framework that ran from the nose to the tail. As realization swept over him, his wonder turned to joy.

      “A zeppelin!” John shouted aloud against the rumble of the engines. “A zeppelin! Ha!”

      It was indeed a zeppelin. His eyes ran along the full length of it. It had a large gondola and windows that ran along the keel all the way back to the huge tail fins. There were no markings on it.

      I had no idea anyone was building a zeppelin, he thought joyfully. He stared at it with an open mouth. “It’s magnificent!” he said aloud.

      He saw the propellers slow down and heard the engines cut back to idle. It was only a few hundred feet from the ground now. As the bulk of the hull cast a shadow over him, he could see an object detach itself from the after end of the gondola. The object was hanging from a long cable and John recognized it as a sub-cloud car. It was the same kind used by the zeppelins in World War I. A man would ride in it, giving directions to the zeppelin hidden in the clouds above. 

      The airship was almost completely stopped as the sub-cloud car neared the ground. It would touch only a few feet from him. John watched it intently until it was only about ten feet off of the grass. Then he could see a man inside it. He was a slender man with a beard. He was smiling broadly and was wearing a Middle Eastern style robe. He was about John’s age and he waved happily.

      John drew in a quick breath and exclaimed, “Jesus! My Lord, it’s you!”

      Jesus smiled and nodded lovingly. The sub-cloud car came to a stop a few inches from the ground. The Son of God opened the door and stepped out onto the grass. He bent over and held His hand out. “It’s good to see you, John.” He glanced upward briefly and then looked back at John and said, “Let’s go for a ride.”

      John, smiling with astonishment, reached up and took his Savior’s hand. The cold and numbness that had taken hold of him from the lack of blood instantly left. Instead he was suffused with warmth and strength. From the throes of death he suddenly felt very much alive. He pulled himself to his feet and stood facing Jesus. Unable to contain himself, he put his arms around Jesus and hugged Him tightly. Jesus hugged him back.

      After a few moments Jesus broke the embrace and nodded with his head. “Let’s go.” He led John by the hand into the sub-cloud car and shut the door.

      John’s excitement elevated as he heard a gurgling sound overhead. He looked up to see water ballast streaming down from both ends of the great ship. Without any sense of motion whatsoever, the ground seemed to gently fall away. Overhead, the huge motors roared to life and the zeppelin began to slide forward through the air. John was still holding Jesus’ hand.

      “Jesus, this is wonderful!” he said excitedly. “I didn’t know you had zeppelins!”

      The Son of God smiled warmly. “We have a couple flying around.”

      John looked out at the broadening vista before him. The view was stunning. As the ship climbed higher he could see the haze of Charleston to the south and the ocean beyond it. An osprey soared by below them. His throat tightened as he began to realize the significance of the zeppelin above him. “You did this just for me, didn’t you?”

      Jesus smiled knowingly at him.

      A tear formed in John’s eye. “You knew that I’ve always wanted to do this. You did all this just for me.”

      Jesus nodded gently. “Let’s enjoy it together.”

      John nodded and looked at the forest around him. He looked up and stared for a while at the great airship above him. Then something made him turn around and look behind. Below him he could see his body lying next to the stump, the axe next to him and the stain of blood on the grass around his leg. The sight didn’t bother him. He had only looked for a moment when he felt fingers curl around his chin and gently pull his face around to the front. Jesus released John’s chin and pointed out ahead of the great ship.

      “We’re about to come up on the rivers,” he said gently.

      John looked out ahead. The view was mesmerizing. His heart swelled with love for the One who had made it all possible, the One who had died so that he could live. The One who knew him enough, and loved him enough, to take him home in a style he had dreamed of since he was a boy. With tears in his eyes, he turned to his Lord.

      “Thank you, Jesus, for all of this.” He glanced up at the great ship. “Thank you. You know, I love you so much.”

      Jesus nodded, smiling warmly. “I know.” He squeezed John’s hand.” I thought that we’d fly around for a little while and see the sights. We’re not really in any rush.”

      John nodded. “That would be great.” 

      The great airship glided majestically through the sky, flying over the lakes, cities, and forests. As darkness finally spread over the land it flew up into a cloud and disappeared from sight.