The slaves are very active this evening.
This wouldn't be so strange normally, but since Moses came back and brought
these plagues with him, they've been rather subdued. Trying not to make things
even worse, I guess. But not tonight.
For hours I've seen them walking back and
forth from their homes to the sheep fields. Thousands of them. They're taking
only lambs back with them. There's been no talk of this being a holy day, and
there are no celebrations. It's eerily quiet. That makes it even more strange. There's
so much activity, but hardly any of them are speaking. They don't hide what
they're doing. It's not sneaky. Just hushed.
The lambs are being killed, and they're
using the blood as some sort of coating on their doorways. I don't know what it
means, but it worries me. This is something new.
I've begun to wonder if Moses isn't crazy
after all. Every time he has said His God will bring a plague, a plague comes.
Our priests and priestesses can't seem to stop them. I know Moses went to see
Ramses again today, and now this. I don't know what it means, but I'm not so
sure I think they're wrong.
There is a bucket of lamb's blood left in
the road. It was left by a Hebrew who has retreated into his home. Many of them
have shut themselves in and not come back out. I take the bucket when no one is
looking and return to my own home.
No one is watching. They are all too sick
or afraid from these plagues. I coat my doorway with the lamb's blood and go
inside. I shut the door tight and greet my wife. She has just put the children
in bed. I tell her about the Hebrew activity and what I have done. She tells me
I have made a good choice. This is not the first time she has expressed
interest in the Hebrews and their faith.
We eat our dinner and go to sleep.
I wake in the morning to screams. Our
neighbors are singing death cries. I am not surprised. They have young children
and these plagues have been hard on the young. But then I hear more and
more.
I leave my home to find out the trouble.
All around, my neighbors are mourning death. Young and old. Rich and poor. Only
males. It doesn't take long for me to realize it is only the oldest sons who
have died. I have a son.
I run back as fast as my legs can take me.
I cannot keep my tears back. My boy. My poor boy. Is he gone, too?
I burst through my door and cry out. All of
my children are sitting with their mother. All of them. They are crying,
frightened by the noise of death. But they live. All three of my boys
live.
My tears of fear turn to tears of joy. I
hug my family tightly and laugh. I cannot help it. I am too relieved. My wife
asks me what has happened and I tell her what I have seen. She sends me to see
after the Hebrews.
I am on my feet once again, running to the
slaves. And there is no mourning.
There is only silence.
I cannot know for sure, so I go to a home
where I know the leaders meet. I knock. An Elder answers. He is expecting
another face. He is expecting Moses. I tell him that my son lives when all of
my neighbors have lost theirs. He lets me in and I tell him what I saw last
night and what I did.
As I speak, Moses comes. Ramses has
released the slaves. They are leaving for their promised land. The Elders send
runners to spread the word. All will gather within the hour and they will
leave. The room is empty but for me, Moses, and two Elders. I sit silently,
unsure what I should do. It is Moses who breaks the silence.
"Bring your family. Come, follow the
Lord."
I return to my wife. We gather what we can
carry. It is not much. But I have put my faith in the Hebrew God, and He will
protect us.
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