Lost! by Thomas Thompson

Author:Thomas Thompson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Published: 2016-11-22T05:00:00+00:00

(11)

With the sun at full strength, Bob could not trust his temper. It would be better to delay the confrontation. The grievances he held against Jim might enflame in the passion of a midday argument.

“This is getting a little heavy,” said Bob. “Let’s table the subject. Besides, we’ve run way over the discussion hour. Almost noon. Time for games.”

Jim fell back on his bed and stared at nothing above him. “You know I can’t play games on the Sabbath,” he said. “This is my holy day, no matter where I am.”

The memories raced again within Bob, for he had heard these words before. They had dominated his childhood. Saturdays were suspended in time, the tractors were stilled, the mules dozed unworked, the toys rested forlorn. “This is God’s day!” commanded his father, when Bob had begged for permission to play with the other children, those to whom Saturdays were crowded with discovery and adventure and laughter.

It had seemed then that his religion actually stole two days of his week, for on Sundays, when the Methodists and Baptists and Catholics marched to church in scrubbed pants and starched shirts, Bob was alone again. Sunday, according to his religion, was just another day, the first of the week, not the last.

In the silence of Jim’s refusal, Linda lay back on her bed. The quiet hung as oppressivly as the heat. When there was nothing to hear but the murmurs of the sea, the condition of loneliness could grow malignant. Bob could not risk breaking the daily routine and inviting despair only because it was Saturday. Hurriedly he thought of some way to fill the hour with an activity acceptable to Jim’s code.

He thought of one. “How about this instead?” said Bob, pseudo-enthusiastic. “You wouldn’t object to a game based on the Bible, would you, Jim?”

And what would that be?

“Well, one of us has to think up a Bible character or situation, and the others ask questions about it. Whoever guesses gets to think up the next one.”

“You guys would have the advantage over me in that,” said Linda.

Bob disagreed, trying to kindle interest in his new creation. Linda had gone to Sunday school probably as often as they had. She could remember as many characters and plots as they.

She brightened. “Okay,” she said. “I have one.”

“Is it Old Testament or New Testament?” asked Bob.

Linda pursed her lips. “Old.”

Jim, suddenly interested, raised on his elbows. “Before or after the flood?”

Now Linda made a frown. “Hmmmmm,” she said. “Neither.”

Jim laughed. “Is it Noah’s Ark?”

Linda shrugged. “I guess it was pretty obvious,” she said, brushing a hand against the wall of the Triton.

“You see,” said Bob. “It’s fun. But they should be a little harder. Jim?”

Jim shook his head. He was not yet committed to the game.

“Then I have one,” said Bob.

The interrogation began again. Questions from Linda and Jim narrowed the subject down to a woman in the Old Testament, but after half an hour, she remained un-guessed.

“Give up?” asked Bob. The others nodded. Jim a little annoyed, for he considered his Bible scholarship to be excellent.

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