The Well by Stephanie Landsem

Author:Stephanie Landsem [Landsem, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Faith & Religion, Fiction - Historical, Biblical Studies, Christianity
ISBN: 978-1451688863
Publisher: Howard Books
Published: 2013-07-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Mara couldn’t move. Her feet had turned to stone, her bones to water. What—who was that? Who was lying in a heap in front of the synagogue? She forced a foot one step forward, her legs suddenly weak and trembling.

Worry had plagued her in the barley field. Finally, at midday, she took her half-filled basket and walked back to the village to find men and women hurrying toward the synagogue. A small boy streaked past her, running in the opposite direction. “Tovia!” she snagged his arm as he passed her. “What’s going on?”

“Mara, hurry!” said the boy, breathing hard. “Your mother . . . go. I need to get Mama.” He gave her a push toward the mountain and ran toward Uziel’s house.

My mother? At the synagogue? The basket dropped from her head, and barley sheaves scattered on the ground as she raced out of the village toward the Holy Mountain.

Now the sea of bodies parted to form a wall of silent spectators on each side. The figure lay in the dirt, unmoving. It was Nava’s tunic, pushed high above her knees, her legs streaked with red. Stones of all sizes surrounded her still body, and a dark pool seeped into the dust around her wild black hair.

Mara took another step on legs that felt as weak as a newborn baby’s.

The crowd around her stood silently, watching. She heard only one voice, her own, whispering her mother’s name. Her feet shuffled toward the crumpled body. What was that? A small, twisted foot lay under the blood-soaked arm, a scrap of tunic that she knew so well.

Her heart stopped. “No.” She dropped to her knees beside her mother. “No, please, not Asher.” She peered up at the strange, ugly men looming over her. Who were they? Am I dreaming? “Help me! Please, someone!”

Then Uziel knelt beside her. Blood trickled from his nose, and his tunic was ripped. He gently rolled Nava to the side, exposing Asher.

“Asher, Asher, please talk to me.” Mara cupped Asher’s cheek, covered in dirt and streaked with tears. His eyes were squeezed shut, his hands clutched Nava’s bloody fingers.

“Don’t hurt my mama,” he said, without opening his eyes.

She breathed again. He’s alive. Thank you, Lord.

Mara turned to her mother’s body. Uziel held his hand over her mouth. “She breathes. She’s still alive,” he whispered.

How did this happen? Alexandros hurried down the mountain. Zevulun stood slightly apart, brushing dust off his linen robe. Shem staggered toward her, his mouth was bleeding, his face streaked with dirt and—were those tears? Enosh and Abahu knelt on the other side of her mother. Uziel put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. But another man came forward. She reached out to him. “Shaul? Abba? Why are you . . . ?”

Shaul didn’t even look at her. He threw himself on the ground and buried his face in Nava’s blood-streaked hair. A low keening rose from his body.

What had happened? She turned to Uziel. “How did this—”

He shook his head.

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