The Dove by Brendan Carroll

Author:Brendan Carroll
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781478218012
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 2012-03-31T23:00:00+00:00

(((((((((((((<O>)))))))))))))

Nicholas and Gregory lifted the Ark into the rear of the troop carrier while Simon stood by, dressed in the regalia of the Temple Priest. The twelve precious stones on his breastplate glittered in the sun and he squinted against the bright light. His lips moved in a silent prayer as he watched every move his two extremely disgruntled helpers made.

“Careful.” He warned them for the hundredth time as Nicholas wobbled under the weight of the unwieldy load. “Don’t touch it.”

Nicholas drew a deep breath, grimaced and then stepped into the crate. He walked through the open-ended box until the Ark was in the center of the wooden shell.

“Set it down now, easy!” Simon called to them and they lowered it very carefully onto the bottom of the box. Each of the brothers took one of the golden plated rods and then backed away from the thing quickly. Simon climbed into the truck and they began to wrap the end panels in place with new hemp rope, securing it tightly.

When the task was complete, they climbed out of the truck and stood leaning against the tail gate.

“Are you all right, my son?” Simon looked into Nicholas’ face. The elder of the two brothers had taken the Brit Milah much harder than the younger. He glared at the Healer as if he were crazy. “Here! Drink this.” Simon handed him a canteen.

Nicholas turned it up and then made a terrible face.

“What is that?!” He asked in disgust.

“Something for the weakness. It will give you strength and help with the pain a little.” Simon told him and then took the canteen, offering it to Gregory.

“My grandfather will not be happy about this.” Nicholas grumbled as he walked away from the truck, pulling the linen robe from his shoulders and throwing it on the ground.

“Are you sure this was necessary?” Gregory made a face at the bitter taste of the herbal mixture in the canteen. The younger brother bent carefully to retrieve Nicholas’ robe from the dust and shook the dust off of it.

“Yes, of course. We cannot leave the Ark here for the Ancient Evil to take.” Simon took the medicine from him.

“No, I mean the other. The ritual. I hardly see how such a thing would be necessary. What possible difference could it make? We did not actually use our… I mean, it didn’t have to do anything with our… It just doesn’t make sense!” Gregory stood up straighter.

“It is the Ancient Law concerning the Ark and the rituals that must be observed in order to be pure enough to handle it. The old god who had this thing built had a twisted sense of humor. Apparently, it is what set his people apart from the unclean ones. A very distinctive honor in its day.”

“I and my brother are very clean, Father. It is something that our mother insisted on… always. They should have simply gotten a tattoo on their noses or something.” Nicholas told him indignantly. “I fail to see how any might be impressed by something not apparent at first sight.

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