Michael grabbed his stomach and coughed several times. The sickly feeling churned inside his mouth. He ran to the upstairs bathroom and spit up last night’s meal in the sink – a combination of first-century bread and berries.
“Are you all right?” Connie asked, placing her hand on his back. “What the heck did you eat yesterday?”
“Nothing you would find here.” He ran cold water, cupped some into his mouth, and spit it all out.
“What was in that hole?” Connie asked.
“Inspiration and beauty at first.” His breathing was hard and choppy now and thought if ever he was going to lose his mind it would be today. “Then it turned tragic.”
Connie gasped. “Do you think Elizabeth’s in danger?”
“I hope to God not.” Michael felt his stomach gurgle. He shook his head and with it all the fears inside it. “No. I have to think positive. She’s coming back to us.”
Chapter Seventeen
Elizabeth lay limp on the ground where she fell with Marcus from the roof. Blood seeped from her head and her arms were badly bruised.
Leah raced back and forth to the well, dampening cloths, trying to stop Elizabeth’s hemorrhaging. “Speak to me, child,” she pleaded. “Say something.”
She pulled Elizabeth’s head up gently, begging her to wake up.
Elizabeth let out a soft moan. Her arms remained flaccid, her eyes filled with fear as she blinked several times.
Marcus’s body partially covered her legs. A gash leaked blood from his forehead, the smell contaminating the air. Leah lifted Elizabeth’s head close to her chest and placed two cloths on the ground as a pillow. She knew there wasn’t much time before Marcus would regain his senses.
Leah ran to the next cluster of dwellings, stopping at the door of a home not unlike her two-floor stone house. “Samuel,” she said in a loud whisper. “Wake up.”
A woman wearing a robe and carrying a long candle appeared before her. She shone the light in Leah’s face. “My dear, why are you out at this time of the evening?”
“Oh, Maris, something terrible has happened. It is important that I speak to my brother.”
“What terrible thing has happened?”
“A friend of mine has been hurt. She fell from the roof. She is only a child and she is bleeding.”
Maris put her hand over her mouth. “I will get your brother.”
She waved Leah inside the house and told her to wait in the kitchen. A few minutes later, her brother appeared, pushing his brown hair out of his eyes. “My sister, what is the latest tragedy you need to tell me about?”
“Samuel, we are all in trouble.”
“Again?”
“My friend is hurt. Marcus is too. They fell off the roof. She is laying by my home, bleeding.”
“Where is the soldier?”
“He is laying there too.”
“How badly is he hurt?”
“I am not sure. He has not moved.”
Samuel put his hands around the back of his head. “This is not good. If he recovers, he will certainly pursue us.”
“He is bleeding but the child is much worse. We need to help her.”
“Leah, you have always been the one with the biggest heart in our family.” He kissed her forehead. “Maris,” he called.
His wife came out of the bedroom now with two lit candles. She handed one to Leah.
“Wake the children. Take them to my cousin’s house in Galilee.”
“Why, Samuel?” she asked. “That is a long trip. Why at this time of the night? Can we wait until the morning when there is light?”
He shook his head. “No. There might not be time. We are all in grave danger. You must leave once the children are ready. Woman, do not question me.”
“Why are we in danger, Samuel?”
“The soldier. He has been hurt.”
Maris nodded. “I will get the children ready.” She climbed upstairs to the second floor. Moments later, Leah heard muffled voices and sounds of movement.
“I will get dressed.” Samuel looked at his sister. “Do you need anything?”
“Yes, more cloths. The girl will need them to heal the wound. We do not have much time.”
Samuel changed in his bedroom and returned minutes later. He picked up a short spear sitting in the corner of the kitchen and showed it to Leah. “We do not have a choice, my sweet sister. We should have done this a long time ago. We must kill Marcus.”
Her heart sank. They were words she thought would never be part of any solution in her life. She was squeamish. “I can not kill. Thou shall not kill. The Ten Commandments. This is part of my faith, my belief. Your belief. Should God not be the only judge?”
“My dear sister, I am a man of faith too. I live my life with the Ten Commandments as my guide. I know all about thou shall not kill. Do you see God here? Marcus must die. Or we will.”
“What about my friend?”
He gave a look of despair. “I do not know. Let us see how she is. Were you able to get her inside the house?”
“No.”
Maris came down the ladder. “The children are dressing.”
“Do not hesitate. Once they are ready, move them quickly to Galilee. Do not tell anyone where you are going.”
“I will not, my love.”
Maris and Samuel hugged and shared a brief kiss. She stroked the sides of his hair. “When should we expect you?”
“Soon. I will help my sister’s friend and I shall join you.”
He tightened his grip on the weapon, nodded to a sorrowful Maris and disappeared through the door.
Maris hugged Leah. “I will see you soon too?”
“I hope so,” Leah replied wistfully. “If I do not see you again, Maris, take care of my brother. Tell him I love him at every sunset if I cannot anymore.”
She met Samuel outside and listened to his plan, gaining confidence and reassurance that he would be able to solve this problem.
In the moonlight she pointed to one body on the ground. “Oh no, Samuel. Marcus must have left.”
“He might be in the house.”
They crept through the courtyard and into the kitchen. A rustling noise froze them until a woman appeared out of the darkness with a lit candle.
“Are you well?” the woman asked. “I heard screaming and yelling earlier but was too afraid to go out.”
Leah breathed a sigh of relief as she recognized her neighbor. “Sarah, I am fine. Did you see where Marcus went? He was in front of the house.”
“He was badly hurt but he managed to get up and leave. I ran to the corner of my house to see if you had fallen too.”
“Where did he go?”
“I saw him walk toward the city.”
“He is too hurt to battle us alone,” reasoned Samuel. “But he will get more of them to chase us all down. We do not have much time.”
“How can I help?” asked Sarah.
“Get us some more cloths. We need to get Elizabeth inside so we can make her well enough to get her home.”
“Where does she live, Leah?” Sarah asked.
“I do not know. I know it is far away.”
“This is not good,” her neighbor said with a worried expression.
With careful movements, Samuel lifted Elizabeth into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Leah placed two bedrolls on the floor and he gently laid her down.
Elizabeth moaned.
Leah tried to soothe her. “Do not move, my child.”
Samuel knelt beside her and furrowed his brow as he looked at the gash on Elizabeth’s head. “She has a terrible wound.”
Sarah pulled several pieces of cloth from her pocket. Samuel instructed Sarah to dampen them at the well. He placed his hands on Leah’s shoulders. “In life we are all faced with difficult decisions. Your friend cannot be moved because we do not know where to take her. The Romans will surely come back here looking for you and her. You must leave or you will be killed.”
Leah stared at the
big drops of blood scattered across the stone floor. “I cannot, Samuel. But you must go to Galilee. You have a family, a wife, and children.”
She paused a moment, then spoke with strength. “Elizabeth is my daughter, my child too. While she may not have come from my womb, while I may not have known her long, she is a beat in my heart. I cannot bear to leave my heart.”
“Is there anything I can say to change your decision?” he asked.
She shook her head. “You must leave, brother. Protect your family.”
He swallowed hard several times and stood up. “I will give you my weapon,” he said, placing it on top of a table. “Do not hesitate to use it.”
Leah didn’t answer.
Samuel kissed her forehead twice. “You always had the biggest heart.”
“I love you, Samuel.”
He headed to the door and faced her. “I love you too, sweet sister.”
As he walked out, Sarah passed him with the wet cloths. “Where is he going?”
“He needs to be with his family. And so do you.”
“I will help.”
“No. You must go home. You must forget what you have seen here. Do not share this with anyone.”
“Why?”
“It is not important why. It is important you are safe and your family is safe. Forget what you have seen.”
Sarah wrapped her arms around Leah. “I will say a prayer for you in the Temple.”
“Say many for me and my daughter.”
Leah nursed the back of Elizabeth’s head, trying to seal the wound. A mix of blood and water drenched the cloths. She did her best wringing them out at the well, careful not to leave any evidence behind for the Romans. Exhausted, Leah filled a jug and carried it to the bedroom.
She found a clean, dry cloth tucked away in the kitchen. She soaked it and placed it on her forehead. “Talk to me, child.” But there was no response.
Leah lay down next to Elizabeth, touching her hair. “You are so brave. I would be proud to call you my daughter. I know if my daughter had lived, she would have grown up like you. Strong, beautiful, and smart.”
She kissed her cheek. “I will not leave you. I will fight Marcus if I have to. I will fight the Romans. I will not let them hurt you.” Her body shook.
Leah knelt, lifted her head to the ceiling and prayed harder than she’d ever prayed in her life. “She still has many more sunsets to treasure, my God. May she recover with your blessing. She needs to be with her father. I ask you for your mercy.”
Chapter Eighteen
Michael stood in Elizabeth’s bedroom and shut the slightly cracked window. “Tell me where you are, Elizabeth.”
“What’s going on up here?” asked Connie.
“Are you all right, Mike?” Allison asked, breathing hard from running up the stairs.
“I thought I heard Elizabeth’s voice,” he said.
“That’s your stress talking,” said Allison, giving him a stern look.
He stared at both women. “Why are you even here, Allison?”
“I’m worried about my goddaughter.”
“There’s no story here so why don’t you leave.”
“Can we hold off with the feuds for now?” Connie asked.
The doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” he said in a hopeful tone.
It’s got to be Elizabeth. She forgot her key. Let it be my daughter. Please, Lord.
He yanked the door open. “Jim? What the?”
Jim brushed passed him, the smell of whisky on his breath filling the air. “Don’t just stand there like a statue. Help me to a chair.”
“Why are you here?”
“Can’t I stop by and see my granddaughter?”
Michael helped him to the recliner. “She’s not here right now.”
Jim sat, groaning as Connie and Allison stopped short of joining them in the living room. “Connie? What are you doing here? And who are you?”
“I’m Elizabeth’s godmother in case you forgot, Mr. Stewart.”
“You are?”
“You don’t remember me? Vicki’s best friend, Allison.”
“Nope. Can’t say I do. Where’s Elizabeth?”
Michael waved them away. “Can you look upstairs and see if you can find anything with Lady Gaga on it?”
“Seriously?” Allison asked.
“Yeah, I’m serious. It may give us a clue if she’s still here.”
Connie shrugged and joined Allison who was heading upstairs.
He turned to his father. Oh, Lord. I don’t need this today of all days.
Michael steadied his voice. “So, you found some time to come and visit us out here in the boondocks?”
“I’m a busy man. It’s hard to find time to sit in a car on the expressway all day long.”
“Right.” Michael clenched his jaw. “Too busy to come to one of Elizabeth’s birthday parties.”
“How is my granddaughter?”
Michael extended his hands in an unconvincing wave. “She doesn’t even know you.”
Jim rocked back and forth. “Well, it’s hard to take care of the house by myself since your mother died. Takes up a lot of my time these days.”
“That excuse is getting old. Mom’s been dead for twenty-five years.”
Jim pushed away a strand of gray hair from his eyes and grinned. He pointed to the paint on the ceiling in the far right corner that was chipping, inflated into a foot wide bubble. Stacks of newspapers rested in no particular order on the coffee table. “You’re just like me.”
Michael charged him like a soldier claiming a hill. “I’ll never be like you.” He withdrew, his wall of protection badly needing some bricks. So he headed to the kitchen looking for a corkscrew while his dad whined the battle cry.
“Get me some whiskey while you’re in there.”
Michael walked back to the room empty-handed and prepared himself for war. “You know, for someone who always told me it was too far to come out here to visit his granddaughter, it’s an awfully long trip to make for a glass of whiskey.”
Jim stopped rocking and shot back, “What right do you have to talk to me like that? In my day, my dad would wallop me in the face if I spoke like that.”
“You’ve laid your last hand on me. Why are you here?”
Jim took a deep breath. “I’m sick.”
“You just asked me for a drink. How sick can you be?”
“Could be serious if I don’t get help.”
“Then get help.”
“That’s what I’m doing,” he said.
“What do you mean by that?”
“You have to help me.”
“I have to?”
The old man nodded. “Yes, you have no choice.”
Michael slapped his forehead. “Unbelievable. You can’t drive out here to visit with your motherless granddaughter, but you have no problem waltzing into my home and demanding I help you.” He grunted in anger. “What a piece of work you are.”
Jim stood and walked slowly over to him. “I may need a bone marrow transplant. You might be a match. I need you to come with me and see if you are.”
“Is it a life and death situation right now?”
“Not yet.”
“Then I’m not going anywhere. I have to find Elizabeth.”
“You can look for her after we’re done.” Jim yanked on his arm. “I’m your father. You’re going to do what I say.”
“I’m a father too. And I’m doing what a good father does. I’m looking for my daughter. If you want to help, great. If not, go home.”
Chapter Nineteen
Leah slipped into a light doze, occasionally waking when Elizabeth flinched or moaned. She lay on top of her pillow and blanket, holding onto her brother’s weapon. Her dream took her to a world where Yochanan and Michael courted her, though she could never figure out where she devoted her real love.
They took her on trips to the mountains, finding a soft-sounding stream, a chance to hold each other and talk. Her subconsciou
s visions were in places far away from the city, the shops, and the crowds, a time to enjoy the natural beauty and majestic features of her world.
Leah clung to her subliminal state for as long as possible. She took serene, slow breaths, relishing the man’s embrace, his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, the smell of his two-day old beard, and the touch of his hair. While she couldn’t distinguish whether it was Yochanan or Michael, or any other man for that matter, she was blissful to be in this place for just a little while.
“How are you?” a woman asked, disrupting her harmony.
“Oh. It is you, Sarah. I am tired. Why are you here?”
“I am here to see how you and your friend are feeling.”
“I am fine. She is not. I do think I did stop the bleeding.”
“I think I might be able to help,” Sarah said.
“How?”
“I know of a man who might be able to heal your friend. My neighbor Paul travels far and often. He told me about his friend who helps the sick.”
Leah stared at Elizabeth. “I do not know how we would get her to travel. How far would we have to go?”
“Not far. He was last seen in Bethany.”
“Who is this healer?”
“A preacher, a rabbi. His name is Jesus.”
Leah was baffled. “The man who was killed on a cross not too long ago? How can it be this man you speak of?”
“This is what my neighbor told me. He said he has seen this preacher heal many sick children, the old and the lame.”
Leah rose and poured water out of the jug, rinsing another piece of cloth. She removed the soiled one that nurtured Elizabeth’s head and smiled. “Sarah, look, the bleeding has stopped.”
She placed the fresh cloth around the gash and rested her head back on the bedroll. “She is still badly injured. I must get her to Bethany to try and find this preacher. I cannot wait much longer as we are all in danger if Marcus returns.”
Sarah nodded. “I remember what you told me. I have not said a word to anyone.”
“What about your husband?”
“I have not spoken to him about this.”
Everybody's Daughter Page 16