Sacred Scrolls; Chapter 44

 

Sacred Scrolls; Chapter 44

© 2021 by Amber Wright

JASON THE ARCHER

Alone in the dark, Polycarp lay on his side in pain, his back ripped and bleeding, the feel of saltwater lingering into his wounds. A groan escaped him and the guard passing his cell door made a sour remark. He clutched the straw below his head to keep from groaning, shivering in his wet robe until his teeth clattered in silence. Really Polycarp, he asked himself briskly, what is pain? The less you think about it, the less you will feel it. He turned in the cot and felt a large piece of straw jab into his back as he did. He strangled a scream. He would die a man. The pain was only temporary, a thing that would soon pass.

If only he could endure that pain. Sweat began to drench him.

~

Both of the girls’ faces were swollen the next morning, Tarsus noticed. Junia stared at Tiria with bewildered eyes and Tiria stared back, looking equally shocked. Great big red welts lined their eye sockets.

“You look like buffaloes,” Tarsus told them cheerfully. “Don’t go too near my brothers—they love buffalo meat. They might fry you over the fire!”

Philippi gave her some sort of reproof which Tarsus paid no heed. She was only trying to put the two girls in brighter spirits. She had said nothing wrong. She watched Tiria dunk her whole head into the water bowl so she added with a lilt, “Don’t drown yourself. My brothers prefer to shoot their buffalo, not find them dead. That wouldn’t be so heroic, would it now?”

“Tarsus!” Dalmatia reproved her now. “This is not a time for jesting.”

“Nor for resting,” Tarsus nudged Julia’s sleeping form. “Wake up, your majesty. Breakfast is nearly ready and your Prince-in-waiting is frying fish.”

“Fried fish—for breakfast?” Julia sat up, rubbing her eyes.

“Uh-hmm,” Tarsus pretended to clear her throat. “I suppose that meant you agreed.”

“Fish? Yes!”

“Prince-in-waiting? You’ll have to see who I’m talking about.” Tarsus peeked out the curtain that separated their hut from the roomy cavern. Lucius was busily knitting his black eyebrows over the fish pan.

“B-but how d-did you know?” Julia stammered over Tarsus’ shoulder, gaping in surprise.

“Close your mouth or he might fry you,” Tarsus giggled.

Julia closed her mouth. “But how did you know?”

“Because she’s a matchmaker.” Philippi rolled her eyes.

“Because I’m a genius!” Tarsus was pleased with herself. She gave Julia a frown, “But you’ll have to wash your face and brush your hair. You look…” she bit onto the side of her mouth in debate of the right words, “not done yet.”

She crisply closed the thick curtain behind her, and walked over to Paul and Eli who were playing with a furry lamb. The little boys looked excited to see her.

~

The clank of the door from a nearby cell reminded him that he was there, not in Ephesus, not busily hand-printing the Sacred Scrolls with the others. Elder John was always kind and patient—even when I ruined those quills and papyrus out of carelessness. I was never observant… Out from nowhere, a black sheet fell across his vision. His throat shook and he wept like a baby. From remorse, failure, stupidity. If the others would die, it would all be his fault.

A hand touched his head, then vanished.

When Polycarp opened his eyes again, the dim empty cell stared back at him and a rattle of keys broke into his numbed thoughts. Yes, I’m going to be questioned—again. He raised his eyes to the dripping ceiling. My God! Where is my vision of hope? But even now, I trust You. I love You. My God, he was comforted by the thought that his God would be there for him through the pain he must endure. He was ready. Let them beat him, torture him, kill him—his mouth would remain silent.

Without track of memory or scenery, he found himself standing before the questioners in the torture chamber. His stomach flipped halfway, then stood still. The rods looked torturous indeed.

“See these rods, the flames?” the Roman had the voice of acid rain. “If you will tell where the others are, you’ll go free. But if not, your life for theirs.” The Roman smiled, squinting his eyes into slits.

Polycarp clenched his teeth, remaining silent. Yes, my life for theirs. They must live. I am ready. God, I will be their sacrifice.

“Guards,” the Roman jerked his head, face reddening with anger.

Two burly guards thrust Polycarp’s towards the torture rack where flames leapt up high to the iron cross-work and laying stiffly upright was the door of sharp rods, ready to be pulled down upon the tortured person laying on the rack. Upon him. He squeezed a swallow of nausea down and broke into a sweat as they pushed him onto the hot iron “bed”. His lips dried and his eyes rolled madly, the heat of the flames drawing closer to him. Intense heat swooshed onto the back of his legs, and a little sizzle followed.

The air rushed from his lungs and Polycarp flung his hands out to stop the guards from lowering the iron “bed” closer to the flames. “No, wait!”

The Roman’s voice beside him sneered. “Have you finally come to your senses, Lydian? Give us the names, place.”

Polycarp breathed deeply, trying to steady his twitching shoulders. Names…Polycarp…place. His mind blinked back into recent times, back in the cave. “You must eat.” Tiria’s face smiled at him as she handed him a plateful of food. Three months ago. Only a memory. Surely they could hide and not be caught if he did tell. Besides, would they die for him?

He began to rise from the iron “bed” when little Paul’s face flashed before him with a huge smile. “See my fish? I caught it.” But what about the children? Could they outrun the Romans and be dragged from place to place because of him? Pain shooting through him, he bit his lip until it tasted of blood. For the children's sake he would take this pain. He made his decision in which he knew he would never regret. He would not betray his brethren. He would not turn back now. God, I’m in Your hands. Do with me as You wish.

“Well?” the Roman shifted his folded arms.

Polycarp sent him a silent reply, eyes set into a narrowed expression as he flung himself back onto the scorching hot iron “bed”.

“Weak dog! I’ll show you what man is once I am…”

Polycarp did not hear the rest. Still tasting his bleeding lip, he felt the heat below him collide into his flesh as they stretched him tightly onto the rack. His eyes bulged as he watched the door of sharp rods lower by the inch towards his bare chest. He winced at the first touch of metal; he groaned as metal entered into flesh.

And then he screamed.

~

“Where’s Nika?” Andronika’s eyes darted the hut over. “Is she hiding under the blankets?”

Junia wiped her face with the towel, glancing at herself in the mirror. At least her eyes looked less swollen, not so much like a buffalo. At Andonika's question, her forehead creased. “No, she isn’t in here. I’ll help look for her.”

Junia pinned her veil on and lighted a lamp to take with them into the dark passages of the cave. They would have to look hard. The passages were dark and Nika was small.

Julia walked up to them, straightening her pink veil. “Can I help?”

“Please tell the others. She can't be far!” Andronika strained a smile, “Thank you.”

Junia led the way as she and Andronika entered the dark, small, spider-work passageways. There were marks on the dirt trail. Junia knelt down to finger the tracks lightly by the light of her lamp. “Look! Nika must have crawled this way. She can’t walk so she couldn't have gotten far.”

“Thankfully,” Andronika murmured distractedly. “She can’t be far. She’s only a baby. Oh, where is she?”

“Can I help?” a small voice asked from behind them. The shy girl from Ephesus stood there, biting her bottom lip.

Junia smiled at the girl to put her at ease. “Yes, of course. Thank you, Chloe.”

Together, they searched the passageways for signs of Nika. Besides the little sliding marks in the dirt, nothing else led to the little girl. Junia strained her ears as they walked in silence, hoping to hear her playful giggle or little words she said in her baby accent. Still, nothing. Silence met her ears and iced her heart. Nika was not in the passageway. She raised her chin in decision. If it took them all day, she was determined to find her. Nika was somewhere…ahead of them, beyond sight and hearing. Somewhere… The light at the end of the tunnel blinded her for a few stunned moments; then, her eyes dilated to the natural light.

Andronika shaded her eyes with both hands in search of her daughter. Please be playing nicely in the grass, Junia followed Andronika’s gaze. Where are you, Nika? She set the oil lamp onto a rock ledge at the entrance of the passageway. They would take it back with them when they would return into the cave.

Twigs snapped, and Junia heard it before she saw it.

~

“There you are!” Paul shouted and yanked Nika by her arm.

Nika sat up with a giggle. “Sleep. Sheep.” She pointed to the fluffy lamb she had been curled up beside. “Sheep. Sleep.”

“Thank God we’ve found her!” Martha grabbed her granddaughter and lightly swatted her chubby legs. “You were naughty to go off like that. Be good, child.”

She drew a long, exasperated breath. She knew it was useless to chide her granddaughter. When Andronika had been a baby, her daughter had been just as mischievous.

“Sleep. Sheep.” Nika started repeating and gave Martha a loud, wet kiss on her cheek. “Sheep. Sleep.”

Martha could not help but smile. Nika knew exactly how to wrap her grandmother around her chubby thumb. The little gift, she felt Nika’s arms wrap around her neck. I can’t imagine life without her. Lord, thank You for giving her to us, even if she did come through horrible circumstance. You know all things. She sighed inside. Both her husband and Andronika’s were dead. Only the female lineage had survived. Her thoughts slowly unraveled, and then she knew. God had a perfect plan for each of them. They only had to follow.

~

“Don’t be afraid,” Junia pinned her eyes onto the jackal before them, mere yards away. “Be perfectly still—calm, silent, girls.”

Junia felt her heart race madly, arguing with her words. But they had to be calm, silent and still. Not afraid. Perhaps if they slowly—very slowly—walked backwards into the passage of the cave, they would have a chance. But what chance is there with a hungry jackal—out in the middle of the day, perhaps mad—to surviving? Well, she took a very silent breath, at least I’m ready to meet God. My family will miss me, but… She could not think of that just now.

The jackal started towards them. As it came closer, she could see its skin stretched over a thin, perfectly-showing rib cage. She felt Chloe and Andronika clasp her elbows, huddling beside her. Yes, how heroic. Her smile emerged, wanly. Three of us, together, saving the life of a hungry jackal to feed with, she swallowed down the little sour taste in her mouth, ourselves. She made a twisted expression with a desperate gulp.

“I’m afraid we don’t taste too good, Mr. Jackal.” Junia told the beast, clawing her feet into the dirt with all her might so she would not take off running—and ultimately kill them all in the process. Any movement and the animal would be upon them.

The jackal stopped, perked up its ears, twitched its nose and eyed her with head lowered. Its mouth parted, showing fanged teeth dripping with hungry slobbers.

Junia's courageous throat went as dry as her whisper. “I’m afraid he is not,” another swallow, “convinced.”

“How could he not be?” Andronika moaned. “Three fleshy humans—helpless and a hearty meal—a bite away?”

“M-meals,” Chloe stammered with a shaky hiss, “n-not m-meal.”

“I think I can tackle him,” Junia moved one foot forward.

“Don’t try it,” Andronika groaned. “I should be eaten first. I’ll give him such a stomachache he won't want to eat you two!”

“Thanks, what a topic!” Junia frowned. “He’s staring at the lamp now. Run!”

The three girls jumped back and stumbled into the dark passage just as the howl of the jackal sounded. It was low and long. Was it wounded? How?

“Wait,” Andronika stopped running. “Was that the jackal or—Nika!”

Andronika's scream echoed through the hollowness of the cave as she ran towards the opening—back to the jackal. Junia raced after her to stop her and tripped over a rock, toppling to her knees. Chloe shot past her, and she was left to grab the rock cave wall to steady herself. Clutching the cave wall, she hobbled along until she reached the end of the tunnel. Chloe sat upon a rock, gaping silently with a look of awe. Junia jerked her eyes onto the jackal—the dead jackal with an arrow pierced through its hungry sides.

“Thank goodness! It’s dead.” Junia felt happy, somehow, looking at that dead jackal—their would-be-slayer. Death had been defeated today. The strain left her shoulders as she flexed them. She felt as if she had been given a big piece of honey cake.

Honey cake! Her stomach grumbled hungrily at the thought. I forgot it existed, I haven’t had it in so long. She felt a smile stretch across her face. Honey cake, Demetrius’ favorite dessert—and hers.

“Good afternoon,” a male's voice spoke.

All three girls' heads turned in direction. A young man stood there, holding an archer bow and smiling at them. Junia stared at him, a gulp pushing itself down into her throat. Thoughts jammed into her brain. Who was he? What would have happened if he hadn't been there? Was he a Roman spy? She froze.

His smile melted into a frown as he patted down his unruly brown hair, his voice pitching a note higher. “Do my looks frighten you so bad?”

“You saved our life!” all three of their voices ricocheted each other. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome. My name is Jason,” Jason’s smile returned as he walked over to his dead jackal. He pulled the arrow out it and blood dripped from its pointed black head. “Who were you calling for—Nika?”

“Her name,” Junia quickly pointed to Andronika, a nervous tremor running through her. She saw her friend a fake smile, her eyes signaling Say no more.

“Yes, we were quite scared.” Andronika nodded.

Chloe remained silent, blinking.

“And your names are—?” Jason arched one eyebrow towards Chloe.

“Junia,” Junia rushed out with a gulp.

“Chloe,” the word came out in a squeak.

“It was very nice to meet you, ladies.” Jason wiped the blood off his arrow in the grass and replaced it into his sheaf. “I must go. I have to reach Sardis before nightfall. Farewell.”

“Shalom,” Junia responded before she could stop herself. There, she had given them all away. Only Jews and Christians said that word.

Jason paused with his back still to them; then, he walked into the brush. Junia felt her knees trembling. Had she betrayed them? By one simple word? Her thoughts blurred and Andronika’s voice vaguely rose above the fearful tremor of her heart.

“Let’s go back. Perhaps Nika has been found.”

Junia prayed so.

A Few Greek Words:

Fil'os: friend

Meh'tehr: mother

Pah'tehr: father

Adher'fi: sister

Adher'fos: brother