Chapter Four: First Steps

 ~/*\~ Nomi ~/*\~

Nomi was walking in the woods, grateful for the chance to get away from her mother. She heard the sounds of footsteps walking through the grass and froze. She'd never had company before. She was thinking about running away, when she suddenly recognized the stride. Shem was stalking around in the trees. The look on his face was restrained anger. She came over to join him. She would later think that was strange. Nomi had always avoided people in a temper, and had lived longer for it. But for some reason she felt perfectly safe walking closer to Shem.

When he saw her, his expression changed completely. "Hello, Nomi."

Nomi read his face. "I don't know what's wrong, but I have a feeling it has something to do with me."

Shem said nothing, but his expression said she was right.

"You and your father have had a falling out?" Nomi asked, concerned.

"We argued." He admitted. "Families argue."

"About me?" Nomi bit her lip.

"My mother has heard the rumors about you and Kainan. I have no idea how." Shem sighed. "She worries that I might be… tempted to see things his way, if I spend too much time with you."

Nomi winced. "My mother has the same fear about my friendship with you. Mother is desperately pushing me to Kainan. I know that your father… disapproves of him."

He snorted. "A very generous way of putting it."

Nomi translated. "I know your father thinks Kainan and his brothers, and his cousins are all spawned by evil. But it's a dangerous world. There are only two kinds: the big people, and the little ones."

"Your mother thinks that if you were Kainan's wife, then perhaps you will be safer."

"She's not wrong." Nomi admitted. "I see it happen all the time. For a lot of women, it's the only thing we have on our side."

"What do you think?"

"I think my face is pretty enough to be noticed, and that means I always, always, always have to be aware of the danger I am in. I think whenever I go to wash in the river, I need at least five friends with me; and your family refuses to let you be one of them. I think when I'm with Kainan, I have no reason to be afraid."

"Not even of him?" He challenged quietly.

Nomi didn't answer that. Yes, she was scared of Kainan. "Better than the alternative." She said finally, and it sounded weak, even to her ears.

"The alternative is better than you can imagine." Shem promised, and his voice took on that same reverent certainty that she had heard Kainan use when describing a thrilling hunt.

Nomi tried very hard not to sound scornful. "I suppose expecting the end of the world makes living with this one a little easier to deal with."

"No." Shem shook his head. "What gets you through is imagining what will be left afterward. It'll be like Eden. A world without violence. A world without cruelty." He pointed around. "Think of everything you hate about the world, Nomi. Do any of them involve the flowers raising their faces to the sun? Do any of them involve the birds making nests in the trees?"

"No." Nomi admitted.

"The world will start again, with the sins of all mankind washed away." Shem promised. "There will still be people. And it won't be easy, even to make a living for some time. But everyone will be united in it, working together for each other, instead of everyone for themselves." He was actually getting teary, the emotion strong in him. "Humanity as a family. A real family that loves each other."

Nomi felt the spike hit her again. She hadn't realized it until he'd said it just now, but her own mother hadn't been particularly loving since Nomi came of age. She saw his face when he looked at her, and realized what he was building to: An invitation.

"Your father would never even let me onto the Ark." Nomi scorned. "It would take a direct word from The Maker for him let you even spend time with-"

"Why don't you say His Name?" He asked suddenly, soft and sad.

Nomi blinked. "What?"

"Jehovah. You never say the Name." He pressed softly. "My family are the only ones who seem to say His Name anymore. Do you really not remember it, or think it matters?"

"Does it matter?" She hissed.

"Your chickens have names. Why shouldn't God?"

"Because I have a dozen chickens, and only one Creator. Why would He need a name too?"

"Is that really why nobody in the world seems to use it?"

Nomi ducked her head. "Kainan doesn't like it. His Father doesn't either."

He said nothing.

Nomi heard herself keep talking, only getting more ridiculous as she went. "Apparently, in his family, they take it personally, and it was the cause of many arguments between his father and mother; so they don't talk about it… And then, of course, Kainan's family started with the Chieftain, and everyone wants to keep him… friendly."

"My family doesn't." He said quietly.

"No." Nomi agreed. "Your father especially."

"You know my family doesn't care about our standing with this world. And you know why." Shem said quietly.

"I do know why, but even if you don't care, I have to." Nomi summed up, wanting that to be the end of the matter.

He clearly wanted to say something more, but he swallowed the thought.

She knew anyway. "You don't care about your standing with others because you don't expect them to be around much longer." She set her jaw. "Including me, right?"

"Well, that's up to you, isn't it?"

"Because if I care about this world at all, then it means I don't belong on your Ark. And if I did agree with you, then I shouldn't care either. That must be convenient for you." Nomi immediately turned away. Then turned back. "No. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be harsh…" She sighed, and told him the truth. "The night you told me about the Flood, I dreamed of my father."

Shem nodded, sad for her.

"I've gone to the river every day to haul water, because it's the closest water source for our Town. I've passed the spot where my father died, every day, and it always made me feel slightly ill to be dependent on the very same river to live." She scowled. "I don't like the idea that you're hoping for it to happen to me."

"I don't want it to happen." He countered. "It's going to happen. If the Ark is built or not, if I'm in it or not, it will come. Nomi, is it such a hard thing to believe that God might disapprove of what we're doing with the world?"

"It's hard to believe He's noticed." She said shortly. "It's been more than ten generations since Eden. If God was going to do something to set it all right again, He would have by now. Putting it all on one man that nobody believes? That's not a solution." She looked hard at him. "And you have no wife, Shem. That's not a happy future for you either."

(Author's Note: The point of this book, and the rest of the series, is to explore the day-to-day life of those affected by Bible events, while not being directly quoted in scripture. I will make every effort to be accurate, but in the case of Noah's Ark, there is very little specific information to extrapolate from. For example, we know from Genesis 6:18 that Noah had sons, and they were married when Noah was given the instructions on building the Ark. But his wife and daughters-in-law were never named. In fact, the scripture does not specify if all Noah's sons were married before the Ark was begun, let alone completed. It was a task that took decades. That question is part of the plot of this book; but is my own invention.)

Shem scowled. "You haven't listened to a word I said, have you?" He shook his head. "When it comes, the Ark won't survive because we're such good builders. The Ark is God's provision for survival. Just like everything else. There will be food to eat, and water that's fit to drink. There will be shelter to live in, and enough to start again, for the whole world. God can provide whatever's needed." He gave her a look. "Who or what are you trusting, to provide for your needs for the rest of your life?"

~/*\~ Eleanor ~/*\~

"What does Noah's Ark have to do with the future?" Eleanor asked.

"Two reasons: One, because there's a very specific parallel to our day. But we'll get onto that later." Martine said warmly. "And two: Because it's the first time in the Bible that Jehovah God stepped in to make sure His promises were kept."

Eleanor frowned. "I'm not following."

"You wanted to know about what the Bible is promising for the future." Martine explained. "Strange as it may seem, the Promise was made at the start of the Bible. After all, what is a prophecy, but a promise that something will happen?"

"I thought you guys always pointed to Revelations for the future." Eleanor offered; more for something to say than anything else.

"The Bible is thousands of pages long, and a lot of it is prophecy. Almost all of them are already fulfilled, except for the ones set in our future." Martine told her, flipping through the pages of her Bible swiftly to demonstrate the point. "The really interesting part is that we get the record of how they all played out. Every promise God made, and how they all came true. Some of them, even as we speak." She flipped to the first few pages. "And here's the main one. You could say that the entire Bible is about explaining this one passage."

Eleanor took the Bible and looked, reading the marked scripture. "And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head, and you will strike him in the heel."

"That passage is talking about Jesus Christ." Martine explained. "The central figure in the Bible. What followed was four thousand years of God giving more information about how that would work, who that 'Promised offspring' was, even who the Serpent was." Martine nodded. "And most important of all, how to see it coming when the two of them would finally fight it out."

"Who won?" Eleanor asked automatically.

Martine grinned.

~/*\~

Eleanor and Martine studied together twice a week, the days she worked at the Shelter. They met at a coffee shop a few blocks away from the Shelter. Instead of buying her coffee from a kiosk and finding a bench, Eleanor now sat in a cafe, and Martine would come join her; and they'd have a Bible study.

Eleanor had looked over her shoulder awkwardly during the first study or two. What she was looking for, she wasn't quite sure. If her husband had seen her studying with the Witnesses, she'd never hear the end of it, but Del never came this way. And nobody else cared. One or two people had looked, even smirked in amusement, but nobody had approached them over it.

And she had to admit, it was interesting. Eleanor had taken night school courses for most things she'd needed to learn; and this study was more relaxed than most. The lessons were designed to be easy to understand. There were no flowery adjectives, or confusing dogma. The points Martine had been trying to make were three sentences or less, and all of them had a Bible verse to back it up. Almost all the verses Martine had read her were the same way.

At the second study, Martine had talked her through downloading an electronic Bible app, and it had a lot more to it, including music, videos, short speeches regarding other Bible points. Eleanor spent a lot of time on the App. Her husband wouldn't approve of the studies, but the App made it easy, listening to hopeful, tearful music on her headphones; watching period dramas of Bible stories while he slept.

She grew nervous for the day when Del would find out. She hadn't told him, and he hadn't asked, but she knew that conversation was coming. She even knew what he would likely say.

Eleanor couldn't help but notice that Martine had asked nothing of her in return, besides her presence at the studies. Maybe a little preparation for the next study, to get her questions together. No money, no pledges… But surely that conversation was coming too.

Finally, if only to prepare her responses for the day her husband found out and made the same accusations, Eleanor had to force the issue. So when her next study ended, she brought it up herself.

~/*\~

"Martine, I've been studying with you for a few weeks now…" Eleanor said slowly. "You haven't… asked anything more."

Martine blinked. "Asked anything?"

Eleanor didn't meet her eyes for a moment. "My husband, Del? He is… not trusting of religion. If he knew about this, he'd say that you must be after money or some kind of commitment."

Martine took the question in stride. "And what do you think?"

"I think you want a commitment more than money." Eleanor said honestly. "I think you want me to be a Witness. I think that's what all this is for."

"When we started this, I told you that a study was just 'having conversations'." Martine nodded. "In all the studies since, has that changed?"

"No, but it will." Eleanor said with certainty. "Because I haven't changed. I'm not attending your meetings, I'm not making donations, I'm not a Witness myself. You'll want me to make those changes. I mean, I was never one for drinking and smoking, or going out to clubs…"

"You figure I haven't pressured you to make a change in your life because there hasn't been one that applied to you yet." Martine guessed.

"What happens if there is?" Eleanor challenged.

"Isn't that up to you?"

"Yes." Eleanor nodded. "But is that enough for you?"

Martine opened up her Bible and turned to Hebrews 4:12. "For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Eleanor read it twice, and nodded, waiting for the explanation. "Okay?"

"What changes isn't where you go on Sunday mornings, or what you do over the holidays. What changes is you." Martine tapped her heart. "In here. You know the truth about certain things now. I've shown you, direct from scripture, the answers to a few questions."

"Sure, but I wasn't particularly religious before. It's not like I can turn to my peer group and cry 'heresy'."

"Maybe not." Martine was undeterred. "The way I was taught it? Finding out the truth, on any subject, is like being given a keyring with a thousand keys on it, and a locked door you have to go through. You try the first key, no luck. You try the second key, it works. Do you then try the next thousand keys, to see if any others work too, or do you just open the door and count yourself fortunate for not having to waste the time?"

Eleanor sipped her coffee. "Interesting, but… What's the locked door in this story?"

"Could be anything." Martine offered. "For me, when I started studying, my first step towards changing was tolerance."

"Studying the Bible made you a more tolerant person?"

"No. The first change was that I became less tolerant." Martine admitted with a wry grin. "I was raised Catholic. There were questions I wanted answered, and when my parents didn't know, I turned to my clergy. I asked questions about things I found in the Bible. Things that didn't line up with what the priest was saying during church."

"What did they say?"

"Some of the questions they could answer, some of them they couldn't." Martine nodded. "But what struck me about the ones they couldn't answer? Things like how the trinity worked, or why there was suffering. The position was: 'These questions have no answers' or 'We aren't meant to understand'." Martine sipped her coffee. "When the JW's found me, I asked them the same questions. They could answer just fine, and back it up with the Bible. So I asked other questions. Some of them they didn't know the answers to, and they taught me how to research things for myself…"

Eleanor smirked. "And you suddenly became less 'tolerant' of answers like 'We aren't meant to understand'."

Martine sipped her coffee primly. "I never would have known there was any other answer out there, if not for the JW's. You know something? When they knocked on my door, it was a father and daughter pair. The daughter was my first conversation. She was fourteen. A fourteen year old was able to answer questions like 'why is there suffering' when a clergyman couldn't."

Eleanor found she was smiling, charmed at the story.

Martine gestured at her. "So, to return to the question: What's changed for you is that you know things now. Things you never would have bothered with, or asked about before." She smiled. "What will you do with this information, I wonder? What will change for you, now that you have some answers of your own, and the reasoning to justify those answers? What will your 'small steps' be?"

Eleanor shrugged. "Don't know. But to be honest, I don't think there'll be one. The things I'm learning are interesting, even encouraging, but they don't change much for me. The things you're proving or disproving just aren't part of my world."

"Remember where you were when you said that." Martine grinned knowingly. "Something I didn't understand until I became a believer: God is part of everything."

~/*\~

Later that night, Eleanor remembered those words when she saw her husband come home. He looked a decade older. "Del? What happened?" Eleanor asked in shock.

"I… I stopped by the hospital on my way home." Del sighed. "My grandmother. She didn't make it."

Eleanor sighed hard and came over to hold him tightly. "Oh, Del. I'm sorry. When did it happen?"

"Day before yesterday." Del said darkly. "When I was 'too busy' to go see her. I got to the hospital this morning, and there was already someone else in her room. It's like she never existed."

Eleanor held him tighter. "The family?"

"They're all flying in. They wrapped up her affairs over the phone." Del sounded exhausted, and betrayed. "I was her only visitor in months, you know. The others all… They were busy, they were in the middle of things."

Eleanor nodded. "I know."

"The funeral is over the weekend." Del said quietly. "There's a lot to take care of, and I'm the only family member in town until Saturday. My uncle says they don't want to 'drag it out', but they're not the ones that have to organize all this."

"I'll help. We'll get it sorted." Eleanor promised immediately.

Del looked at her miserably. "Is there even an Orthodox church in town? I haven't been in one of those places since-"

"Shh." Eleanor was already pulling his face down to her neck. "I'll take care of that. You just take care of your family. Our family. Everything will be okay."

Del sniffed, and Eleanor knew he didn't feel better. He's suffered a loss, and he's feeling time sneaking up on him. She thought. He doesn't see a future.

~/*\~ Nomi ~/*\~

Nomi was carrying the water back to her mother's hut. She had been late with it the day before, so she wanted to get it done early today. It meant going without the protection of the other women, but at that time of day, it was safe enough.

Even so, she kept her eyes moving as she passed back through the marketplace.

The marketplace had sprung up organically before Nomi was born. It was a natural midway point between the most common water sources, and the best grazing land. It had happened so naturally that nobody had given an order at first. When the men who cut firewood came from the south, and those hauling water met them on the path between the waterfalls and the settlement, it was a natural place to make an exchange.

Those that raised the sheep for wool had noticed that exchanges happened there fairly regularly, and had brought their animals to make a similar offer. And since the reeds had grown along the waterline, those that gathered reeds and wove them were always in sight to offer their baskets to anyone who wanted one.

It had become the crossroads for anyone making their way, and those that felt safe leaving something permanent in place had built tables for their goods. The trading happened naturally enough. Everyone needed food. Everyone needed water.

Nomi had little to trade with on her mother's behalf, so she had to go to the falls herself, filling the large earthenware amphora for the day's water. Coming back through the marketplace was safer than taking the long way, but Nomi still felt nervous.

Nomi had been told that the reigning Chieftain had changed everything for them. Until then, there had been constant power struggles, and murder was the way to leadership. She had been told that when the Chieftain took charge, he was unchallenged because he simply knew everything, and that his knowledge had raised their community into what it was now. Nomi hadn't spent much time with him, but had seen that seeming omniscience more than once. It was chilling and exhilarating to be in his presence. His children hadn't inherited his incredible understanding, but made up for it with strength and power.

A compensation that was all the more obvious when she saw Kainan. He towered over the others in view, and everyone stepped aside for him, bowing in deference as he passed. He had a large buck slung over one shoulder, a burden that would take two ordinary men to carry.

Nomi felt a shiver at the sight of him, given her recent conversations with her mother. It wasn't that she didn't want to marry, but there was something about the Great Ones that frightened her. Her, and everyone else in the world, to be honest. Even when they weren't doing anything dangerous or aggressive, there was that constant understanding that they could go through you like walking through the grass.

"Woman!" A voice called. "Bring the water over here."

Nomi took a moment to realize that he was addressing her. It was Zerah. She'd only met him a few times. He trained horses and was a regular at the Hunting Lodge. Most of the younger women knew not to gain his attention, if at all possible.

Zerah waved. "I said bring me water! Is your hearing deficient?"

Nomi couldn't move her feet, suddenly worried. "T-the water is for my mother. If I give you much, I have to go back to-"

Zerah came to her in two long strides, and took the amphora. "Fine! I'll do it myself, you useless..." He turned his back on her pointedly, tipping back the amphora for a drink, and then carrying the vessel away.

Despite herself, Nomi looked around for Kainan. When she couldn't see him, she followed after Zerah on rickety legs, unwilling to keep his attention, but having no choice. "Y-You can't just take that! It's not yours!"

Zerah ignored her, carrying the water to his horses, pouring it out in a trough for his animals. The horses bent down and started to drink automatically. Nomi froze, crying out. She had walked an hour to get enough water for herself and her mother.

"You shouldn't have done that!" A younger voice shouted.

Zerah and Nomi both turned, and saw a young man had joined them. Not much more than a boy, likely the youngest of his family. Too young to have a wife, too old to stay with his parents. The boy had a basket with him, with flatbreads to feed a family.

"I saw what you did!" The young man shouted at Zerah. "You stole that water! That's wrong!"

Zerah laughed. "Wrong? And… what do you plan to do about it?"

The kid fumed. "I'll tell-"

Smash. Zerah picked up Nomi's empty amphora, and promptly clubbed the young man with it, hard enough to shatter the pottery.

Nomi jumped back in shock at the almost easygoing attack. Zerah looked to her. "How about you?" He challenged. "You want to fight me?"

And Nomi, without any allies, without any weapons, and a woozy, wounded young man struggling to crawl away… shook her head, and dropped to the ground, holding her hands up in front of her, splayed open. "No." She whispered, trying to ward him away. "No! Please!"

Please. You actually said 'please'. The word burned in her brain. The humiliation was almost as strong as the fear. She was asking him politely to spare her, for the offense of being robbed by him.

The young man who had tried to help her was staggering, weaving almost in circles. Someone hurried from one of the stalls to help him walk. Nomi vaguely recognized him as one of the local children. She hadn't interacted with him much, but could probably name his family. Their community wasn't that big.

The violence was casual, over instantly… in fact, it was just a regular day. Nomi looked around the stall-keepers had had to admit that none of them were reacting with any kind of shock or surprise. It was just a part of how business was done.

Nomi gathered the shattered shards of her amphora and watched for them out of the corner of her eye, the way all the helpless animals did around the hunters. She saw the Giants making their rounds of the marketplace. As always, everyone was quick to submit. The eager-to-please smiles, the bow as they offered greetings, the quick collection of the best goods; and a dozen other little gestures as everyone grovelled to the powerful ones.

Predators and prey. The only options. Nomi thought numbly. She found the basket that the young man had dropped. The flatbreads were already gone, and Nomi had no idea who had taken them. She grabbed the dropped basket and started putting the shards in it.

Nomi had collected the last of it, when she saw Anah coming past the town, with the other women. All of them were carrying their own water supplies, traveling together for safety. It was clear they had seen everything, as Anah came over and gave her a hug. "You should have waited for us." She chided her friend. "Look, we'll all contribute a cup of water from our own supplies. It'll be enough that you don't have to risk going back."

Nomi looked at the others, who all nodded. And if one of the others had been as foolish as her, Nomi would have done the same. Even so, the tears burned in the corners of her eyes, and she blinked them back. "Thank you." She whispered.

Anah broke the hug and took the basket off her. "Go on. We'll talk later. We still have our own water to deliver. Go… calm down."

Nomi nodded, happy to let her oldest and closest friend care for her a while.

~/*\~

Nomi went to the trees, walking in them for a while. Most people avoided the forests out of superstition, but Nomi had felt safe among them. The air was cooler beneath the trees, the morning dew never completely drying out. The carpet of leaves was cool and soft beneath her sandals.

She liked listening to the birds. They sang tunes that nobody could really quite match. Nomi liked that they sang. Her mother said they only sang to call for a mate, or to signal other birds to food, but Nomi didn't like that idea. She watched them sing, head tilting back and forth in that curious way they had. She spent most of her life working to get food and water. The birds took time to make music.

And then she heard someone whistling back. An undeniably human whistle. She tensed automatically, as she did when people had snuck into her range unawares. Pressing herself to the nearest tree, she went to look. Birdcatchers, calling their prey to snares?

But it wasn't a hunter. It was Shem. He was gathering edible and medicinal wildflowers, tying them in bunches; and apparently whistling to the birds while he worked. They whistled back, and he smiled up at them brightly.

Nomi, hidden behind the trees, looked from him, to the birds, and back again, and she suddenly realized she was smiling. It was such a sweet moment. The contrast between him and the men in town was never more clear. Shem suddenly turned in her direction, on guard again. It was almost exactly her own reaction. "I know you're there!" He called.

Nomi stepped out of hiding. "It's me!" She called back.

Shem relaxed. "Hello, Nomi."

Nomi came over, a little embarrassed at being caught out. "Sorry. I didn't know you were here. I was just… taking a walk."

"You're a long way from town to just be 'wandering'." Shem returned, giving her that same smile. It suddenly struck her that people rarely smiled warmly in town.

"I didn't plan to come this far. I must have been more distracted than I thought." She admitted. "It's been… a hard day. I walk in the forest when I want to be away from other people."

"Mm." Shem agreed, and bent to gather his foraged goods.

"The others in town usually avoid the trees." Nomi heard her voice say as they walked in the direction of the Ark. "They think there are evil spirits within."

Shem scoffed. "I've spent decades working with these trees, bringing them down, chopping away the branches. The town thinks the woods are haunted because they hear the moaning sounds and loud creaking noises at night. It's not evil spirits; it's just the wind. The trees that warm and cool in the dew and the sunlight? They move, settling and expanding. I know, because we've been working with the fresh lumber for a lot of my life now." Shem tilted his chin back towards town, eyes growing harder. "You want to see evil spirits, go home. The Godsons are all where the people are. They're dangerous enough, are they not?"

"They are." Nomi couldn't argue the point. The whole reason she felt safest in the trees was because there were no people or Godsons there. "But there's a superstition about the trees. The Chieftain says that when Man was cast out of the Garden, everything beyond was thistles and thorns. The Farmers fight and sacrifice every season to get the next harvest in. The trees just weren't meant to be this… wide. This immense. It's not natural."

Shem chuckled. "The animals disagree. More of them live in this forest than anywhere else we've reached. If Trees weren't meant to spread, they wouldn't be able to so naturally." He gave Nomi a look. "And if they hadn't been able to plant themselves, then we wouldn't have the lumber we need to build the Ark. Some of these trees have been alive since my grandfather's day. Maybe even since the Garden itself. Years, lifetimes, growing thick and tall and strong."

"Your God has His eyes to the future." Nomi drawled sickly. "How long do you think He's been planning this Flood of yours?"

"He's your God too, Nomi." Shem said, not unkindly; when he noticed her eyes change. "But that worries you?"

"The future worries me." Nomi wouldn't look at him; and gave him a quick explanation of what had happened in town. "It was such a casual thing. The easiest thing in the world for him to steal from me, then dismiss me. Even easier for him to hurt a young man who somehow had a sense of right and wrong. A child knows when something's unfair. The world is just… brutal. More of the present cannot be all that the future holds, surely?"

"So what you're saying is, you wish God would do something? That a loving God would take action in some way?" Shem pressed, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Nomi rolled her eyes. "Sorry. Forgot who I was talking to for a moment."

"You think that God is numb or ignorant to what we're going through." Shem offered. "His response was immediate, the instant there was any kind of badness. The Flood may be a relatively new thing, but God took action right away."

"Yeah. He sentenced our Ancestors to a slow death." Nomi scoffed.

"That's your mother talking." Shem countered. "God's first action wasn't cruelty against us. That was the consequence of disobedience. His first action was to begin His Plan. He even told us what it was. To 'put enmity between the Serpent and the woman's offspring'. Someone who would crush the serpent's head."

"You talk like it's some grand gift, but I don't know what The Promise even means. Nobody does."

"Not yet, but a promise from God is unbreakable. The Flood is part of the Purpose. And we don't know all the steps in that yet. But we don't need to. If it takes ten generations to get to this point, then getting to the conclusion of that purpose could take much, much longer."

"That Promise didn't help me with Zerah." She pointed out. "If it can't keep me safe, what does it matter?"

"It matters, because of who promised it." Shem countered. "God said 'Let There Be Light', and there was light. Name anyone else who can tell the sun to go away."

"I admit, I cannot." Nomi agreed.

The conversation continued until the time they had reached the clearing. With the trees cleared away, she suddenly noticed the sun, now that he had mentioned it. "Oh! I should go. It's getting late."

"Wait!" Shem called, and hurried to the Ark, sprinting up the ramp into the structure. Nomi froze, halfway between following, and running away. Standing by herself for the first time, Nomi suddenly felt exposed, seeing Shem's mother on one of the upper levels, watching her without comment. Nomi forced a smile and waved at her. She smiled and waved back.

Nomi was debating whether or not to call up to her, when Shem came back out of the Ark… with a large clay amphora. "Here. It's a gift. Tell your mother you were getting a replacement for the one Zerah broke. It will even be the truth."

~/*\~

Nomi took a deep breath when she reached her house, and walked in like she'd just finished her chores. By the door, there was a basket, filled with shards of her old amphora.

"You're back." Nuria exhaled the words like she'd been holding her breath. She gestured at the broken shards. "I heard about what happened with Zerah. Are you alright?" She noticed the new vessel. "Where did you get that?"

"From…" Nomi floundered a bit, knowing her mother wouldn't like this part. "I was with Shem."

"Shem?" Her mother repeated in disbelief. "Noah's son?"

"We were having an interesting talk."

Nuria grew noticeably taller, and her voice was suddenly low and scary. "About what?"

"Nothing you need to worry about. He was teaching me about the Great Promise which God made to Eve." Nomi mumbled.

"A children's fable!" Nuria scorned.

"One that you told me yourself, as I recall." Nomi offered. "You never believed?"

"God made that speech more than a thousand years ago. Thousands of men have been born since then. Not one of them was apparently any different, or more special in some way. You're telling me that not one man, in ten generations, was worthy of Adam?"

Nomi hesitated. "Shem says that's not how it works."

"And you believe him?" Nuria scoffed. "Every potential Chieftain we've had for the last three generations has hinted that they, or their firstborn, might be the 'chosen one'. Noah no doubt thinks the same about himself."

Nomi set her jaw. "I haven't even met Noah. Why are you taking this so seriously?"

"How can you take anyone in that family seriously?" Nuria scorned. "He's telling the whole world that we are all so offensive that God, who created the whole world, now wants to destroy it all… except for his family, who are still righteous enough to be saved. How can you possibly accept that? Not even Adam and Eve were so arrogant."

Nomi said nothing to that. "I was just taking a walk with someone who is nice to me, and having a conversation about the world." She gestured at the basket by the door. "I don't know if you're aware, mother; but kindness is not a common virtue these days."

"Did anyone see you?" Nuria demanded.

"You want me to walk in secret?"

"I want you to be careful of rumors." Her mother counseled. "If you're seen with Shem, then people will assume you agree with him. Who knows what might result from that. It could… reflect poorly on you."

"That's what this is really about, isn't it? Kainan." Nomi felt her lip curl back in a snarl. "If you want grandchildren so badly-"

"It's not just that." Nuria scorned, and pointed at the basket of broken pottery herself. "How are you not understanding this? Since your father died, we've been at the mercy of anyone who's strong enough to be cruel and get away with it."

Which is almost everyone. Nomi conceded, if only to herself.

"If you tie yourself to Shem, or worse, to his father, then we'll not only be at everyone's mercy, we'll be noticed."

Nomi had no answer to that. It was true. She didn't want to be noticed by the rest of the world. Plenty of women got hurt that way.

"God made the world a long time ago." Her mother said firmly. It was a tone that would allow no chance at disagreement. "And then He was finished. If He's still interested in humans, we'd know it. But He's not. Maybe that's our fault, but that's just the way things are. The Godsons at least have time for humans."

~/*\~

Nomi woke to the sound of her neighbors talking animatedly. It was early, so there was no real clue what they were talking about. Simple politeness meant they should not be speaking so loudly. Nomi got up to dress; and hurried outside the house to investigate.

Animals were stalking through town. Odd ones. The townsfolk had their livestock, of course. As well as pets. Zerah raised horses for the Godsons, and most of the townsfolk kept a few chickens out of need for the eggs. Nomi had heard stories about bears, and there were one or two as trophies in the Hunter's Lodge, but this was her first time seeing a living one. A pair of them were walking through town, unconcerned about the people. Right behind them were a pair of horses, following along at a gentle canter. If they were at all concerned about humans, or each other, it didn't show. Nomi watched them go, and glanced at her neighbors, who shook their heads, clearly unable to explain. "Before the bears, there were two camels walking past." One of them laughed. "It's impossible."

It was such an incongruous sight that Nomi said nothing as they passed by her home. The other townsfolk were surprised too, saying nothing. What was there to say? It was so odd there were no comments that could be made on the subject.

Nomi glanced around. The day was just getting started, and most of the town wasn't out and about yet. She'd been woken by her own neighbors, but apparently, very few of the others had. The animals didn't seem to be bothered by the town in their way. They weren't even looking at the townsfolk, they were just walking through, in an unbroken line… on their way to…

Nomi drew the map in her head quickly and felt her heart start to race. No. It couldn't be...

(Author's Note: Nothing in the Bible states whether the animals arrived all at once, or in groups, or how long they were at the Ark before boarding. Construction of the Ark took decades to finish. I have chosen to take this route, purely for purposes of plot.

Also, one point of conflict between science and the Bible is that the ark could not have been big enough for all the animal kingdom we have today. The article "Noah's Passenger List" in the 12/22/1951, Awake! suggests that there was more than enough room for all the 'kinds' of animals, which would then have multiplied into different breeds and subspecies, thus increasing in variety to what we have today.)

Nomi didn't follow the animals for any conscious reason. She just wanted to see if they were going somewhere in particular. She'd never seen bears or camels before. If they were going this direction for a particular reason, then maybe it was something she should tell the town about. If the bears had started migrating for some reason, there would be more of them. The bears ate a lot of plants and berries. If they'd scented some huge collection of edibles within walking distance of the town, that would be useful information.

But the animals never changed course. Not even once. They were walking in a straight line to the Ark. A line that took them right through town, but she could see other animals coming from other directions as they reached the forest. The town just happened to be in the path of some of them, or Nomi never would have noticed.

Once she was sure of their direction, she really should have stopped and gone home. So they were going to the Ark. What of it? She still had chores to do. But she followed them anyway, as though she'd been caught in whatever spell was making the animals walk in this odd formation.

It took a while, but when she reached the clearing, she saw that other animals were already there. A lot of birds, all perched two-by-two in the trees, as though keeping watch. Noah wasn't visible. His wife was tending to the animals, pouring water for the camels who had just arrived. Most of the animals, with a few exotic exceptions, were the same sort of creatures that lived in the area.

The rest of the family was still working on the Ark, stripping trees into lumber, painting over the seams with tar. They worked with such certainty. Nomi watched them for a while, seeing the experience. Anyone could master a skill when they did nothing else for decades. The sheer efficiency gave her a shudder, for some reason she couldn't define. They were so skilled and experienced they weren't even moving like humans anymore.

Shem was laying bundles of hay for the horses that had come marching, and he noticed Nomi in the treeline. He smiled broadly and waved her over. She shook her head, unwilling to leave the safety of the trees. His mother would surely notice if she came into the Ark again.

Shem came to her, smiling. "So, curiosity got the better of you?"

"How did you do it?" Nomi asked, amazed. "How did you get so many different kinds of animals to come all at once?"

"We didn't." Shem said simply. "They're arriving on their own, now that the Ark is getting closer to completion." He suddenly laughed, like everything was made of joy. "For decades, you've all been telling us that Noah is mad. We've got proof now."

Nomi was about to argue, almost instinctively; except she couldn't think of anything to refute it. "You're not doing it? You're not summoning them?" She repeated, like she was trying to catch him out in a lie.

"How could we, even if we wanted to?" Shem dared her. "Two or three years ago, I actually had this argument with my father. I told him we'd never be able to find 'two of everything' in our lifetime, let alone herd them all safely back here; to say nothing of keeping them all in line until the Ark was finished, and the Flood over." He waved around the clearing. "My father said we were told only to build the Ark, and the rest would attend to itself."

Nomi bit her lip.

"The truth is, Nomi; no matter how hard flesh and blood may try to work, the world marches on, and we are nothing against it. But the work we do is insignificant compared to the part Jehovah plays. I think it will always be that way, because none of this can work without His help. The animals alone are proof of that."

Nomi winced. "Mother says that the Creator has left us to ourselves. She says He won't help us."

Shem gestured at the animals again, as though that explained everything.

Nomi shook her head. "Not the point. God can decide if we get a good harvest, but that doesn't help me when the farmers decide to overcharge. Doesn't matter if God provides enough for all, if people go hungry anyway."

"What do you think?" Shem asked.

"I think we're smaller than Him, and I've seen what people who are bigger than me think." Nomi said flatly. "The people running the world are the Godsons. They're closer to Angelics than anyone else. Doesn't that mean they're doing what God would do?"

"Have you ever seen them?" Shem asked suddenly.

Nomi blinked. "All the time."

"No, not the Giants. The Angels at the Gates of Eden."

Nomi went still, and shook her head. "No. I never went."

Shem shivered. "My father took us when we were younger. I was scared to go near them." He glazed upwards for a moment, as if worried about being overheard. "They haven't moved from their post in sixteen hundred years."

"That's the proof, isn't it?" Nomi guessed. "The Creator has Eden shut up tight, and nobody goes in or out. The only sign that any Sons of Heaven even remember Earth are the Godsons, and they're… well, they're terrifying."

"They are the proof." Shem countered. "Proof that it's all real. Creation. Eden. Rebellion. The Great Promise. We've known for generations that the time would come when God wouldn't tolerate the Serpent and his actions any further. I don't know if my father is part of that promise, but I do know the world can't go on like this. There's a murder every day, to say nothing of everything else."

"I know, I know." Nomi rubbed her eyes. "I have no answer for you, Shem. I just can't understand why God would do something so… excessive. If He had a problem with someone, even with all mankind; why drown everything?"

"Not everything." Shem said simply, and held out a hand to her.

~/*\~

He led her to the far end of the clearing. Some of the animals had set up little dens there. Others had moved into the huts that Noah's extended family had built. Nomi could almost see how the work had started, with the family in these little shelters.

"We used to live here, as we started clearing the land." Shem confirmed her thoughts. "But as the Ark grew larger, and we started setting up living spaces inside; for us and the animals, there was little reason to bother with them. Some of the animals claimed our old huts for their own nests. The wolves would be comfortable in a cave somewhere, but there isn't one nearby; so they sleep in here." He gestured around at the primitive stables. "We set up shelters that could protect food stores from the dew, or from vermin… The horses always had their places for when the workday was done. More than three generations of these horses have been our work animals…"

Two wolves sat on either side of the hut entrance; a male and female pair. They recognized Shem immediately, and whined at him in greeting. Their reaction to Nomi was far more guarded. "Let them sniff your hands." Shem told her quietly. "They'll warm up to you."

The wolves took their cue from Shem. He was fine with having Nomi near the Ark, and they eventually did the same. Once the grown wolves were used to her, a trio of little pups came out of the hut, eager to meet the new visitor, fearless as the young always were.

Shem prepared them a meal, and Nomi fed her scraps to the little pups. That was all it took to win them over, and one of them wriggled up into Nomi's lap, looking for more. Nomi felt the soft fur under her fingers and found herself smiling in a way she'd never done before. It was a totally unguarded moment. Mother is eager for fine furs. But the skins are nothing compared to the warm, living creatures.

"This is why." Shem said with some serenity. "Kainan isn't wrong. The world goes a great deal further than our numbers here. There have been expeditions to go beyond the horizon, and nobody really knows what they've found, if anything. Maybe there were other Gardens, maybe they never returned because they built towns of their own. But even if our village was all there was of humanity, we're not alone on this planet."

Nomi couldn't help but lock eyes with the wolf pup. She'd never been this close to one before, but she was quite suddenly in love with the little creature.

"My father says that nothing can exist without the life-force." Shem commented. "Not men, not angels, not animals, not plants. "I asked him about that, and he said that Adam was dust until God granted him 'the breath of life'. If life has to come from the life-source, then it means that Jehovah is a part of things every time something lives, large and small."

"Good and bad?" Nomi challenged. "He made the serpents too."

Shem regarded her. "You see those birds?" He pointed to a pair of birds, perched together in a tree, sitting close enough that their feathers brushed together. "If they wanted to, they could never see people. They could go find some nest somewhere that never brought them near a human. And they could fly, and sleep, and raise their young, and enjoy the sunlight, and do everything that makes birds happy to be alive. They aren't there for our amusement, or for Godsons to take trophies. They exist because they add something beautiful to a world that has no regard for beauty."

Nomi had no answer to that. "I always wondered why God would make things so beautiful, but so hard."

Shem's head tilted. "Keep going."

Nomi let out a breath. "When they talk about the Garden, during all the harvest festivals, they talk about how there was so much food to eat. Just reach out to any tree and take it." She explained. "But now it's such hard work. Almost everyone in town is devoted to food production. Planting, harvesting, threshing, preserving… If God wanted to show us love, He could have made it so that we didn't need to eat. He could have made it so that we didn't need to work so hard to make edible food grow." She gestured out at the animals. "He created variety, and beauty, but all we need is enough to live off without having to risk our lives in a marketplace. Why was that so much to ask?"

"Ask your friend there." Shem gestured to the wolf pup, now happily accepting a scratch behind his ears from Nomi. "When the First Ones were thrown out of the Garden, the animals were unchanged. They didn't get greedier or suddenly become cruel. The world has enough for them. They have food. They take mates, they have young. And they are hunted, so they have to do it all while looking over their shoulder."

(Author's Note: Genesis 9:2 says: "A fear of you and a terror of you will continue upon every living creature of the earth and upon every flying creature of the heavens, upon everything that moves on the ground and upon all the fish of the sea. They are now given into your hand." The term 'continue' suggests that this fear was in place before the Flood. A 'Questions From Readers' article in the 5/15/65 Watchtower makes the point that even predatory species would rather avoid humans than hunt them, even today.)

"We're not animals, Shem." Nomi said pointedly.

"No, we aren't." Shem agreed. "Animals weren't created to live forever. Animals didn't rebel." He smiled down at the wolf in her lap. "And animals don't sow crops, or trade in a marketplace, but they manage to eat, don't they?" He smiled a bit. "The world has enough for everyone to live; if only we could stop fighting over it, or cheating each other for more."

Nomi looked down at the pup she was holding as it licked her fingers; and she suddenly felt nothing but envy. "I wish I could take him home with me." She admitted. "But he'd never survive town. Someone would want the fur, or my mother would think he'd be a waste to feed." She picked up the pup and kissed his nose. "But he's wonderful."

"They all are." Shem said softly, looking solemnly back at the Ark. "That's why we can't stop."

~/*\~

Nomi was still floating on her feet, beaming at everything. It was an experience she had never considered before.

She made it all the way back to town before the feeling vanished. She saw the Hunters sharpening their arrowheads out front of the Lodge.

Are they going to kill the animals? Nomi thought in sudden panic as she started moving faster. She had spent an afternoon enjoying their company, and later that night, the Hunters Circle would be full of celebration over their skins…

"Where have you been!?" Her mother demanded as she got home. "I was making myself sick! You've been gone all day, and I didn't know where you went, or who you were with." She actually looked hopeful for a moment. "Were you with Kainan? I heard he was taking some prospectors south for-"

"No." Nomi said shortly. "I told you, I haven't made up my mind about him yet. I was…" Now that she was about to say it, it sounded childish. "I was with the animals. There are some I've never seen before. They're beautiful, mother."

"Don't talk to me about the animals!" Nuria scorned. "Of all the animals that apparently decided to walk west today, two of them were Zerah's prize horses. He's been tending to them for three generations, and today his best breeding pair decided to break their fences and run away to join Noah's Folly."

"Really?" Nomi pulled her head in. "Zerah's going to be in the mood to kill someone if he doesn't get them back fast."

"The horses didn't go to the Ark because of Noah." Her mother said with certainty. "He hasn't even seen those horses. Or any of Ziph's fowl, but two of them broke free of their cages and went running in the same direction."

"This is insane." Nomi breathed. "How is this possible?"

"Don't get superstitious now, daughter." Nuria scoffed. "Two animals go. That leaves dozens behind. If Noah was going to start over, wouldn't he take as many as possible? Two of each is a joke. One of those horses falls and breaks a leg, and horses are gone forever? He's a fool."

"What is wrong with you?!" Nomi nearly yelled. "They're walking two by two, towards Noah's Ark; without fear or concern about hunters, humans, or each other. This, to you, means Noah's a fool?"

Nuria scowled at her. "You've spent all day there, haven't you?" She growled. "So I don't suppose any of your chores are done. Did you even bring water today?"

Nomi sank into herself. "I was going to-"

Nuria glared.

"-to go right now! It'll be dark soon!" Nomi said and quickly ducked out.

~/*\~

Nomi was carrying a large jug of water through the village, making her way back to her home, when she heard a now-familiar voice speaking boldly; and the equally familiar sound of jeering and laughter.

"The animals are being summoned to this place, ready to enter the Ark. If you won't believe me, then believe them!" Noah proclaimed. "Nobody can accuse an animal of being a liar or a fool! Nobody can accuse an animal of being insane, or of seeking the attention of humans. And yet hundreds of them march to the Ark! Time is running out for this world! Jehovah God has decreed it that the w-"

Smack. As if to interrupt him deliberately, someone threw a tomato at him, nailing him right in the face. There was a chorus of laughter and jeers. She didn't see who had thrown it, but Nomi wasn't surprised when Zerah stepped out of the crowd. "We're done humoring you, Noah." He scorned, muscles bunching. "You've taken more than you deserve. Certainly more than you're worth. You're not the only man who can get animals to come when you call; but you're the only one that takes it as a sign from the Creator."

Noah wiped his face clean, his face unmoved by Zerah's little speech.

"If you don't return my horses, I'll make you bleed." Zerah swore. "Before all those present, I vow to take what prizes I wish from your animals… And I'll kill you while I'm at it. This I swear, Noah. You've been insulting us long enough, and you'll die for it within the week!"

Amaziah jumped up, enjoying the spectacle. "Heard and witnessed!"

~/*\~

Nomi returned to their home and set the water down. Nuria took some and added it to her flour, making bread for them. "There was quite a confrontation at the Marketplace." Nomi told her. "Noah himself was still there; declaring the end of the world. Apparently, the animals are his proof."

"Proof that he's nothing but trouble." Nuria scoffed.

"That's certainly how everyone else has reacted." Nomi agreed. "Zerah vowed to kill Noah by the end of the week."

"If he succeeds, that'll be the end of it." Nuria agreed, noticing that Nomi was tying her hair back into braids. "You're going back out?"

"Anah asked me to help her at the Hunting Lodge tonight." Nomi nodded. "We could use the extra work. Apparently, there is no end to small jobs that the Hunters loathe to do."

Nuria caught her arm, but didn't say anything for a moment, calculating something. After a moment of intense thought, she let her daughter go. "Fine. But just for tonight."

Nomi stared blankly at her, before she realized the math her mother was doing in her head. "Kainan gets back tomorrow?"

"I don't want him seeing you as a kitchen drudge." Nuria didn't even try to deny it.

~/*\~

Anah was grateful for the help. "It's not so bad, when the Lodge is empty." She explained to Nomi as they cleaned the ashes out of the bonfire pit. "The hunters go on their game trails, and the place is mostly empty until the next night. Some of their prize targets don't come out until after dark."

They had cleared the debris of the last day's feasting and drinking away, and were now shifting the tables to be prepared for the next night's party. "If we waited until they got back, the place would be trashed faster than we could clean it up." Anah said, matter of factly. "There'll be plenty of attendants when they're here. They'll have their blood up from the hunting, and the wine will make them wilder."

"Best to get the work done before they get back." Nomi agreed. "One of the Chieftain's sons is organizing a celebration for tomorrow night, to honor the night's hunting. My mother has made it clear I am to be in attendance when Kainan gets back, and not as a sweep." She let out a breath between her teeth. "I wonder if I should go to the Ark."

Anah blinked. "Why?"

"Zerah has vowed to kill Noah. If they're hunting the animals that just arrived; they'll be going to the Ark eventually. Zerah could get his prize catch, and settle his grudge at the same time."

"And you want to… what? Warn Noah?" Anah scoffed. "He heard Zerah's threat too. He knows his days are numbered. If he's still there when the Hunters arrive, he deserves what he gets. And if you try to stop them, you're just going to get yourself killed in his place."

"Probably true." Nomi admitted.

"Besides, I'd like to know what happens." Anah quipped. "If Zerah can kill Noah, then how can Noah be 'chosen'?" She actually laughed. "I mean, if Noah's got some destiny ahead, then there'd have to be some miracle to save him, right?" They finished setting up the tables, ready to have the feast laid out, once the hunters returned. "Now, we've gotta stock firewood, and prepare a new pedestal in the trophy room. Zerah's orders."

The Trophy Room was the whole point of the Lodge. The craftsmen were always trying to find ways to make the skins last longer; mounting them on frames that mimicked the animals in life as closely as possible. The constant addition of sweet smelling flowers and perfumed oils couldn't completely mask the smell of decay. There was death in the heart of the Hunter's Lodge. The musk of it covered everything.

The walls of the room were lined with polished wooden pedestals, and on each one a trophy. A buck, a wildcat, even a few bears. Every Pedestal included the name of the hunter who brought the Prize. Nomi and Anah dusted each trophy carefully. If they damaged them, it would be worth their lives.

(Author's Note: On the subject of 'Writing', the Insight Book says: 'The Bible contains no references to Pre-Flood writing. However, it should be noted that the building of cities, the development of musical instruments, and the forging of iron and copper tools had their start long before the Flood. (See Ge 4:17, 21, 22) Reasonably, therefore, men would have had little difficulty in also developing a method of writing.')

Nomi shuddered when she got close to the wolf trophies. She'd spent a day playing with a wolf pup, in the presence of his parents. She'd seen them run and play together, butting and nuzzling affectionately against each other and their pups. These trophies were nearly caricatures of them, held upright by tight stitching of dried sinew against their false wooden skeletons, lips pulled back to expose sharp teeth in a permanent growl. Their eyes were polished black stone, since the most skilled craftsman couldn't hope to replace a creature's eyes.

"Try not to think about it." Anah said to her, nudging her out of her thoughts.

They got to work quickly, and finished up as the other attendants hurried to make preparations of their own, bringing in jugs of wine, replacing the burned torches with fresh ones. The trophy room was better lit than anywhere else; but there was soot from the used torches to scrub off the walls and ceiling. Nomi lowered her voice. "Why prepare a pedestal tonight more than any other night? The trophy hunters often come back empty handed. The animals aren't stupid."

"The animals are literally lining up this week." Anah commented. "All the boys who hunt trophies have been watching them arrive, two by two. You weren't here this morning, but there was quite a bit of talk about which of them would bring in the grandest prize. The Chieftain says there haven't been this many animals together since Eden."

How does he know? Nomi thought absently.

"When there's some herd migrating through the area, there's always something of a competition for the biggest prize." Anah explained. "Amaziah was telling anyone who would listen that he was going to win this one. Zerah made a wager with him."

"Over who would kill the biggest animal, and drag the body here for a trophy?" Nomi felt sick.

"Try not to think about it." She said again. "Our job is just to get the pedestal ready. Believe me, you don't want them to come looking for us if the job's not done."

~/*\~ Eleanor ~/*\~

Eleanor looked over the deli section, deciding what to make for dinner. The supermarket was crowded, and she had taken a number. The man next to her was tapping his foot impatiently, as the man behind the counter called out the numbers, one by one. Those that were just arriving took numbers of their own. The whole thing was routine.

"Who was next?" The shopkeeper called.

"I was." Eleanor held up the ticket she'd taken. "I'll have four chicken thighs, pl-"

The man elbowed in front of her. "Get-off! I was here before you!"

Blindsided by the vitriol in his voice, Eleanor reacted automatically, holding up the numbered ticket, as if to defend herself. He scowled at it, took it roughly from her hand and scrunched it up, disgusted. Eleanor froze like a mouse at the contact, not looking at him, unwilling to turn her head.

"There a problem?" The shopkeeper called pointedly, eyes on them.

The angry man gave his order, and the shopkeeper glanced at Eleanor, still frozen. The angry man collected his groceries, and turned to deliberately knock against Eleanor on his way out. "Keep your eyes open in the parking lot. Wouldn't want to run you over."

Eleanor was almost paralyzed by the sudden moment, breathing hard. The shopkeeper was careful to look neutral. "You were next, I believe? Miss?"

Eleanor shook it off and repeated her order. While the shopkeeper collected her dinner ingredients, she shivered. "Did he think I made a fake ticket, so that I could cut ahead in line by one person, all for the want of four dollars worth of food?"

The shopkeeper scoffed. "You did the right thing, miss. If he was willing to get rough because he forgot to take a ticket, he would have done worse if you'd called him on it."

~/*\~

"It was such an insignificant thing." Eleanor shared with Martine later that day. "Thirty seconds in a line. That was all the difference it made, and he was just looking for a reason."

Martine sighed sympathetically. "Not fair, is it?"

"I keep replaying the same ten seconds over and over in my head, like there was something I could have said, or should have done differently." She looked hard at Martine. "But it doesn't matter, does it? Facts and reason don't work on bullies, because they don't have a logical reason to be brutal. Unless you're willing to fight back, all you can do is let them abuse you."

"And if you'd fought back, who knows what he might have done." Martine nodded. "Seems to me like you did the right thing."

"There's just so much… rage." Eleanor said softly. "In fact, now that I think of it, it's just everywhere now. The world is mainlining rage and frustration and it's just… constant."

Martine's eyes probed her. "Do you feel like this is a new condition?"

"Well, that's the thing. I'm willing to bet it's been that way since the dawn of time." She shivered again, cupping the hot drink in her hands, as if trying to warm herself. "But back when I was a kid, I remember there were constant things going on. People vowing to save the whales, or send food to the war-torn… It's like there was a war going on between hope and despair."

"And now?"

"Now, it feels like the war is over, and the white knights lost." Eleanor admitted. "I can't explain it, but the last ten years or so, I haven't been able to tell the difference between good days and bad ones. I don't understand what's happening in the world anymore, but I know it's making us all deranged."

"Well then." Martine took it in stride, and sipped her drink. "Looks like we know what we're going to be studying next."

~/*\~ Nomi ~/*\~

Nomi had changed her clothes by the time the hunting party returned. There were more than the usual crowd in attendance. Rumors about the variety of Animals had spread to the whole community. They wanted to know what the hunters would be bringing back. They were allowed to view the trophies. Some of the more unusual animals would be welcome exhibits.

And despite herself, Nomi was curious about the fate of the animals. Having been to the Ark, she'd seen some of them, full of life; and part of her couldn't help but wonder which ones were being skinned now. There was a fair chance Noah would be a trophy himself.

Or Shem. She thought grimly. He'd try to defend his father, wouldn't he?

Amaziah looked quietly sick when Nomi returned to the Bonfire that night. The other hunters were jeering at him, amused. Most of it was in jest. Zerah was merciless, as always.

"Hey, Amaziah." Zerah called, smirking cruelly. "I wanted to congratulate you on today's hunting. Had your pedestal all polished up for the prize. I thought it was a little extravagant, given that we didn't know what you were going to bring us; but you were so confident that you could top us all..."

Over closer to the fire, Anah shook her head, speaking quietly to Nomi. "Zerah better be careful." She confided. "I heard from my sister that Amaziah is already boiling after the failed hunt." Anah smothered a grin. "They all failed. Nobody's made a successful hunt since the Animals started making their way through town."

Nomi blinked, trying to make that work in her head. She had seen the creatures walking, almost in formation, to the Ark. They weren't scurrying, or hiding themselves in the trees… "Why not?"

"You could ask the hunters, but I wouldn't advise it." Her friend told her grimly. "The hunting parties have been out all day, and they all came back empty handed."

"Then why are they all sneering at Amaziah?" Nomi asked practically. "Why are they shaming him, if they all failed?"

"They're not. Zerah is." Anah explained. "But as long as they're busy humiliating Amaziah, nobody else is going through it. He was bragging the loudest; so he's the victim. Really, he brought it on himself."

Nomi just looked at her.

Anah bowed her head. "It's not like Zerah needs a reason to be cruel to someone."

Because he enjoys it so much. Nomi could have said it. She didn't have to.

"What? Nothing to say?" Zerah taunted. "Speak up, Amaziah. It seems like just yesterday you were bragging to all who would listen that you could bring in the greatest prize."

"And just who are you comparing me to? I don't see your trophies hanging from the walls." Amaziah countered, as he stood up, slowly. "I believe you said Noah would be your trophy."

"Oh, we wouldn't presume. Tonight was your night." Zerah mocked elaborately, bowing deeply, as he had the night before. The night before, it was submission. Now it was an insult.

Nomi found she was staring. The others were drifting back from Zerah, seeing it coming. Why doesn't Zerah see it coming?

"After all, none of us are the famous Amaziah. None of us have the legendary strength of the bear, or the reflexes of the lion. Not like the great Am-" Zerah paused and lifted a hand to his throat. There was dead silence in the Hunter's Circle.

Amaziah had struck so fast nobody had followed the blow, not even Zerah. Amaziah held up his fine blade, as if showing it off to Zerah. Clutching at his throat in sudden panic, Zerah fell hard to the floor.

Amaziah looked around the circle, as if picking his next victim. "Well. It seems I've won a trophy for the night after all. Anyone else do that?"

The Godsons guffawed, entertained by the mortals putting on such a show. Everyone else chuckled awkwardly. It wasn't exactly a great joke, but nobody was about to tell him so. Nomi turned away in disgust. Anah was already moving to clean up. If the pool of blood reached the woven rug, she would have to make another.

~/*\~

The hunters drank deeply, and found the amusing side of it eventually, or at least became drunk enough to laugh at the whole thing. Nomi checked that Kainan was not present, and quietly helped Anah, so that her friend wouldn't have to struggle with her task all alone. With her help, Anah took the rug outside, and cleaned herself up as best they could.

It was far too late at night to go to the waterfalls, but Anah had dirtied her clothes and hands while cleaning up, and had no choice. Anah gratefully scrubbed herself clean, while Nomi kept vigil for others in what moonlight there was.

"This can't be normal, can it?" Nomi said finally, giving voice to the thought that had been growing larger and larger in her mind over the years. "I know it has always been this way, but it can't be 'right', surely? Living day to day, wondering if someone's mood will change and just… Zerah never saw it coming, and now he's dead."

"I know, it was a swift move. Took me by surprise too, but-"

"No, I mean…" Nomi waved at Anah's hands, still stained with drying blood. "I was talking about this before, with…" She caught herself. "With a friend. He talked about the Creator's original plan, and…" Nomi pulled her head in. "We weren't meant to live like this, Anah. We were meant to live in Paradise."

"Nomi-"

"No, really. What if we were made for that?" Nomi insisted. "If humans were made to be warriors and killers, wouldn't we be harder to kill? If humans were made for violence, then why don't we have sharp teeth and long claws? Other animals do. Our mothers told us the story of Adam and Eve being cast out, but what if we weren't meant for anything but Eden?"

Anah didn't answer that.

"I'm serious, Anah. What if it never goes back to 'normal'? What if all of this is just…" Nomi waved a hand back and forth. "What if the reason we haven't heard from the Creator in so long is because He's decided we're not worth it? People haven't changed in any serious way since leaving Eden. What if we're just not meant to live like this, but it never gets any better?"

"It's just the way it is." Anah didn't seem as bothered, though she was no happier about it. "But you're wrong about us 'not changing'. Even if Zerah hadn't died like this, who knows how long any of us have? Life gets shorter all the time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for the most part, even if you're blessed to make it to Old Age, most people don't live as long as Adam, or Seth." Anah said, as though it was obvious. "If lifespans keep dropping, there's a chance we could all outlive our children one day. Why not drink ourselves happy and party all night?"

(Author's Note: On the topic of 'Generation, the Insight Book says: "The life span of the ten generations from Adam to Noah averaged more than 850 years each. But after Noah, man's life span dropped off sharply. Abraham, for example, lived only 175 years. Today, much as it was in the time of Moses, people living under favorable conditions may reach 70 or 80 years of age."

The 12/15/2010 Watchtower, in a 'Questions From Readers' mentions Genesis 6:3, where it says "Then Jehovah said: 'My spirit will not tolerate man indefinitely, because he is only flesh. Accordingly, his days will amount to 120 years'."

Interestingly, that article points out that this statement doesn't seem to be made to Noah, and since Post-Flood generations lived longer than 120 years, it stood to reason that this pledge was something else. The article says: "It is logical, therefore, to conclude that Genesis 6:3 expresses God's resolve to end the corrupt system of things on earth. Jehovah issued a judicial decree to do so in 120 years, though Noah was not yet aware of that."

It was years later that Noah had a family of his own, let alone began construction. The date of the Flood was set before any of Noah's children were even born.)

"You think that people want to enjoy themselves more because our time keeps getting shorter?" Nomi coughed.

"I think life is so valuable because you never know how it turns out." Anah countered. "Old age is a privilege denied to many, but mother says the temporary length of life is what makes it meaningful."

"How is everyone living a short time more meaningful than living forever?" Nomi scorned. "I mean, maybe we rush to do more things in a short time, but there's no way we couldn't do more with eternity."

"Except we don't have that long." Anah said, as though it was obvious.

By this time the two women had returned to the Hunter's Hall, and they were hit with a wave of noise as the door opened.

Zerah had been hung from the wall, in the same position as any of the usual hunting 'trophies'. All the men were cheering, toasting the corpse, celebrating the 'successful hunt' with loud, drunken revelry.

"Wonder if Zerah considered his life more meaningful because it was shorter." Nomi drawled.

Anah scowled, not liking the turn of the conversation. "I suppose not." She admitted. "But if he wanted more time, he could have stopped acting so stupid."

"Can't argue with that." Nomi admitted. This cannot be the future, can it?

Anah put a cup in her hand. "Don't think about it. Drink. Enjoy yourself."

Nomi gulped deeply, as the hunters began to party in earnest. I guess Noah is safe from Zerah now.

~/*\~

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