Chapter Twelve: The Storm

 ~~/*\~~ Nate ~~/*\~~

Del and Nate were making food runs out to people’s homes. Especially the elderly, or those that lived alone. Every time they made a run, there were more hints of things going bad. There were garage sales for the first week, as people sold more and more of their possessions to make ends meet. Then the streets started getting dangerous and there were fewer and fewer people visible. It took Nate a while to notice, but nobody drove around alone anymore, and there were almost never any trucks visible. Some of the windows were being boarded up, as if preparing for a major storm.

Busy streets had police cars parked here and there. On the quieter streets, some of the cars had been siphoned for gas, or even left abandoned.

~~/*\~~

“We have a problem.” Alvin told them one morning. “The Mistletoe Road Supermarket told me they’re sorry, but due to the supply crisis, they can’t get any more food for us. Not at any price. They’ve simply run out.”

“The money was starting to get thin anyways.” Nate reported. “That last load of groceries cost more than my first car; and I’m tapped out.”

“I’d offer my savings, except they’ve been seized already.” Del admitted ruefully. “What do we do now?”

“Some of our brothers have backyard vegetable gardens. Some have had them for a while, and have been making preserves…” Alvin trailed off. “It’s not enough. Anyone with stores are eating them, and not asking for food drops.” He let out a breath. “Medication is becoming more of an issue for some people than food, but in another three days…”

“If all this lasts that long.”

Knock knock.

Everyone froze. Someone coming to the door was a danger now. Some households were already making barricades, leaving the lights off to make the house seem unimportant and without anything of value. The Witnesses had their own ’secret knock’ to alert each other, and two raps on the door wasn’t it. Whoever was knocking, it wasn’t one of their friends.

Finally, Alvin gestured for everyone to stay in the back room and went to the door. “Yes?”

The man on the doorstep looked worried. “My name’s Marty, I know we don’t know each other, but I was hoping I could hide my truck in your garage for a while. The radio says the main roads are getting… dangerous for trucks.”

Alvin blinked. “Why my house?”

“It’s the only one in the street with a garage big enough.” Marty excused. “I know it’s a big ask, but I promise, I’m not a criminal or anything… I’ll stay in the truck the whole time, and wait until the radio says the cops have cleared the highway-”

“Of course.” Alvin said finally, pulling out his keys. “Let me open it for you.”

~~/*\~~

The truck was an unmarked panel van, with a rented trailer hitched to the back. At Alvin’s look, Marty opened it up, and showed a stack of cardboard boxes marked ‘Dental Supplies; Keep This End Up’. “It’s nothing very useful.” Marty admitted. “But there’s reports of anyone with cargo being attacked on the roads. Delivery guys are all calling in sick or expecting to be warned off making their deliveries soon.” He gestured around the workshop garage. “Shut the door and pretend I’m not in here. I promise not to take anything.”

“None of it’s worth stealing anyway.” Alvin smiled genially. “But I’ll bring you some coffee in an hour, if things haven’t changed.”

“Coffee. Mm.” Marty leaned back in his seat and shut his eyes. “Thanks. I’ve been making delivery runs all night.”

~~/*\~~

“...confirming reports that the Mistletoe Road supermarket is on fire. This morning the store closed its doors to customers, some of whom had been waiting more than an hour. Rumors that the market shelves still had food spread quickly, and a crowd tried to force the door. Police reaction was slow to respond, by which time the damage had already been done. Four people were wounded, but as yet there has been no response from the city’s emergency services, as apparently the ambulances are being stopped by people searching for medicine, after local chemists also shut their doors this week…”

~~/*\~~

Marty was napping in his driver’s seat. Alvin knocked lightly on his window, and he jolted awake, halfway between hair-trigger readiness and total exhaustion.

Staying still outside his van, Alvin held up a plate with a sandwich, and a cup of coffee. Marty rolled the window down immediately. “Coffee. Wow. I really thought you were kidding.” He yawned, taking the offerings gratefully. “You know this stuff will be worth more than gold soon, right?”

“Probably.” Alvin admitted. “Any plans on what to do now?”

Marty yawned. “My boss called half an hour ago and told me to stay away. Apparently the… ‘offices’ are closed for a while.”

“Offices.” Alvin demurred. “Where you’re delivering boxes of dental supplies?”

Marty slugged back his coffee. “Right.” He said flatly. “The ‘dental offices’. That’s what we call them.” His cell started ringing before the conversation could continue. He checked the screen and his face relaxed. “Ah. I’m about to get out of your way, mister. Let me take this, and I’ll know where I’m going.”

Alvin nodded and slipped out of the garage, through the connecting door back into the house.

“You know that letting him stay was a bad idea, right?” Del said to him quietly. “Given how tight the supplies are, we can’t go giving food away. They already told us not to go back for return visits, let alone strangers. And given what’s coming next, I don’t know if it’s more dangerous for us, or for him, but-”

“I know. He’s leaving soon.” Alvin sighed. “Where’s Nate? We have to figure out our own schedule for the day.”

~~/*\~~

Nate was at the breakfast table, head bowed over an empty plate. All of them skipped at least one meal per day now, though not always the same one. Food preparation was limited to whatever was left after making deliveries.

Del waited patiently until he was done. “Praying?”

“More in the last week than I have all year.” Nate admitted.

“Me too.” Del admitted. “Alvin is calling us together.”

“I don’t know what he plans for us to do. We don’t have anything left to deliver.” Nate murmured.

Alvin came in, just in time to hear that. “You’re right. You all saw the news reports about the food riots at the local supermarkets? Apparently they’re expecting something similar at all the main chains ‘until the current crisis is over’.”

Nate and Del scoffed. “So I guess we’re shut down, huh?”

“Plans were made for this eventuality.” Alvin told them. “We expected the shutdown when the price jumps started. Our neighboring congregations are going to take over the food drops… but there are four or five households in our congregation that haven’t been supplied yet. They waved off getting food from us, because they had their own stockpiles, but this has dragged out longer than we anticipated, and their stocks have been depleted. We need to make one more run.”

“We don’t have anything to deliver.” Nate objected. “We gave away everything we had in our combined cupboards yesterday. There’s what? Half a loaf of bread and a little honey left? We’re going to need a food drop ourselves in the next few days, or-”

“I know.” Alvin sighed. “I spent half the night calling around to see if anyone had any surplus.”

“I’ve been making these food runs.” Del put in. “Truth is, they’ve all donated everything they can already. It’s a point to be proud of, but the brothers here are reaching the end of what they can give.”

Alvin sighed. “I know. But that’s when Jehovah takes over.”

“I hope He does it soon.” Nate sighed back, not hopeful.

Del almost smiled, just a little. Fatigue and hunger was making them all edgy. “I worked construction most of my life. There were always delays and supply problems. Then I worked on an Assembly Hall. You’d be amazed at how often things would line up just as we needed them. I never appreciated the things the Holy Spirit could do until they happened to me.”

“He’s right about that.” Alvin nodded. “We’ve been given our assignment, in the most difficult of circumstances the world has ever seen. Nowhere in the Bible did Jehovah say we’d have to do it alone.” He bit his lip. “Join me in prayer?”

The others nodded and the three men bowed their heads.

“Jehovah God,” Alvin led them. “We know that all of this only works because of Your full support. We’ve never needed Your blessing on our service more. As our Ministry winds down completely, we humbly ask Your aid in the more important task: The safety and protection of our brothers and sisters. We know that You can feed the whole association without needing a food drop. But if there is something we can do to help our beloved brothers and sisters, please make that clear. If You choose to do so without our help, we look forward to hearing about it. But whatever happens, we seek only to do our part in Your service. In Jesus name, we thank you for all You have done already, and for all You are about to do. Amen.”

“Amen.” The others intoned. The prayer was over, everyone looked up at each other. “Maybe I’ll place a call to-”

Knock knock. This time at the back door, leading to the garage.

Alvin gestured for them to step into the next room, and unlocked it. “Marty?”

Marty looked somewhere between furious and sick to his stomach. “Can we talk?”

Alvin took a breath, said a quick prayer, and let himself into the Garage, both men squeezed against the wall by the presence of the van and trailer. “What’s on your mind?”

“I lied to you.” Marty confessed. “It’s not dental supplies, as I’m sure you’ve figured out. It’s… food.”

Alvin felt his heart give a solid thump. “Really.”

“With the riots, we’ve had to change our delivery methods.” Marty explained. “Unmarked vehicles, false stamps on the boxes… Our drivers were being attacked on their routes, so we started delivering after dark, or the drivers had to be armed…” He gestured at the van. “This was heading to the Mistletoe Road supermarket, but word just came down that the government has taken charge of the supply lines directly.”

“Which makes your shipment property of the government.” Alvin said with a hard sigh. “The news reported that the Mistletoe Road Market was on fire after a riot this morning.”

“Government control makes me redundant.” Marty held up his phone. “My boss just called to tell me that the army will be taking over all shipments from now on, and that I’m fired.”

“My condolences.” Alvin said reflexively.

“Oh wait, it gets better.” Marty was dripping with scorn. “Since my boss is no longer required, he’s decided that any active food shipments won’t be added to the paperwork. With the shelves being looted, it won’t be a surprise. He ordered me to bring my shipment to his house before I went home.”

Alvin snorted. “He’s decided to wait it out at home.”

Marty nodded, face twisted with scorn. “The #%*# fired me and expects me to risk my life supplying his McMansion with everything he needs for himself at the same time.”

“I’m a little surprised you’re telling me this.” Alvin confessed. “If you weren’t going to take it to him, you’ve just inherited a fairly impressive amount of salvage.”

“I know.” Marty smirked. “But here’s the final kick in the teeth: My van won’t start.”

“What?!” Alvin laughed.

“I had just made up my mind to take the whole lot home for myself and the wife and kids… and my #*%^$ van won’t start.” Marty admitted miserably. “I’ve been trying to work it out since I woke up, and I can’t find anything wrong with the damn thing. So whatever I do, I have to leave it here.” He gestured at Alvin. “You had no reason to let me hide out here until the danger passed. Even less reason to bring me coffee and sandwiches. I have to get back to my kids, and I can only take what I carry, so… I just wanted you to know what you’ve got in your house. Plenty of people are willing to kill for less. Probably get worse before this is over.”

“That much we agree on.” Alvin agreed.

“So I’ll trade you the van for a duffel bag or a backpack, or something I can carry food in…”

Alvin gave him a look. “Nate!” He called.

Nate was at the door in seconds, fists bunched, expecting to rescue Alvin from trouble. “Problem?”

“Nate, I’d like you to meet Marty.” Alvin said seriously. “Give him a ride home. Take a few of these boxes with you, but keep them hidden.”

Marty smiled broadly. “You’re all right, mister. You really are. One of the good guys.” He held out a hand. “Good luck.”

“You too.” Alvin returned it reflexively.

~~/*\~~

“So, how worried should either of us be?” Marty asked casually as they drove.

Nate knew what he meant. “I don’t think it occurred to Alvin, but you had already confessed that delivery drivers were armed these days. I’m sure you have a weapon.”

“I do.” Marty nodded. “If things do get worse before they get better, then you’ve got the only man who knows where to find a truckload of edible food. And there’s absolutely nothing to connect us to each other. I chose that house at random for the garage space. If you wanted to make sure I never came back for that food, you could tie up a loose end like me right now.”

“And if you wanted to make sure nobody else knew where you stashed that truckload of food, you could do the same, while I’m busy driving.” Nate agreed. “So. We either trust each other, or one of us isn’t leaving this car. Is that what you're thinking?”

Marty let out a hard breath. “How did the world ever get to this point?” He asked the universe in general. “I don’t want to hurt anymore. But I want my kids to go hungry even less.”

Nate bit his lip. Jehovah God, what do I say right now? “I don’t want to hurt anyone either. So at least one of us has to convince the other that we’re not a problem.”

“I don’t see how either of us can do that. If you are going to be a problem, then I’m certainly not going to tell you where I live.”

Nate said another quick prayer. “Alright. I’ll blink first.” He settled on finally. “I haven’t signed the Renouncement.”

Marty blinked. “Why not?”

“Look in the glove compartment.”

Marty did so, and saw the last tract, with the ‘Hailstone’ message on it. He slammed the compartment shut as though it was a rattlesnake, cursing loudly and fluently. “And I thought I was bending the rules by taking a box of food.”

“You can turn me in.” Nate offered. “But by the time you do that, the truck will be empty. We’re organizing food drops for the rest of our people, and you’ve just saved lives by leaving that van with us-”

“Did you sabotage my van?” Marty jumped in.

“We thought it was boxes of dental gear until you came clean to Alvin.” Nate scoffed. “But it doesn’t matter. Because even if you put a gun to my head right now and made me drive you to the nearest police station, all that food will be seized by them, and you’ll get nothing for the effort.”

“I’d get the bounty.” Marty challenged.

“And spend it on what?” Nate shot back. “You’ve heard the same reports I have. We either turn each other in, or we leave each other alone. You’ve got two boxes of food, and a ride home… And you know I’m not a threat, because I’m one of the few people left in the world trying to be a good, peaceable with all mankind, Christian.”

Marty sighed. “How did it come to this?” He groused. “Alright. Get me home before someone decides to search this car.”

~~/*\~~

Despite his worries, Marty had him park deep down the driveway, more worried about the neighbors seeing him carrying in boxes of goods than anything else.

The family Renouncement was taped up visibly in the front windows, for anyone in the street to see. Marty headed into the house, where his elderly father was waiting for him, hugging tightly. Nate carried the boxes, one by one, to the back doorstep, where the kids were collecting them and carrying them into the house.

Nate couldn’t look at the kids. They were old enough to make choices for themselves. Where will you be in two weeks?

Marty and his family were having a pointed conversation just inside the house. Nate didn’t know what it was about, and didn’t want to know; eager to get back in the car and start driving.

As he pulled out of the driveway, and turned into the street, Paige came running out of the house, waving after the car. “Wait! Wait!”

Nate saw her in the rear-view and pulled up the car, stunned. “Paige?” She came running after him and he hurriedly unlocked the car for her.

She dove into the passenger seat, breathing hard. “Marty is my brother in law. I’m the only one in the family that hasn’t signed the Renouncement, and they were starting to get paranoid the longer Marty was away. I’ve been trying to figure out how to get to anyone else.”

“You could have called.” He offered, smiling broadly.

She was still talking very fast, tears shining in her eyes. “I had all your numbers and addresses in my phone, which got smashed days ago. My emergency contacts list was at my house, and I didn’t know how to contact anyone, and my own street hasn’t been safe for days because my neighbors all knew I was a Witness…”

“That’s been happening to a few people. Alvin couldn’t come to your house.” Nate agreed. “The door was off the hinges when he drove past, and there were unmarked black cars in the street.”

“Couldn’t believe my ears when Marty said you were unsigned, and a JW. I mean, who volunteers that information right now?” Paige reached over and hugged his arm from sheer relief.

“I was trying to convince your brother in law not to shoot me before I found out where he lived. Long story.” Nate countered. “The good news is, I guess he can’t turn us in now. Your kin might not want you in the house without signed papers, but I doubt they’ll try to claim a bounty on you.”

“I agree.” Paige sat back in her seat, emotional. “You showing up in the driveway was an answer to a prayer.”

Nate burst out laughing. “Your brother in law was an answer to ours, too.”

Paige blinked. “How so?”

Nate couldn’t answer. He was laughing too hard.

~~/*\~~ Satau ~~/*\~~

Satau woke up and yawned, realizing he’d slept well. He hadn’t slept well in so long. For once, there was no pain. The boils had healed, though they’d left perfectly normal unsightly scars behind from where he’d been scratching.

It had been weeks of pain, and study. Takarut had stayed by his bedside, relating all the things he’d learned about Jehovah. Satau didn’t try to stop him. He knew the rest of Goshen wasn’t that happy to have a member of the Royal Court in their company; and all Takarut had to do was make him go outside. Besides, Jambres had ordered him to find out whatever he could about Jehovah, Moses, and whatever might be coming next.

Deep down, Satau had been dreading the sound of Chariots. Pharaoh had declared it a military matter, and while the soldiers were probably feeling like he was, it only took a single cohort to do some damage.

“If it’s over, the counter-attack will come any minute now.” Satau said to Takarut over breakfast.

“It won’t.” Takarut said with certainty. “The Hebrews don’t know what’s coming, except possibly Moses, but the one thing they’re all absolutely sure of is how this ends.”

Satau shivered. “After this many Plagues, I’m starting to wonder if there’s any other option myself.” He yawned, as if the memory alone made him tired. “I know I would’ve sent the Hebrews away to make the boils stop.”

Takarut nodded. “If Pharaoh said the same, this is over.”

“He’ll never surrender.” Satau said with certainty.

Takarut gave him a look. “No? Then why did your boils and sores heal today?” He reasoned. “They weren’t any regular illness. Those boils had a supernatural source. They could have kept going for a year if Jah willed it. It stopped today.”

Satau chewed slowly. Is it possible? Did Pharaoh surrender? He had the boils too… “Either way, I have to get back to the Palace.” He rose. “Thank you for taking care of me through all this. I’ll… I’ll find a way to pay you back for it.”

Takarut followed him out towards his horse. “Satau, listen to me.” He said seriously. “Pharaoh is gambling with the existence of Egypt at this point. You were in agony for over a week because of someone else’s choice to reject the Truth. I was fine, because I made a choice of my own to accept it.”

“And if Moses gets his way? What then?” Satau challenged as he climbed up on his horse’s back. “Are you still Egyptian, my brother? Have the Hebrews embraced you as one of their own? Will you get an equal share of the spoils when they go free?”

Takarut paused, forced to concede that. “Just… be careful. Either this is over, or it isn’t.”

Satau shuddered. Which option would be worse? “The Pharaoh will never surrender.”

~~/*\~~

“The Pharaoh surrendered.” Khnem reported as soon as Satau returned to the Palace.

Satau nearly fell off his horse. “What?!”

“I don’t know where you’ve been all this time, but there have been developments while you were away.” He almost smiled. “With you missing, and father indisposed, I had to represent the Temple in the Court. After a week, the Queen was ready to give the order herself. No trade at the market, the Healers turning everyone away and telling people to quarantine at home… Finally, Moses returned, and the Pharaoh agreed to cancel the attack on Goshen. The army hadn’t been able to assemble for so much as a chow line in days. Pharaoh and Moses came to terms. That was four hours ago.”

“And the Plague just… stopped.” Satau said numbly.

“Father is already back in the Court. Those that couldn’t attend are being briefed on where things stand now.” Khnem nodded. “So. Where have you been?”

~~/*\~~

“The farms were left unattended for much of the Plague, but the good news is that nobody could disrupt the farms either. Anyone who might have stolen or sabotaged anything were also disabled by the illness.” Faas briefed the Court. “The crops are in good condition, and we expect to be harvesting barley and flax soon.”

“And the wheat?”

“Not ready for harvest, yet. Another month, and we’ll be ready for that too. With our granaries largely intact, we’ll have enough to cover our people until the next season and sell the surplus.”

“You see?” Pharaoh beamed. “We can recoup our losses with the surplus.” He looked over the Court. “I know that many of you have wondered if I was making a mistake, holding out so long. Well, remember: Egypt passed through the worst famine in history with a policy of storing surplus for the lean times. If we’d thrown away our workforce, we’d have never grown enough grain to buy back all that lost work. Egypt is Eternal.”

“Egypt is a nation. One of many that live on this Earth.” A now-familiar voice said defiantly.

The Court rumbled with open fear as Moses returned to the Throne Room, Aaron preceding him. “We had a deal, Pharaoh.” Aaron said forcefully. “You canceled your plans to campaign against our people, and granted freedom to the Slaves, and-”

“That is not my recollection.” Pharaoh sneered. “As I recall, the deal was: You remove the boils and sores, and in return I don’t kill half of Goshen. We have both lived up to our end of the bargain, have we not?” He let that hang for a moment. “You're welcome. You may leave.”

Hushed silence.

“Aaron.” Moses spoke then. “Tell them what will happen next.” He said slowly. “And then we will tell you why.”

~~/*\~~

Moses had warned them to bring their livestock and stores under cover immediately. Egypt kept all the good growing land to themselves, but they had little interest in sheep herding. Such a task was distasteful in Egyptian Culture, but the sheep had provided clothing and food for the Hebrews since the patriarch Jacob had first moved there.

Moses had warned Goshen, and gone with Aaron to announce it to Pharaoh. As he left, the Elders had immediately spread the word, organized according to Tribe and Family. Anyone who had livestock knew within hours, and began pulling their herds back to Goshen. There was good grazing land further out, but nobody used it today. Some of the women hurried to the grassy lands and cut grass to feed the animals for a while. Nobody knew how long it would last, but they took what precautions they could, knowing that Goshen itself would be untouched again.

Takarut had taken the warning and gone to the Egyptian Marketplaces again. “People of Egypt!” He proclaimed. “Hear me! Moses has warned that another Plague of Jehovah is coming against you! From the Sky, you will see a hail that burns everything it hits! The King has been warned, and he has done nothing, once again! Take precautions! Bring your livestock under cover! You have less than a day to save your animals! Keep your children indoors!”

His words set off a rumble. Most were yelling for him to go away, some were listening. The guards started moving in again, and he took off running. He’d prepared an escape route this time.

~~/*\~~

“These people go for years without seeing a rain cloud.” Leahe commented as he made it back to Goshen. “You think they’re going to believe you when you say the sky is falling?”

“No, but they wouldn’t have believed if Moses had told them the Nile was turning to blood.”

“Half of them didn’t believe it had happened when they could go to the river and look.” Leahe retorted.

“And most of them will conveniently forget that I warned them, when it actually happens tomorrow.” Takarut nodded. “But if even one person believes me, and I didn’t say anything? Their losses tomorrow are on my head.”

Leahe was about to respond, but then they heard the voice of the Foreman. “Workmen will assemble tomorrow before dawn!” He called. “The flax and barley harvest starts tomorrow!”

Leahe and Takarut traded a look.

~~/*\~~

The foreman returned to his place at the edge of Goshen in the hour before dawn. There was a crowd of Hebrews as expected. “Alright, you know your jobs. We’ve done this before. Let’s go.”

The Foreman turned to lead the march from Goshen to the barley fields, but none of the slaves followed him. It was such an unexpected change that it took him a moment to notice, and turn back. “What is this?” He called. “If the soldiers have to come here to fetch you, you won’t like it when they arrive!”

Nobody moved. They were all looking up. The dawn was just barely starting to break; still dark, but as the foreman followed their gaze, he saw something unusual in Egypt. The sky was filled with thick, black clouds.

The clouds weren’t just dark, they were angry. They were full of menace. The qualities of the sky were an established fact in Egypt. There was almost never any rain. The idea of an overcast sky was alien in itself. A sky that looked ready to break free and fall on their heads was unnatural.

~~/*\~~

Satau woke with the dawn, as he felt a cold wind blow over his bed. The desert sands gave way to frigid cold nightly, but the chill never lasted much beyond the dawn. The wind had an anger to it; like it was seeking out victims, just to roar in their ears.

Satau was wide awake as something clattered outside, clearly blown to pieces. He got up from his bed and went to the balcony. He wasn’t the only one doing so. Above, the clouds were dark enough that the constant, eternal sun was invisible. There was a flash so bright and sudden that Satau went blind, blinking madly to see again. It was a fork of lightning that seemed to stretch clear across the sky, from one end of the horizon to the other. Along with the flash, the sky let out a roar that shook Satau’s insides, rumbling enough that he felt it echo through the marble floors under his feet.

And then the sky fell on them.

Satau scurried back into his room, as the hail came down, hard enough to splinter the surface of the balcony. Once it was still, he could see it properly. It was a chunk of ice, though he’d never seen ice before. It was the size of his fist, and it was giving off smoke where it hit. Then another struck nearby. Then three. Then a hundred. So much hail that Satau could barely see through it. It smashed down on the Palace like a hammer from above, slamming against the stone, shattering the painted renderings of the gods and Kings, taking apart the statues that lined the courtyard…

Someone in the courtyard had lingered too long to watch the show, and was suddenly struck, shattered by the falling hail. Even at that distance, Satau could see the bones broken in his body. One of the soldiers held his shield overhead as he ran out to get the wounded man. The weight of the hail knocked the shield all over the place instantly, the polished surface dented and bent into scrap in seconds.

Cowering in his balcony doorway, Satau couldn’t look away. This was more than supernatural power, this was fury. Some of the hail came bouncing into the room, and brushed against his curtains…. Which immediately caught fire. Satau let out a shout, yanking them down and stomping the flames out. The hailstone was sizzling on his floor, already starting to melt.

How can something that melts spread flame? Satau wondered in disbelief, going to the balcony door again.

He could see Khnem’s balcony. His brother was standing at the doorway, looking up in fear at the terrifying spectacle. Ashura was held protectively under his arm, but she was straining to get a better look. The lightning that flashed lit up the entire courtyard, and even at that distance, he could see the flash of it reflected in her hungry gaze. She wasn’t terrified, she was awed, inspired.

He wasn’t certain, but he thought he could see her mouth the word ‘Jehovah’.

From his window, Satau could see across the courtyard to the Pharaoh’s balcony. The King was standing outside, glaring up at the sky. It was the oddest thing to see. He’d seen the King at a distance before. All things looked small when far away. But even at a distance, the King had always had an aura around him. A sense of grandeur.

Now, standing alone on his balcony, glaring up at the sky, which cracked and split and roared with fury enough to shake the stone walls of the Palace, he seemed so… insignificant. A King, glaring up at the storm, was no more in comparison to it than a bug to be crushed in the street.

Jambres came up behind Satau, muttering oaths and curses. “This is unreal.” He shouted over the storm.

~~/*\~~

The faint sound of screaming was carried on the wind all the way to Goshen. The sounds of things smashing apart was just barely audible. The sky was falling on Egypt.

In Goshen, it was a show. The Hebrews sat out on rooftops, on ledges… Anywhere they could get a proper view of the city. At that distance, the hail was less visible, except as a thick mist of white particles. The lightning was very clear, as was the fire. Wherever the hail touched, it burned. Whatever the hail knocked down was mere kindling.

The Foremen were the only Egyptians to escape. They made no effort to return home, knowing they were safe in Goshen. None of them could look the slaves in the eye. The slaves didn’t care, more interested in other things going on.

The storm was moving, as the weather always did. Leahe pointed. “It’s moving towards the barley fields.”

Tzioni nodded. “Due for harvest today.”

It was a spectacular show for those that weren’t in the middle of it. Leahe rubbed at her stump absently, and found she was looking for Takarut, to see his reactions. But he wasn’t there.

~~/*\~~

“I couldn’t watch.” Takarut admitted quietly to Moses. “This is the first time I’ve had a chance to talk to you directly, sir. Everyone’s watching the show, but those are the streets where I grew up.”

“So did I.” Moses pointed out.

“Yes sir.” Takarut nodded. “I know what’s happening right now. The flaming hail hits the tables or the sun-cloths, and bursts into flames. Someone is seeing their property or their livelihood burn and tries to run out and save it… and the hail hammers them to death.”

Moses met his gaze. “I’ve heard your name mentioned once or twice. Tzioni says you’re becoming something of an expert on our people. They say you’ve taken every step, made every change required.”

“Yes sir.” Takarut nodded. “Egypt is a land devoted to its gods. If our gods could not offer even a tiny bit of protection, then either they’re not listening, or not real. Either way, they are not worthy of worship. At first, I assumed Jehovah was the same way. After all, if He cared about His people, why were you slaves?”

“And now?”

“I can’t pretend He’s not doing something about it.” Takarut admitted. “And if Jehovah is the only God that seems capable of exerting influence over a land full of people that universally rejected Him, then… Gods have to be real, before they can be anything else.”

“And yet, you seem to regret your choice.” Moses commented.

“No sir, no regrets. But there’s just so much… misery. Surely your Jehovah could get Pharaoh’s attention with wonderful deeds as much as destructive ones?”

“He could. But if He made it rain food from the sky, wouldn’t every Priest in Egypt claim credit for their stone and gold idols?”

“I suppose they would.” Takarut admitted. “But it’s hard to see love in judgment. Is survival the only reason to worship Jehovah? Surely there must be more than that, or He’s just another Pharaoh.”

Moses smiled. “Well said.” He commented. “Pharaoh is a god to his people. Do they love him, or are they afraid of him?”

“Right now, I think they’re afraid of everything.” Takarut admitted. “But is that all there is to worship? Just figuring out which god is better at killing? Surely your Jehovah could just… scoop Goshen up and move it away from Pharaoh. Why this way?”

“Before the storm began, I confronted Pharaoh.” Moses told him. “I delivered the word of Jehovah to him. God said that from now on, He was directing all His blows to strike Pharaoh’s heart, his servants, and his people, so that they all may know that there is no one like Jehovah God in all the earth.” Moses paused gravely. “Because you’re right: By now He could have thrust His hand out to strike Egypt and sweep the whole nation clean from the sands. But Jehovah has instead decided to keep Pharaoh and his servants in existence: to show all His power and to have His Name declared in all the Earth.”

“This isn’t just an uprising. It’s a message.” Takarut seemed to sink into himself, digesting that. “I suppose it’s an unfortunate fact of the world that news of misfortune will spread further than news of wonderful gifts. Nobody cares to hear that their rivals are being blessed. But news of this storm will likely spread faster than the wind that bears it.”

“You came here when you learned the truth about a few things you always took for granted. It should seem obvious and natural, but it’s not often that people do that. The world is in such a state that it takes enormous courage to respond to the truth with action.” Moses said kindly. “I know that it’s easy to see brutality in these plagues. But believe me when I tell you: Jehovah God knows how to save His own.”

“What about everyone else?”

“Takarut, this ends the moment Pharaoh says the word. If God was malicious, would He leave it up to any man to stay His hand, let alone one of His most vocal opponents? For that matter, if Pharaoh wanted something from someone vastly weaker than himself, would he give multiple opportunities for that person to say ‘no’?”

“No, I guess not.” Takarut admitted. “Actually, put it that way… Leahe told me once that no matter what you ask of a slave master, the response is always the same.”

Moses actually smiled, hopeful. “Imagine the change, Takarut. You’ve lived the life of a Hebrew for a few months, and never felt the whip. Even before coming here, life in the Palace… I was raised there for the first forty years of my life. I remember the intrigues, the scandals, the way everyone phrased every conversation and choice to grovel to the King… These people and the two of us have one thing in common: They’ve never lived under the rule of a benevolent, holy, loving God. You’ve seen the scope of His abilities. Can you imagine that incredible active force used to give teachings, and blessings? A nation of grateful, free people; serving one God. A real God, who listens, and cares and finds joy in offering generosity and forgiveness…” He was actually getting teary. “It will be wonderful, Takarut; and we’ll be there to see it. Just a little while longer. A short, finite time of struggle and endurance, to gain the blessing that is the birthright of these people.”

~/*\~~/*\~~/*\~

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