Chapter 4 - Cold

Cold. It was freezing cold, the dark night of the desert. There is no fire that will warm Joseph up after what just happened hours ago.

Scared. Joseph was cold and scared. Alone.

In the darkness of the hollowed well, far away from home, Joseph can't feel the warmth his father's embrace brought him. Nor can he see the light of the glittery skies above his head. Not even the spacious, flat earth can provide him with the feeling of safety after the odds that occurred right at the mouth of this abandoned well.

Resting on the rocky, rough walls, the fear resided in his heart is slowly turning into desperation. He already tried as his might to climb up, but Joseph's clammy hands and the steep walls provided no help.

Desperate. Cold. Frightened are all words that correctly describe Joseph's state right now. His throat is sore, he is freezing and he knows there's no one to ease him up and out of this calamity.

Setting down while rewinding what occurred...

He bid his father farewell and began on their trip. His brothers were nice to him, shared their lunch with him, showed him many odd things on the way, and let ride the camel alone. Everything was going great, until they reached further away from their usual track.

Joseph thought, " We should not go this far, should we?" But he still went along. What's going to happen with his brothers by his side? The camels are well-fed anyway, nobody is going hungry and no one will hurt.

Little did Joseph know he'd be the one hurting the most. Evil knows no boundaries, they say.

After a while of reaching the vicinity of the dried well, they gathered on him, caught him and , ignoring his struggle and fearful bewildered cries of help, they threw him down.

In the darkness of such a desolate place, not a soul can realize how much he cried. Did his eyes tear or did he embrace himself looking for a flicker of heat within the narrow hollow?

Joseph was still in desolation for a few days. No one came to help. No one regretted their crime and returned to get him. No one ...

Looking up at the last sliver of light to sneak in before the curtain of night prevails yet again, he prays. He clearly remembers the cordial voice of his father telling tales about his predecessors who travelled the land looking for answers.

One tale jumps out to his mind at this moment, which is about his great grandfather Abraham and the great fire.

Joseph recalls when he was first told this story. He was sitting by the fire, watching the burning of the wood quietly just as his father came by. His cane aside, Jacob sat beside Joseph looking at the dire as well. Moments of silence were there before Jacob began his story.

" Did you know, Joseph? My grandfather once was faced with fire far greater than this one. It was lit up like an enormous building, many pavilions high!" Animatedly, expressed Jacob.

"Why was he facing such a burning fire, father?" Wondered Joseph, clearly not understanding why something like this would happen to his great grandfather. Anyone would be left flabbergasted!

"The people of his tribe were idol-worshippers. They would offer oblations, and make sacrifices for the idols they made of stones. Even his father, Azar, made some of these idols. But Abraham was different from the rest of his people. Abraham thought, 'why worship something made of stone? It cannot eat or speak or create a single fly!'. And so he went looking for who these people shall offer their worship to, God almighty." Jacob narrated the story as he heard from his father.

Joseph said, "Is this why he looked at the planets, the moon and the sun before he recognized God as the one who created all?"

"why, yes, Joseph. And because he found who his true god is, his people accused him of being a young boy who understands nothing. But as Abraham got older and wiser, he continued trying to convince them that God is not a mute statue made of stone. That God is the one who heals the sick, feeds the hungry and brings forth the dead. However, his people refused to listen to reason. Until one day he decided to show them the truth..."

A small smile appeared.

"What did he do, father?" Asked Joseph.

"It was a celebration day, and the people were busy preparing for such an occasion. Your great grandfather left for the place that gathers all of the idols, and he smashed them, then went out without any of them knowing."

Not leaving his son in more suspense, he continued, "When they discovered what happened to their idols, they were angered madly and remembered that someone was talking bad about these idols. So they inquired about this incident from Abraham himself. But Abraham was smart and answered, 'it was the biggest idol who did this'. Of course, no one believed him. How can a stone move and break other stones? This is the question that brought them to the fact that those idols can't move nor protect themselves. Instead of acknowledging the truth, they built a huge fire to burn Abraham."

"Did they burn him, for real?" Asked Joseph.

"Of course not, do you want to know why?"

"Yes!!"

"God protected him. He made the fire cold and peaceful for Abraham, bending the natural norm of the fire in order to not burn Abraham who refused idolaters and worshipped him alone." Concluded Jacob, "This is why we have to always be with God and do what he asks of us. With God on your side, you won't need to fear anything, for God will protect you."

Reminiscing about this, Joseph sighs out a breath he held and prays to God almighty with a calmer heart. A little time later Joseph receives a strange revelation. He couldn't believe it at first, but it happened for real.

He is told that he, Joseph, will tell his brothers of what they did to him while they are in ignorance to it.

At least now he knows surely he'll survive such a situation. However, when or how is not something he holds knowledge of.

All he has to do is pray, and wait. God will lead him out of this predicament. His brothers planned. Fine, let them plan. But God is the best planner after all.

Miles away, a trading convoy was slowly approaching on its way out of the country.

Lively sounds can be heard from a distance as the dark-skinned convoy-lead stops his big yellow camel a distance away from the well. Looking at the thirsty caravan, he orders someone to go fetch a bucket of water from the faraway well.

Taking the bucket, the messenger takes off directly to the well and throws it in.

Awaiting the messenger, the people waited a long time before a yell reached their ears.

It was not a call of brought water, but a surprise call of the sudden appearance of a young boy. Instead of getting water, a pretty handsome youthful face appeared in the well looking like a 10 year old. No one expected such a find, and no one can guess why this boy is thrown here.

Although the youth looked slightly hungry, a little weakened and lacking a shirt, the boy was a delightful surprise indeed.

No trader will refuse extra money for a free slave, right?