Shelomith: “From Her Perspective, Part Two”

Chaim continued speaking, his eyes downcast and his face filled with pain.

"Dibri did his best to contain himself and just ignore Jabari; just trying to keep his head down and do his job. Unfortunately, this just seemed to anger Jabari even further, and as Dibri pulled his Pickaxe back, to strike into the wall, Jabari hit him across the back with his whip…" He paused for a second, his voice getting caught in his throat.

"And-and… This caused him to flinch, and it changed the direction of Dibri's Pickaxe… He hit the middle of a support and snapped it in half, and an entire section of the mine collapsed in front of him…"

Chaim's face was pale, and his breathing was shaky. He began to cry, as he continued.

"Unfortunately, Jabari, and 3 Israelites were caught in the cave-in, and they were crushed to death…"

Chaya and Shelomith both gasped, almost completely unable to believe what they were hearing. Dibri was innocent of any wrong-doing, but the fact that it was HIS strike that collapsed the mine-shaft, would surely haunt him.

Chaya spoke up and asked Chaim a question, "So how did he did he end up… like this? Was he caught in the cave-in too?"

Dibri shook his head, most of his injuries bandaged up and cleaned, at this point. He smiled at Shelomith, and thanked her before responding to Chaya

"Not quite, you see… Apparently, the other two guards on duty in this section were Kosey and Eramir, who just so happened to be Jabari's brother & father, respectively…

They retaliated, and beat Dibri within an inch of his life, threatening to kill him, if he didn't make up for the pain and anguish he had just caused them. Before they let him fall unconscious, they let their demands be known to not just Dibri, but all of the remaining Israelites in that section.

They demanded that since he had taken a son & brother from them, that they owed him one in return, to make up for his transgressions. Eramir in particular, demanded that Dibri give HIS son up, as penance…"

Chaim looked at Shelomith, and then over at Chaya, tears streaming down all three of their faces as the story was being recounted. Chaim wiped his face and this time, looked down at the floor, in shame and regret for what he was about to say.

"Of course, Dibri protested; because, as you both know, Dibri does not have a son. He told them the truth, so they would not kill him instead, and he told them all he had was Shelomith, his daughter…

In order to save his own life, Dibri was forced to promise Shelomith's hand in marriage, to Kosey."

Shelomith, who had been listening to the story Chain was telling them all along, quite intently; fainted at hearing this news. She was listening to the words he was saying, and as the story continued, her heart grew heavier and heavier…

That is, until the last line; when the world began to spin around her, and she passed out on the hard, cool, stone floor.

She woke up a few hours later, groggy, with a severe headache. The sun had gone down, and she was alone in her room.

She could hear the quiet sounds of people talking in the living room that was next to her, and she could hear her father's soft breathing, from the floor next to her.

The soft light of a candle shone into her room, as Chaya came in to check on them. "Hello, my sweet child. How are you feeling? I've been worried about you…" She said as she fussed over Shelomith, checking her head, which had a bandage on it.

"When you passed out, you hit your head on the floor, and cut open your forehead; so Chaim helped me clean YOU up, and get you to bed. Now everyone gets to have new scars to show each other." She smiled and squeezed Shelomith's hand.

The soft light from the candle gently illuminated the room around them. Shelomith's room was pretty simple; she had a desk, a small shelf with some books and jewelry…

A chest where she kept all of her favorite things, and a chair she put by her window; because she enjoyed sitting on it, and looking out into the street. Especially when there were other children outside, playing.

Shelomith could just barely make out the form of her father at the edge of yer bed, snoring gently, and sleeping peacefully, on the floor. She leaned up a bit so she could see him more clearly, now that there was more light.

She had no trouble seeing how badly bruised he was, with multiple lacerations; and that he was covered in bandages.

She reached up and felt the bandage on her own head, and began to cry again. "This means everything changes for us, doesn't it, Eema?"

Chaya sat down next to Shelomith and pulled her daughter into a hug, sighing heavily. "This DOES mean that everything changes…

For our safety, and the ability of our family to survive; we need to deliver on the deal your father made… but that doesn't mean YOU need to change." She paused for a second, reaching over and wiping the tears from Shelomith's face.

"In fact, it means just the opposite! During these hard times, you need to lean on Father God, because Yahweh is and always will be, the one and only TRUE God. Only He can bring us peace of mind and of heart.

Don't lose yourself to the Egyptians, their blaspheming teachings, and their False Idolatry. And if you're able, convert your husband; and bring him to the Light of HaShem.

But know that no matter what, Yahweh loves you… And so do we… ALL of us." She smiled and leaned over, kissing Shelomith on the forehead.