Story Blog: Forgotten, Part Three

Continued From: Part Two

A cheerful female voice announced, “Good morning, sleepy head! Sit up and eat, I have your breakfast.”

He groaned and turned over, pointedly ignoring the voice known as Rachel. Her parents named her well when they named her “lamb.”

Female hands briefly brushed his back as they yanked his covers away.

Startled, he sat up, groping for his guiding stick and blindfold with one hand as he hid his ruined face with the other. Where did he leave them?

“Are you looking for these?” She placed his stick in his lap and the cloth in his hand.

He jerked back. “Don’t touch me.” He turned away from the direction of her voice and tied the cloth back around his eyes, hoping he wasn’t too late. He certainly didn’t want a girl to see what was left of his eyes. From his brothers’ reaction when they found him, he had a idea how gruesome the lion’s parting gift appeared.

The girl snorted. “Now that’s a thank you if I ever heard one. Here, eat.”

She thrust a bowl into his hands. He shoved it away, his stomach protesting as the tempting scent filled his nostrils. “Didn’t anyone tell you? I’m fasting, now go and leave me alone. I told you yesterday—I don’t need your help.”

The girl thrust the bowl against his chest. “Fast, smast. Why do you need to fast? It’s not going to make any difference to anyone what you do or don’t eat. And whether you like it or not, you do too need my help, my stubborn friend.”

“I’m not your friend and I don’t care what the Pharisees or anyone else thinks. I’m not doing this to please men. This is between me and the Lord.”

The bowl ceased to press against his chest. “I see, you are praying and fasting in hope of a miracle.” She paused. “Forty days, right? That’s all the Law allows. Anything longer is suicide.”

Surprised she knew the Law, he agreed reluctantly. “Yes, that is so.” His omission of the fact he intended to do two of them back to back if necessary felt sour on his lips.

“I suppose Uncle is right, then. I’ll make you a deal. Eat a slice of bread twice a day and you can fast for 90 days. Deal?”

“I will not eat my uncle’s bread again. I gave into temptation once, but not again! It is not good for the—”

“For the unclean to eat with the clean, I know! You stubborn fool, won’t you even allow me to bring you meals here? Not even bread and water? Then there will not even be the appearance of evil.”

“No.” He crossed his arms. “I will not. I am fasting to the Lord. He will either heal me or I shall die. I refuse to beg. I will be a shepherd or I will fast and pray.”

“Do you know what, Josiah? Uncle is wrong about you. You are too proud and that has made you unclean. It is because of your pride God has taken your sight, your rod, your staff, your lambs, and your honor. He has stripped you bare and you still refuse to humble yourself! You think you can fool God with prayer and fasting, but you can’t, Josiah. He knows your heart and will not hear you as long as you refuse to be humbled.”

Furious, he pointed in the direction of the door. “You-”

“Don’t bother, I’m going. By the way, the door is the other way.” The girl-voice’s footsteps thundered out of the room.

The silent darkness taunted him. His fingers brushed the bowl. He threw it as hard as he could towards the center of the room, then hurled everything he could get his hands on, screaming at God for allowing him to come to this, until, exhausted, he fell down on the couch-bed and wept.

To Be Continued….

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