Seed Crystal

Heresy

Part 2 - To be truly free

Delilah visited Samson thrice during his incarceration.

The first time, there were many eyes on them. The novelty of finally catching the man causing them so much pain has not yet faded and Delilah doesn't think it will for a while.

Samson has been made to kneel at the center of the plaza. Chains wound around his torso, the ends of which were held by two guards tugging now and then. A bandage was poorly wrapped around his head if only so he wouldn't bleed to death.

"Behold," the warden says to Delilah as he gestures towards Samson, "your greatest contribution thus far."

At that moment, Samson turns his head towards the warden's voice. The chains around him rustle but he does not have enough strength to stand.

"You betrayed me!" Samson shouts as he hears her voice among the crowd. "I trusted you!"

"I had to do it," she shrieks back automatically, not minding their audience.

Why does she care? Is she expecting his forgiveness?

This was the only way her people would take them back. "Your people threatened Hanun. My whole family -- I had no choice."

"Am I not your family too?" he screams at her.

"I had no choice!"

Watching the way her people spat at her husband, throwing stones and excrement at him, the guards pulled at his bindings from all angles. Samson can barely raise the chains that were dragging him to the ground.

He cries again because of the pain. He cries again for their blood.

He will never forgive her.

The second time Delilah visited Samson, a month had passed since she last saw him. She didn't think he knew she was there.

The wounds from his blinded eyes have healed even though his eyesight will never. The bald spots where the servant has shaved too close to his scalp have disappeared. There was enough hair to cover his ears if it wasn't sticking out in all directions from the grease.

The authorities, or at least the ones in charge of Samson, have decided that he'd be better off running the mill continuously spinning the wheel that would grind the wheat for their flour.

She'd heard four goats were helping him with the large stone wheel when they first made him run the mill.

But now Delilah watches as he and two other goats work the mill. The other two lazily walked around as if no weight was actually on their shoulders.

His warden sits at the front, distracted by a conversation with the men around him and a meek-looking lady at his other side.

Delilah leaves when Samson falls to his knees and the mill stops moving.

A week later, Delilah heard that they were about to display him in the temple.

For the final time, she heard.

So on her third visit, Delilah came prepared.

"Leave me alone with him," she says to the guard accompanying her. "The least you can do for the person who brought your enemy to your feet."

The guard glares at her.

She hands them a purse, full of jewelry, some given by Samson himself.

"You sure about this?" he says.