Ruth: Reimagined

Defiled

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Defiled
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Underneath the palace, a secret  lay, a temple, one that only the Kings  of Moab knew about.

Candles were lit, and  the statue of Chemosh, made of gold, stood in the forefront of the temple. A fire burnt before the temple, and in it, a man who fought with the last thread of his life, breaking. His screams, piercing.

King Eglon disheveled, his hair a mess, eyes red, tears falling, sat on his knees, defeated, a broken man.

“Chemosh, you desire only sacrifice. I have come to sacrifice.”

King Eglon watched as the fire engulfed the man, his skin, scorching, and his cry, dying out.

Before him lay a bowl, and with a dagger, he cut the skin of his palm, the blood dripping onto the bowl.

“Give me victory over my enemies. May my Kingdom not fall.”

And  it was as he prayed that the prophecy was revealed unto him.

All the kingdoms of the world will  fall,  be utterly destroyed, and eventually come to an end, but one kingdom will be established, and last forevermore. An everlasting kingdom will stand.

It brought dread to his soul.

Unbeknownst to him, Amos climbed down the stairs of the temple and found him, where he knew he would be, at a time like this. Being in the darkness, with the candles, only a figment of true light, the smell of blood, made his skin crawl, his gut shout– ‘Get out! ’ as all the memories resurfaced.

“Eglon you look…terrible. Be careful. You might scare the bride away.”

King Eglon’s heart stuttered, turning he saw his grandfather, Amos, at the foot of the stairs.

Furiously, he wiped at his tears, standing up, ignoring the burn that came from the wound on his palm.

“What are you doing here?” He seethed, willing his heart to be strong.

“War has broken out.” Amos said, in a calm manner, his eyes revealing the truth. “And you are not to fight it.”

“You wretched old man, are you insane? I should just sit here and let my Kingdom fall.”

“It is bound to happen.” Amos said.

A silence settled.

“I’ve always known.” Amos confessed. “It was one of the reasons why I left the palace, among others. We are fighting a losing battle, here, Eglon”

“You traitor.” King Eglon seethed. “And you dared not to tell me.”

“This is bigger than us, Eglon. Bigger than Chemosh.” Amos' eyes flicked to the gold statue that terrified his soul, “ a higher power that has held the Kingdom of Israel for so long. In our eyes, they are lowly people, but when we look at their history, at the attacks made on them, at the downfalls they experienced, and yet they still stand– truly, their people are set apart.”

“Be quiet, Amos!” King Eglon had a crazed look in his eyes. “ I will not stand here and listen to you, praise, the scum of the earth. I have a battle to attend to. I don’t know what you’re doing in the palace, and I don’t care by the time I come back. I want you gone.”

Amos gripped King Eglon’s arm before the man walked past him. Their eyes locked, the tension thick. “What do you have to do with that young woman, Ruth?”

King Eglon raised a brow. “Since, when do you care?”

He ripped his arm off and walked, but before he could go any further, Amos gripped his arm again, with more strength. There was a fire in his eyes.