An Instrument in His Hands

Part 1 Chapter 2

Part 1

Chapter 2

It couldn’t be, could it? But it sounded just like Aaron. Oh no!

A strong male voice called again, ‘Abigail!’

I was recognized. It must be my hair. Not many women had a long blond braid down their back. Oh mercy!

‘Abigail!’

I turned to the voice. It was Aaron! How could this be? What would the heir to the throne be doing at the market late at night? I had just been cursing his existence.

But it was him. It was actually Aaron, the eldest son of King Mosiah - the devil himself! Ahhhh!

Terrified of being caught by the wickedest man I of my aquaintence, I dropped my basket and cloak and ran quickly  for my life, my heart pounding in my chest. What would he do to me? He was scarier to me than ten rats - ten giant scratching rats!

When I heard footfalls pursuing me on the road heading away from the market, towards the Sidon river, I ran even faster, then, spotting a tree, I leaped up it quickly, hoping to hide. When the sound came closer and passed me, I gave a sigh of relief. I had lost him and was safe. I began to cry with gratitude that God protected me from harm.

But I had lost my basket and cloak. Dare I go back for them? How could I replace them?

Soon I heard the footsteps return and pass under my tree. My heart pounded again until I heard them heading back towards the market. Why would he go there? What possible business did he have at the market when it was closed?

Then the footsteps stopped and started back my way again. He was tracking my footprints, stalking me! The devil! Wherever did that bloated monkey head learn to track people like a Lamanite? What if he found me? What if he…

He stopped at my tree and looked up. ‘Abigail,’ he said again.

I climbed higher, judging his weight to be too great to venture onto the thin upper branches. He had filled out since I last saw him. Perhaps I would be safe up there until he left. My blood pounded all the way to my ears. I hoped he could not hear it.

‘Why are you running away from me?’ he asked, holding my things and looking up into the tree.

I climbed even higher, swaying above the thatched rooftops and under the clouds that covered the moonlight.

‘I have your basket and cloak and wish to escort you home. It is not safe in the streets at night.’

Of course not now, not with Aaron prowling them! My goodness, escort me? Who was he kidding? ‘Just put down my cloak and basket and leave me alone,’ I silently pleaded over and over.

‘What are you doing out by yourself at this hour? What were you doing by the garbage?’ he asked reasonably.

I decided not to answer. Perhaps if I did not feed his galloping, hulking ego, he would go away quickly.

And, I did not wish him, of all people, to know why I was rooting in the trash. Father would not wish him to know. The toad! What if he told his father, the king, of our plight?

‘You won’t answer?’ he grimaced.

Go away!

‘You don’t have to be embarrassed. I just want to help you,’ he explained calmly.

I wasn’t embarrassed, I was terrified. I was shaking so hard that I could barely stay still.

Instead, he climbed up into the tree and settled onto the lower branches. He looked into my basket.  Then he said firmly, ‘We are not leaving until I get some answers, Abigail.’

How dare he trap me in my own tree??? How dare he?? Now I couldn’t come down.

He mused, ‘We look like two children in the schoolyard. It brings back a lot of memories. I remember a time when you did this to me…’

What? Ran for my life? Sat in a tree with him? Humph! How dare he remember old times as if we were still friends! How dare he?

‘That day I put a bug down your robe…’ Then he laughed.

‘Humph! I should have known you were creepy even then! You still are!’ I fumed silently.

‘You stopped talking to me for three weeks.’

I should have stopped talking to him forever. I certainly would do so now. It would teach him a lesson, if he was humble enough to learn a lesson.

‘You were really angry with me then. Are you angry with me now?’ he said in a cajoling voice.

Really? You have to ask?

I saw him cross his arms and wait a bit. His arms had grown to twice the size and his hair was shorter than when he was rebellious. It was darker too. Finally, he said, ‘Fine. If you won’t talk, I will start to guess.’

Threatening me again now? I glanced about for some convenient fruit to drop down on him – hard. I’d love to pop him on that self-satisfied, handsome face of his.

Or, better yet – I’d like fruit to eat. I was still hungry. My stomach growled loudly so I quickly squeezed it with my arms.

He looked up at the noise, then into the basket again. His voice grew quiet. ‘You are hungry. I suppose that it’s your brother, Andrew. I guess that his behavior has brought ruin to your family in some way.’

‘No!’ I almost said out loud, ‘It was YOUR actions.’ But I would not give him the satisfaction of answering. I bit my lip.

‘I guess that your family is keeping it a secret and is too proud to ask for help. I guess that your parents are leaving the burden for you to bear.’

I gazed up at the waning moon peeking through the clouds. He was right. I had been bearing the whole burden. How did he guess this??? How? How could he know? How could Aaron, of all people, guess? Suddenly something broke inside of me and I started to cry. But I would not let him see my tears. I surreptitiously wiped them on my sleeve.

‘Your father has not looked well.’

I tried hard not to sniff. No, Father did not look well.

‘Abigail, please, let me help you,’ he whispered in pleading tones.

No! I did not care if I had heard of his grand repentance where an angel came to convert him. I did not care that I heard that he travelled all over the kingdom trying to undo the evil he and his brothers created in their rebellious years. That did not restore my brother, nor my family. They could not. I could not think past the time of their wickedness and the havoc it had caused.

‘Funny…’ he said, scratching his chin, ‘I’ve never noticed that your ankle is as beautiful as your long golden hair.’