The Walk of The Israelites

Chapter 6

Notes from Author: This chapter is based off Exodus 7 and unlike the previous chapters is from Pharaoh's point of view.

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Chapter six 

I was dieing; I was drowning in a sea of blood and couldn't catch a single breath to save my life. The air reeked with the stench of blood, thick, sticky and no matter how I tried; no air would comfort my lungs.  This blackness, awful blackness kept pulling me down under, covering me with a blanket of blood; no matter how hard I tried to swim to the surface I could not free its grasp. As I tried one last time to claw my way to the surface, I ran out of breath. The deep, salty blood entered my mouth oozing down my throat filling my lungs, making them sputter, and gasp for any available air, yet my exhausted lungs could receive none. The last thing I saw before blackness completely consumed me was the blood entering into my eyes staining the world crimson red.

With a sudden gasp, I was startled awake clutching my throat hungry for fresh, clean, air. Realizing I was not drowning and was, in fact, breathing air, I relaxed and sunk into my supple bed. The horrible stench, the blood, all the blood, was gone. A few moments passed, regaining my composure, I sat up and started to wipe the beads of sweat that had gathered on me during my dream away.

"Pharaoh?" my favorite wife asked in a soft, caring voice. "Are you alright my king?"

"Yes." I replied in mild annoyance. "Now, please leave me."

"As you wish." she said as she bowed and left my presence.

I shook my head, more of a shiver than any conscience act, trying to remove the graphic imagines of the nightmare away. Thank the gods it was over. I sat up strait and clapped my hands twice. It was time to be a king, a god.

I suppressed the urge to yawn as three of my servants rushed in. They quickly and gently clothed me, in the most royal cloths I was accustom to and the most expensive stones, gems and metals known in all the lands. Then one quickly brought a small bowl of fruit and another warm tea, knowing I liked something to eat right after waking up. I took a few grapes and a couple of bites of an apple, tossing aside the half finished piece of fruit to drink the tea. With that I ushered them away.

I stood up, arching my back in a stretch like a cat. It was time to ride on the Nile. How I loved my precious Nile. Hapi might have been the god of the Nile, but the Nile was mine, no one else's. With a snap of my fingers another of my servants poked her head around the corner of the large, golden door to my handsome chamber.

"What is your command, Pharaoh?" she asked with head down in respect.

"Prepare my boat." I said with an air of authority. "I want my favorite son and I to enjoy a ride on my Nile, along with my usual staff, and food."

"It has already been done, my king." she said with a cheerful voice, obviously looking for petty praise from her Lord.

"Then wake my son, and tell him to board at once." refusing to give this slave any praise. The moment you do that, they started to become less obedient, to the point in which you must replace them or kill them.

"Yes, my god." she said with a deep bow and a hint of sadness in her voice while she walked out.

I took in a deep breath, and then walked out of my bedroom. I nodded to the guards posted there, walked the short distance to where my gorgeous craft was afloat and smiled to my son upon his arrival.

"Are you ready to float with me on my Nile, my son?" I asked as I walked on the diminutive plank into the boat.

"Of course, Father!" He rushed to me, a boyish and cheerful smile on his face and gave me hug with the strength of an ox. I loved when he did that; of course I would never admit it to anyone. I hugged him back, less strongly.