To Move Jesus

Sleepless Night

Leena woke up to the sound of Milia's sceams, she knew that there was no sleep for her in the immediate future. Leena slipped out of bed to get ready for the day ahead of her. She looked outside to find a pearl of a moon suspended halfway on its descent to the horizon. It would have been a beautiful night if not for the sounds of demonic rage coming from her precious child. It broke Leena's heart every time, she loved Milia more than life itself. As the sounds of Milia's pounding and screaming washed over her she could not hold back the thoughts of how Milia came to be.

The memories washed over her once again. A young soldier looking for pleasure in the source of women who took a visit to the temple of prostitutes. The need for food that drove her there. It was like every other time before, in exception of the result. She had no idea where the father was, she didn't even know his name. Everyone had told Leena to get rid of the baby. She almost had. But one amazing night Leena had a life changing dream. A dream so life-like she doubted often that it was even a dream. In the dream she saw a magnificent hand reach down from the sky and touch a beautiful baby girl she knew was the baby in her womb. So when the baby Milia was born, knowing she was destined for greatness, Leena offered Milia's soul to the gods in hope of favor on her own hard life and that Milia's destiny would be fulfilled. Instead it seemed that the gods found it fit to touch Milia with madness instead of blessing.

Leena didn't know what to do. The first time it took Milia was when she was two. Leena immediately took her to the priests of the nearest temple, they prescribed one medicine that didn't work. The next temple chanted over Milia. One even wanted to drill a hole into the back of her head! Each temple had something to try for Milia's madness, for a price. Medicine after medicine procedure after procedure that never worked, draining her of every mite she made. As years passed Leena gave up hope that Milia would ever live a normal life.

A sense of despair took Leena so suddenly that she thought she would drown in it. She gasped in shallow, ragged breaths while leaning on the wall, trying to once again dam the ocean of sorrow that she held so deep inside. Leena started screaming at the sky.

"Gods! Why do you torture her so? Can't you see her misery? I have done everything, everything I could to appease you, yet you just torment her all the more! Why? Why!" Leena's protests slowly collapsed into sobs and mutterings of "why."

When Leena finally was able to control herself she slowly raised herself from the floor she noticed that Milia had calmed down. Then as she looked out the window she saw that night had passed and was giving way once again to day. She had no work today for it was a feast to one of the hundreds of gods her people worshiped. Leena no longer cared about gods. All they did was demand and disappoint, but that didn't mean she wouldn't take a day off. Perhaps she would go to the market today, get some flour, maybe treat her and Milia to some honey. Then there was all the new stories the traders and travelers would bring. Maybe, just maybe, the would help her cheer up. Maybe.