A Torch in the Empire Series Book One: The Fire and the Trial

Chapter Six: How Jesse Tried to Forget

   When Jesse arrived home after a long day of stonecutting work, he glanced about to see if Abigail was there. Not seeing her anywhere, he took the wineskin out of his cloak and drank. He knew what Abigail would think if she saw him. Wine mixed with water, fermented, but not strong enough to make you drunk, was a common drink for nearly all in Jerusalem. But this was what his parents had called strong drink. It was much stronger than anything they would have drunk.
When had Jesse started drinking strong drink? He couldn't remember. At some point in the months since Uncle Aaron and Aunt Moriah had returned with the grave news of his parents' death, another man at the quarry had given him some. Jesse had found that drinking it helped him forget. Forget about the horrible way in which his parents had died, his anger and bitterness toward the Romans and God, and the fact that he was helpless to do anything about the circumstances.
   Jesse sat down. The rest of the fall, a winter, and a spring had passed since Uncle Aaron and Aunt Moriah had returned from Rome. In that time, tension had been growing stronger between the Jews and Romans, and there had been more and more Jewish revolts. Jesse had not been part of any of them. They usually ended badly for the Jews, but still, Jesse felt like he would have liked to be involved.
   He drank some more. He did not notice that Abigail had come and was standing in front of him until she spoke.
   "Jesse," Abigail said.
   Jesse hurriedly tried to hide the wineskin.
   "There's no point you trying to hide it," Abigail told him, "I already knew. You ought to have known by now that there's not much you can hide from your little sister."
   Jesse's face grew hot with embarrassment and anger. "I—" he stammered, but could not think of anything to say. The drink was already making it difficult for him to think clearly.
   "Do you really think strong drink will help you?" she asked.
   "Nothing else has helped," Jesse muttered. Sometimes Abigail acted more like his mother than his younger sister.
   Abigail shook her head. "Oh, Jesse." She said nothing more for a few moments. Finally, she spoke, "I'm going to Uncle Aaron and Aunt Moriah's. Don't—don't expect me back tonight."
Jesse said nothing. She would tell Uncle Aaron and Aunt Moriah, he was certain. If she hadn't already. Well, see if he cared. All the same, though, he didn't want to lose Abigail. He hoped she would come back. His sister was all he had left. He needed her.
   Abigail walked toward the door. When she reached the door, she stopped and turned around to face him. "Jesse," she said, "I pray for you all the time."
   A lot of good it's done, Jesse thought. But he didn't say that to Abigail.
   She opened the door and stepped outside. Now that she was gone, Jesse took another drink. All he wanted was to forget about his troubles.
   Instead, he heard a scream. The sound instantly cleared his head. Abigail. She screamed again, and this time the scream was a word: "Jesse!" Abigail was calling for him, calling for help. Jesse jumped up, dropping the wineskin. It spilled out on the floor, but he didn't notice that. He picked up a large, wooden staff that rested against the wall and ran out the door.
Only a short distance down the road, he saw his sister. Her arms were held behind her by a Roman soldier. She fought and struggled, desperately trying to break free. Several other soldiers surrounded her.
   Had the soldiers found out Abigail was a Christian or did they have other reasons for taking her? Jesse didn't know. It didn't matter, either. All that mattered was that Abigail was in danger. Jesse ran toward the soldiers.