Nathan’s First Passover

Chapter 1: The Field

The day had been very long. It was hot and the bright sun seemed to just hang in sky without moving. Nathan wished it would set. He looked at his hands they were so swollen, red, with little white cuts in them from using the sickle. His eyes hurt from the sweat that poured into his eyes, but he could not stop he had to continue until the sun would set. When that cruel sun would set he could go home and eat dinner. He would not have to be out in the field gathering wheat that he would not be allowed to eat.

He would not be yelled at nor have rocks thrown at him. “Look at the Hebrew!” The overseer’s son loved to torment him and the other slaves. “I saw so many of you in the river!” He said this with such glee as he pitched rocks at them. His name was Ramses and he was a short, plump boy that was 13. He had a mouth filled with broken teeth. He picked up large flat stones and pitched them towards Nathan and Joshua. His goal was to beat up a slave before he turned 14. “I hate him!” Joshua said, “If I could only get my…” well he couldn’t, they could do nothing but cut the wheat, grind the seed, and carry the large bins to the store house. Nathan gave a warning look to his friend Joshua. Nathan had been taught by his father that it was not worth giving an overseer a reason to beat you. This may seem unfair but this was the lot of any Israelite in Egypt because all of them were slaves. As difficult as field work was it was nothing compared to the brick yard. That was where Nathan’s father worked. Only the strongest and healthiest of the Israelites worked there. Nathan looked at the sun, the hateful Egyptian sun in the spiteful Egyptian sky. He looked at his friend Joshua who was mumbling under his breath about the overseer’s son. As much as the Egyptian’s hated the Israelites they enjoyed using them as slaves because they were strong, bright, and efficient workers. They were highly skilled masons that could build cities quickly and nearly perfectly. After many hours passed the sun did set, the bell was ranged, and the plowing, grinding, and packaging could stop. Even though the weakest, sickest, oldest and youngest of the Israelites were used in the field, they all seemed to obtain a second wind when the work day ended. Nathan grabbed his bag and ran as fast as he could to his home. Even though his feet were red and puffy from working it did not matter. In spite of his bruises and cuts from the rocks that were thrown at him he ran fast. His legs were long and skinny. And from any else’s view they propelled they boy’s body like an engine. He was the fastest runner of any boy between the age of 7 and 12, and he was only 10. In fact one his nicknames were rabbit because of how fast he could move. When he finally got to his home, he could smell quail being roasted. His older brother Micah was home. “Where… did… You?” Nathan could barely speak after running so fast. “Alright rabbit, it was on a wall and the silly bird simply fell into my net,” Micah said with grin. Now they both knew that what he said wasn’t true. However neither of the boys would admit that to their parent’s when they would come home. “Where is mom, where is dad, do you …?” Before he could ask anything else, “As enjoyable as this inquisition is I would much rather eat first, “Our father has gone to a meeting and our mother said she would be arriving late, and Hannah should be home soon.”

After dinner the boys knew that they could not rest but began their daily chores. They were a family of five, there were two boys and one girl and this was unusual. The majority of Israelites had girls; there were very few boys after the age of 12. When Nathan asked his mother she told to him to go gather the washing. When he came back she was crying as she was cooking. Later that day, his friend Joshua told him about the babies, the boy babies and the river. A few hours later and the boys’ father came home with their Uncle Samuel. “Do you think it is possible Max? I have never seen our father so happy or so sure,” both of the men sat at the small dinner table. The boys began to serve them dinner and they so wrapped up in their conversation that neither paid attention to the illegal quail that were being roasted. “I don’t know Sam about this man who used to be in Pharaoh’s house is actually going to lead us out of here.” “I know our father is old,” his brother said, “but he said he saw three signs, water doesn’t turn to…” “Working in the hot sun can sometimes make people see strange things later, once I thought I saw three cats dancing on a roof.” “That is not funny, Max,” his uncle insisted as they both began to eat the spicy quail at the table. The boys’ just looked at them and sat near them listening. “When I see us leaving, that is when I will believe we are leaving Egypt,” their father said. Both of the men were tall and athletic looking. Max had dark eyes and hair that was black and shiny like onyx. Whereas their uncle Samuel eyes were green and his hair was brown with little flecks of amber. “Your mother has not come home yet?” “No,” said both boys looking at him. Both of the boys were both thinking about the same thing: leave Egypt, signs, a man called Moses? What happened at this meeting that the elders had? Before they could hear any more or say anything, they heard their mother yelling outside.Their mother was a petite, soft spoken woman. She had thick long curly black hair that she would pin up. She worked for an Egyptian seamstress. She made clothes; she wove, dyed, and sewed everything. She rarely raised her voice but tonight was different, “You have shamed me, your father, your entire nation, how could you!! Just to have that worthless man look at you!! You would deny your name you would…” Micah raced to the door but before he could reach it his mother came in dragging his sister Hannah in by her clothes. But Hannah was dressed differently, oh no! She had a long chain with a golden beetle on it, she was wearing one of those white linen outfits that Egyptian women wore and she had lined her eyes the way they did. Her face was red and she was crying. “You think I want to keep living like this”, she cried, “I hate being a slave! I’d rather be a…” before she could say anything else her mother slapped her. She took off her wig and ripped the chain from

her neck. This was not the first time that this has happened among the Israelites. There were Hebrews that disliked being one so much that they began to behave like the Egyptians. They wanted to gain acceptance by those who were in power. They would try to wear ornaments like them and eat like them. They practiced their dances and tried to paint themselves like an Egyptian and looked down on other Israelites. Their uncle excused himself and boys sent themselves to bed. During the night they heard their parents shouting and Hannah crying. Days after that seemed to move as they always did. Nathan would rise early and help his mother with the washing and making meals for everyone. He would go work in the field and have rocks thrown at him by Ramses. After the long day he would get home and would go fishing at night with his brother and here him tell tale jokes about Egyptians. But on this day near the end of a long day in the field he saw his cousin Levi ran towards him. He was a slender lad with skin like caramel. He ran furiously towards his cousin. “I have news,” he then began to whisper; “We are going to leave.” Nathan looked at him and said, “that isn’t news I am about to go home now because I am hungry.” Levi then hit him upside his head, “No!” he then began to whisper, “Egypt.” Nathan gave his cousin a perplexed look. Both of the boys began to run towards his home. When they finally reached his hut, Levi told Nathan about the meeting the elders had and how their grandfather said that God was going to free them and force pharaoh to let them go. Nathan did not know what to say to any of this. The only life he knew was that of being a slave in Egypt. He hated being a slave or having rocks thrown at him, being threatened by the Egyptians, or not even being allowed to go certain places. But leave and to go into a wilderness? Does a promise land really exist? He would love to see Ramses forced to give him gold or silver. Their grandfather seemed to really believe what Moses had said. But his father didn’t seem to. He would ask Micah. That might not be wise, he could see Micah telling him to prepare for the departure and laughing him to scorn later about believing him. He would ask his father, he would ask tonight.

His father did not come home at the same time nor did Micah. Micah had just been sent to the brickyard a week earlier to help build another ornate city. Nathan cleaned the entire hut, top to bottom he wanted his father’s full attention, he had so many questions. His mother and Hannah came home, tired from another day of seamstress work. As he served them dinner, he wondered why they hadn’t come home yet. He began to see a worried look in his mother’s eyes. He went outside to gather so more wood to keep the fire going. When he came back inside he saw his father and his brother inside. Micah had no smile, no jokes to tell. His sister was bandaging his head and

afterwards he walked slowly to bed. Nathan could not move he just stood in the doorway. He never saw his father liked this before. One tear fell from large dark eyes. “They told us we could have no more straw.” He said with his low rumbling voice. “As if the work was not hard enough; they said we had to make the same amount of bricks. Micah worked as fast as he could to gather it, but because he came up 2 bricks short they just beat him.” Nathan learned later that his uncles stopped his father from coming to Micah’s aid, they knew what would have happened if he interfered.

Throughout the neighborhood talk about the new law was discussed. When he worked in the fields he heard it from Ramses as well, “they don’t need tools, and they should harvest the grain with their hands, since they have so much time to think about serving their God in the wilderness.” He continued to jeer at them, “No tools, no straw, for an idle people.”Why? Is this happening to us, when this will be over, why!! He thought to himself. He continued grind the hard grain into powder. What is next, will they have me break these husks with my bear hands!

Chapter 2: The Bloody River

Even though life had become difficult; Nathan had one joy left the few hours of uninterrupted sleep he had at night. It was what he looked forward to every day. No Ramses was there, no wheat, no bricks, no overseers, no Egyptians. Just him and his covers in a bed made soft by quail feathers. This was his favorite part of the day. Right now he was in the middle of a wonderful dream of eating juicy plums and being surrounded by spicy roasted quail. Quails with spicy red sauce, quail fried with black pepper, quail with….“It happened, wake up, wake up!!!” I am going to kill him, Nathan thought, I don’t care if Levi is my cousin to day he must die! He looked at his cousin who woke him up from a wonderful dream. He was allowed to sleep in today because an all of the wheat was harvested and his crazy cousin decided to wake him up. “You have to come see this!” “See what!” Nathan yelled back

at him, “the river it has turned to blood,” Levi was nearly breathless but still kept repeating, “It has happened!!” Nathan put on his sandals and joined his cousin. The boys raced through the woods, up the hills and past empty fields and saw a sight that had never been seen. Whoa!! Was all Nathan could say. There was the hated river that he had heard so much about. It wasn’t just red with waves that had pink frothy crests. It was really was blood. It was thick and the smell, the hideous odor that came from it. No swimming for Ramses in the Nile today he thought. “What are you to doing,” He heard behind him. It was Hannah and then he saw Micah quickly coming towards them. “I thought you were up to your…Whoa what happened to the river!!!” Micah said. All four of them stood there in amazement. They watch as they saw clots of blood harden on the river bank. “I told you,” Levi shouted, “I was here trying to gather straw for my father before he went to work today and I saw them, Moses and Aaron. Aaron had a rod and stretched it over the river and it turned to blood. They did this while pharaoh came out with his advisors. They could do nothing about it!” They then realized they were not alone, Nathan saw Ramses and his father pointing towards the river a on a different hill, he saw his Uncle Samuel fifty feet away with his wife they were hugging and crying. He saw multitudes of Egyptians gathering, looking with fear and many of them calling on their gods to change the river to heal it, but nothing could be done by them.

The entire land of Goshen was buzzing about what happened no water could be found for the Egyptian crops and the smell of that land was awful. He saw a significant change in his sister Hannah she no longer hummed Egyptian tunes or secretly kept beetle pendants. She did not want to have anything to do with Egyptian fashion or trends. The taskmasters were as cruel as ever but were too exhausted to do the evil they wanted too towards their slaves. They had no water to drink and were angry that the Hebrews were not thirsty and said that they were hiding water from them. His mother’s mistress could not dye anything because all of the wells were filled with blood and what seemed like water in cup quickly changed to blood whenever they tried to drink or pour it. This went on for seven days. Now many of the Egyptians did not think upon this because they said the great magicians could change water into blood. When the river turned back to normal the Egyptians allowed the Israelites to know their great displeasure. However they could not break their spirit. For cruel as their bondage became they knew that they would soon be delivered.

Weeks went by and nothing happened. The ugly clots had finally been washed away along with the dead fish. One of the gifts of the bloody river was wilted crops, trees that leaned to the side and the grass turned yellow and crispy. It was weeks before that smell went away. Ever since the river was changed Nathan, Joshua, and Levi would travel to the river bank each morning just to see if Moses and Aaron would be there. Today was no different. “Do you think they will do something today?” Joshua asked. “It is not by their power, but God shall free us,” Levi repeated what their grandfather had said. “I think I see them down there,” Nathan said so happily, finally, they have come back. “Frogs!!” They all shouted, “wait a minute, that is a lot of frogs coming up out of the Nile,” Joshua said. They were so loud too and it seemed to be a river of them coming from the river: purple frogs, green with black dots, tiny red frogs, and long skinny blue ones, round orange ones and they were moving towards pharaoh’s palace!! Not only to where he resided but they saw them enter the great homes on the river banks and others seemed to march toward the cities, still others went to the fields. Nathan ran towards his house to tell Micah, to tell Hannah to tell his parents. But when he got there, no one was home the small hut was empty. So much news! So much to tell! I don’t have to go to the fields today he thought to himself and before he could think anything else he heard his mother, sister, and brother walked through the door.

The entire land of Goshen was buzzing about what happened no water could be found for the Egyptian crops and the smell of that land was awful. He saw a significant change in his sister Hannah she no longer hummed Egyptian tunes or secretly kept beetle pendants. She did not want to have anything to do with Egyptian fashion or trends. The taskmasters were as cruel as ever but were too exhausted to do the evil they wanted too towards their slaves. They had no water to drink and were angry that the Hebrews were not thirsty and said that they were hiding water from them. His mother’s mistress could not dye anything because all of the wells were filled with blood and what seemed like water in cup quickly changed to blood whenever they tried to drink or pour it. This went on for seven days. Now many of the Egyptians did not think upon this because they said the great magicians could change water into blood. When the river turned back to normal the Egyptians allowed the Israelites to know their great displeasure. However they could not break their spirit. For cruel as their bondage became they knew that they would soon be delivered.

Weeks went by and nothing happened. The ugly clots had finally been washed away along with the dead fish. One of the gifts of the bloody river was wilted crops, trees that leaned to the side and the grass turned yellow and crispy. It was weeks before that smell went away. Ever since the river was changed Nathan, Joshua, and Levi would travel to the river bank each morning just to see if Moses and Aaron would be there. Today was no different. “Do you think they will do something today?” Joshua asked. “It is not by their power, but God shall free us,” Levi repeated what their grandfather had said. “I think I see them down there,” Nathan said so happily, finally, they have come back. “Frogs!!” They all shouted, “wait a minute, that is a lot of frogs coming up out of the Nile,” Joshua said. They were so loud too and it seemed to be a river of them coming from the river: purple frogs, green with black dots, tiny red frogs, and long skinny blue ones, round orange ones and they were moving towards pharaoh’s palace!! Not only to where he resided but they saw them enter the great homes on the river banks and others seemed to march toward the cities, still others went to the fields. Nathan ran towards his house to tell Micah, to tell Hannah to tell his parents. But when he got there, no one was home the small hut was empty. So much news! So much to tell! I don’t have to go to the fields today he thought to himself and before he could think anything else he heard his mother, sister, and brother walked through the door.

“What are you still doing here,” before she could say anything else, Nathan blurted out, “the river, Moses, Aaron, they did it again. Frogs, hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of frogs marching to the palace, through the fields, in people’s houses, I saw…” they looked shocked and Micah interrupted him and said, “That’s why there was such an uproar at the seamstress’s house. There were frogs on the lamps, coming out of the wells; they were hanging out of the windows. I saw one of her early morning customers running out screaming with frogs on her head.” Hannah just smiled and giggled. Their mother said, “Yahweh, has come he will deliver us from this horrible place.” She put her head in hands and began to cry and then stood up and said, “We must continue on, now is not the time to behave foolishly,” she said as she looked at her children. “Go to the field, go to the brickyard. Your sister and I will stay here and take care of the house. I don’t want the taskmasters to have any reason to beat you. If you do not have to work there come straight back home. We must continue on until God delivers us.”

Go to the field, Nathan thought to himself, what!!?? On a wonderful day like this; he picked up his sack and grabbed his sickle and walked out the door. I will be the only one working for the Egyptians today he thought. When he was outside the borders of Goshen near the wheat field he heard commotion and saw unusual sights. What look like swollen ivy that pulsed was actually frogs. Hundreds of frogs covered each home. There were screams, he heard swearing, and shouting from each home. Large barrels of frogs were being pitched out the windows. That did not matter because there were others entering the chimneys, crossing the threshold, and the weight of some was so great it caused the roofs of some homes to collapse. It was a strange sight to behold. He saw grown men tumbling out of their windows in an effort to escape the sea of slimy covered green , brown, red, and yellow but there was no no escape, there would be no relief. As he

reached the field there was no taskmasters to make them sow. They had all been called back to their homes by their frantic wives. “Where are they coming from!!” he heard a man shout, “From the river, I heard that Moses, did it!” These were the shouts that were coming from the lone mill house situated near the end of the wheat field. Nathan looked on as he saw loaves of bread and dough being pitched out of the window “Worthless, worthless, we can’t sell this, how did they, why??” An elder from Israel looked amazed

as he picked up a loaf of bread filled with tiny red frogs. Then he heard a shrill woman’s voice screech, “Bade them to leave, they cannot be here, they are bad luck!!” Then he saw a wild looking young woman come out of the mill house. She told them there will be no work today and to go now. Nathan smile filled his face and he ran back home. On the way home he hummed a song his grandmother taught him about the redemption of Israel and the promise land. One day, one day he began to sing aloud we will be free!!

As he reached the main road in Goshen he saw his father, Uncle Samuel, and Micah. “I heard you saw it begin, Nathan,” his uncle laughed. “Let us get home and then we can talk about it,” his father said sternly. It was not that his father did not believe or was happy that the Egyptians were being punished. He knew that there roving gangs of young Egyptian men that were abusing Israelites that traveled on the roads. The attacks became worse after the river turned to blood. They blamed them. They did not think it was fair that Hebrews had water and they didn’t. He knew that they would become even more brazen after this plague. Once they reached their home, they were greeted by Nathan’s mother, Hannah, and his grandmother. It was a joyful time in the hut; in fact the entire mood of the village was elevated. “Don’t worry about them, Maxwell,” his grandmother looked at his father, “They are so busy dealing with the frog invasion they do not have the time or energy to torment us.” “I am not sure, Mama,” he paused and then continued, “I never met an Egyptian that could not find time to hurt a Hebrew.” There conversation was not in the forefront of Nathan’s mind. He was too busy retailing the tale of seeing the sea of frogs encroached upon the great houses and chaos that he witness on the way to the field. “How tall was Moses?” “Did that evil man really run out screaming?” “I heard the houses shook from having so many frogs.” These were the questions and conversation he was enthusiastically being pursued by the young boys and girls.

Later on that night he stayed up with his cousin Levi and Joshua discussing what they were going to do when they get to the promise land. “I am going to get as many horses as I can and race them,” Joshua said enthusiastically, “Why would you do that?” Levi asked, “One horse should be enough.” He then countered, “There will be no laws against it there, like it is here.” The boys continued throughout night about dreams of swimming in the land of milk and honey, the horses they would have, the houses they would own and never working in a field again.

Chapter 3

A New Pastime

What was wonderful about the siege of frogs was that it kept the Hebrews from working for the Egyptians. Everything was at a standstill. Many of their taskmasters were weaker because they could not eat any bread due to the fact that frogs found ways to enter the ovens, kneading troughs. They could not sleep at night from the sound of them, their rib bits echoed in the streets, you could hear the frogs fighting each other, and even the sound of some the heavier frogs bothered them: plop, boom, plop, rib bit, rib bit, smack, plop. The treasure cities filled with ornate stone work were now covered from the street to the tallest pyramid with slimy multi-colored frogs. A few days of this and the complaint of the people reached pharaoh. However, he too was being tormented. For frogs entered his bath, laid across his tables, and he could see his own bed covers move from frogs who decided to play under his covers. This had to end; this was unbearable his advisors thought. So Moses was called, they would say anything to stop this besiegement of hopping frogs.

As the messenger was sent to find Moses, Nathan and his friends sat quietly on a small crevice of a hill overlooking the river. This was now their favorite spot. It was where they first saw Moses and Aaron and it was the perfect place to view the plague that was taking place. The boys ate large bright red and purple berries that were freshly picked. There fingers were sticky from the sweet juice that came from the fruit. As they watch people from below. They saw horses buck and nay from frogs riding on their backs. One man tried lighting the frogs on fire but whenever he could get a fire started the frogs would simply use their large pink tongues to blow out the flame. “What do you think will happen next?” Joshua asked. “I did not know that purple frogs existed,” Nathan said, “Look, look I think I see them fighting each other again.” The orange frogs were attacking the other frogs in a unique battle formation. These were not ordinary frogs. The three boys watched the event unfold for hours until the late afternoon. They had never had consecutive days in which they could play or rest. Since they were five they had worked in the fields. In fact all of the Israelite children wanted this plague to last longer so that their holiday could continue.

When the boys reached the outskirts of the camp they greeted by Micah. “Hey, rabbit, where have been?” Nathan gave him a look of innocence, “We were gathering berries,” he showed his brother his sticky hands. “Yea,” Micah wasn’t buying it. He was carrying a bag of illegal quail when Nathan asked him, “Hey what is in the bag?” Micah smiled said, “These poor fellows were lost and found there way in my sack.” All of the boys smiled at Micah, they didn’t believe a word that Micah said. It was not that the Egyptians did not allow them to eat meat; they did not allow them to engage in archery or to hunt in the woods. However there were small secretive groups of Israelite men that were experts in archery, swordsmanship, and the use of the spear. Micah was one of the best archers in Israel. However he did not need a bow and arrow to hunt quail. While others were sleeping he crept out in the woods at night and waited patiently for unsuspecting birds. The frog invasion made his work much easier and the bounty greater. All four of them walked home wondering how long would the plague last and would they leave Egypt

When they reached their home they saw children looking into the windows and renowned men of their tribe entering their home. “What’s going on?” Levi said. Hannah came out of the house, “I knew you all were up to something and you,” she looked at Micah, “we shouldn’t waste them, come follow me. There is important news from the palace and Uncle Hezekiah is going to tell them what he heard.” They followed her to back end of the hut.

“If you are quiet you will be able to hear them and they will not hear you.” She then took Micah’s bag of quail and showed him a place where he could his quail without discovery. “Aren’t you the sneaky one,” he whispered to his sister. “Shh, listen,” she said.

Hezekiah was a grounds keeper at the palace and knew many of royal family’s secrets. “They called for Moses and told him they would let us go if he would end the plague of frogs!!” The entire hut burst in an uproar. “I tell you I was there, he said he would let us go!!” “What a miracle!” “When shall we leave?!” “Are you sure?” and so much more were being said at once. News like this could not stay within the confines of the hut. Levi and Joshua leapt in the air and ran for their homes. Nathan looked dumbstruck. Micah shouted with his arms in the air. Hannah simply sat on the ground wondering if what she heard was true. The entire camp in a moment of hours heard of Moses’ meeting with Pharaoh and the mood was electric. Preparations were being made as everyone waited happily for final notice of when they would be allowed to leave Egypt.But it didn’t happen. After Moses entreated God to end the plague, instead of receiving notice of their departure, instead they leaders of each village were told where to gather the Hebrews to assist in frog removal. It was a very sad moment for the Israelites, to have such joy and then to have this disappointment. The land of Egypt smelled horrible because of the frogs. Nathan hated removing them from the fields. They smelled worse than the blood clots from the river. During this time he heard Ramses evil chants, “You thought we were going to let you go? No, no it is time to reacquaint you with work,” more rocks and more evil words were all that he heard. Soon it would be time to plant and Nathan the Rabbit wondered how much longer would he be in Egypt or would he ever really be able to leave.

Chapter 4

Quivers and Lice

Planting season came and work was difficult. However, Nathan was trying to save a little of his strength for the evening. His brother Micah finally agreed to show him how to handle a bow and arrow. He was so excited. Finally he could learn to be a great hunter. The day continued to wear on but Nathan kept a little strength for himself. When he finally reached his home that evening his mind was full of thoughts about the long wonderful days during the time of frogs and then he became sad because they were still here. “Why the long face, Rabbit?” Micah asked, “I think it would be best to start early in the morning,” Morning thought Nathan. He would not argue he did not want his brother changing his mind.

Nathan woke up with excitement. Finally he too would learn how to hunt quail. He crept out of his bed slowly and met his brother behind the hut. It was the same place that Hannah had showed them where they could hide things without anyone knowing. It was where she used to keep her Egyptian garb, makeup, and jewelry. The two boys walked quickly and carefully towards the hills. It was still dark and Micah was going to show him first how to make his own bow and arrow. They would need to gather special grass that could be found near the river. As they approach the familiar cleft they saw two men. “Hey, isn’t that,” Nathan interjected, “Moses and Aaron!” What were they doing here. The sun slowly rose and they saw Aaron speaking and stretching out his rod. The boys eyes became large and round like saucers with anticipation. Nothing happened or they didn’t see anything happened. “It looks like the Egyptians are not going to have a good day today, just when they thought it was safe to sleep at night,” Micah whispered. “I didn’t see anything,” Nathan said desperately. “Lets go home, I think we should keep this to ourselves, Rabbit.” On the way home they passed the tall grassy fields, the thick dark bushes and made there to the hut before being missed.

His early morning adventure made it difficult to concentrate during his work day. He kept looking, watching, what did they do? “I am so glad Ramses is not here today,” Levi said. Joshua agreed and Nathan looked up from his plowing, where was he? He thought to himself. “I just can’t take it anymore!!!”

It was the overseer and he was scratching his head and his body furiously. He began to notice all the Egyptians in the field were scratching themselves. One was rubbing his back up and down a tree. Another had put his head in a bucket of water. Still a few more were actually rolling around in the dirt. What a strange sight. Nathan smiled, giggled a little, and began to plow with a cheerful quiet hum. He hummed a song his grandmother taught him. It was about God redeeming his people and removing the oppressor’s yoke from them. “You know something!” Joshua said, “Shh,” he motioned them to him and quietly recounted the events that happened early that morning. It took everything in the boys to continue to work that day. The older men in the field gave the boys a warning looks to stop giggling, but they too were perplexed by the overseers’ behavior. Once the bell was rung they ran home and began to openly discuss what happened when they entered Goshen. “I don’t know what happened, but I like it, whatever it was,” Joshua just grinned ear to ear. Levi then said, “Tell me again why were you out there?” that was the part that Nathan left out. He promised his brother he would never tell.

They met Hannah on the way and she was carrying a large bag of fake hair that was used to make wigs. “Its not for me she said,” she could see the look in their faces. “Work was so strange today and I just want to get a head start on tomorrow. I had never seen the workers in the shop act so strange. I began to wonder if they all dyed the hair with bad dye or washed themselves in a new soap. The cats were screeching, scratching themselves, and rolling around the ground. What made it worst I saw the owner and some of her children acting the same way? It was very disturbing.” The boys just smiled and then busted out with laughter. “What, what?” she looked at them, “What do you know??” The boys then began to give an account of what happened in the field. They reenacted all of the shaking, scratching, and rolling on the ground. Nathan told his sister what he and Micah saw early in the morning. Now Hannah knew there was more to his story than what he was saying and only nodded. “We need to go home and tell our parents, the elders they need to know. You two need to get home. If this is God will we must make sure that we will be ready for what will come next.” All three looked at her, they never saw her so earnest before, this was not the Hannah they knew three years ago, last year ago, or even three months ago. This Hannah was new and refused to be disobeyed. Nathan’s friends went home with an expression of delight mixed with surprise and utter confusion.

“Nathan, you have to be careful,” she looked at her little brother. “We were just …” Nathan gave her a look of complete innocence. However before he could continue his sister said, “Micah has been hunting since he was nine and started archery when he eleven. He was going to teach you all of his tricks. I know why he does it and I know why you wanted to learn too. You don’t think I know about your late night trips to the creek or the booby traps Micah and his friends used to set for unsuspecting Egyptians.” Nathan was shocked, how did she know these things. “Remember all the things our grandparents would tell us, about the God of Heaven and how powerful he is and that we were his children. That he is always with us and if we are obedient he would protect us and one day we would have our own land. I didn’t always believe, in fact…” she trailed off. “I know this seems like its fun adventure, but it isn’t,” she bent down and grabbed both his shoulders. Nathan was speechless he had never seen his sister like this before.

The report Nathan gave of Moses and Aaron was confirmed a few days later by his Uncle Hezekiah. According to his uncle the proud magicians spent hours shouting incantations, they mixed potions, and even cut themselves to produce lice but they could not. They told pharaoh that this plague was from the finger of God but he would not yield. In the city of Thebes there were long lines to wig makers and it was becoming difficult to find pumice stones. The people tried bathing in salt, shaving, and wearing wigs but nothing could stop their constant itching. Unlike the others before it this one never did stop. It went on and on for days then weeks, and a few months passed and the plague of lice continued. This kept Hannah and Nathan’s mother busy; even though they were used primarily for making clothes the seamstress had the make elaborate wigs as well.

Chapter 5

Flies, flies, flies everywhere

During this time, abuse of the Israelites occurred but it was now being mixed with weariness and fear of the Hebrews as well. Many of the Egyptians blamed them for their troubles but also wondered if this would continue. There were often debates between associates, family members, and friends. Some would say why shouldn’t we let them go to the wilderness, however most said that as much as a nuisance the plagues were they could not relent, they had to keep the Israelites in check or other nations would think they were weak. What most could agree on was a certain amount of disdain for Moses and Aaron. Many thought that they should be imprisoned and others said that Pharaoh needed to kill them to prevent them from causing anymore damage.

Threats against Moses and Aaron seemed to echo throughout the royal city and reverberated in the palace. Hebrews who worked within the palace were often accused openly for being the source of their trouble. Hezekiah worked on the grounds of the palace. He gained his position because he could cultivate lotus flowers, roses, and lilies like no one else. His elevated position angered many of the servants of the palace and they used the unusual occurrences to strike out against him.

“Israelites should know their place! Hez, Hezeeka, you know who you are; you name yourselves with ridicules words! Look at these bushes, you must trim them at once!” Neftut, the head groundskeeper continued to screech and curse him in his Egyptian tongue. He was a tall thin man with a large protruding mouth and tiny eyes. Hezekiah began to trim the bushes slowly at the river bank. He then saw Pharaoh walking with his advisors towards the river bank. To his disbelief he saw two Israelite men in robes come towards them. Though they were in their eighties their bodies were not frail or week. Hezekiah had not seen Moses since he left the palace when it was rumored that he killed an Egyptian. His youthful face was replaced by strong eyes but his quiet demeanor was still there. Neftut’s face began to contort while Moses spoke to Pharaoh. “I am tired of being threatened by those two,” he hissed quietly. “If I was Pharaoh I would have him imprisoned and have his tongue cut out for such insolence!” he said this in front of Hezekiah.

He then continued to glare at him and said, “How dare he try to curse us!!” Moses did not curse them but simply stated that a division would now occur between the rest of Egypt and Goshen. It was what he said afterwards that would vex the Egyptians greatly. Flies, the entire land would be corrupted by them. As soon as Moses and Aaron finished speaking and raised the rod it began. A horrible buzzing, that was quickly followed by a dark cloud of flies. Pharaoh and his advisors began to run into the palace along with the rest of his servants. Thousands of Millions began to fill the city and cling to every surface. The glorious yellow pyramids were now black because of them. They coated the ground and you could hear the sound of their bodies being crushed by pedestrians as they try to escape them by running into buildings. Yet they followed in the buildings, in each house, hut, even the underground tombs offered very little relief from the plague. Some tried to find solace in water but as they looked upward form the bottom of their pools, baths, and river bottoms they saw thousands of flies resting on the surface of the water. When they came up for air the flies were waiting to enter their eyes, their ears, their noses and covered their skin. What was strange the flies did not attack the Hebrews within in the land of Egypt. Hezekiah noticed this immediately when the plague started. In fact when he entered the land of Goshen he noticed that the sky was blue and that there were no flies on the ground, on the homes or on any living thing.

When the plague started Nathan was sowing seed in the large field. He had just been hit in the head with a large rough stone by Ramses. He felt a surge of anger but thought about the words of his mother and sister: we have to be careful, we will soon be redeemed. He felt the side of his head and saw blood as he heard evil laughter in back of him. Then he heard a loud hum and then an even louder buzzing. He looked behind him and he no longer heard Ramses laughing for he had turned to see where the buzzing was coming from. A large dark cloud was coming towards them; it then began to divide itself as one portion stayed in the air as the other two parts continued to the ground and anything between the earth and the sky. Within a matter of minutes millions of flies had entered the field and began to torment all those within it. The noise of their wings was deafening as they continued to try to fly enter the men’s ears and nearly blinded them by entering their eyes. The entire workforce was in confusion. “Is this another curse!!!” a man yelled as he began to choke on flies that entered his mouth. Nathan noticed immediately who the flies were not attacking: Israelites. “We are leaving!” an elder told him and all of the Hebrews left with him in a state of confusion towards Goshen.

T

It was a very strange walk home. No, the rabbit did not run because he felt uneasy about his environment. Flies covered the ground except when he was about to step on it. They filled the air but parted from him and the rest of the Hebrews. He saw people wrap themselves in veils in an attempt to gain peace from the flies. He saw some bat at the air furiously in defense but nothing was effective when one fly would move there were ten more waiting to take its place. This journey home was very disturbing for many of the Israelites as they journeyed home, those who were not were shocked. Still many silently said prayers on the way home.

As this group began to enter Goshen they were joined by others who had tales from the different work sites: a deep quarry nearly filled with flies, darken skies and earth in the capital city, and a horrible buzzing that never ended a haunting hum from the wings of the special soldiers built to torment the Egyptians. It was when he entered the main road to his village that he met his father and brother. They all had similar expressions: shock mixed with one part excitement, two parts alarm, and three parts intense contemplation. They all walked together to their home with tales of the strange events and complete belief that this event came from God.

“I tell you, this must be from God,” their Uncle Samuel had an excited bewildered look in his eyes. “I don’t doubt that, Sam. I just wonder how long this one will last and if we will finally be able to leave this wretched place.” It was that thought that was shared by everyone in Israel: how much longer would they be there, what more would they see, and when would they behold their own land and no longer be forced to serve a cruel people.

At dinner the conversation had changed. No longer was their any doubt that God was working on behalf of his people but the question of when would they leave was being openly discussed by everyone in his family. For many of the Hebrews the plague of flies was a turning point because there were no flies in Goshen and the separation between the two nations had never been so severe.

A few days later Nathan was watching the unfolding plague at his favorite spot. He was mesmerized at the different shapes the cloud of flies took. It would throb, shake, divide and multiply all at once. To him only one word could describe it: amazing. He was here with his friends and they too were hypnotized by the rumbling hum and how the black had hints of sparkle from the millions of wings. “When do you think we will get to leave? Levi, you talk to grandfather a lot. Has he had a dream, did God speak to him?” It took a moment for Levi to take his eyes from the current epidemic, “He has not said anything to me. I just know the elders were having more meetings.” “I hope we leave soon. I hate this place.” All of them agreed with Joshua, they longed for freedom and a home that was truly theirs.

A few days later Nathan was picking berries in the early morning by the river and he saw the large mass of flies began to dissipate. They flew toward the heavens and in a moment the veil of darkness that covered Egypt was gone. The ground was covered by a multitude of their dead corpses that did not live to see the end of this affliction. Nathan was motionless as he stood with three large sacks of berries in his hands. He then looked on towards the east and he saw two men tall like cedars in robes walk away. This was the second time he saw Moses and Aaron. It took a moment to gather his thoughts. Are we leaving now?? Had Pharaoh finally let them go? Home, I have to get home. Home? Maybe today we will finally be able to go to our home. He ran as fast as he could and the only thing that could be seen is a young lad with two sacks on his side and one on his back running like a hart through the fields.

“Mom!!! Dad!!! The plague has ended!! I saw Moses he did it, he did it again!!” He shouted in the hut. He heard his parents run out of their bedroom to hear the commotion in the den. “What happened!!” his father shouted. His mother ran toward him and checked to see if he was okay. The entire house was awaken from his noisy announcement. He saw Hannah run out into the den shaken by the confusion in the hut and Micah came out with a half waken expression of surprise on his face. He then began to smile. “Rabbit, slow down,” he said. There was Nathan in the middle of them, his pants and sandals covered in green and brown from running through fields. His top was splattered with reds, blues, and purples from the diverse berries he picked: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. His mother took his sacks away from him and only said, “What happened, Nathan, what did you see?” He started with “I was picking berries,” he wanted to convince his mother to make him a pie, “and I saw the flies, they flew away, and then, then I saw them, Moses and Aaron.” “I will go see the elders and speak with them to see what we will do next,” Nathan’s father went to change his clothes and then left to go visit the elders.

During that time Nathan gathered his clothes, his sling shot, his secret bow and arrows. He thought to himself, who knows what I will need. He was so busy that the day went by swiftly and then the sun set and the moon rose through the darken skies. It was a new day in the village and the hut was awaken by a knock on the door. Surely it is time to leave, thought Nathan. He came out of his room and he saw his parents at the door. They closed and he saw his mother grasp his father’s arm and cry, “They will never let us go!! Clean up duty!” he heard his mother’s muffled cries in his father’s chest. “Anna, God does everything by measure and time. Abraham was promised to be a father of many nations, he had one son of the promise and see how many of us there are now.” Nathan’s head simply drooped down, no promise land today.

Chapter 6

A New Work Assignment

The flies had made a mess of the field. Millions of them covered the ground forming a thick brownish black blanket. The new ground cover would sink a little whenever you would step on it and the sound of eerie crunching stayed for weeks. On some days the wind would pick up and it would release the top layer of flies into the air. The Hebrews were mobilized in large groups to place the dead flies in piles and to bury the remnants of the infamous event. This was a very painful time for Nathan. He had truly believed that he was going to go to promise land after the plague of flies. He was still in Egypt, working under the cruel sun and now he was forced to remove flies from the field often with his bare hands. Whenever he thought about the land of milk and honey he felt a pain in his stomach and it took all of his strength to hold back the tears that seemed determine to flow from his eyes.

Fortunately the rainy season began and assisted the Israelites. The rain washed the land clean and not one corpse of the fierce army remained in the land. The barley field was now filled with small plants. Nathan looked at the field with strange amazement. He could not believe that weeks prior they sowed the field and in a few months they would harvest it. Swish, a large rock flew by his head. Then another, and even still much larger stone was throne in his direction. He looked back and he saw Ramses laughing and his horrible mother standing with him glaring at him. “Come on lad,” an older man said, “They are just upset, God will soon strip them of their power.” He followed the man and continued to work in the heat of the day. He did not know who the man was but he was well respected by everyone in this unfamiliar section of the field. It was unfamiliar to Nathan because he had always worked on the west side of the field but the northern end was far hillier and was filled with stronger workers. He heard the low raspy voices of the men sing songs of freedom, milk and honey, and more importantly the mercy of God and his immutable truth. I am on my way to Beulah land, Beulah land, he heard one sing. Another echoed back, I will see a city built by God. God shall come with ten thousand of his saints, in that day. Where am I, thought Nathan. He felt like he was in choir of bright tenors, baritones that crescendo through the fields, and low rumbling bases; all of them singing about the promise of God and his truth and the victory he shall give his people. Even the way they plowed the field was rhythmic and was in time with songs they sang. These songs stayed with Nathan as the bell ranged and played back in his mind as he ran home. He even hummed them when he helped clean the hut. Nathan did not realize it but he was being healed by these songs. The words of God he did not realize had such power that they could heal and strengthen the mind and spirit simply by singing them.

He began to enjoy his new assignment. The work was harder but he learned more about God being around these men. It was like receiving a sermon and partaking in song service for 14 hours of the day. In fact this day Joel, the older man that he met that day they returned back to the field was going to tell him about Abraham. It was not that his parents did not teach him but really enjoyed hearing lessons from Joel because he could explain things so well. These lessons definitely made the last 7 weeks past quickly. In fact he thought back to the first time he saw the river turn to blood. That was so long ago and then he was 10 now he is 11. As he entered the opening of the field with his friends he heard screaming from the barn.

“They are all dead!!” “Who poisoned them, I told you we should have offered more to the gods at the festival. We are now being punished.” He had that familiar screech before it happened on the day of the frogs and it was the voice of Ramses’s mother. They all looked at each other, they were looking for answers. “Lads,” he heard a familiar deep voice behind them, “the owners are in an uproar,” Joel then bend down and told them why. “What is a murrain??” Levi asked, “It is a disease son, that kills cattle,” all of they boys looked at Joel in amazement as they thought to themselves, how does he knows these things. Nathan then wondered if they would be leaving soon.

However, just as Joel told Nathan and his friends this affliction extended only to Egypt, none of Israel’s cattle was sick or dead. This angered many Egyptians and they began to take Israel’s oxen, mules, and cows by force. Many of the Israelites began to travel in even larger groups. They kept the children, the aged, and women in the center of each group. Even the Rabbit traveled in the safety of the large groups of men from the field until they were safely in the land of Goshen on the way to and from the field. He also waited in the evening to hear Uncle Hezekiah’s report from the palace: the great pharaoh was angry, resentful and he refused to let any Israelite go.

Their work did become harder because there were no cattle to assist them. At the same time they heard news from the overseers about all of their neighbor’s cattle being dead. This was not a good day in Egypt. Oxen, bulls were vital to the nation’s wealth. They provided meat, milk, and a means of transportation. Now they were gone in one great sweep over night.

Chapter 7

Wigs, Dyes and Powder

This continued for weeks. Then the plains flooded as they normally did and Nathan was not needed in the field for a few days. He then traveled with his mother and sister to the great city of Thebes to help them make clothes and wigs that would be sold by his mother’s mistress. They would start early in the morning and travel with his father and Micah on their way to the quarry. Thebes was a large city and they used a boat to cross one of the river’s tributaries to get to it. The seamstress recently moved her shop to the eastern edge of the city. This made it more difficult for his mother to reach the shop. Even with this difficulty in place, Omecti, the owner would not stand for tardiness. Omecti was not a kind woman and felt that Israelites were a resource that once was used should be discarded. She used Anna and her daughter because they were skilled workers. She often would chide them with biting insults and gave very little compensation for their work. Fortunately, the seamstress had an elderly uncle that showed compassion to Anna and often gave her extra bread and even money every week. He did this without fail and without his cruel niece knowing it. Not all Egyptians agreed with the laws against the Israelites but they were a very small part of the population and did things secretly to not be punished by officers of Pharaoh.

Thebes was a glorious city with brick streets and large fountains and pools. The buildings were covered with ornate carvings and it was filled with idols. The Egyptians loved these lifeless statues and laid food at their feet and decorated them with the best cotton and linen that could be made. The roadways were filled with the smells of spices, dried fruit, and perfumes. He heard men arguing over the prices of olive oil and pomegranates, watched as bins of fish were being displayed at one corner and heard incantations and prayers to an idol on a corner. Here the streets had brick inlays and there were tall men dressed in government style robes directing the traffic. This was a city filled to the brim with people, animals, and plants from every part of the world.

. It was unknown to Nathan that he was living in the fashion capital of the world; Egypt was considered to be the epitome of elegance, sophistication, and fashion. Thebes was the capital of fashion in Egypt and anyone who wished to be seen or admired desired to dwell there and rubbed elbows with the famous and wealthy.

They made their way to the seamstress’s shop. Omecti, the seamstress owned the most popular clothing shop in Thebes. The seamstress was a very tall woman with large ears. She wore an elaborate jet black wig with large golden and blue beads. Her eyes were lined with the finest liner and her face painted in with the most fashionable colors. She spent one hour a day preparing the perfect wig and another 2 bathing, salting, oiling, and painting herself. This indulgence was considered vital to being a fashionable Egyptian. “Oh, you are finally here,” her voice had an icy cast to it the shop would not be open for another 2 hours. “Yes mistress, I have” she then interrupted his mother, “What is that?” she pointed towards Nathan, “This is my son Nathan,” what am I thought Nathan, surely she knows I am a boy, “I didn’t know you all still had sons,” Omecti said with spiteful

glee. “Hello, Anna. I see you brought your son, he looks very strong, which is good since I am so old now,” her uncle said. His niece simply rolled her eyes at them.

Her shop was filled with all the necessary items to be a well dressed Egyptian: golden serpents shaped in the form of crowns, scarab pendants made of beryl, copper, gold, and silver, engraved beads made from shells from sea, head posts that held wigs of varies colors and lengths.

On all of the walls were reams of linen dyed in multiple colors, nearly shear cotton veils, skirts, and pants. Many had embroidered symbols of the Egyptians gods on them. This year’s most popular item with women is a nearly shear cotton dress with embroidered symbol of Isis at the bottom of it. Today she would be dressing one of daughters of an advisor of pharaoh.

“I need all of this dyed in the color of scarab blue,” she said. Nathan never understood why the Egyptians were fascinated by beetles. Nathan’s mother directed her children towards the back where all of the dying pots were. Scarab blue would take time to first make and then to dye the never ending piles of cotton and linen. One hour before the shop opened all of Omecti’s Egyptian workers came in. They held their heads up passed Nathan and walked to the front of the store. Tall and short men with painted faces with bald heads and women with large wigs of curly and straight hair moved to the front. Only the most fashionable could work in Omecti’s

store.

Nathan helped grind the purple and blue blocks of powder that were needed to make scarab blue. The fumes were strong and stung his eyes. He saw his sister stretching cotton thread until it was nearly invisible. He saw her hands become red and swollen while pulling the material. Swish, pull, pound, bang were noises of the dye room. He saw his mother place a screen over the stretched cloth and brush purple and blue over it. It became a gorgeous blue with a slight hint of purple in it. There was nothing beetle about the color being created.

Nathan did not realize how hard his mother and sister worked. He knew that they always returned home after Micah and his father and that looked as tired as those leaving the fields at the end of the day. The work in the shop had recently doubled due to the plague of lice and the upcoming festival season did not help. Omecti refused to get more workers. Hannah decided to make a few wigs at home just to keep up with the ever increasing workload. Which is why the flooding season could not come at a better time for them; Nathan was skinny but he was full of energy. He was very good at using a hammer to pound the blocks used to make dye. He knew how to stretch material with ease to him it was no different than stringing a bow. He could wring wet material out easily he just pretended that he was squeezing Ramses. Omecti noticed how well and fast he worked in the dye room. She knew she could not convince the field owners to give him up and in a few years he would be sent to the brickyard. What a crazy edict pharaoh passed about the Hebrew boys. Well I might as well get as much out of him as I can. She sent one of his workers to triple the cotton, linen, and dye blocks and bring them to the back of the shop at once.

When the shipment came, Hannah’s eyes became round and large with complete horror, “Mama are we suppose to weave and dye all of that! That is simply impossible to complete in 2 weeks.” Nathan looked at the huge bundles and started to hum the songs of the field and began to unload them. Hours passed and the long horrible day ended. When they finally reached their home later that evening he wanted to collapse in the bed. However he still had to help with the chores and make dinner.

The next morning he was awakened by his brother. “Get up Rabbit,” he threw a ball of wet shirts at his little brother. Which nearly knocked him out of bed; why they sent him to wake me, Nathan thought. Nathan rose up and stood on the dusty floor. He knew the day ahead would be long.

Chapter 8

Explosions on Faces

The sky was misty in Thebes today as they neared Omecti’s shop. They were greeted outside by her uncle. He handed them linen packages. They were warm and inside were loaves of bread and a package the size of a tennis ball that had gold coins in it. It was his way of providing a form of compensation for their work. His mother said thank you and quickly hid the packages. The day started as it did yesterday; a condescending look and an evil comment from Omecti and then an unreasonable workload.

Nathan was stretching another bundle of thread when he heard a horrible yell. He saw one of Omecti’s customers with a large pimple on the middle of her forehead. “Not tonight!! This is the night of the dance of Isis.” “Don’t worry my dear, I have a powder that will hide that. It comes from Midian and it works wonders for the complexion,” Omecti looked through boxes to find the illusive powder. Omecti’s head began to pound and she began to think she tied her wig a little too tight this morning. “Here you are, you will be the queen of the dance tonight.” Her customer began to brush the powder on her face when she felt itching, pain, and warmth coming from her arms, legs, and neck.

Nathan just rolled his eyes and began to stretch more cotton. As he looked up he saw Omecti standing in front of him. “Did you show him what to do? You better not ruin…” but Nathan did not speak because he could not help but look at the red blemishes that peaked from under Omecti’s wig. They seemed to be growing right in front of him. He could not even hear the curses coming from Omecti’s lips; he was transfixed by her inflamed skin. “You must be the most stupid, oh I do not feel well, I will sit for a minute, I am not finished with you!” she wagged her finger at Nathan and walked slowly to her favorite seat in the store. She did not rise from that seat for the remainder of the day. She too began to experience waves of heat, pain, and itchiness on her arms, legs, chest, and face. Omecti’s Egyptian staff was not scheduled to be there until later that morning. However she did not notice their and her customers’ absence that entire morning. Her head continued to throb and she drank tea that made her sleep. It was at noon Nathan heard a blood curdling scream.

Omecti had felt her face and obtain a mirror and saw the progression of plague number six across her face. Large pustules some red and others nearly transparent filled with thick white and yellow liquid covered her face. She then felt under her wig and instead of smooth shaven skin her scalp was lumpy and swollen with blisters. Her hands were dotted with crimson blotches and her feet itched from the painful blisters on her soles. “Anna, come here at once!!” Nathan’s mother ran to the door. She looked amazed at Omecti, “I need doctor Akehenton, tell him it is an emergency!” Nathan’s mother ran swiftly to find the physician. Nathan watched Omecti quietly in the back. He watched as each pustule became larger, some of them combined and grew white tops. “This is incredible, absolutely amazing,” he said quietly. “What are you doing?” Hannah said to him. “While you were in the back spinning, Mama was sent to get a doctor for Omecti.” Hannah looked at her in complete shock. “Do you think it is another plague!!” he said excitedly, before she could reprove her brother she found herself hypnotized by the large boils covering Omecti. Right before them they saw two of them burst on her nose and the woman began to scream and moan repeatedly. Large amounts of thick yellow and white fluid covered her face. The pattern of red sores developing into dime sized pustules, then to quarter size boils that combined until the blisters exploded continued all over her body. Their mother came back nearly out of breath. “The doctor cannot come, he is sick as well. Well every Egyptian had varying amounts of the plague. Nathan’s mother would later tell them how she saw frights up and down the streets. Entire bodies covered with blisters and the yelling, swearing, shouting, screams, and the accusations she received to and from the doctor’s home. “She did it, get her!!” “Death to the Hebrews!” “They committed such an offence on the eve of Isis.” They were too weak to grab her. When she entered the shop she told Omecti that the doctor could not be reached and then she went to the back and gathered children. “We are leaving now!” his mother said firmly. Omecti’s uncle came down the steps. He had a few blisters on his wrists and the inside of his arms; far fewer than what was on his niece and on the majority of the residents of Thebes. “I know that you all serve the true God. The God of heaven; you need to leave this city at once. You may have my wagon.” Nathan’s mother tried to refuse. “It is the least I can do. Quite frankly Omecti has been too vain for far too long. I just bought a new horse from Midian. Take it Anna, I should have protected you from her…” he trailed off. Nathan’s mother said thank you and took her children and traveled back to Goshen.

The entire way home images of the people stricken in the city danced in Nathan’s head. They shook their fists at them and at heaven. He then thought about hateful Omecti and her uncle and how he was the nicest Egyptian he had ever met. Before the blister outbreak he had given them large long loaves of bread and a bag of gold coins. Now he has given them this wagon along with new horse from Midian.

They met his father, brother, and uncles on the way back to Goshen. His mother told them how they obtained their new transportation and all the events that proceeded. The men also had tales of the proud architects bending over in pain due to the sores that suddenly appeared. Every task master was doubled over and in shock due to blisters that kept bursting.

The Egyptians had always believed themselves to be the most beautiful and belittled the Israelites for not being blessed with their eyes, lips, and hair. In fairness they were not the most attractive people of the earth but those in power often attribute brilliance, talent, and beauty to themselves and to themselves only. The plague of boils and blains was very disturbing for them because God had destroyed their beauty in less than one day.

With a new horse and wagon they all were able to reach their home much sooner. They had left Thebes in the afternoon and even though there was no boat available this afternoon, they still reached Goshen in the mid afternoon. Nathan saw Joel walking toward the meeting place of the elders. He then said, “Mama, there is Joel he may know what happened.” “Drop me of here and go home. I will find out what happened,” his father said and his uncle stated he would go with him. After they dropped of the men, Micah asked his sister about the amount of blisters that covered Omecti. “How many, tell me in detail, I need to know!” he grinned with great mischief in his eyes. “It was the ugliest sight, it is the thing that nightmares made of! I just tremble from remembering how they kept growing and exploding. I know that had to be painful.”

His mother then said, “If it is God’s will, then I say amen and glory to the most high God.” “Her uncle gave you this cart?” Micah still could not believe he was not walking home. “He is different. He does not even participate in those festivals or offer anything to stupid idols.”“He is the best Egyptian I know. He actually pays you.” The Rabbit smiled, he nearly forgotten. He was also given a large bag of gold as well.

Chapter 9

The Mill House

It would be weeks before the city of Thebes would return to normal. The use of veils was increased and nearly invisible tops and bottoms were not deemed fashionable. Omecti had to import large quantities of powder and cream to make face and body paint. These were easier to make than the dyes for the linen. However she did not decrease the workload. She did not feel as free to insult her Hebrew slaves as she used to. The entire kingdom was affected by the plague that left its mark on all Egyptians. Even the task masters of the field began to wear powder as well to hide the unsightly pox marks on their faces and even larger head dresses to protect the tender sores that remained on their bald heads.

The flooding season ended and the barley began to shoot up until it was much taller than Nathan. He knew that harvest time for the barley would begin shortly and thereafter they would sow wheat. Work in the field would soon pick up once the harvest would begin. During this lull workers were often sent to other areas. The Egyptians deeply believed that no Israelite should ever be idle. Nathan was sent to work with his Uncle Hezekiah along with his friends Levi and Joshua. Micah was sent with them because they needed a strong laborer from the brickyard to help make the stone pathways for a new garden in Pharaoh’s palace. Neftut gave them the assignment purposely to displease the princess. He gave Hezekiah the

project without giving him any tools or means of transportation. He knew he could not complete the task without either. What he did not known was Micah had been taught how to work with metal and stone in the brickyard.

One of the Egyptian iron smiths was teaching him how melt and shape iron, copper, and brass. The old man preferred working with Hebrews because they were fast learners, strong, and in his view not disrespectful like young Egyptian men. Micah used this knowledge to make sharper arrow heads, hammers, nails, bolts, and screws. He kept these things hidden in his room. There used to be multitudes of metal workers in Israel but with a reduction of men the numbers began to decrease. The Egyptians reduced their access to metal and the materials needed to make the fire pits to melt the metal and forced them to return their tools at the end of each work day. The Egyptians purposely limited the amount of metal the Israelites could obtain because they feared an uprising.

Neftut did not known Hezekiah had a nephew who could make tools and had recently collected enough material to make a fire pit. Nor did he know that he had relations that had recently acquired a large wagon outfitted with a strong horse. The vicious man’s face twisted with disbelief when he saw Hezekiah being picked up by his nephews in the brand new wagon. He will be to get plants he thought but he has no tools for the bricks he thought to himself. At least that was what he thought and that was what comforted him.

“That is one ugly man. Look at the pox marks on his neck,” Levi just stared at him. “Don’t say anything!” Micah quietly warned them. They were all surprised. Micah was normally first to mock an Egyptian. Neftut was ripe for mockery with his pox marks that still dotted his neck, his tall slinky body, a large mouth with thin protruding lips, and tiny eyes. What they did not know was that Micah knew that speaking foolishly in front the oppressor could cause you great harm and distress.

“Hello, young men, I think I am going to have to work hard to keep up with you lads today,” Hezekiah was 95 and still very athletic. His shiny black hair was sprinkled with silver. His eyes were dark like coals and he was tall like a palm tree, he was at least 6 feet and 6 inches tall. Despite his regal appearance he was one of the meekest people Nathan knew. After he climbed unto the wagon he turned toward Neftut to obtain the plans needed to build the princess’s new garden. Neftut threw the plans at him and began to screech instructions before they left. “The princess is very delicate and requires only the choicest stones for her garden. Each must shaped perfectly and carved with these patterns,” they have no tools he thought to himself as he hissed out the directions. When they finally left to go to the great warehouse to obtain the stones they placed a royal banner over the sides of

the cart. This would prevent any unnecessary questions from royal officers about the origins of the wagon and horse.

The trip would not be too long to and from the warehouse. However it was long enough that lunch could be eaten on the way. Hannah had packed her little brother roasted quail seasoned with sea salt, black pepper, and red spices. He loved it when his sister cooked she could make meat so savory and the pies she could make were the better than anyone else’s in the entire village. “Another one of Hannah’s famous inventions,” Hezekiah said. Micah gave the reins to uncle and searched in his bag hoping that his sister made him lunch as well. His sister was merciful and packed all of them a wondrous feast for the next few days. “How did she have time for this?” Joshua asked, “I mean I know Omecti doesn’t give a moment’s peace.” “Well, while they were healing from the boils. Hannah worked everyday making spice rubs. I helped her grind them into powder. She then traded with people in the different villages to get different oils, vinegars, even honey. She placed them in containers so now if we get fish or quail,” he said with a smile, “She prepares them and all you have to do is cook it when you get home.” “When I get older I am going to marry her,” Joshua joked and Levi countered, “Who said we wanted you in our family!” The boys continued to joke with one another during the entire trip.

The laughter continued during the entire day. Even though carrying the different plants, stones, wood, and dirt was difficult work it far more enjoyable than working in the field, the brickyard or even the dye room. They even talked about all that had happened in the last year. It just seemed like yesterday that Levi had awaken Nathan to see the river turn to blood. So much had happen and what they did not know was that even greater wonders would be performed in Egypt.

They had work a total of nine days on the princess’s new garden. The boys worked hard for Hezekiah because they knew Neftut would do anything to cause him to be punished by Pharaoh. They even decided to sleep at the old mill house at night because they would soon be forced to return the fields. They would wake up early before the sun rose in the sky and began to shape and cut all of the large stones that would be used to hold large flowering bushes, archways, and the intricate pathways.

On the tenth day at lunch time they suddenly heard yelling in front of the mill. “Where is Hezekiah!! I must speak to him.” It was a short Egyptian woman whose wig was not completely on her head. Hezekiah ran to the door and said, “Madam I am here,” “News from the palace,” she was nearly breathless, “Hezekiah, grave news! I have heard from one of the workers at that palace that Moses said that God would rain hail upon Egypt tomorrow! Hail that has never been seen before and that all would die in it if they left their cattle and their servants in the field. If they kept them inside they would not die! My brother refuses to keep his men inside but, but,” The woman was shaking as she spoke, “Hezekiah I know you are a servant of God, is it true, is it true?”“If Moses has said this, then it is true. Keep your animals and servants indoors tomorrow and go quickly before it is too late,” he said firmly.

The young men were in disbelief. Hail that has never been seen, death to all those outside, and Hezekiah spoke with such authority and the woman believed. Their uncle turned around and said “It is too late for us to make our way to Goshen. Even with the fastest horses we could not reach the main road now before they seal gates. We will be fine I assure you. God always takes care of his people. We will not work anymore today on stones instead lets put all the materials inside, along with the animals. After that we will need to secure the windows.” All them looked at each other after Hezekiah instructed them. The rest of the day moved swifter than any other day had before.

What was God going to do the land of Egypt? Was the constant thought in all of their minds. Nathan was nervous he felt himself shiver at the thought of what might happen. He had seen the plagues up close, but this was different. Hezekiah saw Nathan tremble a little as he quickly picked up the large carving tools, nails, and screws they had used. He too felt a strange tightness in his stomach, but he knew it would pass. Even though he would prefer a little distance to this execution of God’s judgment; he also knew that God would protect all those who trust in him. “Alright, lads, we don’t know exactly how bad this is going to be or how long we will be here. Before we secure the horse, I want Micah to go to the other side of the glen and pick as much fruit and vegetables that can fit in the large sacks. The rest of us will collect water from the creek and we will meet here at the ninth hour.”

When they all returned they had a handsome bounty of fish, leeks, berries, oranges, carrots, and of course water. As the sun set they began to cook dinner and prepare themselves for evening worship. The prayer portion was far lengthier than it had ever been. This time every one of them took turns as they prayed in a ring. Dinner was uneventful and they all went to bed afterwards wondering what the day would bring.

Chapter 10

Fire and Ice

Nathan looked up at the rafters from his bunk. Would he be safe? What would happen tomorrow, what did Hezekiah know? He knew he was supposed to be sleeping but all he could do was look above him and out at the space in between the wood beams in the wall. “Nathan, are you awake?” Joshua asked.“I can’t sleep. What do you think will happen?” Nathan asked. His words seemed to drift in the air. “We’ll be okay. God will protect us. Remember when the fly invasion happened. None of them came near us,” Levi insisted. It was the only thing that kept him from trembling in his bed. He clung to the fact that God did not punish his children and he held his covers tightly and tried to will himself to sleep.

The boys were not the only ones finding it difficult to sleep. Everywhere in Egypt that night debates occurred in diverse households on what to do about their servants and where they should place their animals. Many in complete defiance refused to keep their servants inside and decided to offer unto the gods of the air, the ground, and water instead. Still there was a growing minority that had enough of the plagues and when they received the news they forced their servants to gather what they could from the fields and store them. Large groups of horses, cattle, camels were sent inside and tied to any fixed surface to prevent them from wandering.

Nathan did finally drift to a heavy slumber that was ended by a loud eerie twisting clap in the sky. The loud crackle seemed to be in the mill and it was followed by an explosive boom. He smelt burned wood and then he heard screaming. It was the sound of screaming not close by but of those at a distance. The mill’s walls began to vibrate a little as the wind pushed against it. He sat up from his bunk and grabbed his knees. What is happening out there? He thought to himself. No matter how strong his fear was it could not imprison him. He was far too curious and it was his inquisitive nature that forced him out of his bed and caused him to climb up the ladder to the upper floor of the mill. He crawled on hands and knees towards a small opening in window whose protective covering had blown away. Halfway towards the window he heard what sounded like millions of pellets hitting a tin roof.

The sound surrounded him and grew louder and louder. He could feel the mill vibrate a little more as the popping noise began to sound deeper. He had stopped in his tracks but then began to creep again towards the opening in the window. When he finally reached the small opening he was dumbfounded by the sight before him.

The gentle flowing creek that they played in just two days ago looked like it was boiling over its banks. The outpouring of hail was overwhelming the creek and forcing it out of its bed. The darken sky then became a blaze of white from lightning that danced in the sky. Immediately afterwards the thunder shook the house and Nathan smelled burned wood and burnt earth. The raining pellets then began to change as the noise began to sound deeper. It sounded like hammers, thousands of hammers hitting steel repeatedly. It wasn’t hammers but ice, ice the size of first baseballs and then grapefruit. Nathan watched as he saw trees being severed in several small pieces by the large pieces of ice. He could not see the dark earth because it was covered with lumpy layer of ice nearly a foot high that was intermingled with branches, leaves and anything else that was between it and the earth. He was so entranced by this amazing pestilence that he could not hear the desperate cries underneath him.

Micah was looking for him and was deeply afraid that his brother might have done something foolish. All of them were looking for him; in fact it was Joshua who climbed up the ladder to see if Nathan was on the third floor. Micah climbed up after him. Before he could shout or yell at both of them the wind began to scream outside and you could hear and feel its fury against all that stood in its path. Micah crawled towards both them and he was astonished by the sight he saw. Vapor, steam, and smoke came from the ground. Large tongues of fire raged outside the creek. Nearly bowling ball size hail fell to the ground and pummeled the landscape. The screaming had stopped much early and now all they could hear was thousands and thousands of hammers that continued to hit the ground with great force that the ground began to shake from each impact. Even the temperature outside began to change violently from icy cold to hot and back and forth. The melon sized hail that fell unto the fires set off loud blasts that shook the air and caused large plumes of vapor to fill the air. “What are you doing? Get away from there at once!!” unknown to them Hezekiah had been shouting at them and it was only because he was right behind them and grabbed two of them by the shoulders that they heard him. They began to feel the house sway a little and again could not understand what Hezekiah was saying. The thunder shook the house and the escalating hailstorm rendered their ears useless. He motioned them to come downstairs and all of them followed him.

They were all stunned by what they had witness outside. This was a side of God they had never experienced before; a God that was wrathful and furious at the earth. No one had an appetite for breakfast. They continued to here the progression of plague number 7 outside.

“You all need to eat,” it was difficult for them to pay attention to Hezekiah as they heard the loud snapping sounds of trees being broken apart outside, “This is the judgment of God. I know the sounds, they are…” the entire mill house shook with the explosive thunder and Hezekiah continued to yell, “We should pray and have service, God never forsakes his children.”

Eventually their stomachs cries did reach their ears and they began to devour the left over fish from last night’s dinner. “How long will you think this is going to last?” Levi said between the thundering, “God does everything by measure, we just don’t know exactly what he has determined for the Egyptians. I want you all remember this event, we must never forget what God has done on behalf of us.” All of them were silent. Nathan thought to himself, how anyone could forget this; there was hail the size of cantaloupes falling from the sky, the deep rolling bass of the thunder made his bones vibrate within, and the barrage of branches, ice and crackling flames may never leave his ears. Forget? He would never forget this day for the entirety of his life.

Nathan and his friends were not the only ones shaken to the core by the great storm that was now bludgeoning the landscape. Miles away in Thebes his sister Hannah was waiting out the storm in Omecti’s shop. Just two days prior she had been ordered by Omecti to stay in the shop for the remainder of the week to finish the headdresses and wigs she was adding to her collection. Hannah was an excellent wig maker and Omecti decided it was time to expand her business. Wigs were now not only fashionable but deemed necessary due to the constant cycles of lice outbreaks that continued to occur. Anna did not want to leave her daughter there but she had little choice.While she was beading her tenth wig of the day she over heard one of Omecti’s customers informed her of what Moses said in the palace. “I don’t care what that slave says. I have Anubis to protect me and that is all I need. Besides I must have all my lotus plants trimmed and the roses must be picked for my daughter’s wedding two days from now,” Omecti said nothing.

She was weighing the risks to herself quietly. Hannah sat quietly, another plague and this time all those outside would be killed, she thought. I have to get home but how? She knew that even if she ran away she could never reach the ferry in time and Omecti confiscated her little change bag so that she could not pay fare. She was stuck here in Egypt without rescue. Her hands began to tremble and she began to wonder if she was being punished for all those times she did not pray or fast. She could not help but remember the times she would wear Egyptian clothing, wigs, and makeup whenever she was sent by Omecti to obtain the new cloth order at the port. She felt deeply ashamed for wearing those nearly shear tops and those heavily beaded wigs that often had engraven images of idols on the beads. Now she was alone in Thebes and a great pestilence was coming and as she stood her feet felt like they would move from underneath her. If I could only take it back, she thought to herself. Her cheeks were now soaked from the tears that flooded her face. She then remembered something her grandmother said about repenting and asking God for forgiveness. She sat on the hard wood floor and knelt in prayer.

She had been there for an extended period of time when she heard yelling in the front. Rarely did she hear Omecti’s uncle raise his voice but now it filled the entire building.

“You can do what you want!! You stupid, self centered girl!! How much more do you need to see?”

“I should be like you uncle. The great Teotan, riddled with arthritis, believing in the wild tales of the slaves. You gave them that brand new wagon and that…”

“I have the right to do whatever I want with what I own! You want to kill your workers and then go ahead send them to the docks, send your right hand to the field to pick up more dye. I will not send any of mine. Don’t even think about sending Hannah, you hateful girl! Or I will…” She then smirked at him and replied, “Or what!”

“I will show the tax marshal your accounts!”

“I am you flesh and blood, how could you for a Hebrew!”

There was no answer but just a cold silence. Omecti’s uncle had recently discovered a weapon to use against his niece and was happy to wield it.

Omecti was in complete disbelief because she had never seen her Uncle so defiant and unwilling to yield. She really did not intend to send her Egyptian workers out but to send Hannah would have been in her mind far less risky. Maybe she would have been protected from the storm; it was true that none of the Israelites were affected by the plagues like the Egyptians. Every time she looked at her beautiful clear caramel skin she wanted to scream. She did not powder, cream, or oil for her face; Hannah was extremely beautiful and was not covered with faint marks on her face like Omecti.

As her brother Nathan was watching the storm on the third floor of the mill house, Hannah was in the back of the dye room hearing the screams outside. So many of the residents of Thebes tried to continue on as if nothing was said; wedding processions had begun, the marketplace was full, and each idol had double its attendants. One hour in the morning the storm began with violent force. None of the people outdoors could make it in time to reach any building. Omecti had left the back door open right before the storm began. So Hannah could see God’s wrath against the Egyptians. She saw the crackling lightning that stretch all over the sky with its fingers in nearly corner of it. Thunder shook the air so hard that you could feel its displeasure within your bones. The large stones of hail came in different shapes and sizes and knocked down every idol in its path, shredded the palm trees, and made holes in the brick streets. The beautiful city of Thebes was decimated within a few hours. Soon vapor and smoke began to enter the dye room and Hannah ran towards the front of the store. Omecti was cowering in a large closet with the rest of her workers. Hannah knelt down and prayed again and asked for God’s mercy. The storm battered the land for days until Pharaoh was able to reach Moses. Nathan and the rest of his friends stayed in the lower level of the mill house. No one could get used to the screaming wind, the pounding hail, and the thunder that seemed to make your body vibrate. That is why when there was no more shaking or pounding one morning they all looked at each other. “Is it over?” Levi yelled. All three boys ran to the door and opened it a little. The sun was in the clear blue sky. “Hezekiah, Hezekiah,” they all shouted. He came from the back where he was tending to the horse, “What is it?” he asked. “The storm it is gone!” Joshua yelled excitedly. The old man ran towards the door and opens it, the sky was a gorgeous blue and not a cloud was in it. “We need to leave at once.” They were so excited; they had been in the small mill house for what seemed like an eternity. All five of them moved quickly to pack and prepare for the journey back to Goshen.

As beautiful as the sky was the earth was in frightful disarray. When they left the mill house none of them could speak for they were shocked at the destruction that surrounded them. Large heaps of ice intermingled with branches, stones, and earth was everywhere. Only the stumps of some trees remained the rest had been uprooted, shredded or burned. Vapor slowly floated from some of the larger mounds of ice. If it was not for the path that the fire left they would not have been able to leave the mill house. Every other inch of the earth was covered in battered and charred debris.

As they traveled on the charred path, Hannah was packing all off her things. “Fine let her go, nothing is left!” Omecti stared at Hannah. She was normally a dramatic woman but she had no need to embellish the situation outside today. “Maybe you should take my uncle with you,” these were the words of a woman who knew the life she had known was ruined along with the rest of Egypt.

“Hannah! Hannah!” “Who is that?” Omecti looked towards the door.“Hannah! Are you there?” Hannah ran towards the back door, it was Azariah one of Micah’s older friends. “Azariah, what are you doing here?” “I came to get you. I heard from one of the other dock workers that Omecti forced you stay over.”Azariah was 19 years old, he was rudy in complexion and tall like a cedar tree. His master forced him to continue to load stones unto the boats even after the last ferry to Goshen had left. However his son disobeyed his father and gave the workers shelter in his own house during the storm. “We need to go Hannah,” he did not have to urge her. She gathered all of her things and joined him outside. The walk to Goshen would be long and hard but both of them were desperate to leave Thebes behind.

It would be hours before she met her brothers on the road. It was an unexpected reunion. The next reunion occurred many hours later and it was full of tears, laughter, and multiple hugs. In fact Nathan’s mother did not stop hugging her children for hours. The entire village set up a prayer vigil for all the Israelites who could not escape the land of Egypt before the storm. The elders called for a fast for 3 days. Not one of the Israelites in Egypt was hurt during plague number 7.

Chapter 11

The East Wind

“Come on Nathan, it is almost time,” Nathan was nearly done fastening his sandals. He could not believe his sister was getting married today and to Azariah. Who knew that day after the hailstorm when they found them on the road that six months later they would be getting married? So much had changed after the great storm. Pharaoh again refused to let Israel go and instead set up a great rebuild Egypt plan. Many of his servants pitched in and even the wealthy donated large portions of their money to assist in the rebuilding. No slave would ever conquer Egypt, was a common saying that sprung up a few months after the storm. Of course the entire kingdom was shocked by the sheer desolation for the first two months after the storm. However, nothing happened after that, the sky was still blue and sun still shined brightly as ever. All was not lost because the wheat crop had not been destroyed and trees from Ethiopia, Caanan, and Crete were being brought in. The cities were slowly being repaired. Many felt the worse was over and that with time things would begin to return to normal. Many of the children of Israel were still wondering what would happen next as the days continue to march on.

However on this bright day the entire village was decorated and jubilant for Hannah and Azariah’s wedding. Nathan would never admit it out loud but he would be sad to see Hannah go. She would now move into a house on the other side of the village. No more spicy quail, grilled beef sandwiches, or fried fishes for her little brother. He would not only miss her cooking because she showed him how to tame horses. There was not much work in the shop right after the storm so she patiently trained three wild horses until they were calm and sweet natured. She even gave one of them to her little brother. The celebrations continued for a week. Fortunately Nathan was not needed at the field for a little while so he could enjoy the feasting.

After the wedding it was time to return to the tall wheat fields. The wheat sprung up so quickly after all the debris was removed from the field. Rain came down heavily and often so that it would soon be ready to harvest. They would begin harvesting it today.

It was an ordinary day except for the wind a strong east wind pushed against them the whole day. Every rock that Ramses threw could never reach its intended target. After he hit two overseers’ poxed heads he gave up on starting a fight with Nathan and his friends. All of his friends were now transferred to the northern part of the field as well. The wind continued throughout the day and they had no relief from it until they entered the land of Goshen.

They met his brother Micah and Azariah on the way back to the village. “Tell me again what did he say?” Azariah looked at Micah in disbelief. “Hezekiah said that the great Pharaoh,” in complete mocking fashion, “Who is going to go with you? After Moses told him everyone of Israel and all that we own he then said only the men should go. Never mind that he has tried to kill off the men of Israel but now he is going to say only the men can leave!” Everyone was stunned, only the men could go! “What did Moses say?” Joshua asked. “We are all still here and the Egyptians will soon have to deal with locusts!” Micah just had a wry smile. Azariah just shook his head and said, “I was wondering why the people in Thebes were in such an uproar today, they are angry at Pharaoh. All I heard today was doesn’t he know Egypt is destroyed and some people started freeing their Hebrew workers and giving them money!”

Micah looked at Azariah in disbelief and answered him, “Can someone inform the foreman of this obvious information at the worksite!” “So he tried to negotiate with God??” Nathan asked. He still could not wrap his mind around the thought of it. “Yea, I think crown is a little too tight upon his head,” Micah said dryly. Locusts, when would that happen, he remembered the flies and the lice. He recalled black skies and everyone in Egypt wearing veils. How bad could it be, he thought to himself. Worse than the great hail storm that battered the earth and only left broken stumps in the ground. The rabbit still remembered seeing buildings brought down like matchsticks and the thunder he still becomes nervous and twitchy whenever he heard thunder. All things are possible with God was the saying he heard from his grandmother. “Why won’t they just let us go!” Levi shouted in disbelief. All the travelers on the road looked in agreement and they continued on to their homes.

“Hold the bridle steady but be gentle and he will do what you say,” Hannah told Nathan. It was early morning and Nathan was receiving his horse riding lesson from his sister. Omecti had been forced to allow her a month off as a wedding present. Her uncle continued to hold her tax practices over her head. He gave Hannah a large sum of money along with fine wood as a wedding present. Azariah had only been given the week of the wedding off and now was back at the docks. So in the morning’s an hour before he had to set off to the field he was being taught by his sister how to train his horse, Thunder.

Today Thunder seemed to be a little nervous as walked on the bank of the Nile. Even Shadow, his sister’s horse seemed a little edgy. “I think we have done enough today. We should go back to the village.” The steady eastern wind grew stronger and nearly pushed them a few feet backwards. Then they began to hear a peculiar sound coming from the east. It was difficult to see because of the sun peaking from the horizon. At first it sounded like the sound of crispy paper being rolled into a ball and then it grew to a clapping noise; hundreds of people clapping at once. The horses stood sill and all of them looked at the fast moving dark cloud that seemed to stretch over the eastern sky. “Chariots?” Nathan then began to think about it, “Locusts!” His shout was so loud that the people sailing in small boats on the river heard him. The horses began to neigh and buck a little at the sound of what Hannah called a million chariots. To us it would sound like machine guns that continued to fire without the need of reloading. As the swarm approached Egypt it sounded like the loud bombers and air jets at modern air shows that were also accompanied by thousands of people marching. The battle had begun and this army was ready for war.

Their descent increased as they approached the earth. Now the entire sky was filled with them and no light could be seen in Egypt. The horses could not bare it anymore and began to gallop towards the village with their owners on them.

They had gotten home just in time to tell his parents. “Dad!! Mom!! Locusts, locusts!!” Nathan shouted as he led Thunder to a secured post. His mother ran out of the house, “What?, what?” she looked at her children.

“Mama it is true an entire fleet of locusts have descended upon Egypt. They came from the east, I wish Azariah did not have to stay at the docks last night.”

That morning news about the plague filled the village and no one knew exactly what to expect. Nathan had to do something; he just did not know what. He then thought to himself the cleft by the river, I have to see I must see. He could not escape to it, he was being watched by his mother and all the other older women in the village he would have to stay here and wait for his brother’s report.

Chapter 12

The Fierce Army

Incoming!! Incoming!! Down below, get down below! A nearly 400 lb Egyptian man knocked Micah down. All he could see were the legs of frighten Egyptians running as fast as they could to the bottom of the ship. He could not hear anymore screams, yells, or curses all he heard was the loud clapping noise of wings the sound was sharp and had a metallic ring to it and it was everywhere. He saw men jump into the sea; some dived in feet first and others simply fell in as they were being pushed by the mobs trying desperately to reach the lower decks of the boat. Just six inches above him the air was filled with locusts.They flew in every direction possible so perfectly that none crashed into one another. What the men did not know was that even though they locked the door to prevent anyone or anything else from entering the lower decks it did not matter. The locusts found their way into every opening and began to bite into the weaker parts of the ship to find them.

“Where am I?” Micah’s vision was a little blurry and the right side of head began to throb. Get up, I must get up. These were the instructions he repeated to himself. He willed himself to his knees and then began to stand. The locusts did not come near him but that still did not prevent his eyes from viewing the disturbing picture he saw in front of him. “What?” You could not tell where the earth began and the sky stopped in many places because of the fierce flying creatures. They covered every inch of every tree. On each blade of grass a locust was quickly making work on its disappearance; if a home dared to have a vine the dark blue locusts laid upon it feasting on every tender sprout. The sound of a million mouths devouring everything was nearly unbearable if not deafening. They did not touch Micah and he knew it was because of God’s mercy; the same mercy that he showed him during the plague of hail and so many other times during his life.

A voice within said run and he did off of the boat unto the loading dock. “Azariah! Azariah!” “Where are you? I can’t see you!”“I am by the loading dock, keep talking so I can reach you.”The two young men found each other and they began to travel towards Goshen.“Steady, Fury, Steady,” Azariah trying to calm his nervous horse. “The quicker we can get out of here the better,” Micah told him. They both knew the trip home would be slow and unusual.

The land of Egypt was being erased. The lush green paradise had already been battered by large pieces of ice just a months ago. The large graceful trees that filled the country side heavy laden with fruit were severed into wood chips, but the bushes, shrubbery, and tall grass came back and covered the land so eagerly. All they could hear was the feasting of millions of mouths and the clamor of the wings of the great army.

To Micah this was worst than the hail storm. At least then the thunder was not continuous. The cloud of locusts sounded like screeching jet engines that made his head throb. He heard roofs cave from the weight of locusts on top of them and heard screaming and desperate pleas coming from inside the homes. To see the judgment of God directly was not an easy thing.

How could he describe the sound of a million tiny yet powerful warriors? They worked in concert better than any army on earth. The ground seemed to groan from the weight of them on the earth. So many different bands: bright yellow mustard ones, intermingled with swift dark blue ones that preferred vines, long skinny green ones that clung to the imported trees, and the purple and black ones that devoured any green thing on the earth. The wheat fields that were over six feet were now filled from top to the bottom with dark blue, purple, and black soldiers.

It was very difficult for them to travel on the road because of the darken skies and the voluminous clamor that surrounded them. The air was even colder because the swarm had blocked out the sun. The insects made spectacular patterns in the sky: swirls, zigzags, spirals, and intricate circles.

Both young men took turns holding the reins because so much strength was required to control the frighten horse. Micah’s hands began to tremble but he kept trying to steady them. He did not like riding in a tunnel of locusts. They parted from them but just enough to make a tunnel around them. He kept praying and pleading for God’s mercy. So when both men saw a light at the end of the buzzing tunnel they began to rejoice. It was Goshen, at first they saw glimpse of blue sky with a small white puffy cloud. Furry began to gallop; the large horse also knew that the frightful journey would soon end. As they drew closer they could see grass and large trees a hundred feet away. When they finally crossed over they sang praises to God: Let the Lord be magnified! His will be done, Thank God for his mercies.

“Micah!! Micah and Azariah are here!” Nathan shouted from a high tree limb. He had been waiting all afternoon in the tall cedar for his brother. He saw the women of the village along with all of the children run to greet them.

“We are sound, we are safe. Mama I am okay,” Micah would not be able to detach his mother from for at least another half hour. So much to tell, stories of locust tunnels, patterns in the sky, and everything being devoured. Nathan desperately tried to imagine it; his brother did say it was worse than the hail storm so did Azariah. Thoughts of the mighty army filled his mind and what about the fields? He could not help think that they were supposed to harvest today, would anything be left?

Chapter 13

Nathan’s Journey into Egypt

A few nights later Nathan looked into the window that was in his room. He wondered what the land of Egypt must looked like. Goshen was green and fertile, yet he heard that the promise land was far more beautiful. He tried sleeping but his mind was whirling with thoughts he then looked at his brother, “Micah, Micah.” “What, rabbit?”“Do you think, I mean nothing is left, do you think they will let us go now?”“It is in God’s hands, pharaoh is a fool.” The rabbit could not sleep he just looked at the dark walls of his room. Surely he would let Israel go now, Egypt is a wasteland. “What are you going to do when we go to the promise land, I am thinking about raising horses, Levi plans to raise cattle, and…”“I intend to have an undisturbed sleep!”

Nathan then turned to his side and placed the cover over his head and dreamed of the land of milk and honey and how wonderful it would be to be free.

A few days later he was riding his horse, Thunder, near his favorite spot and he saw two tall men in long flowing robes. He then felt a western wind that began to gust over the land. He stood and watched as the locusts moved towards the red sea. He watched the strong army retreat from the land and was stunned by scene on the other side of the river. A barren wasteland that had been stripped of all its glory; no trees were left, no reeds, longs grasses, flowers, vines, bushes it had all been removed. It was once an emerald isle it was now desolate. He knew that there would be no work at the field but he thought to himself, I must see.

He turned his horse to the direction of the field that he hated so much and galloped towards it. Once out of Goshen he saw nothing but brown earth that was now being whipped upwards by the wind. Some homes were collapsed and he saw some Egyptians surveying the damage they looked at him as if they saw a ghost. He continued on until he saw the field. Nothing was left. It shocked him as he steady Thunder to see the mill house surrounded by dark earth only. Just a few days ago the wheat was turning white and nearly ready for harvest. “You did it!!” Several rocks were now being pitched at him by Ramses and his mother. He then saw Ramses older brothers come out of the gate and they were running towards him. “Come on Thunder lets get out of here!” One of Ramses brothers climbed unto a very skinny horse and galloped towards Nathan. He continued to chase him unto the border of Goshen. He would have overtaken him but the old horse was too weak from not having any food. He jumped off the horse and began to curse Nathan by his Egyptian gods and swore that he would tear him to pieces the next time he saw him. He did not know that he would never see the Rabbit again for the rest of his life. Nathan did not know that that would be the last time he would see Ramses brother and that everything would soon change again.

When he got back home his parents were at a village meeting and only his brother was at home. “You went to go see it, didn’t you,” Nathan said nothing and only walked his horse to a tying post. “I could tell our parents but I figure holding this over you has other advantages,” Nathan just looked at his brother and thought within himself, what type of people are in my family. Micah just walked back into the house. Those advantages included being Micah’s personal servant for nearly a month.

During this time many of the Israelites had no work to do. There was no straw to make bricks, there was no harvest to reap, no food to take to market, no plants to make dye from, and of course no money to be made from any of these industries. However Pharaoh had a plan, he had obtained seeds, seeds to refurbish the land, seeds for a new Egypt and he would use the slaves to build it. What he did not know was God’s plan, the plan he gave to Moses, darkness.

On that day Micah and his little brother were racing horses up and down the river bank when they saw two familiar men. Micah stopped his horse and began to point towards Nathan and then to Moses and Aaron. “What does it mean?” Nathan shouted. “Lets get home before the sun sets!” They both took off galloping towards their home.

What they did not know was that the Egyptians would have to endure three days and three nights of darkness. They only heard tales of Hebrews who tried to enter the land of Egypt the next morning but once they reached the border of Goshen they saw a peculiar darkness that could not be crossed into. Even though the sun shined brightly in Goshen there was no light on the side of Egypt. It sent terror through the workers’ spines and horses refused to walk into it. They did not know that their captors were now being held captive in a prison of darkness. Though their eyes were made useless their ears were made keener. They could hear thousands of bugs creeping near by, snakes that crawled on the ground and the sound of glass breaking everywhere. This plague turned the mind of many Egyptians so that they were no longer the same and would feared darkness for the rest of their lives. When it ended some of the Israelites journeyed back into Egypt to work and discovered many of the Egyptians were not quite right, at least that was the way Nathan’s father described them. When Nathan walked to the field with the rest of his friends he began to regret what he had done a

month earlier. When he saw the owner of the field he began to feel his stomach tie into knots. Then he saw the man bend down onto his hands and knees and he then began to crawl towards them and started to bark. Nathan stood still in complete disbelief at what he was seeing he then saw the owner’s daughter rush towards her father with a few other men and told them there would be no more work at the field. Nathan walked home with the rest of his friends perplexed by what they saw. In fact it was the first time all of them said nothing on the way home.

Nathan had never had such an extended vacation. He could sleep all night without having to worry about being hit in the head during the day. His feet and his hands were no longer swollen from working hours in the field. Instead he was sent to have lessons by elders of the village. He was being taught about God’s word along with math, writing, and reading. Every other afternoon he was taught by his sister how to raise horses and on his other afternoons his brother was teaching him how to hunt and make a fire pit to smelt metal.

That month was wonderful and Nathan had never been so happy in his entire life. Then one morning before he went to morning lessons he heard his Aunt Mariah speaking to his mother.

“The master of the house kicked us all out. He said that if the conditions that Pharaoh had given Moses was not good enough that he did not want a Hebrew in his house!”

“What conditions, Mariah, what did pharaoh say?”

“I did not think they were so bad, he said we could go,”

“What?” Nathan leaned against the door and his brother Micah pressed his ear against it.

“He wanted us to leave the cattle,” she paused and Nathan saw his brother face twist a little with disgust and he then heard his aunt continued, “who cares about the cattle I just want to leave,”

“I care about the cattle!” his father shouted as he entered the room.

“Maxwell, I don’t…” before his wife could say anything else, “Look Moses is doing what God is telling him and how are we suppose to live without our livestock! So the great Pharaoh wants to negotiate with God!”“Keep it down,” his wife begged.

“I will not keep it down, that man and his father, and his father’s father enslaved us, stole from us and did everything in their power to destroy us off the face of the earth. Now they are being punished and they want to negotiate, give conditions!”

Their aunt left the house shocked by Maxwell’s outburst but his sons had never been more proud. Nathan repeated what his father said to his friends and they all wore it like a badge of honor.

Later on that day his Uncle Hezekiah came and confirmed everything his Aunt Mariah had said earlier but then he followed it with even greater news, “Tonight everyone must go to the meeting spot. A message from Yaweh will be livestock! So the great Pharaoh wants to negotiate with God!”

given.” Nathan just stood still and turned his head towards his uncle. The God of heaven has a message for us?

Chapter 15

Lintels and Door Posts

Nathan’s hair began to feel like it was standing upright on his neck. He picked up the large bucket full of lamb’s blood. This was the blood that would protect them from the destroyer that would be coming. He could not waste a drop, he thought to himself. His mother had gotten large bunches of hyssop and tied them together. She was waiting at the doorpost. The well seasoned lamb had been roasted outside and his father along with Micah had placed it indoors. His sister and mother had picked the best bitter herbs and cooked them to perfection.

His job was to help with the unleavened bread; he grounded the salt, collected honey, and went with his mother to get the best olive oil they could find. Now in his trembling hands was the precious blood. His brother placed his hand on his shoulder and then took the bucket from him. Nathan had a mixture of relief and sadness; he did not want to be the one to waste it but he did like holding the bucket. His father was now ready and took the hyssop and began to paint the lintel and door posts. Some families prayed as this began, others sang songs, it was a time of sober reflection and the tension could be felt in the entire land of Goshen.His father placed a generous amount of blood on the lintel and the door posts were now dripping with blood. They all went inside to begin their first Passover service. It was a delicious meal but Nathan’s mind really was not on the food. He kept thinking about what was said during the meeting: all the firstborn dead, leaving Egypt, the destroyer, and how they had to be ready. He forced himself to eat, no telling; he thought to himself, I may need my strength. They would not change into sleeping clothes but wore their regular raiment to bed. Each bed was surrounded by sacks that would be carried on their backs the next day. Each house that night in Goshen was still, quiet and no one left their dwelling place that entire night.

It was quite different in Egypt for a peculiar cry rang through the night after midnight. God rewarded them for killing many of his first born by killing all of theirs. The land of Egypt had now become a kingdom of graves. From the death of Ramses’s parents to Omecti’s son and so many others. Each house had great sorrow and pain because each shared in the plague. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and was willing to free the children of Israel.

Chapter 16

The Exodus

“Get up, get up!!” “What happened, where am I?”“It’s time to go Rabbit, we are leaving Egypt now, right now!” Micah was now quickly putting on his sandals and grabbing a staff. Micah then threw his little brother’s shoes toward Nathan and started to place multiple sacks on his back. It felt like a dream. He wasn’t really putting on shoes and carrying what he owned on his back. He was supposed to be working in a field or being beaten to a pulp by a band of Egyptian teenagers. There would be no time to reminisce about his bedroom or the kitchen where they cooked forbidden quail nor could he linger outside and think about the how he used to get lessons in the den, instead he had to move for it was time. “It’s time! We must go now!” he heard his father shouting. We must go to the city of Ramses with the rest of Israel.” Fortunately they had packed their wagons that would be driven by Shadow, Fury, Blackfoot, Thunder, and Swift. Nathan would be in the wagon driven by his horse, Thunder.

The cold morning the air was crisp and the sky was a rainbow of gold, pink, yellows, and purple from a spectacular sunrise. Nathan looked back and saw the small hut shrink in the distance his mother then said, “Don’t look back, we can never look back.” She held the reins tightly as she steered Nathan’s horse to stay in line with the rest of the caravan. “Mama, what do you think will happen next? How long to the promise land?” the cold morning caused his breath to be misty and hang in the air. “I don’t know, I just know we are going to Ramses first and then Succoth.”

As they left Goshen for the very last time they were greeted by Egyptians. They were not interested in stopping the Israelites but every one of them was determined to help them on their way. If an Israelite was traveling on foot they gave them a wagon. They gave them anything to hasten their departure: gold, silver, iron, wood, and linen. Nathan only experienced kindness from one Egyptian in his entire life and that was from Teotan, Omecti’s uncle.

He also noticed Egyptians joining them at the reward and among them he noticed the plump Egyptian woman that had came to the mill house the day before the hailstorm and he saw Teotan in a wagon right next to her. Strange, he thought but it really wasn’t. They and thousands of others in a mix multitude knew that idols could not save them and the God of heaven was the true God. Why should they stay and serve lifeless gods in a dead kingdom.

As they left Succoth he heard his grandfather began to sing, “I’m going to Zion, I’m going to Zion,” his deep base voice rolled through the air and he heard his brother Micah answer back, “To see a city built by God, to see a city built by God.”

“I’m going to Zion”

“To see a city built by God”

He then heard his mother sing in a high soprano, “where there will be no sorrow or pain,” his sister Hannah replied, “I thank God for the day when he took the yolk away, when he took the yolk away,”

“I’m going to Zion,”

“To see a city built by God,”

It was just like the field but even better his entire tribe was now in the act and he decided to join them, what else were Levites suppose to do.

The entire caravan continued to sing as they entered Etham on the edge of the wilderness. There he saw a great light, a pillar that seemed to stretch all the way to heaven. It was bright and white. He then heard his grandfather say that God sent it to guide them on the way to the promise land. This only made his tribe sing louder as they encamped near the wilderness.

He had never been so happy to build a tent or carry fire wood his entire life. As the night approached he saw the swirling cloud of white and bright light change to fire. It lit the entire night sky. Swirling tongues of orange stretched from the earth to the heavens in the shape of a pillar. He watched it during dinner and throughout the night. God was with them and he would not leave. Even though the thought of column of fire made him a little nervous he was glad that his creator was with them during this journey.

That night he slept a sound sleep without fear of being sent to the brickyard or having to face the evil Egyptian sun, instead it was quiet rest that he had never had before.