Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Lock and Key (08/21/14)
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TITLE: The Face Of Mercy | Previous Challenge Entry
By Rachel Barrett
08/28/14 -
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Quiet footsteps ticked on pebbles outside. Then the door swung back. Aliyah pulled herself tighter into the corner, hands over her face.
The feet approached, and she heard someone's startled intake of breath. Then Levi's arms surrounded her. “What happened?”
Slowly Aliyah lifted her face to him. Blood had crusted around her nose, and her left eye was puffed shut.
Levi cursed in anger. “Jakob will kill you unless he is stopped!” Gently he drew her to her knees. “I'm taking you away from here.”
Relief melted Aliyah into his comforting embrace. But fear and desperation had locked her in her own private hell, and she saw no way out. “Levi—he'll come after us—he'll—”
A crash cut her off as the door burst open upon them. Aliyah cowered, hiding her face in Levi's chest as Jakob, chief scribe of the village, and more importantly, her husband, glared down at them. His fellow scribes gathered in a knot behind him.
“Get away from her!” he spat at Levi, reaching for Aliyah. Levi intercepted him, standing over her protectively.
Wrath blackened Jakob's face. “I'll teach you to meddle with my wife!” he snarled, and struck out with his huge fist. The sodden blow sent Levi tumbling into a heap. Aliyah screamed as he rolled over and lay unmoving. Then Jakob's hand closed on her arm, yanking her up.
Vainly she resisted. “Jakob—please—”
“Silence!” His anger slapped terror into her like a clout from his hand. He strode out the door, towing her behind him.
Only his iron grip kept her on her feet, stumbling, staggering, half dragged behind him as the other scribes followed them through the narrow streets. Dust spattered out from sharp footsteps.
Abruptly Jakob stopped, releasing her arm. Blinded by terror, Aliyah reeled away from him and collapsed in the dirt, sobbing, wondering when the blows would fall.
Strident words pierced the fog in her mind. On the ground, she looked up. Through tear-blurred vision she saw the temple steps before her, and men's feet circling around. The crowd seemed to be waiting for someone. Then another set of footsteps moved through the group, halting in front of Aliyah. She cringed.
Jakob's voice rang out, loud and vindictive. “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.”
Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd, stabbing shame into Aliyah's heart.
Jakob continued. “You know that Moses commanded us to stone such women! What do you say?”
The courtyard became quiet. Aliyah heard the rustle of homespun robes as the man standing over her bent down. He must be looking for a rock. She choked on a sob and waited in agony.
Nothing happened. The crowd shifted, and whispers carried to her.
“What is he doing?”
Shivering, Aliyah lifted her head. The man was down on one knee, not even looking at her, running his finger through the dust. He was...writing?
Impatient muttering increased. “Teacher, what is your answer?” Jakob maintained. “Will you observe the Law? Shall this adulterous wretch receive her punishment?”
The man rose and looked at Jakob. Aliyah lay between them, her heart thundering, listening for her sentence.
“Is there one among you without sin?” His voice cracked like a whip. “Let him be the first to cast a stone!”
This time no one murmured. In the dead silence, the man knelt again, writing in the dust with his finger.
Aliyah felt Jakob hovering over her, watching. Then his sandals slapped the ground as he wheeled and left the courtyard. Two men at the crowd's fringe turned and walked away. Someone else followed. Wild confusion held Aliyah still.
When she raised her head again, she saw no one except the man Jakob called “Teacher”.
She shrank away when he reached for her. As his gentle hands helped her to her knees, she hid her face from him.
“Aliyah, look at me.”
How did he know her name? Quaking, she met his gaze.
“Where are your accusers?”
Sparrows flitted through the empty courtyard.
“Has no one condemned you?”
She forced her trembling lips to move. “No one, sir.”
“Then neither do I condemn you,” he said. “Go now, and sin no more.”
Aliyah stared up at him. “Who are you?”
His piercing eyes held a world's weight of compassion. “I am the Key.”
Footnote: taken from John 8:1-11, NIV.
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Great job your retelling this well known passage.
God bless~
Loved you title as Jesus is the Face of Mercy.
You tied it in to the topic with your fabulous answer.
I imagine this woman had great love for Jesus.