Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: TOWER (01/16/20)
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TITLE: Amidst the Rubble | Previous Challenge Entry
By Karen Dick
01/22/20 -
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A knock on the wooden door startled me. I looked at my brothers, their wives, and children who sat on the floor while my elderly mother lay on a mat. Father guarded the door. I nodded and slowly he opened it. My youngest sister and her husband and children entered. Father bolted the door behind them.
Sister glared at me. “Why are we here?”
With a raised hand, I motioned for her to be silent.
“To spare your lives. Soon our city will be under attack.”
“How do you know this?”
I turned to the window.
“You have no answer. Did you receive money from strangers, once again attracted to your raven dark hair and voluptuous body?” she sneered.
“I will not have this talk!” Father’s deep voice seized our attention. “We will do as she says. If she is wrong we simply go back to our homes. But I for one have heard the sound of men marching. Have you not heard the horns blare?”
She swished past me in her long robe and leaned against the stone wall.
“If they attack,” asked my brother, “why will we be safe here? Shouldn’t we leave the city?”
“I was told to stay.” I stood in front of my family. “Strangers were here but I assisted them. Our lives will be saved if we stay in this tower of protection. We must trust them and trust their God.”
The footsteps were closing in. Outside I could see billows of dust around an army of marching men. Seven priests were in front and a box was carried by others behind them.
With shaking hands, I pulled on the scarlet cord once again. It would be our lifeline, our signal for survival. I took in a deep breath as I noticed the many soldiers guarding the city gate.
“Daughter, we have been here so many days.” Mother struggled to sit up and Father bent down to assist her.
A lump formed in my throat as I observed my family’s faces. “The time is close. For six days the men walked around the city and blew their horns. Today is the seventh day. We must be prepared.”
Father touched my shoulder and I looked into his dark, watery eyes.
“Dear Rahab, the men marching destroyed other cities. How do you know this God of theirs can be trusted? If we stay here we are doomed to die if they attack.”
“Father, their God rescued them. The strangers I met made a vow to save us. We must trust.”
At that moment, the trumpets blew loudly once again. This time however there was an enormous shout from the men, and with that was the sound of walls crumbling. The floor of my home shook and the walls swayed.
“Come here, family.” I motioned everyone to come to the center of the room.
Father helped mother up from the mat and joined my brothers, sisters, their husbands, wives, and children.
I wrapped my arms around my family as far as I could reach. Perspiration beaded on my forehead and my body shook as the house moved.
“Jehovah,” I prayed, “we trust you.”
Shouts and screams echoed outside our walls. Footsteps pounded behind the bolted door, and we clung to each other.
“God help us,” cried my father.
A knock sounded at the door. “Woman, we are here to help you as we promised.”
I ran to the door and lifted the bolt.
The men pushed passed me.
“We must leave now. Hurry.” They shouted.
We followed the men out of the house as we clung to one another. Dust and rubble were everywhere. My lungs ached as I struggled to breathe. Screaming and wailing surrounded us as soldiers waved their bloody swords, striking down the people of my city, Jericho.
Tears streamed down my face as I ran with my family from the chaos and violence. Once a safe distance from the crumbled city, I looked back. There was my home still standing. The protection God had provided. My strong tower and the scarlet lifeline.
Fiction - Joshua 2 & 6.
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