by Summer Lee
There was something different about Aharon’s attitude now. Sam thought he was being played, and he wanted to make sure that Aharon didn’t walk away with a miracle fleece.
“It’s got to be here!” Aharon said with vigor. “I know it is!” He was examining the back and front of each fleece, then throwing the ones he already looked at, on the ground behind him.
Sam realized that reasoning or even talking with the old man would be a complete waste of time. He had to think of something else. Until that time, he decided to look through the fleeces that Aharon already looked through. Maybe there was something the Antiquarian missed, if there was anything at all.
While Sam looked over the sheep skins, he kept an eye on Aharon and distracted him with conversation. “So, Aharon. What happens when you find the fleece you’re looking for? Can we all go home then?”
The old man stopped and looked at Sam. “Sure, Sam. Let’s all go home. Or better yet, maybe we can all go get some ice cream!”
“Okay now, that’s just uncalled for!” Sam was tired of people thinking that he didn’t need to know what was going on. “I’m smarter than I probably look and I’m sick and tired of getting thrown to the side, while everyone else schemes around me! I don’t care what you want the fleece for. There is a lot of wool here, and if I’m going to help you, I need to know what the heck I’m looking for on the fleece!”
Aharon went back to sorting through the endless amount of sheep skins, throwing aside the unattached wool. “You’ll know when you find it, Sam. You’ll know when you find it.”
Sam threw his hands up in the air. “Great! I give up! Fine! I’ll help you look through all of these fleeces and hope that somehow a light will come on when I find the right one! Thanks, Aharon.”
“You’re getting impatient, Sam.”
“No, really.” He sighed and continued to search through the fleeces. If he never saw another fleece in his lifetime, it would be too soon.
Too many questions kept cycling through Sam’s mind. Why was that cavern there? Was there another purpose for it? Why were there all of those sheepskins just apparently dumped there for no reason? Would Achava be able to defeat her sister? Is that the sister he wants to win? Why is Aharon so obsessed with finding a particular fleece, if it has no purpose? He had become paranoid, since they all thought that it was better if he didn’t know enough to even be on the mission, let alone complete it.
Still he searched.
He missed the days of being Professor Salinger’s protégé. He missed the days, when the most exciting thing that happened to him, was that he won $20 on a lottery ticket, or didn’t need his inhaler. He also wondered why he hadn’t used his inhaler as much as he used to. If anything, he thought he would need it more, with all of the trips they took to dry, dusty areas.
It got to the point where Aharon watched Sam looking through his rejects, so the old man threw the fleeces directly at Sam. “Thanks, Aharon. Glad I could help.”
Aharon had a fleece in his hand, as he turned to face Sam. “I’m just trying to make it easy for you, since you’ve been nice enough to help out.” He grinned, and at that second, Sam noticed something about the fleece in the old man’s hands.
Sam squinted, staring at the fleece and saw there was a symbol embedded on the inside of it. He couldn’t see exactly what it was, because Aharon was moving around too much. He noticed that the old man looked at that fleece on both sides, but did not see the symbol. He acted like it was just another plain fleece.
He threw it to Sam and continued on his search.
Sam stood in shock as he held onto the one fleece that just might be the one that Aharon was going crazy about. The first thing he noticed was that it was lamb’s wool—not the skin of an old ewe. The question on Sam’s mind, was why didn’t Aharon jump up and down in triumph, instead of just throwing it to Sam, like there was nothing to that particular skin.
Sam looked carefully at the fleece he had in his hands. He had the wool side toward him, which was so soft and white. He was almost afraid to turn it over and see the underside. Maybe he was wrong. It could have been a trick of the light. He gulped, as he slowly turned the fleece over. He sighed, as he realized it was not a trick of the light, and he was not wrong. That fleece had something apparently burned into it, like it was branded. It was hard to see at first, until he tilted the fleece toward the light of one of the torches on the wall. Hidden deep in the fabric was something like a treasure map. On top was a symbol or a picture. As he straightened it out, he saw that it was a picture of a cross with a crown of some sort around it.
A crown of thorns. Like Jesus wore.
He gasped and wondered again, why didn’t Aharon see anything? He didn’t want to give any secrets away, but he had to know. He held up the fleece casually and said, “Hey Aharon!” The old man slowly turned toward Sam. “I think you missed one!” Sam made sure to hold the fleece up, with the symbol pointed at Aharon, so he could see it.
Aharon looked at it from where he was. “No. Nothing special.” He then continued searching through the pillage.
Nothing special? Sam looked closely at the apparent crown of thorns draped on a cross. The carvings were obviously burned into the underside of the lamb skin. He even ran his fingers over the symbol. He could feel every raised line. It was not his imagination. He wondered if he had found the fleece that Aharon and Anthea came to get. He stood there, with his mouth open, wondering whether he should tell anyone or not.
Then he saw Aharon stop and stand up straight with his back, still to Sam. “Sam,” said Aharon, calmly. “With all of the sheepskin I’ve been throwing back to you, why would that particular one be of most interest?”
Suddenly, they were distracted. There was a cavern wide rumbling heard and felt by both men. They both looked around and saw several of the rock pillars around them being destroyed. Anthea was doing her best to destroy the last remaining three pillars, but there was one more important fact. Achava was nowhere to be seen.
Aharon jumped down to where Sam was and looked at the fleece he held. “Do you see something on that fleece, Sam?”
Sam didn’t know how to respond, especially since the ceiling was slowly caving in and Achava was missing. “Uh...” was all he could muster.
“What do you see, son?” Aharon asked, as he narrowed his eyes at the fleece.
Sam took a deep breath. “What is it that you are really looking for, Aharon?”
Aharon had a wicked grin. “It’s an emblem of the Crown of Christ that you see. Isn’t it?”
“Almost.” Sam’s eyes widened, involuntarily, which showed the old man everything he needed to know.
“Hah! You found it boy!” Aharon laughed, as he threw his head back. “Ha ha.” He then grabbed the fleece from Sam and pushed him to the floor. He was surprisingly strong for a man his age.
“If I am the only one who can see the symbol, then you need me!” Sam blurted out, struggling to get up.
“No, son,” Aharon added. “I just need someone like you.” He then rushed passed Sam, hugging the wall, as he made his way to the opened doorway.
Sam got up, as larger rocks started to fall around the area. There were giant cracks in the places in the wall that hadn’t already come down. He rushed toward Aharon, as Anthea grabbed him and stopped him.
***
Achava had a gift that she rarely needed to use. She could create beautiful things. This was something that wicked people can’t stand.
The look of horror on Anthea’s face was unmistakable. “You... you’re a Creator? But that’s impossible! Creators are born that way!”
“A Creator, yes,” Achava responded. “Obviously. Not the Creator, but I think you already know the difference. The Creators are able to activate new abilities as needed. I have to correct you though, Anthea. They are not born that way. Again, that is something that you would have known, had you kept up with training.”
“What else have you created?” Anthea asked, sarcastically.
/> “I am working on one other thing, but the Breath Gate is all I have for now,” Achava replied. “I would have been more than happy to teach you, under different circumstances. I cannot, with a clear conscious, teach you anything for fear that it will be used for ill-gotten gains.”
“Just shut up. I’m tired of your holier-than-thou attitude, sis.” Anthea struck her sister with a one-two combination punch to the gut. It still had no effect. “The thing about Breath Gates, that I do know, is that there is a spot on the body that releases it. All I have to do is punch you long enough...” She continued her assault, hitting Achava on every part of her body that she could. The problem was that after a few punches, Achava managed to block every single potential hit, before it connected.
It was a blur of motion to anyone who may have been watching. With every attempt by Anthea to take her down, Achava biff attacked. She glanced over at Sam and Aharon and heard them arguing about something, which was probably why they couldn’t hear the sisters.
Achava countered with her hands. Achava moved smoothly and effortlessly with each counter. Anthea’s frustration caused her to make some aggressive mistakes, which allowed her sister to occasionally strike her in the jaw or abdomen. Achava had every advantage, while Anthea’s rage increased.
“Enough!” Anthea yelled. “I cannot beat you this way. It’s obvious that I was lucky before. I can’t beat you... ever again. I surrender.” She dropped to her knees and lowered her head. Achava heard her sister sobbing and was more than surprised.
Anthea had been a lot of things, but a crier wasn’t one of them. Achava never saw her sister weep before. So this was quite weird. She did realize that she still had to have her guard up... just in case.
Achava approached her sister, carefully and slowly from the front. She remained standing, as she stroked Anthea’s hair for comfort. “We do not have to be enemies, Anthea. My heart cries for you and has always cried for you. I wish I had the answer as to why you chose the path you did, but I cannot judge you.”
“You’ve already passed judgment on me,” Anthea said, over her own sobs. “I have always lived in your shadow. Why do you think I have done what I did? When I was younger, it was a cry for attention. After I started to age, it just felt... right. If you had never been born, I might have been alright.”
“In spite of everything that has happened between us, that is still a horrible thing to say,” Achava said, repulsed by the statement.
Anthea raised her head to look Achava in the eyes. Tears flowed easily for the first for time for the hardened girl. “It may be a horrible thing to say in your eyes, but I speak something that you avoid! The truth! You toy with Sam’s emotions, only because you cannot deal with your own. Achava the strong! Achava the favored! I never had a chance!”
“You always had a chance!” said Achava, exclaiming adamantly. “What you see in me comes from my spiritual connections. It is the power of God the Father! He has given us all a choice! If we choose to have our sins removed by the blood of Christ, God embraces us. If not—it is not good.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You chose to relish in the evil of this world! Do not blame me for your decisions! You made that decision! You must live with your decisions and not push the responsibility off on someone who had no control of how your life turned out!” Achava had finally expelled everything she wanted to say to her sister for a long time. Although she felt uncomfortable saying what she did, she felt relieved for having said it. “Whether I was here or not, you would be nothing but an evil presence and a hindrance toward mankind!”
Anthea smiled, as she wiped the tears from her face. She then struggled to stand. Standing directly in front of Achava, she said, “There. That is what I needed to hear. I knew it all along, but to hear it, is something different altogether.”
Achava regretted everything she had just told her sister. There was nothing she could do, but damage control. “I do not hate you, Anthea. I...” Her thoughts went blank, as she realized the damage was already done.
Anthea laughed. And then punched the side wall. Large pieces of the pillar flew off with each hit. Anthea appeared impressed with her own progress.
“I never claimed to be perfect or better than you,” said Achava, pushing her hair out of her face.
Anthea placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Telling the truth sometimes hurts worse than the lie, Achava. But the truth must be told, as you have done so here today. I am more than grateful for your honesty, but am not afraid to tell you that I despise you. I don’t despise you for being honest. It was a long time coming. I don’t despise you for being who you are. Unlike you, I don’t hate, because of the decisions a person has made within the confines of their own life. I don’t hate you, because you are favored in God’s eyes. I hate you, because until now, you have never been able to tell me exactly what you think about me.”
Achava’s tears were now running down her cheeks. “I just told you that I am not a model of perfection, Anthea! I am imperfect as long as I am in this flesh! Yes, it is wrong the way I feel about you, but you wanted me to be honest. I was. I hate myself for these feelings, that I harbor for you and do not want to ask God for forgiveness, until I am able to come to terms with it on my own. I do not deserve forgiveness for the way I have treated you. I do not deserve forgiveness for almost killing you underneath Solomon’s Temple. I have to live with that decision!”
Anthea’s eyes narrowed with disgust. “Poor baby. I feel so sorry for you, that you have to suffer in silence, while I was buried and within an inch of my life being snuffed out! I crawled out of every opening I could to get out! Do you know how long it took me to dig myself out of the rubble? Do you, Achava? Do you even care how long it took? It took me twenty-two days to find my way to daylight! Twenty-two days! Do you think that doesn’t leave a mark on someone doing that? It does leave a mark, Achava! I now panic whenever I am confronted with a tight space! Going down that hole to get here, was terrorizing for me! Do you care? No! All you are concerned with, is the pity you feel and how hurt you are, for pushing me into the darkness! Well, guess what Achava? I found my way out of the darkness! If you would have been thrown into the darkness like I was, could you come through as I have? Could you climb out of the darkness, Achava?”
***
“What are you doing, Anthea?” Sam yelled. “Did you see where Aharon went?”
“I don’t care where he goes.”
“He’s getting away with the fleece! Your precious fleece!”
“Nice try, Sam.” Anthea was abnormally calm considering the ceiling was breaking apart and falling in large chunks all around them. What is it about Aharon that fascinates you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I was helping Aharon. I knew you’d find it, so I included you in the hunt. Good job.” She grabbed his hand and guided him through and around the falling rubble.
Her reflexes were amazing, as she seemed to have a sixth sense as to where the next large block would fall. She avoided every one, while dragging him along behind her. They managed to make it into the other cavern which had a river running through it, right as the rest of the ceiling collapsed behind them. The previous cavern was now completely destroyed.
However, the rumbling through the cavern walls continued.
Anthea looked almost panicky, as she looked at the cracks forming in the ceiling of the smaller cavern they were in. “We don’t have long, Sam. We...”
“Where’s Achava?” he interrupted.
“I don’t know. We don’t have time to look for her now, Sam!”
“Where’s Achava?” he repeated, making it apparent that he was not going anywhere, until he got his answer. “I have a feeling that you need me, or you wouldn’t have saved my life back there. So, answer me. Where’s Achava?”
“Maybe, I just like you,” she replied, in desperation. “Alright. Fine. Achava has more lives than anyone I’ve ever met. More resilience too. I assume that she’s alive.”
“You assume?” Sam asked, in anger.
“I know she’s alive,” she responded, while looking at the river. She pointed to a trail made in the sand, from the doorway to the river. “That’s where she crawled. It looks like a crawling mark. Right?” She was noticeably nervous.
Sam eyed the mark. “It does look like someone crawled up to the river. Yes. What did you do to her, where she had to crawl?” Sam was losing his patience, along with his calmness.
She grabbed him by the shoulders and made direct eye contact. “You have to trust me. I could have left you to die back there. She is alive, but we have more important things to worry about. Aharon obviously has the fleece I came here to help him find. I overheard your conversation. It had the image of the Crown of Christ burned into it. Is that right?”
“Yes, it was hanging on a cross,” Sam answered, reluctantly. He was more concerned about Achava. “Aharon couldn’t see the symbol. For some reason I could.”
“I’ll tell you why.”
“Do you know?”
“Yes.” She rolled her eyes.
“So what is the great mystery?”
“Listen to me, Sam,” she continued. “This is really important. I probably wouldn’t be able to see it either, because only a person of new heart can see those kinds of markings.”
“Another thing, that I wasn’t privy to!” Sam said, feeling frustrated. “A new heart? I don’t have that.” He scratched his head.
“Do you believe in Jesus?”
“I want to.”
“You must be on the road to salvation of your soul. If you have faith now is all that counts.” Anthea looked around and inched closer to the river. “You must have faith, or you wouldn’t have seen anything. You know this is our only way out. Right?”
Sam nodded.
