Chapter
182
©
Jeannie St. John Taylor
“Well, . . .” Shem
adopted a thoughtful pose, a fish dangling from each hand. “Music comes from
our mouths and throats when we sing, so maybe the music
in his wings was something like the music that comes from our bodies.”
“You don’t know?”
“I’m speculating,”
Shem admitted sheepishly. “I only know for sure that Satan went astray because
he grew proud over his own splendor.” He opened a door. “Hang on for a second.”
He disappeared inside carrying the fish and she could hear seals barking. A
walrus whoofed.
They’d transferred
all animals to separate rooms earlier because Noah wanted the animals secure
when rising water began violently rocking the ark. Even the crocodiles had
their own space. Atarah didn’t understand the need to confine the animals so
far ahead of time, but she trusted that Noah and Shem knew the proper
procedures and she willingly followed instructions.
As soon as Shem
returned, Atarah picked up the thread of conversation. “How did Satan ‘go
astray?’”
“He tried to
dethrone the One True God and take his place. A third of all the angels in
heaven fought with him in a cosmic battle against God.” He continued lugging
fish from door to door and tossing them into rooms.
Heavy sadness settled over her. “God’s own
angels fought him? Betrayed the Creator who loved them? They hated him that
much?” she whispered huskily. “It must have broken his heart.”
“His heart is
broken now, too.” Shem stared pensively into space. “All the violence and
wickedness.”
She would tell
Mother all this. She had to make Mother see the truth about the One True God.
Holding a fish in the crook of her arm, she placed a palm on the white-washed
door and started to push.
“Yaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Shem yelled. “Don’t open that door!”
“What?”
“If you open that
door, you’ll have to eat your words about no enormous dangerous animals on the
ark.”
“What?” Her mind
was a blank.
“That’s the room I
told you about with the snakes that made Ham scream. They’re big enough to
swallow you alive.” Shem leveled an I’ve-been-proven-right look at her. “Please
note, they’re full grown.”
She yanked her
hand back as if it had been resting on a hot surface. A herd of full-grown
moose near enough to touch pounded past in the wooden corridor. The up-close
snorting and strong smell of the animals startled her. She pressed a hand
against her chest and counted. “One, two, three, four . . . seven adults.”
“Yes, adults.”
Shem grinned triumphantly.
“No. I meant why
seven?” She couldn’t tell if the snakes or the moose were making her heart
beat.
“Seven of each
clean animal, remember?” He grinned. “Theses guys meet the criteria since they
have hooves and chew the cud.”
“At least they’re not carnivorous.” She
regained her composure and chucked the last fish into a room.
“They won’t eat
you, but their hooves can leave a nasty bruise.” Seven turkeys gobbled by in a
loose clump. “Not to worry.” Shem straightened to his full height and squared
his shoulders. “Your great protector is here.”
“Not to worry.”
Atarah laughed. “I plan to eat them. Are we done with the feeding?”
“We
are.” He smiled down at her and grabbed the cart handle. “Time for dinner.”
“Shouldn’t
we haul a couple loads of water first? Those moose looked thirsty.”
“We’re
done hauling water. The Flood’s so close we have enough.”
Her mind spun and
emptied. “What?”
“We have enough
water. The ark launches in less than three days.”
“What!?”Atarah’s
legs threatened to buckle under her. She felt as if her bones had dissolved and
her body was collapsing in on itself. “No!” She started first left, then right,
then left again. Which way should she go? She couldn’t think. Mother!
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About Jeannie St. John Taylor
Jeannie St. John Taylor, best selling author and two-time Gold Medallion finalist, is the author of five non-fiction books as well as fifteen books for children. She writes and illustrates in the office-studio her husband built on their beef farm ten minutes from the skyscrapers in downtown Portland, Oregon. She and Ray have three grown children. Her books include: Culture-proof Kids, Building Character in Your Children, AMG Publishers, Am I Praying, Kregel and How to Be a Praying Mom, Hendrickson Publishers
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