Of Such Is The Kingdom, A Novel of...

”As a matter of fact, the whole family was awake.  But it was the lady of the house who opened the door to me and stood looking down at me inquiringly.  ‘Yes?’  I knew what she must have been thinking.  What could a small boy like me be wanting at this time of night?  I was almost too scared to speak.  But I knew I must.

”‘Have you any little boys two years old or younger?’ I ventured.

”‘Why, yes,’ she replied, somewhat surprised, ‘one.  Who wants to know?’

”‘I do,’ I said.  ‘I have some urgent news for you. May I come in?’

”‘Well, I guess so.’”  Manaheem slowly sipped his wine, and then continued:

”Such a filthy looking place I have never seen.  There were scrolls and articles of clothing strewn all over the place.  To the right of the door where I came in, sat her husband in tattered garb.  The children looked worse.  They were roaming wildly through the house, except for one, who sat on his father’s knee.  The father was reading to the boy, who listened intently.  But as soon as my presence was noticed, the reading stopped and both father and son looked up inquisitively.  The other children kept on with their play and chatter.  The mother spoke first, raising her voice so as to be heard by all.  ‘Uh – this young man says he has something important to tell us.’

”Now the other children stopped to listen as well.  All eyes were upon me. ‘Yes, I-uh-that is--'           Suddenly I found I didn’t know what to say or how to say it. But I knew it must be said. So I tried again.  ‘Uh–you are in danger– uh, your son is, that is–your son of under two years.’

”‘What?  What’s that about our little Joshua?’

”‘He is to be killed, along with all the others of his age group.  Every boy of two or under in this city is to be killed!’

”The man stood up and put his hands on his hips.  ‘Son, if this is your idea of a joke---’

”‘It’s no joke, sir,’ I managed.  ‘It’s deadly serious.’

”‘And how are they to be killed, and by whom?  And how come you to know such noisome news?’

”I found myself becoming bolder with every minute.  ‘They’re to be killed by Herod’s army by direct order from Herod himself.  As to how I know, let’s just say I have some inside information from the palace.  You must believe me!  You must!  There’s not much time.  You must flee the city at once! I must warn others also. I must warn as many as I can.’

”‘He seems to believe what he says,’ said the woman, walking closer to her husband.  ‘Perhaps it is so.’

”‘Can’t you see he’s deluded?’ the man asserted.  ‘The boy is mad!’

”‘Be that as it may, if there’s a chance that what he says is true---’

”‘How could it be?  Yes, Herod is a bloody tyrant, but he has never done anything without some sort of reason.  What possible reason could he have for killing all the boy babies of Bethlehem?’

”Now it was my turn.  ‘Herod feels certain that in so doing, he will have killed a king whose coming was revealed to him by certain wise men from the east who saw the new king’s star and followed it to Jerusalem.  He’s certain it is the Messiah king who is to come out of Bethlehem as foretold by the prophets.  The star first appeared about two years ago, so…’

”‘Ha!’ he interrupted.  ‘Now I know he’s mad!  Wise men from the east, following a star!  Who could believe a tale like that?’

”The woman looked her husband in the eye.  ‘I could. I don’t know why, but I sense there is truth in what he says. Oh, Ezra, Ezra!  We must flee!’

”‘What?  And leave our happy home here?  Leave my business?  Leave what I’ve worked for all my life, for a silly child’s tale?’

”‘For my baby, Joshua!’  She walked over to the youngest boy and put her arm around him, drawing him close to her. ‘My baby, my baby!’

”‘He’s just as much mine as he is yours.’

”‘Then why don’t you want to flee?’

”‘Because I don’t believe this fair-haired dreamer of a youth!’

”‘But, if there’s a chance that what he says might be true--.  My baby, oh my dear baby!’

”I was standing close to him and he grabbed me by the tunic and held me as tightly as he could.  ‘Look me in the eye, son.’  I did.  ‘Son, are you lying to us?’

”‘Oh, no, sir!  It’s true, every bit of it, I swear!’

”‘And how did you find all of this out?’

”‘Good God!’  I exploded, wrenching myself loose from his grip.  ‘Do I have to spell everything out for you?  Herod’s my father.  I heard it all with my own ears. I stole one of the horses from the royal stable and rode all the way here so I could warn people like you.  And then, you won’t believe me! What must I do to make you believe me?’

”‘You see, dear,’ said the woman, walking back toward her husband.  ‘It is true!’

”‘Alright!  We’ll leave as soon as we can get packed.’”

By now the wine was quite low in the pitcher, and Herod and Manaheem sat slowing sipping from half-filled glasses.  “Wow!”  exclaimed Herod.  ”That was close. But at least you convinced them.”

”Yes, but they weren’t all convinced that easily.  Many of them were not convinced at all.  By the time the first rays of dawn broke, I felt I never wanted to see another human face again.  My feet were sore from walking, and I was physically and mentally exhausted.  But I knew I must continue until the last family had been warned.  As I approached the next house, the sound of marching feet greeted my ears.  I knew there wasn’t much time left now, so I beat wildly on the door.  Why didn’t it open?  Why?  And then, suddenly, it did, and I was standing in the presence of another one of those pretty young faces that had greeted me so often that night.  I didn’t need to ask her my opening question, for she carried her young son with her in her arms.  He was such a cute baby, but there was no time for admiration now.  I warned her with the fastest possible speed and greatest possible tact; though I fear I was much lacking in the latter.  She doubted, as had many, but invited me in for further explanation. I explained as best I could, pleading with her to flee, as I had done with so many others.  Finally, she decided that I was right, and, grabbing her bags, began packing madly.  The baby was crawling joyfully about; not suspecting what might be his fate.  And then came the fatal knock.  She straightened, petrified with fright.  ‘It’s them!’ she exclaimed, ‘and I forgot to bolt the door!’  In my own anxiety, I too had failed to think about the door.  In they marched, that horrid hoard of armor, with Malichus at their head. I cringed.”

”Did they recognize you?” asked Herod.

”If they did, they didn’t show it.  Malichus looked straight at the woman.  ‘Madam,’ he said gruffly, ‘I’m sorry to inform you that Herod has ordered us to kill all boy babies in this city of two and under.’

”‘Aha!’ cried one of the soldiers, spotting the child.  ‘There’s one of the little rascals now. I know he’s not yet two.’

”‘Grab him, Cassias!’ and he did.

”The woman ran over to the soldier and began pulling at him.  ‘You leave my baby alone! He’s my baby, do y’ hear me?  My baby!’

Malichus walked calmly up to the woman and grabbed her wrists.  “yes, we know, lady.  You got any more of two or under?’

”‘No, no!  Just my Jonathan.  He’s the only one I have.  My poor,  poor Jonathan!  My baby!’

”‘Well, we’ll see about that!  Marcus, search the house!’  And the big soldier disappeared behind an open door.

”‘Shall we wait for him, boss, or shall we go ahead?’

”By this time, the woman had managed to struggle free of Malichus’ grasp and started pulling at him.  ‘Go ahead and what, you beast?!  Offhand that child!  He’s mine, do y’ hear me?  He’s my baby!  An’ we’re good upstandin’ citizens.  Why should you want my baby?’

”He shook himself free of her.  ‘I’m sorry, lady, but orders is orders.  They can’t be changed just for you. Herod said all boy babies two and under and that includes him.’

”‘But you can’t, you can’t!’ she screamed, pulling at him, ‘I won’t let you kill my baby!’

”‘Oh yeah?  Listen, lady, don’t make it any harder on us than it is already.  Personally, we’d rather not kill your baby.  But, you know what happens to us if we disobey an order from Herod, don’t you?  We get killed, that’s what.  An’ it’s no quick an’ easy death either.  It’s torture – slow torture. So, it’s either your baby or us lady, and I think you know which it is that we favor.’

”‘So you must kill my baby – my little Jonathan – and all because of one man’s whim?  What is this world coming to, when one man can do so much against so many?  I hate that tyrant, Herod, and all of you, his dupes too!  I’ll hate you all until I die!’

”The big soldier returned to the room.  ‘That’s it, boss. I searched every space in this shack and found no one.’

”‘Thank you, Marcus.’

”‘Ah!’ cried another soldier, ‘then we can proceed!’

Malichus smiled a cynical smile.  ”‘You seem a bit anxious, Anthony.”

”‘And so I am–anxious to get this blood business over with.’

”‘Then,’ boomed out Malichus’s voice, ‘swing your sword and have done with it.’

”‘My baby, my baby!  You can’t kill my baby!  I won’t let you!  Do you hear me?  I won’t let you. He’s mine and nobody is going to take him from me!’  The mother, mad with fright and feeling for her child’ was pulling wildly on the arms of the soldier who was holding her baby.

”‘You’ll have to stand back, lady!’

”‘Stand back nothin’!  He’s my baby, and I’m not gonna’ stand by and see him butchered!  My baby!  My dear sweet baby!  Let him go!  Let him go!’

”‘Lady, if you don’t get away from here, I’m going to have to---’

”‘You can’t make me move!  I shall never move!’

”‘Ah, but you shall!’  And the sharp edge of the soldier’s sword fell across the woman’s wrist.  Quickly, so quickly, her hand was severed and went sailing to the floor.  And quickly she moved back, overcome with pain.  And quickly the sharp blade reached and struck again with another well-aimed swoop.  Soon, amid the spurts of blood, the child’s head rolled and reached the floor to join the hand in pools of blood.  Their job finished for the moment, the soldiers soon withdrew.  The killer put his bloody sword back into its sheath.  It would be stained by innocent blood many times over before the day was done.”