23b. Suicide Mountain
[Raini]
Obadiah settled next to Elder Jamin on the elder’s veranda. “My first impression of the goatskin boy and his brother was, “This kid is taller than Ahab.”
“And his brother was just as tall.” The elder slid a tray next to Obadiah of two cups of red wine and a plate of hot pitas.
iiA long peal of thunder reverberated from towers and stone walls, rattling Shechem’s foundations. In the courtyard below, Zak and the guards rested after the ride from Fort Jezreel and munched on food from Jamin’s servants. On the plaza, children stomped through puddles, giggling and splashing. Merchants stuffed cantaloupe into sacks, tied them to donkey packboards, and headed out the gate.
Elder Jamin BEAT. “You gave me a barley cake that day on Mount Carmel.”iii
“Those were good cakes. You told the goatskin boy I was the other side of a boulder from you, Elder. Next to our King. I enjoyed your pronouncement that the time was right.”iv
“So we both saw the Goatskin Kid up close.”
“He was taller than Ahab. Beautiful beard. No one seemed to know his real name, but he introduced himself to me as Elijah.
“Elijah.” Jamin BEAT. “Word gets around.”
“After he closed the sky, gossip at the fort had him as fierce—like a lion.” Obadiah BEAT. “But when he showed up in person, gentle as a kitten. And the way he called to the crowd made me want to sing.”
The elder fixed his eyes on Obadiah. “And then he killed the Moloch monsters.”
“Terrible sight. Everybody had their daggers out.”
“Beautiful sight. My old legs slowed me down, but when I caught up with the crowd, I slit as many Moloch throats as I could reach. I lost count.”
Obadiah pointed an arm toward the Great Sea. “Then a huge rain floated the bodies downstream.”
“If only the queen had brought her four hundred fifty that day, we could have killed them too.”
“I’ve often wondered how she knew to keep them out of reach.”
Elder Jamin BEAT. “A direct connection with Hell.”
Obadiah BEAT. “I came to thank you for recommending the Misliya cave by Megiddo.”
“You’re welcome, young man. It’s been several years since I last saw inside the Misliya. How many bubblers are you hiding there? I’d hate to be hiding with them.”
Fifty bubblers are hiding.
Ruthie insists no more than fifty in the Misliya cave. How many in our Qafzeh cave?”
The shoulder of his robe muffled her reply. “Twelve. A glorious team feeds them.”
“Thank the Lord. I couldn’t hide one bubbler until Yeskah and Ruthie stepped in.”
“Whenever we have a friend going to Megiddo or the Galilee, I send a little pile of your silver.” She glanced at the fort gate below. “The blacksmith’s wife is part of the team. Old friends with Yeskah. They keep their bubblers in pita and mutton. And squash.”
“Seems like it was only seven in that Galilee cave last week.”
“When you get back, it will be fifty.”
1. The cave
Obadiah visits Jamin in Shechem.
Where’s another cave did you say?
Obadiah wants to visit the Galilee to look at the caves.
Zak suggests, your face is known. Better to send someone else.
Seba had cousin/uncle/grandparents over there. {too convenient?} How about Jamin’s grandsons?
Name of the cave in the Galilee? Suicide Mountain.
2. The bubblers
How do they find you? [fearedix]
watch the bubblers arrive, Feel they are safe.
Can someone bring me a report?
Zak? Young guard?
Ruthie?
Yeskah?
Or the agent in Galilee?
Make the report from the caves give names of bubblers. Where they’re from. Family details. Who they got there. Who helped bring them in. Special talents, such as Mika’s singing. Lyre player. No drummer, sorry. Seamster. Cook. Podiatrist. Soccer?
Background
Shechem in the tribe of Ephraim – Joshua 21:20–21 [Yet, in Elijah’s novel, p. 172, Jamin says “tribe of Simeon.”]
Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another – Malachi 3:16
i859 BC
Fort Jezreel, Jezreel Valley, Israel
Obadiah brushed wet hair from his forehead and opened his mouth to the slight drizzle misting the headquarters rooftop. “Thank you, Lord!” The rains had returned two years ago, including early afternoon showers from the Great Sea.
A long peal of thunder reverberated from the towers and the old stone walls, rattling the fort at its foundations. Merchants stuffed cantaloupe into sacks, tied them to donkey packboards, and headed out the gate.
Obadiah’s children stomped puddles, giggling and splashing. His third daughter, eleven, splooshed over to them, tilting her head to one side. “Daddy, tell us again about when the Goatskin Kid opened the sky.”
He pulled Yedidah to him in a side-hug for the story. “Well, he was taller than Ahab. Beautiful beard. Remember his name?
In unison, his five children answered, “Elijah.”
The three girls stood back and let their little brothers cling to their father.
The younger boy, six, tugged on Obadiah’s sleeve. “And fierce. Elijah was fierce like a lion.”
Obadiah held his son’s head in his hands. “Gentle as a kitten. And the way he called to the crowd made me want to sing.”
His older son fixed his eyes on Obadiah. “And then he killed the Moloch monsters.”
“Terrible sight. Everybody had their daggers out. I’m glad you weren’t there.” Obadiah pointed an arm toward the valley. “Then a huge rain floated the bodies out to sea.”
He had reached the familiar end of the Return of the Rain story. His sons knelt by him and spun tops on the roof pavers, while his daughters set up a board game.
Two elders with their children occupied far corners of the roof, well out of hearing.
He pulled Yedidah to him and whispered. “I remember Ruthie insists no more than fifty in the Misliya cave. How many in our Qafzeh cave?”
The shoulder of his robe muffled her reply. “Twelve. A glorious team feeds them.”
“Thank the Lord. I couldn’t hide one bubbler until Yeskah and Ruthie stepped in.”
“Whenever we have a friend going to Megiddo or the Galilee, I send a little pile of your silver.” She glanced at the fort gate below. “The blacksmith’s wife is part of the team. Old friends with Yeskah. They keep their bubblers in pita and mutton. And squash.”
“Seems like it was only seven in that Galilee cave last week.”
“When you get back, it will be fifty.”
[moved from Syrians Are Upon You]
iiObadiah brushed wet hair from his forehead and opened his mouth to the slight drizzle misting Elder Jamin’s veranda. “Thank you, Lord, for rain!” The rains had returned, including showers in the early afternoon from the Great Sea.
iiiwhen the goatskin boy opened the sky.”
ivGet this quote from Elijah book? Something about the priests in Jerusalem preparing the sacrifice?
vFrom the Mourn or Pray or Misliya ch? The elder straightened behind his cane. “The Lord made caves with air, young man. My father took our family to explore them.”
“Your father, you say.” Obadiah stepped closer to Old Jamin.
“By Megiddo, up in the Galilee, and on Mt. Carmel. Since I was three. My grandsons and their children still explore there, plus the Qesem cave on the Shephelah.”
viThe elder straightened behind his cane. “The Lord made caves with air, young man. My father took our family to explore them.”
“Your father, you say.” Obadiah stepped closer to Old Jamin.
“By Megiddo, up in the Galilee, and on Mt. Carmel. Since I was three. My grandsons and their children still explore there, plus the Qesem cave on the Shephelah.”
viihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qafzeh_Cave
viiiOn Mt. Carmel you’ve got the Kebara cave, the Tabun cave, the Jamal, and the Skhul. Over by Megiddo is the Misliya, and up in the Galilee, the Manot and the Qafzeh.
ixThen they that feared the LORD spake often one to another Malachi 3:16
