ropes.
Naameh and Japheth stood near the ramp.
Ila knew that Naameh never stopped worrying either. Every day Naameh sent out one of the birds from the Ark, hoping it would return with some sign of land, a place to which they could escape. But day after day, the birds came back with no evidence of anything except the endless sea.
Ila looked questioningly at Naameh, who shook her head no. “Nothing,” she said softly.
Ila handed the food to Shem. He was lashing down barrels of fresh water.
“We have to go,” Ila told Naameh. “We cannot wait much longer.”
“Ila…” Naameh ran a hand over her head, distressed. “There is nothing out there, no land anywhere. You have food, water for how long? Weeks? A month?”
“One month,” Shem replied. “We can survive.”
Naameh tightened her lips. “The raft is small, and the sea could grow rough. Please wait. Please wait until a bird comes back with something. Japheth, send the raven again to search.”
Japheth groaned. “He’s too tired, Mother.”
“Then wake another bird!” commanded Naameh. She forced some dried herbs into his hands. “Get one that can find us a home!”
Ila looked around the deck. “Where’s Ham?”
Shem shrugged. “He’s off by himself somewhere, as always.”
Ila hoped Ham would join them soon, at least for a short time. She missed him, and their time together was precious now.
Just then Noah emerged from inside the ship. Ila saw him watching them. He had seen the raft, he knew their plans. Ila stared back, keeping a protective hand on her belly. His eyes were dark and hard to read.
“No,” she said abruptly. “We cannot wait, Naameh. The baby is coming. We must leave today.”
She lifted her eyes back to Noah. For a moment he met her gaze. Ila did not flinch or look away. Finally, he did, turning around and disappearing back inside the Ark.
* * *
Working fast, Ila helped Shem finish loading the raft. They tied their bundles of food and some spare clothing under a tarp. Then they gathered a few more things.
When they were finished, Ila turned to Naameh. It was time to say goodbye.
Tears streamed from Naameh’s eyes. “Take care of that baby,” she managed to say.
Ila hugged her. “I will.”
Shem tried to smile. “Do not be afraid, Mother,” he said. “We will see each other in the new world.”
Suddenly Japheth spoke. His eyes were on something behind them. “Father?”
Ila spun around. Noah stood above them on the roof of the Ark.
Shem pulled her toward him protectively.
Noah looked at Naameh, who glared at him. Then he tossed a bag onto the raft below. Ila screamed as the raft burst into flames. Tzohar? Had Noah thrown tzohar?
Shem was watching the raft burn in horror. “No!” he cried.
Noah leaped down from the roof, landing on the ramp. He reached down with his knife and sliced through the restraining ropes on the raft.
Shem looked distraught. “I thought you were good. I thought that was why the Creator chose you, Father!”
Noah shook his head. “You have it wrong, son. He chose me because he knew I would complete the task. Nothing more!”
Ila stood next to Naameh, who was watching in disbelief.Dimly, Ila knew Naameh was saying something. But an odd sensation was distracting her. She gasped as she realized that water was trickling down her leg.
She cried out, and Naameh saw what was happening. “It’s your time, Ila,” she said urgently. “Come with me!”
Shem and Naameh began leading Ila back to the hearth. As she walked between them, Ila couldn’t help taking a final look back at Noah. He stood alone. Behind him the raft that Shem had built for their escape was burning and crumbling, flaming bits of debris falling into the sea.
* * *
Inside Naameh and Noah’s tent, Naameh covered Ila with a blanket. Then Naameh felt Ila’s belly.
“You’ll be all right, daughter.”
“Please keep the baby inside,” Ila pleaded with her. “Where it’s safe. Don’t let
Naameh and Japheth stood near the ramp.
Ila knew that Naameh never stopped worrying either. Every day Naameh sent out one of the birds from the Ark, hoping it would return with some sign of land, a place to which they could escape. But day after day, the birds came back with no evidence of anything except the endless sea.
Ila looked questioningly at Naameh, who shook her head no. “Nothing,” she said softly.
Ila handed the food to Shem. He was lashing down barrels of fresh water.
“We have to go,” Ila told Naameh. “We cannot wait much longer.”
“Ila…” Naameh ran a hand over her head, distressed. “There is nothing out there, no land anywhere. You have food, water for how long? Weeks? A month?”
“One month,” Shem replied. “We can survive.”
Naameh tightened her lips. “The raft is small, and the sea could grow rough. Please wait. Please wait until a bird comes back with something. Japheth, send the raven again to search.”
Japheth groaned. “He’s too tired, Mother.”
“Then wake another bird!” commanded Naameh. She forced some dried herbs into his hands. “Get one that can find us a home!”
Ila looked around the deck. “Where’s Ham?”
Shem shrugged. “He’s off by himself somewhere, as always.”
Ila hoped Ham would join them soon, at least for a short time. She missed him, and their time together was precious now.
Just then Noah emerged from inside the ship. Ila saw him watching them. He had seen the raft, he knew their plans. Ila stared back, keeping a protective hand on her belly. His eyes were dark and hard to read.
“No,” she said abruptly. “We cannot wait, Naameh. The baby is coming. We must leave today.”
She lifted her eyes back to Noah. For a moment he met her gaze. Ila did not flinch or look away. Finally, he did, turning around and disappearing back inside the Ark.
* * *
Working fast, Ila helped Shem finish loading the raft. They tied their bundles of food and some spare clothing under a tarp. Then they gathered a few more things.
When they were finished, Ila turned to Naameh. It was time to say goodbye.
Tears streamed from Naameh’s eyes. “Take care of that baby,” she managed to say.
Ila hugged her. “I will.”
Shem tried to smile. “Do not be afraid, Mother,” he said. “We will see each other in the new world.”
Suddenly Japheth spoke. His eyes were on something behind them. “Father?”
Ila spun around. Noah stood above them on the roof of the Ark.
Shem pulled her toward him protectively.
Noah looked at Naameh, who glared at him. Then he tossed a bag onto the raft below. Ila screamed as the raft burst into flames. Tzohar? Had Noah thrown tzohar?
Shem was watching the raft burn in horror. “No!” he cried.
Noah leaped down from the roof, landing on the ramp. He reached down with his knife and sliced through the restraining ropes on the raft.
Shem looked distraught. “I thought you were good. I thought that was why the Creator chose you, Father!”
Noah shook his head. “You have it wrong, son. He chose me because he knew I would complete the task. Nothing more!”
Ila stood next to Naameh, who was watching in disbelief.Dimly, Ila knew Naameh was saying something. But an odd sensation was distracting her. She gasped as she realized that water was trickling down her leg.
She cried out, and Naameh saw what was happening. “It’s your time, Ila,” she said urgently. “Come with me!”
Shem and Naameh began leading Ila back to the hearth. As she walked between them, Ila couldn’t help taking a final look back at Noah. He stood alone. Behind him the raft that Shem had built for their escape was burning and crumbling, flaming bits of debris falling into the sea.
* * *
Inside Naameh and Noah’s tent, Naameh covered Ila with a blanket. Then Naameh felt Ila’s belly.
“You’ll be all right, daughter.”
“Please keep the baby inside,” Ila pleaded with her. “Where it’s safe. Don’t let
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