Read Online Resurrection (Blood of the Lamb) by Mandy Hager - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mandy Hager
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danger by coming here.”
Maryam inclined her head to indicate the noisy rabble outside and grinned. “Right now it's probably safer than what's going on out there. Everyone is on your side.”
“They must go back to their huts and keep the peace,”Aanjay insisted. “All their protests will do is cause more pain.” She looked so sad and tired, as if the flame that always lit her from within had died.
“I doubt they would listen. They want you out.”
Suddenly Aanjay dropped her head into her hands and began to weep. Her body shook as if each painful sob stripped more of the life-force from her. Maryam felt powerless to make her stop. Shocked at the sight of such distress, all she could do was reach in through the bars and pat Aanjay's heaving back. Aanjay had always been the one with an answer or a strategy for coping with the hardships of the camp. To see her succumb to this wave of hopelessness was tough indeed. Maryam felt her own eyes welling up.
Only the arrival of the guard bearing food and drink saved her from breaking down completely. The man refused to speak, merely grunting as he banged a bowl of clumpy rice and a jug of water at Maryam's feet.
As he made to leave, Aanjay drew in a deep shud-dering breath and called him back. “Please,” she said. “If you will let me speak to the people gathered outside for a moment I will ask them to disperse.”
The guard stopped in his tracks and slowly turned toward them, although he seemed incapable of meeting Aanjay's eye. “All right. I'll mention it to Charlie,” he muttered. He swung back around and left the building in an ungainly rush.
Aanjay sighed, and brushed a shaky hand through her hair. She tried to smile, but her chin quivered with the threat of more tears. “You know, Maryam, we have a saying: Despite all appearances, no one is really evil. They are led astray by ignorance.”
Maryam thought about Father Joshua and all the Apostles who allowed him to continue with his dangerous game. About Sergeant Littlejohn and his fellow Territorials who barred anyone remotely different from ever settling on their shores. She thought of Lazarus…In spite of all Aanjay's fine notions, she was not convinced.
“Do you really believe that?” she said.
Aanjay stared down at her hands, and answered in a whisper. “I no longer know.”
Now the door crashed open and Charlie thundered down the corridor.
“The boss'll probably sack me for this, but a word from you sure would help.” He unlocked the cell door, flicking his gaze to Maryam as he ushered Aanjay out. “Maryam, you come too, so they can see you're both okay, and if you want to stay in here to keep her company afterward I'll make sure LJ lets both of you out after the evening meal. Okay?”
“Of course.” Maryam followed a little way behind them, curious to hear what Aanjay said.
As soon as Aanjay appeared behind Charlie in the doorway a cheer went up from the crowd milling outside. She straightened, her eyes clearing of her private misery.
“My dear friends, thank you for your concern, but I am fine. I lost my temper and for that I have to pay.” The women around her murmured, but she raised her hand to stop them. “Please, go back now. I am sure that I will be released very soon.”
The women shuffled, as though pondering whether to give up and leave. Just as Maryam thought it all was over, Aanjay lifted her chin and spoke again, this time in her own lilting tongue.
“Menaklukkan orang yang marah oleh cinta. Menaklukkan pria bertabiat…” The words had their own kind of music, stilling the listeners as they soaked it in. “…Anda sendiri tidak bisa melukai musuh sebanyak yang Anda sendiri pikiran terjaga.” She clasped her hands before her and bowed her head as those around her did the same.
There was such calmness in the exchange—almost a kind of beauty—that Maryam found herself smiling as she followed Aanjay back into the cramped little cell. As soon as Charlie had gone,
Maryam inclined her head to indicate the noisy rabble outside and grinned. “Right now it's probably safer than what's going on out there. Everyone is on your side.”
“They must go back to their huts and keep the peace,”Aanjay insisted. “All their protests will do is cause more pain.” She looked so sad and tired, as if the flame that always lit her from within had died.
“I doubt they would listen. They want you out.”
Suddenly Aanjay dropped her head into her hands and began to weep. Her body shook as if each painful sob stripped more of the life-force from her. Maryam felt powerless to make her stop. Shocked at the sight of such distress, all she could do was reach in through the bars and pat Aanjay's heaving back. Aanjay had always been the one with an answer or a strategy for coping with the hardships of the camp. To see her succumb to this wave of hopelessness was tough indeed. Maryam felt her own eyes welling up.
Only the arrival of the guard bearing food and drink saved her from breaking down completely. The man refused to speak, merely grunting as he banged a bowl of clumpy rice and a jug of water at Maryam's feet.
As he made to leave, Aanjay drew in a deep shud-dering breath and called him back. “Please,” she said. “If you will let me speak to the people gathered outside for a moment I will ask them to disperse.”
The guard stopped in his tracks and slowly turned toward them, although he seemed incapable of meeting Aanjay's eye. “All right. I'll mention it to Charlie,” he muttered. He swung back around and left the building in an ungainly rush.
Aanjay sighed, and brushed a shaky hand through her hair. She tried to smile, but her chin quivered with the threat of more tears. “You know, Maryam, we have a saying: Despite all appearances, no one is really evil. They are led astray by ignorance.”
Maryam thought about Father Joshua and all the Apostles who allowed him to continue with his dangerous game. About Sergeant Littlejohn and his fellow Territorials who barred anyone remotely different from ever settling on their shores. She thought of Lazarus…In spite of all Aanjay's fine notions, she was not convinced.
“Do you really believe that?” she said.
Aanjay stared down at her hands, and answered in a whisper. “I no longer know.”
Now the door crashed open and Charlie thundered down the corridor.
“The boss'll probably sack me for this, but a word from you sure would help.” He unlocked the cell door, flicking his gaze to Maryam as he ushered Aanjay out. “Maryam, you come too, so they can see you're both okay, and if you want to stay in here to keep her company afterward I'll make sure LJ lets both of you out after the evening meal. Okay?”
“Of course.” Maryam followed a little way behind them, curious to hear what Aanjay said.
As soon as Aanjay appeared behind Charlie in the doorway a cheer went up from the crowd milling outside. She straightened, her eyes clearing of her private misery.
“My dear friends, thank you for your concern, but I am fine. I lost my temper and for that I have to pay.” The women around her murmured, but she raised her hand to stop them. “Please, go back now. I am sure that I will be released very soon.”
The women shuffled, as though pondering whether to give up and leave. Just as Maryam thought it all was over, Aanjay lifted her chin and spoke again, this time in her own lilting tongue.
“Menaklukkan orang yang marah oleh cinta. Menaklukkan pria bertabiat…” The words had their own kind of music, stilling the listeners as they soaked it in. “…Anda sendiri tidak bisa melukai musuh sebanyak yang Anda sendiri pikiran terjaga.” She clasped her hands before her and bowed her head as those around her did the same.
There was such calmness in the exchange—almost a kind of beauty—that Maryam found herself smiling as she followed Aanjay back into the cramped little cell. As soon as Charlie had gone,
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