Ezrae sat there, his heart heavy with grief and loss. The day had been a series of devastating blows that seemed to crush his spirit further with each passing moment. First, he had been forced to bid farewell to his beloved grandfather, a pillar of strength and wisdom in his life. Not to mention the only remaining member of his family.
Then, one of his closest friends, Amon, had been tragically taken away, by a thief with a magic wand. Their plan for the day had been to hang out, have fun, and get a sweet treat at the market… and instead it was filled with tragedy and death.
As if that wasn't enough, the entire Israelite community was now reeling from the tragic loss of eleven of their own. And now, here Ezrae was, face to face with the High Priest of Israel, himself; Moses.
His gaze shifted, and there it was—his grandfather's staff, leaning against the nearby tent next to his bed. It was a bittersweet sight, a painful reminder of the void left behind by his grandfather's absence.
Yet, as he reached out and wrapped his left hand around it, a strange warmth enveloped him, offering a semblance of solace in the midst of his turmoil. It wasn't his grandfather's staff… not anymore. It was his staff, now.
He carefully placed the staff across his lap, his troubled mind hungry for more answers. Turning to Moses, Ezrae's voice trembled as he uttered the words that weighed heavily on his heart, "So, what do I do now, then? I don't have any family left... Yim At Ta'e… I'm just a stray, now… I don't belong anywhere, anymore."
Moses, in a paternal gesture, placed his large hand on top of Ezrae's head, affectionately ruffling his hair and chuckling at him. "Well, lucky for you, kiddo, I like to collect strays. Isn't that right, Divora?" he chuckled, glancing at Divora, who responded with exuberance, "Yep! Papa Moses is the best. He's kind, smart, fair, strong, charismatic, AND he was chosen by Yahweh to lead us!"
For a fleeting moment, the weight of their collective grief was momentarily lifted as laughter filled the air. Looking at Moses, Ezrae's gaze turned solemn as he whispered, "So, I guess this will be my new life, then... pops," mustering a feeble smile.
Reyna leaned over and pressed a tender kiss on Ezrae's forehead before speaking, her voice tinged with a mixture of determination and resentment. "Divora and I need to get back to the temple. The thief...
The thief is being put to death in the morning, and I am to give him his final blessings, before his departure to the afterlife... Not that he deserves it. I hope Anubis rips him to shreds."
As she rose to leave, Divora stood up as well, ready to accompany her partner back to their shared abode. Moses, however, still had concerns about Ezrae's well-being. "And I… need to go prepare a room for you at the temple, Ezrae. Will you be okay, on your own?"
Before Ezrae could answer, Shelomith, with unwavering determination, interjected, "He won't be alone, Papa Moses... I'm going to stay with him. I believe he and I need to have a conversation, anyway..."
Her eyes locked with Ezrae's, her hands gently resting on top of his, conveying a complex blend of love, sorrow, and understanding.
Ezrae nodded slowly, a mixture of gratitude and trepidation flooding his senses. Uncertainty gnawed at his stomach, his mind overwhelmed with thoughts of what lay ahead. Moses walked over to Caleb, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Come now, young Caleb. Your grandfather lost a brother today, and I believe he is going to need your love, and support. Let's leave Ezrae and Shelomith alone, so they can talk; okay?"
Caleb wiped his face and sniffled, nodding at Moses. Caleb was the youngest among the rat pack and it showed.
He was clearly struggling to accept all the death and destruction that happened around him today. Without a word, he walked over to Ezrae, and hugged him tightly.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Hemar." He smiled sadly at Ezrae again, before turning around and walking out of the tent with Moses. Before leaving, Moses looked at Aaron and cleared his throat.
Aaron stood up, leaving behind the water and towels. He nodded to Shelomith and Ezrae, before saying, "Shelomith, I'll let Dibri know where you are and what's going on.
Take care of young Ezrae."
He smiled warmly at them as Shelomith nodded back at him, and he walked out, leaving just the two of them in the tent.
Ezrae sighed and rubbed his eyes. The future was an enigma, and he wondered how this unexpected turn of events would shape his path going forward. He turned to Shelomith, and looked into her beautiful eyes.