Chapter 5

Iri Dekkel — Noah’s 499th year

Emzara shifted her weight on the log at the lookout point. The uneven surface and bumpy texture helped keep her awake. Placing her hands on her lower back and arching slightly, she tried to loosen the knot just above her tailbone. The moon hung low in the sky, smothered by a blanket of clouds, so keeping watch was difficult. It was long past deepest dark, and while she scanned the area, she kept her ears on high alert, knowing that they may be the first to deliver an indication of company.

One full day had passed since Purlek had first awakened. His pain level remained high, and he had slept fitfully much of the day, but each time he awakened, he talked a little more. He feared that most of his friends from the village had been slaughtered, but Garun informed him that he had found only a few bodies while searching the town. They concluded that most of the townspeople had fled or been captured as slaves.

Emzara forced the awful thoughts from her mind and focused on the young man. Thank You, Creator, for the improvements he’s beginning to show. Pleased with how well the herbs were healing the gash on his forehead, she looked up at the night sky and smiled.

Her eyes traced the dark outline of foliage all the way down to the riverbank. From her perch, the trees dipped toward the river. Fallen branches, saplings, and other small bushes kept her mostly out of sight. To her left, the river that led to Iri Sana flowed steadily. To her immediate right stood the main cluster of trees that shielded their campsite from anyone who might be prowling on the other side of the river. She stared past the town, longing to catch a glimpse of Noah.

She tried to shake her anxious thoughts, but they reappeared again after keeping her up most of the night. What if it only took Noah two days to pack? She counted silently on her fingers. He might even arrive here tonight. She peered excitedly down river but saw nothing. Bakur and Pav would’ve helped him. Tubal-Cain would’ve, too, although he might be more of a distraction. She shook her head and softly chuckled. Sometimes, those two still behaved like little boys when they were together.

What if something happens to Noah on the way to meet us? A chill marched down her spine and she straightened up. She paced two steps in one direction and then two back. What would I do without him? This little life inside of me needs his father.

She bit her lip to keep from sobbing. Most High, I can’t do this alone. Her thoughts sped faster as she became more frantic. How would we be able to even build the ark that You—. She stopped midstride.

“The ark. Of course.” You’ve promised that Noah and I and our sons and their wives would be on board. O Creator, forgive my restlessness. How could I continuously forget Your promises?

The evening dragged on, and Emzara’s eyes grew heavy. Occasionally, she stood and stretched or paced, trying to stay awake, but eventually she fell into imagining her sweet reunion with Noah and began to drift in and out of consciousness.

The snapping of a twig jolted her and her eyes shot open. As fast as a bounder, her pulse throbbed. She listened closely and peered toward the shore. In the darkness, a figure hunched near the beached rowboat Garun had used to travel back and forth to the abandoned village, while the ship lay hidden nearby among trees that stretched out over the river. Though she kept her eyes fixed on the person, he stood still, stooped as though protecting something in his arms. Why hasn’t the intruder moved? How long was I sleeping?

Emzara placed her hand on the hilt of the small dagger strapped to her left hip. The darkness almost succeeded in hiding the scene from her view. Carefully watching the placement of her feet to avoid crackling any underbrush, she tiptoed closer for a better look. A sudden movement followed by a light splash mixed with a groan told her that he had moved the craft closer to the river. Throwing off all caution, she sprinted toward the boat thief.

The figure crawled ashore on his hands and knees and looked up at her.

“What are you doing?” She placed her hands near the middle of the boat with a firm grasp and held it steady. The water cooled her feet and ankles.

He glared up at her, and the tension mounted until slowly he lowered his shoulders. “I have to warn my parents. I have to rescue them.”

“You will do no such thing.” She kept her volume low so as not to alarm Garun and Laleel, but her words carried force behind them. Without warning, he came into full view. She looked back over her shoulder and noticed the clouds no longer blocked the moonlight.

“But if I don’t, they could die. Ma-Zara, how can you not care for their safety?” Gripping the edge of the boat, Purlek tried to stand but gave up after failing to plant his right leg. He groaned in pain and dropped back to all fours.

“What are you talking about? You’re going to set your healing back.” Emzara shook her head. “How could you even get to them in your condition?” With a heave, she pulled the boat mostly onto the shore.

“I’ll let the river take me to Iri Geshem.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“What?”

“You can barely stand upright.”

“Don’t need to. I’ll be staying in here.” He gripped the side of the boat again as if he still planned to go through with his foolhardy scheme. “And I’m only one person, so I’ll be able to sneak past the army.”

Her hand flew to her chest. “Army! What army?”

He frowned and clenched his jaw. “I told you. The Nodites. We have to warn Iri Geshem and my family.”

“I thought it was just a small raiding party.”

He looked down and shook his head.

“How do you know they’re going to Iri Geshem? We didn’t see them on the way here. And if by some miracle you did make it there, then what? Even though you can’t walk, you’ll rush about and somehow find your parents in time to warn them and protect them — all without getting killed yourself?”

He slumped to the ground. “I guess not, but I’m tired of lying around here.”

“I understand.” She moved around the front of the boat and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Look, I confess that before I saw you, my thoughts were jumbled about Noah.”

“Really?” He looked at her and a shock of dark wavy hair fell in front of his left eye. In an instant, she pictured the young rascal of a boy she had loved and helped raise.

“Yes, but we must trust they are in the hands of the Most High. Otherwise we’ll go mad.”

Suddenly, he flashed his impish smirk. “You know what?”

She narrowed her eyes playfully. “What?”

“You’re going to make a really good mother.”

“Am I?” Her whole body tingled and she felt as if she were floating.

“Yes. You’ve already got the mother instincts.”

“Well then. In that case, I can tell that you’re just changing the subject, Purkly.” She emphasized the nickname she had used for him when he was a young child.

He laughed. “Oh, I am?”

“Yes. And there’s only one thing to do about that.”

“Which is?”

“To send you off to bed with no snack. What do you make of that?”

“Guess I’ll have to march off in a huff.”

She chuckled. “You can’t even do that, but I can assist you back to your bed.”

As she leaned down to help him stand, Emzara’s foot slipped and she landed with a splash in the cool water.

Purlek grabbed his side and struggled to catch his breath. “It hurts to laugh, but I can’t stop.”

She scowled up at him, but his magnetic grin drew her in. She swung her arm across the surface of the river and splashed him.

Water dripped down Purlek’s face and his wet wrap hung loosely over his shoulder. “Hey, I’m injured.”

They both laughed until cracking twigs and rustling leaves grabbed their focus.

Garun burst onto the nearby shore with his sword drawn. “Is everything alright?”

Laleel appeared behind him armed with a blade of her own.

Purlek looked shamefaced. “I was going to sneak away to warn my parents about the Nodites, but she stopped me.”

Emzara smiled. “I think your injuries stopped you before I did. I—” Em tried to calm herself, but the oddity of the situation mixed with the lack of sleep hit her at just the right point, and she gave in to another burst of laughter.

Garun and Laleel approached and his stern look caused a pinch of guilt to rise within her, but she failed to control her giggles.

“We need to get the boat back into hiding.” Laleel’s voice was deeper than usual, with the fuzzy edges of being roused suddenly from sleep.

“I’ll do it.” Purlek reached for the craft but winced and stopped. “I’m sorry.”

“All is well,” Garun said. “I’ll take care of it. He pointed at Emzara. “You can help him back to the tent.”

A small smile broke on the left side of Laleel’s face. She turned and looked at the sky, which now held the promise of lightening. “There doesn’t seem to be much point in trying to get more sleep at this time. I’ll prepare some of Nuca’s brew for everyone.”

Garun rolled his eyes and shook his head. He pointed at Purlek. “If you’re up for it, you can tell us what you two troublemakers were doing out here and what you’ve been up to since you moved away from home.”