The Meadow-My Third Short Story

[Timl1980]

Here is my third short story in which I attempt, (somewhat sadly), to breathe life into certain Biblical characters...and one other character who I needed to add to the narrative. Please allow me my creative license with this story, and if you liked it...please leave a comment or a thumbs up if you are able. Thank you for taking the time to read it...and I hope to bring you more in the future.

 

The Meadow

 

The shadowy meadow fairly hummed with life...voices rising and falling like waves on the surface of the sea...and somewhere amidst those waves rode the scent of freshly baked loaves of bread...and the invigorating whiff of fresh spring water.

 

The river that wound through this meadow teemed with vibrant life...spring-fed, clear as blown glass; it was alive with brightly colored rainbow trout, striped bass and even a few northern pike as it wound its way through the meadow and down into the widening valley floor below.

 

It's slow but steady current curled over a riverbed strewn with pale chipped stones...glittering schools of silver minnows dancing and darting between the rocks. Warm sunlight swept back and forth over the surface of the water...shifting with the clouds above. Young willow and cottonwood trees towered over swaying cattails that reached deep in the riverbed...anchoring themselves firmly against the current.

 

The air around the meadow was saturated with the scents of freshly roasted grain and the slightly fruity, floral fragrance of fresh fig leaves...and right smack dab in the middle of the meadow sat several clustered groups of ornately carved picnic tables...matching wooden benches squatting on both sides of each table. 

 

The tables themselves were abuzz with activity...a mixture of children and adults seated around them as even smaller children darted back and forth between each table like pinballs...eager to see everything...to take in...everything!

 

Bursts of laughter tinged with delightful giggles flowed across the meadow...temporarily drowning out the other sounds...the thud of a loaf of bread being plunked down on the table as one adult cut off large still steaming chunks and handed them out, one by one, to eagerly reaching hands....the exclamations of "Ooooohh...these figs are so creamy and soft...there's these crunchy bits in them…but they taste like honey!!"

 

Somewhere a plate of figs spilled, rolling off a table...rolling through the soft green grass causing a table full of little children to suddenly disappear as they dropped to the ground and scrambled after the lost treats.

 

To the left of all the sudden drama...standing idly by the bank of the crystal clear stream...stood a man...a man in the prime of his life...his skin bronzed from years upon years of being in the open...his eyes steady, his beard sharp and well kept. His simple, earthy colored tunic was belted at the waist...a leather pouch hung comfortably off his hip...the dress of a man who was used to work...and sudden travel.

 

His eyes scanned the tables and the people around them...his mind wandered...tugging his stream of consciousness backwards in time...pulling him gently along...swirling through his thoughts like the current that ran through the clear water beside him. He was just about to give in...to settle in for the ride down memory lane...when suddenly a very familiar voice sounded from behind him...startling him out of his reverie.

 

"I see you still watch a crowd like a man expecting trouble, my friend." The warmth...the steadiness...the quiet confidence...it couldn't be?!

 

David spun round on his heel, his bright blue eyes lighting up in genuine warmth at seeing his friend again after so long!! Jonathon grinned, offering his hand. The two men gripped forearms and held on tight...their grips expressing feelings they couldn't speak out loud.

 

"It's so good to see you again...my brother Jonathon!!" David said, his eyes taking in every detail of his friends appearance...sighing in relief as he saw nothing but health and happiness. "And you...you still walk like a man who has never had any reason to fear!"

 

Suddenly from behind them came the sound of several instruments, reverberating notes rising in unison as the entire encampment began to break out in song to Jehovah...startling the two men briefly. From somewhere amidst those swelling notes and gently swaying bodies strode a short thin woman of about 35, her long auburn hair tied back in a hasty ponytail...stray wisps floating around her oval face as she balanced a large tray of steaming mugs of hot cinnamon apple cider...passing them out to the table nearest David and Jonathon.

 

They both noticed her priorities as she pressed the first mugs into the grasping hands of the smallest children before moving on to the others and finally turning her gaze, and her full attention...to both of them. 

 

Stepping out past the last few maple trees, she approached them and, smiling widely, blew a few stray annoying strands of long hair out of her eyes and handed each of them a steaming cup...pressing the heated clay mugs deeply it into their palms.

 

"There...now drink up before it gets cold!" Mara said, giving a quick backwards glance behind her to make sure all the children still had their own mugs.

 

David grinned and sipped the fragrant drink, his taste buds exploding from all the different flavors. "Wow!! This is really good, Mara. Thank you very much for thinking of us...and it's nice to see how you're still counting the children first." He nodded at the small group of little kids seated on the grass, sipping their apple cider as they listened to the music around them.

 

"Some habits just follow you, I guess." Mara said, her eyes flicking back to David's. "Even once you're out of the camp..." She added, a tiny bit of strain entering her voice.

 

Jonathon looked from her to David, not understanding. "The camp?" He asked, eyes concerned, brow furrowed.

 

" Auschwitz..." David said in a low tone, then seeing his dear friend still didn't understand, he added, "It was a very nasty camp used during one of the world wars, I hear. They tortured and killed a lot of people, starved them...Mara was one of our sisters there...she...she didn't make it through alive."

 

Jonathon's eyes filled with compassion, and moving forward, he wrapped Mara in a quick strong hug before stepping back and shaking his head. "What other humans will put Jehovah's servants through...I am so sorry, my sister."

 

"It's okay...now." Mara said as she straightened up and set her empty tray down on the grass, quickly regaining her composure. "Now...I was told to tell you both to get ready...you have an assignment this afternoon!" 

 

"Us?" David asked, appearing confused.

 

"Yes, my brother...didn't they tell you? We're up for the afternoon storytelling session...and it appears we have quite the audience waiting!" Jonathon said with a smile, pointing at the 30 or so tables packed with people currently signing their hearts out to Jehovah.

 

"No, I'm afraid they didn't...what stories do we have to tell that would be of any interest to them?" He asked weakly.

 

"Why don't you start with the one that people need to hear? People know you...but they don't really know you...ya know?" She asked, chuckling at their expressions, then her face grew serious once again. "Show them how you became friends...tell them how you got there...why you're still friends...show them what true loyalty "looks" like...they need to hear it." She paused, her throat tightening, the words becoming more difficult now.

 

"Trust me, my brothers...some of them were betrayed for a scrap of bread...they...they could use your story...told by you." She ended softly but firmly, and turning abruptly, she scooped up her tray and strode back across the small field to the tables and the singing brothers and sisters...stopping only to check on a child here or there...making sure they were comfortable...that they had what they needed.

 

The two men gazed at each other...nodding almost in unison as they too began to make their way past the stream and deeper into the meadow...heading towards the waiting sea of faces; some healed, others still mending...heading to tell a true story of such deep and enduring loyalty that no famine, no prison...not even death itself...could silence it forever.

 

Above them the scents and sounds of the scenery surrounding them swirled straight up into the air...mixing with the early afternoon sunshine as it rose higher and higher...ascending like a sweet smelling incense until finally it entered the nostrils of those above...and once again...the heavens began to reverberate with the sounds of millions upon millions of beautiful voices singing and shouting praise to the one above them all...the one seated on his throne...his gentle face beaming with pride and joy as his eyes settled over his people...his people down in the meadow.