"'Again the word of the Lord came unto me,'" recited Virginia Pear, standing before the simple altar of her simple chapel. She read from her open Bible, the pages worn and tattered at the edges, and though he watched from the open door, crowded beside the rest of his men, Huxley could not help but stare at the loose curls of her hair that fell across her forehead and the way her mouth curled as she spoke. "'Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts and set him for their watchman: if when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet and warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet and taketh not warning; if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
"'But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
"'So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
"'Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?'"
Westmoreland, being a man of faith who never failed to wear a small crucifix about his neck recognized the recitation immediately, placing it from the book of Ezekiel. Huxley, on the other hand, had never before heard those words uttered, and in that moment, as he listened intently, unable to turn away from the girl, her fallen curls, or the words from her lips, he was certain that they were written solely for him, for this one moment in time. It was as if she knew exactly what was happening, what Akan had seen through the binding trees of the jungle, and if not her, than some higher power now using her as a vessel. Huxley had never been a religious man, yet he was certain that God was watching him.
"Before we part tonight and indulge in a warm meal," said Virginia, a loving smile planted firmly upon her face, "I'd like to say another word about responsibility, both to your family and to yourself. As a community, we share in the responsibility for taking care of one another. When one of us is hungry, another will given him food. When one of us falls ill, another will tend his bed. When one of us falls down, another will pick him up."
She went on, but Huxley could bear no more. He walked a few paces away from his men, turning the corner of the chapel and leaning back against the rough wall, flustered and sweating. For the first time in his life, he felt conflicted, overcome by a sense of morality he had long forgotten existed.
Akan followed him, slinking around the corner so that none of the other men would notice. Fortunately, they were all far too captivated by the continued message to pay attention to anything else around them.
"You feel it, too, don't you?" Akan whispered.
"What are you talking about?"
"I see it in your eyes, Huxley. I see doubt. I never see doubt when you're around."
"It's nothing."
"I know what it is you want. We aren't leaving. We're going to stay, aren't we?"
"Yes," sputtered Huxley. "God help us."
"'But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
"'So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
"'Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?'"
Westmoreland, being a man of faith who never failed to wear a small crucifix about his neck recognized the recitation immediately, placing it from the book of Ezekiel. Huxley, on the other hand, had never before heard those words uttered, and in that moment, as he listened intently, unable to turn away from the girl, her fallen curls, or the words from her lips, he was certain that they were written solely for him, for this one moment in time. It was as if she knew exactly what was happening, what Akan had seen through the binding trees of the jungle, and if not her, than some higher power now using her as a vessel. Huxley had never been a religious man, yet he was certain that God was watching him.
"Before we part tonight and indulge in a warm meal," said Virginia, a loving smile planted firmly upon her face, "I'd like to say another word about responsibility, both to your family and to yourself. As a community, we share in the responsibility for taking care of one another. When one of us is hungry, another will given him food. When one of us falls ill, another will tend his bed. When one of us falls down, another will pick him up."
She went on, but Huxley could bear no more. He walked a few paces away from his men, turning the corner of the chapel and leaning back against the rough wall, flustered and sweating. For the first time in his life, he felt conflicted, overcome by a sense of morality he had long forgotten existed.
Akan followed him, slinking around the corner so that none of the other men would notice. Fortunately, they were all far too captivated by the continued message to pay attention to anything else around them.
"You feel it, too, don't you?" Akan whispered.
"What are you talking about?"
"I see it in your eyes, Huxley. I see doubt. I never see doubt when you're around."
"It's nothing."
"I know what it is you want. We aren't leaving. We're going to stay, aren't we?"
"Yes," sputtered Huxley. "God help us."
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