There Comes A Prophet Read Online Free Page B
silence.
His cracked lips measured the passage of time. With no taste, no smell, no sight, no sound, he groped at the walls to exercise the last of his senses. They had the feel of stone, rough-hewn by unskilled workers, but worn smooth by thousands of desperate fingertips. Like so many before him, he'd been abandoned. If light was the giver of life, his would soon end.
Then, as he was about to despair, a new vision appeared, no longer a nightmare from the past. On the wall before him was Little Pond in the spring, its sparkling waters, its hills strewn with apple trees, its granite mountains in the distance-and he was struck by the utter loneliness of his circumstance. He imagined Orah and Nathaniel strolling along the paths together, hand in hand, without him. No longer their burden, he was forgotten. His hand stretched out as far as possible, trying to touch his old life once more.
The vision vanished. The ceiling board slid open, and he looked up at the panel of vicars. He struggled to his feet.
This time, the question was different.
"Thomas, are you happy with your life in Little Pond?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you care for your family and friends?"
"Oh, yes sir."
"And would you like to go home?"
His throat seized up. He nodded.
The clerics leaned toward each other and whispered, before the senior vicar in the center spoke.
"And so you still may, Thomas of Little Pond. You've learned of the darkness. We believe you may become a faithful child of light."
Thomas waited, holding his breath.
"The Temple offers three teachings. The first is based on understanding, allegiance and proof. You must convince us you understand the darkness. Once you've done so, you'll be asked to swear allegiance to the Temple, then prove your loyalty. But know this. If you go back on your oath, you'll be sent for the second teaching, a hundred times worse than the first, and you'll dwell in the darkness to the depths of your being. After that, if you stray, you'll be deemed an apostate.
"Then the people of your village will know what to do, as is written in the book of light: If there comes among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, saying 'Let us return to the darkness,' you shall not hearken to the words. If your brother, or your son or daughter, or your wife, or your friend, who may be as your own soul, entice you saying, 'Let us abandon the light and serve the darkness,' you shall not consent to him; But you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first upon him, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And you shall stone him with stones, that he die; because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.
"That is the third and final teaching, Thomas. So think before you answer. The Temple loves its children but will do what it must to prevent a return to the darkness. Do you understand?"
Thomas tried to concentrate. A prophet? A dreamer of dreams? He was no dreamer. He just wanted to go home.
He nodded.
"Thomas, of Little Pond," the speaker resounded. "Do you know the darkness?"
His voice was parched but clear. "Yes, sir."
"Can you recite the precepts of faith?"
He did, his voice getting stronger with each word.
"One final test and you'll be free to go. Tell us of those who have questioned the light. Tell us where the seeds of darkness are starting to grow in Little Pond."
Thomas's mind again switched out of his body. He could see his face, dust-covered with streaks of tears.
"But why, holiness?"
One vicar said, "It's not for you to question-"
His words were cut short by a wave from the senior vicar.
"You've been through much, Thomas, to learn the darkness. But what you've learned is just a symbol. The real darkness was worse. That's why the Temple was created-to prevent a return. You say you're happy with your life, but this happiness does not come cheaply. Prove your faith by giving the names of others who need our help. Prove your loyalty and you'll go home."
Thomas saw what
His cracked lips measured the passage of time. With no taste, no smell, no sight, no sound, he groped at the walls to exercise the last of his senses. They had the feel of stone, rough-hewn by unskilled workers, but worn smooth by thousands of desperate fingertips. Like so many before him, he'd been abandoned. If light was the giver of life, his would soon end.
Then, as he was about to despair, a new vision appeared, no longer a nightmare from the past. On the wall before him was Little Pond in the spring, its sparkling waters, its hills strewn with apple trees, its granite mountains in the distance-and he was struck by the utter loneliness of his circumstance. He imagined Orah and Nathaniel strolling along the paths together, hand in hand, without him. No longer their burden, he was forgotten. His hand stretched out as far as possible, trying to touch his old life once more.
The vision vanished. The ceiling board slid open, and he looked up at the panel of vicars. He struggled to his feet.
This time, the question was different.
"Thomas, are you happy with your life in Little Pond?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you care for your family and friends?"
"Oh, yes sir."
"And would you like to go home?"
His throat seized up. He nodded.
The clerics leaned toward each other and whispered, before the senior vicar in the center spoke.
"And so you still may, Thomas of Little Pond. You've learned of the darkness. We believe you may become a faithful child of light."
Thomas waited, holding his breath.
"The Temple offers three teachings. The first is based on understanding, allegiance and proof. You must convince us you understand the darkness. Once you've done so, you'll be asked to swear allegiance to the Temple, then prove your loyalty. But know this. If you go back on your oath, you'll be sent for the second teaching, a hundred times worse than the first, and you'll dwell in the darkness to the depths of your being. After that, if you stray, you'll be deemed an apostate.
"Then the people of your village will know what to do, as is written in the book of light: If there comes among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, saying 'Let us return to the darkness,' you shall not hearken to the words. If your brother, or your son or daughter, or your wife, or your friend, who may be as your own soul, entice you saying, 'Let us abandon the light and serve the darkness,' you shall not consent to him; But you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first upon him, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And you shall stone him with stones, that he die; because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.
"That is the third and final teaching, Thomas. So think before you answer. The Temple loves its children but will do what it must to prevent a return to the darkness. Do you understand?"
Thomas tried to concentrate. A prophet? A dreamer of dreams? He was no dreamer. He just wanted to go home.
He nodded.
"Thomas, of Little Pond," the speaker resounded. "Do you know the darkness?"
His voice was parched but clear. "Yes, sir."
"Can you recite the precepts of faith?"
He did, his voice getting stronger with each word.
"One final test and you'll be free to go. Tell us of those who have questioned the light. Tell us where the seeds of darkness are starting to grow in Little Pond."
Thomas's mind again switched out of his body. He could see his face, dust-covered with streaks of tears.
"But why, holiness?"
One vicar said, "It's not for you to question-"
His words were cut short by a wave from the senior vicar.
"You've been through much, Thomas, to learn the darkness. But what you've learned is just a symbol. The real darkness was worse. That's why the Temple was created-to prevent a return. You say you're happy with your life, but this happiness does not come cheaply. Prove your faith by giving the names of others who need our help. Prove your loyalty and you'll go home."
Thomas saw what
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