What's Happening Behind Us?

They fled through the desert...

Dear Diary;

       “Get up! Get up!” Yosef cried in a hoarse

 whisper, and practically dragged a frock over

 my head. I sleepily donned it as well as an 

outer garment then out of habit reached for

 my writing supplies.  Yosef led, nay, nearly dragged 
me over to the donkey. I managed to climb up by myself; 
he wrapped Yeshua onto my back, and quickly fastened 
two saddle bags.

He tied a blanket roll behind me, threw another blanket
 over my shoulders, and tucked one edge around the baby.

 He hurried off to fill a goat bag with water. 
After tossing it to me he nearly dragged the donkey
 through some crooked back 

streets and out of town. By this time I was thoroughly awake and badly frightened

                                      "Yosef!" I called, “where are we going?” 
                         “Shh!” He hissed.
                           Now that hurt, but it bewildered me also. Yosef has always been so kind to
                           me that I could not understand why he would retort so harshly to a simple
 question.
                       I wished I  could fasten the water bottle somewhere instead of carrying it 
but we were moving quickly , and I was being jostled so miserably that it

seemed impossible. Just as I hooked it around a saddle horn,

a scream so chilling, and blood curdling pierced the air that

I nearly fell off the donkey.

Fortunately Yosef, who had been

looking back at that moment, reached my side just in time to

save me.

       He cradled me in his arms whispering; “Are you okay?”

       I nodded weakly, and he mumbled something about “We

got to get out of here. Fast,” and rushed ahead once again,

with the reins in his hands.

       I kept looking back, terrified. Is there some kind of wild

feline pacing us?

       Far in the distance, on the main cobblestone road entering

Bethlehem, I saw the flashing gleam of metal. Not just one

flash, either, nay, but a wavering stream of flashes. It was so

eerie, and I was puzzled by what it could be. Then it slugged

me like a rock. Bethlehem, dear, sweet Bethlehem was under

siege! Why would such a little town be under attack during

these peaceful times? I heard another scream, then the sound

seem to ricochet all around! Then I thought—no I was sure

I heard the cry—the terrified wail of a baby, then of many

babies! Yosef was behind us now and frantically whipping the

donkey to get him running. The poor creature has never been

treated so brutally before. I leaned hard against Mojo’s neck

as he galloped, and clung to him as if my life depended on it,

which it most surely did.

       What terrifying thing was happening behind us, and how

did Yosef know enough to flee when he did? He had said

something about a dream but I could not think about it now.

It took all my concentration just to stay on the donkey’s back,

and try not to focus on the pain of a little hand tangled in my hair.