Do Not Read to Your Children At Night

The cries seem to be coming from further away. 

She was going in the wrong direction! She made a quarter turn, carefully shuffling forward. Her hand touched something hard and she felt around it. It was the door frame. Were the children inside the house, or out? Well, the baby would be inside. She must find Lill-dae-nan at least.She dropped to her knees, crawling slowly along. Something also moving, rubbed against her arm. Re-bae-taih screamed. It felt soft and furry.

Oh, it was their cat!

"Find Lill-dae-nan for me," she begged. "Find Mee-kii ." Although her prayer was sincere, her heart sank. It felt like such useless pleading. She groped on. The pitiful wails seemed nearer. Her hand touched something small that was moving vigorously. What was it. It was so hard to tell. Thank you, Cat. It is a small leg. She nearly wept for joy. Soon the baby was cradled in her arms, but she dared not lean back because there seemed to be nothing to lean back against.

Something tugged at her skirt. She froze. Was it the cat, or oh awful thought, possibly a rat? Re-bae-taih touched it tentatively, then felt upwards towards a smooth, tear-stained face.  Mee-kii had somehow found her!

Now if she could only find her other children. Her six year old daughter Kenza-rae and her first born, Salke. A nameless dread filled her bosom whenever she thought of her oldest son. Ever since those awful plagues had started, (when will they ever end?) she had feared what might happen to Salke. Her husband had scoffed at her premonitions, although she suspected that is what  they were. Had that

 Nameless Something 

 happened to him, now?

"Mommy!"

Thank all the gods! It was Salke's voice! 

""Mommy, Kenza-rae and I are over here. Can you come and get us?"

"I am feeding Lill-dae-nan. You come find me, okay?" She tried to make her voice light, as if they were playing a game.  After what seemed like a long, long time the two children managed to reach  Re-bae-taih and clung wordlessly to her.  At least we are all together. She sobbed once, but it was not from joy. All joy had drained out of her body. It was from relief; pure relief. And there they sat. And waited. Will this darkness ever end? The darkness was penetrated by a deep, pain riddled moan. Grandfather.  She had forgotten all about him. There he lay somewhere on his pallet with no one to turn him and soothe his agony. Silence fell, then he groaned again. 

   "Mommy, shall I go to him?" That was Salke's voice. He was always so kindhearted. 

   "You might get lost."

   "But let me try."

    "We will make a human chain then."
    "You hold to Kenza-rae's hand, and I will hold to Kenza's. And no one let go! She could sense the short chain weaving back and forth as they searched for Grandfather.

  "Mommy, I found him!"

  Soon they were all huddled around his pallet but there was nothing anyone could do.  Lill-dae-nan stopped eating and fell asleep. Re-bae-taih knew she would eventually awaken and need to be changed. But how? And how would she feed and comfort her family in this all encompassing darkness?

   "Mommy, will this darkness ever end?" It was Kenza-rae who blurted out the question that was on all of their minds.

Re-bae-taih struggled against the temptation to panic; "I think so," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "All the other plagues did." 

  It was more than seventy hours before the intense darkness lifted.

Do you feel desperate for some light and direction? Jesus is the Light of the World. He can penetrate and dispel all manner of darkness. If you see only a pinprick of light follow it and keep calling out to Jesus for direction. He cares for you just like a loving mother who would do anything to protect their child.

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