Starlight - Chapter 3+4

ADDED BURDENS

But her happy visits to her beloved grandfather were long forgotten. His eyes which had been as doors into other worlds had lost their usefulness and since he was of no more use among the scholars at the college, he had been brought to be yet another burden to the struggling family.

"Mousel Mousel' was all the child was hearing all day long, and Yes, yes, lam coming, was all she managed to gasp as she ran in from gathering the eggs to seeing to Grandfather's toilet needs.

Instead of the darling little girl who had taken such joy in responding to his love she seemed to resent these ministries which piled up as intrusions into her already mountainous duties.

It was her brother who seemed to be responding to the old man's needs, so that he was there before he needed to call for help, who had taken on himself the responsibility of continuing the struggle to learn to read and to pass on to his grandfather the news of what was happening in other lands, not the edited versions that came from the Pharoah.

One day they were alone in the house and she was surprised when her brother did not address her as Mouse, but as Starlight. Immediately, their beloved grandparent, lying on his pallet between them, was alert.

1 won't be here much longer, Sister. Any day now I may be called and sent away with the army and that is why I try to spend time with our precious grandfather. Remember, we may call you that, but you are not Mouse but Starlight.

'Egypt is in a dark place and it is only through the light that comes from the heavens that we can have any hope.

'Hope?' the girl asked herself. Is there any hope? Hope which could include her, Little Mouse?

DEEPENING DARKNESS

Starlight lay in the darkness, wondering what it was that had disturbed her sleep, for she knew she would need all her energy to face the demands of a new day. Dawn was yet to break but she slipped on a robe hoping to go outside and make herself comfortable, but nevertheless trusting that she might to be able to return to grab some more sleep. Gradually, however, she became aware of what had disturbed her in the first place.

Her brother was crouched beside her. 'We are having to send Grandfather away,' he told his sister. Starlight's face was like one big question. Why?' it was asking. 'He is an old man. How can he prove any threat to Pharoah?'

'No more questions till we are in a safer place.'

Starlight had to concentrate so that she not only knew how to find her grandfather but how to return to her home too. There was to be no further sleep for her that night, Yes, Grandfather was no longer of use in working with these ancient manuscripts, but a recent letter had come to light that spoke of a recent message from their God to the people of Egypt, 'Pharoah regards it as being against the state and so all those who had anything to do with it are to be thrown into his dungeons,' Ahmed whispered.

Starlight wondered why so many familiar faces seemed to have left them to struggle on alone but now she was glad that it was only she and her brother who knew of this secret hiding place for her grandfather.

Yes, I know you are weary and need to sleep, but remember your name is Starlight, and if we do not keep the light burning it may go out completely in the land of Egypt.'

At last they had reached Grandfather's hiding place, seen to his physical needs and when Starlight saw her brother pull out the precious manuscripts and light yet another lamp she thought this was the opportunity to snatch some much needed sleep. Ahmed, her brother, was usually full of compassion for his hard worked little sister but now he handed her a tablet which she knew was intended to keep her alert.

'Why?' she queried, crossly. 'Am I, a Mouse, to also become a scholar?

'God has given you another name. Are you content to be a little Mouse, or are you going to answer to your new name? Come on now, Grandfather gave you the name Starlignt because he believes the great God wants to use you to shine light on our people, but unless you learn how to read his precious manuscripts, he may die, and there will be no one left alive who is able to bring God's messages to us,

How glad Starlight was that she had agreed to become Grandfather's latest pupil. Yes, her body cried out for sleep but at last the miracle happened and she found that the meaningless sounds began to join up into meaningful phrases so that yes, she did sometimes fall asleep bot not until she had read enough to have satisfied the longing of her soul with these promises sent to them from this faithful prophet living in Babylon but still writing messages as a servant of the God of Israel.