Lars Sveen - Children of God

“Who were you escaping?” Anna asked.

“I belonged to a man who kept me locked up and hidden away at night,” said Orpah. “He said I was his, he said he would brand me like an animal if I ever tried to flee.”

Orpah’s breath was warm against her cheek.

“But I’m with the Master now,” she said. “I’m not alone anymore. We’re not alone anymore.”

Her hand found Anna’s.

“Do you know Andrew?” Anna asked her.

“Yes,” Orpah answered.

“What’s he like?” Anna asked.

“He’s nice,” said Orpah. “He doesn’t say much. Who is he to you?”

“He was my everything,” said Anna. “I’ve been searching for him. But I can’t sleep.”

“You’ll get used to it,” said Orpah. “Here, hold my hand. I’ll stay here until you fall asleep.”

Anna stuck with Orpah and didn’t ask any more about Andrew. She would wait to see if he was still her Andrew. Orpah taught her the names of the others, first the women and then the men. A woman called Mary, who was close to Jesus, welcomed her.

“You’re one of us,” said Mary. “We’re with you, just as you’re with us. If you have any questions, you can come to me. I’ve asked Orpah to stay with you for the first few days.”

Anna asked Orpah who the children were. Some had names, while others were just boy or girl, little one or child. A girl with a bright red wound along her neck and face, a mark of the beast, came to Anna the next evening and sat in her lap. At first, she didn’t know what to do, so Orpah told her to sing. Anna sang and tried to speak to the girl, asking her what her name was, where she came from, and if she was hungry.

“I’m Esther,” was all she said. She said nothing else and just sat there with her cheek against Anna’s bosom.

“Esther,” Anna said to the girl.

Anna was no longer alone. Orpah was always by her side, and Esther ran around, tugging at her hands and clutching her legs. She started to talk now and told Anna that she’d run away from Jerusalem, where she’d been living with some other children. She didn’t have any family apart from Jesus and Anna. She was ten years old, maybe eleven, she wasn’t sure. Anna nodded and stroked Esther’s hair.

Anna saw little of Jesus over the following days. All the way from Jacob’s Well at Sychar up to Nazareth she was looking for a reason to approach him. There was a special circle around Jesus made up of the people closest to him, with Mary and Simon Peter among them. Anna couldn’t bring herself to go up to them and ask to speak with Jesus.

One morning, she found him by some rocks alone in the pale sunlight. Jesus seemed tired, with bags under his eyes and his hair tangled. Anna asked if everything was all right. He said everything was fine, got up, and asked if she was all right.

“Yes,” she said. “They’re taking care of me.”

“We’ll soon be there now,” he said. “Then you’ll find Andrew.”

Anna wanted to ask how he’d come to be with them, but the words that came were: “There are others like me here.”

Jesus nodded, but then said, “No, there are no others like you.” And again, Anna sensed him coming toward her; she felt her hands lift up to meet him. But Simon Peter was heading toward them. He called at her, telling her to come with him.

“Leave the Master in peace,” he said.

“Peter, it’s all right,” said Jesus.

“You need rest, Lord,” Simon Peter said.

“It’s all right,” said Jesus.

“No,” said Anna. “He’s right, you look tired. I’m just thinking so much about Andrew. I’m looking forward to seeing Nazareth, I’ve never been outside of Samaria.”

Simon Peter nodded. “There’s not so much to be seen,” he said, “but Andrew will be there.”

They arrived in Nazareth the next day. The sky stretched out over the mountains like a gray blanket, and some goats ran ahead of them on the narrow road up to the city. The first ones to see the group approaching were children. Boys and girls ran from house to house, shouting, and people came out to welcome the new arrivals. Anna tried to spot Andrew, but he was nowhere to be seen. He’d gone to Sepphoris on an errand and wouldn’t be back until the evening. Anna stood there not knowing what to do.

“You’ll just have to wait,” said Orpah, who was by her side. “He’ll be back.”

She took Anna to show her around.

Everything was new, everybody welcomed her. One of Jesus’s brothers lifted her up. “Look,” he said, “you can fly up here, did you know that?” He laughed, and Orpah scolded him for always fooling around like that. Esther tugged at Anna, wanting to show her a secret place only she knew of. Mary came over and asked if Orpah was looking after her. Anna nodded. She stayed close to Orpah, as she felt tired. It dawned on her that she’d left everything in Sychar. Everything she owned, everything she was. Now that she was so close to Andrew, she felt as if it all might fall apart. She thought of Ruth, who’d disappeared. Anna tried to remember her voice, all the things she used to say, the way she would make her little sister feel safe and at home.

“Orpah?” said Anna.

Orpah turned to her, but Anna didn’t know what to ask her. She would just have to wait, she thought, and all the answers would come in the evening. Everything would come with Andrew.

“What is it, Anna?” Orpah asked.

“Nothing,” said Anna. “Nothing. Everything’s just so new.”

The strange thing was that, as the sun was setting and Andrew came walking up toward Nazareth, it was as if Anna had forgotten about everything for a moment. She sat there with Esther, telling her about kings and queens. Anna tried to remember the stories she’d heard, and Esther sat completely still, her eyes wide and dark. If Anna stopped to think, Esther told her to keep telling the story.

“Anna, Anna!” Orpah shouted, and Anna got up immediately, realizing straightaway what was happening.

She kissed Esther. “He’s coming,” she said, and began running toward Orpah.

A man came walking up the narrow path toward the city. He had the glowing sun behind him. His hair was shorter, and his clothes were ragged. He was staring at the ground, and it seemed as if he were talking to himself, before he stopped and looked up to where they were standing.

It was Andrew, Anna was in no doubt about it. He’d gone, but she’d found him.

Andrew walked up the last short distance toward them, staring at Anna. Orpah didn’t say anything; she just held on to Esther and told her not to cling to Anna.

“Anna?” said Andrew as they stood opposite each other.

It was impossible to know what to say, or where to start. She thought about Ruth, who’d never seen him, how she wished to show him to her. She thought about how he’d gone away, how he’d left her there, in Reuben’s clutches, at Baasha’s mercy.

“Anna?” he said again, lifting up a hand and moving the hair away from her battered ear. But Anna swatted away his hand, only to grab it again and hold it in hers.

“Anna,” said Andrew, “what are you doing here?”

Anna held his hand, not wanting to let go. She leaned toward him, lay her head on his chest, and heard his heart beating. He was warm and wet, he smelled like she remembered.

“Anna?” he said yet again.

But before he could say any more, Anna said, “I’m here, I found you.”

Everything happened so quickly after that. Things were made ready for the night, fires were lit, and everybody was given somewhere to sleep. Anna and Andrew didn’t talk much, just holding each other’s hand, while Orpah and Esther walked behind them. Andrew said he had to talk to Jesus and promised to return before nightfall. Anna let him go, and Esther came over and put her arms around Anna’s leg.