The boy managed to whisper out, "Thank you Sir." Before he backed out of the room and closed the door.
Eli spoke up, "You made him a better young man just now and for that I thank you. Many can speak a hard thing and tear down, but few can actually build others up by speaking just plain ordinary words."
There was a period of silence between us then, which Eli broke. "Is she important?" He asked.
I thought about it for a moment. "I guess you could say that she's humanity's last great chance at freedom."
Eli nodded, as if he had suspected as much. His eyes seemed to bore into me. "But that is not why she is important to you is it? Tell me is she your wife?"
"She's mine!" I responded firmly.
He seemed to accept the answer. "You should rest now. I'll keep watch over her and wake you if you're needed." Eli said.
I was tired, especially after eating all the food that I had. I lay down on the cot, but sleep eluded me. It had always been hard to sleep ever since…… I opened my eyes, it wasn't good to remember. I glanced over to see Eli reading something by candlelight. I sat up and his eyes drifted over to me.
"Is that a Bible?" I asked.
He nodded.
"You a preacher?"
"I am." He affirmed.
I'd suspected as much. I stood up and moved toward the door, but stopped before I went through it.
"If you don't mind I think she'd enjoy it if you were to read out loud. She draws comfort and meaning from those words." I said before I started out the door.
"And what meaning do you have for her?" Eli asked deeply.
I stopped briefly, "I'm the man who's supposed to be keeping her safe from all harm." I said bitterly before stalking away into the night.
Eli stared at the closed door for a moment, as his finger tapped on his Bible. The man was hard to read. There was anger and perhaps even shame in his cloaked demeanor that he used to shield some private pain. There was also confusion to be sure and Eli stretched out a hand toward the door and prayed out against the spirit of confusion that he felt twisting the young man up inside. That done he turned back to the table and the beautiful patient that lay upon it.
He had a very good feeling about her. He glanced at the door, as he again remembered the big warrior's request for the woman that he had claimed as his own. A smile touched Eli's lips; the proper application of sweet honey always did catch more flies. He pulled his chair closer to the bed and picked up from where he had been reading in Psalms. Psalms was always a good book of the Bible to read, when one was in need of comfort. Eli's deep voice filled the room with a resonating melody, as he read the Scriptures he'd read countless times before to his silent witness.