Chapter 20

David was going through mixed emotions. God had spoken to him again after a period of two years of silence - and that was good news. What wasn't so good were the words God had spoken. David had the sense that God was questioning the fact that he had saved little Beckie (the girl kept insisting her name was Lillian, but David was ignoring that).

"He didn't come right out and say that what I have done is wrong, but why did he ask me why I had taken her? Surely that's what he intended all along?"

His thoughts were interrupted.

"David, when will mommy and daddy be here? Where's Isaac and all the other children?" asked 'Beckie'.

"Who are mommy and daddy, sweetheart and who is Isaac?" he asked while he thought about her questions.

"Daddy Adam and Mommy Hannah of course and Isaac is my twin, everybody knows that silly."

"So, she's Hannah's daughter - even better. This is the child that Hannah and I might have had together if the rest of the twins hadn't interfered to split us up. Surely this is another sign that God intended me to have this little girl?"

In David's head he had long since justified and even romanticised what had happened between himself and Hannah. His memories didn't reflect the fact that he had tried to rape the girl - rather they told a story of Hannah secretly longing for him and the other twins acting out of self-interest to keep them apart.

"They were all so scared about losing their own twin that they ganged up on us. They couldn't let anything happen that threatened their cosy existence so they put a stop to something that would have been beautiful - Hannah and me together. Well, here is the daughter Hannah and I might have made together."

"Listen, sweetheart I've got a story to tell you," he said to the little girl as he tucked her under some furs so she could nap.

"Once upon a time there was a brave man who found himself caught out in the worst weather of the winter - freezing temperatures, deep snow, howling winds.

"He was far from home and was surely going to die from the cold until a miracle happened."

"What? What was the miracle David?" Beckie asked with excitement gleaming in her eyes.

"God was the miracle, Beckie. God, the creator of all things was the miracle. God had been watching the brave man for some time. You see, God had decided that he needed the man's twin for a special purpose and he took her."

"How did he take her, David? What's a special purpose?"

"A special purpose is a task that God sets people. God decided that he needed my Rebecca for such a task and she died before I even got to know her."

"Isaac is my twin, I hope God doesn't have a special purpose for him 'cause I don't want to lose him."

"Hush, Beckie. Let me finish the story. So, God had been watching the brave man and he decided that he would save him from the winter. The first thing he did was lead him to a cave that had dry firewood in it.

"The brave man was able to make a fire so that he could warm himself and sleep. When he awoke, he found that God had performed another miracle. Not only had he kept the fire burning brightly all night; he also provided a bowl of the most wonderful hot stew anyone has ever tasted. It was like God's own food it tasted so good.

"The brave man felt better after getting some rest and eating God's food, but he was still a long way from safety. He felt good though because he knew now that God was watching over him so he started his long, hard journey through the snows once more."

"Did the brave man have wolf-fur like this?" Beckie asked, rubbing her cheek against the fur.

"No, Beckie. He was wrapped in buffalo skins."

"David, my name is Lillian, why do you keep calling me Beckie?"

"Ssshhh. Anyway, the brave man walked and he walked and he walked. God's miracles just seemed to keep happening - the next one was that the Lord provided the man with some hi-energy bars so he would have the strength to keep walking. Then God really showed how much he valued the brave man."

"What did God do, David? How did he show he valued the man?"

"There was a hungry wolf following the man and he didn't know it. The wolf was huge and it was almost mad with hunger as it hadn't had food for almost three weeks. Just as the wolf was about to attack the brave man, God warned him of the danger and told him to prepare himself.

"When the wolf made its charge, the man was ready with his spear and he killed the beast. He skinned the animal and then turned his face into the bitterly cold wind and resumed his journey."

"Is this the wolf-skin, David? Is this it?" asked Beckie excitedly.

"Ssshhh. By now the brave man was very tired and it was all he could do to put one foot in front of the other. The cold was slowly killing him, robbing him of all his energy and stopping him from even thinking straight. God could see how tired he was and he performed yet another miracle. Two bowls of the most delicious broth imaginable appeared as if out of nowhere and the brave man ate them both.

"The broth was even better than God's stew and it gave the brave man new hope. His belly was suddenly much warmer and his strength returned for the final part of his journey home.

"The wind grew even stronger and colder - almost as if it was trying to blow him back the way he had come. The man knew that God was with him however, and he drew strength from his faith and forced his way forward.

"At last the brave man reached the foot of the mountain where his cave was, but by now the last of his energy was gone. All was not lost however. God had been impressed by the man's faith in him and he was determined to see the man safely home. So, God saved his best miracle for last. He picked the brave man up and carried him up the mountainside. He lit a fire and covered the man over with wolf-skins - much like you're snuggled down in there now.

"When the man awoke the next morning he knew that God had a special purpose in life for him too. God had taken his twin, but now his service was also required by God.

"Do you know what special purpose the man had, Beckie?"

"No, David. What was it? Tell me, what was the special purpose?"

"The man's special purpose was to save a little girl from being killed by a wild boar. He was to save her and then together the man and the little girl would live together and worship God for ever."

"David, who is God?" she asked.

There was an uneasy silence between the water twins as they walked towards home. This had been their first real argument and neither of them really knew what to do to fix things between them. Ben had let Sarah sleep on her own, convinced that she needed some time and space to work through the problem of what to do about Lillian.

Sarah had at first thought she needed to be away from Ben, but had quickly found she missed having him snuggled up behind her. She began to regret taking the skins and moving away from her twin, but pride wouldn't let her move back to be with him.

When Ben showed no signs of trying to patch things up or of trying to join her so they could cuddle as they always did, Sarah's regret at having acted hastily began to morph into further disappointment in Ben. Despite the face that it had been she who had moved away from him and that he had no way of knowing what she was feeling - still she blamed him for them not sleeping together.

As a consequence of being apart, neither of them had slept well and that added to Sarah's grumpyness. Forgotten were the lobsters, the prawns, the fruit and the candlelight. In their place there was now guilt for having thought so badly of her lifemate and anger that he seemed to have put them in a no-win situation.

"As I see it we have two choices. We either tell the twins that David has Lillian or we don't. If we tell them then they will probably be able to get her back, but Adam will kill David. If we don't tell them then Hannah loses one of her children for ever. Have I got this right?" she asked.

"My way of looking at it is slightly different. We do have two choices. We can choose to interfere in something that's already happened or choose to do nothing. If it wasn't for the fact that I've found these metals of power, we would have no idea that David took Lillian. In all likelihood we would be thinking the same as the others, that an animal took the girl."

Ben's way of course avoided all the emotional imagery that Sarah's choices evoked. He could see that Sarah was weakening. Her maternal instincts had clouded her thinking for once - he knew that wasn't like her. Now she fully understood the choices. Ben had of course stacked the decision against her. One choice ended with the loss of a life while the other didn't. He knew how sacred every life was to his twin and that once she had mulled over the choices she would see that he was right in this.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to look Hannah in the eye," Sarah said glumly.

Ben heard her words and knew this was her tacit agreement to go along with his decision. Now was the time for him to show his compassion and he moved over to stop her walking. He dropped the rope for the pod and put both arms round her in a tight hug.

"I know my love, I know. It's going to be hard, but I really think it's for the best. Hannah will hurt for a long time, but that's better than someone dying. I'll be there to support you, don't worry."

The emotional dam within Sarah burst. The decision they were making was so monumental that she knew she could never have arrived at it on her own. Once again Ben had shown that he was the one able to take decisions, he was the leader and she was so relieved to have his strong arms around her once more, to have him back in her heart.

The water twins stopped to have something to eat at mid-day and Ben tried everything he knew to try to cheer Sarah up. She was still worried looking and now tired too as the late afternoon found them nearing the caves.

"Remember, let me do the talking if possible," Ben said. Sarah nodded.

Their own two older children came tumbling down the hill to greet them and they could see Elizabeth and Hannah standing at the mouth of the communal cave with other toddlers around their legs.

All of Ben's carefully argued plans were blown out of the water with one exchange.

"Where are Adam and Thomas?" he asked.