Offering!

[Dot Dot Dot]

The eight-year-old child skipped down the empty streets of Gatlin, a bounce in her step and a wide grin on her face. In one hand she held a basket of vegetables that she had been told to give to Isaac as an offering to He Who Walks Behind the Rows, and in the other she held the same basket because she was tiny and it was that heavy.

She turned to the building that Isaac claimed as his own, and stopped for a moment. She tried to please Isaac, mostly because doing so seemed to be a good vaccine for the disease Being Sacrificed, but that didn't stop her from being terrified of the boy-preacher. Sort of like how she was terrified of everything.

"That's stupid," Ruth growled to herself, shifting from foot to foot. "I shouldn't be afraid. I'm a child of He Who Walks Behind the Rows. I've got nothing to be afraid of. I'll try to be braver from now on. Today is the first day of the rest of my life!"

She stormed up to the dwelling, and waited outside of the door.

Just barging in would be rude.

[Bunny]

Oh Lord, grant us your indulgence, invigorate us, bless -

Today is the first day of the rest of my life!

The boy preacher rose his head from the prayer at the girlish squawk from outside his dwelling. He paused for a moment, making an allowance just in case the noise started again and once more interrupted his prayer. After the wait seemed sufficient he inclined his head once more.

[Dot Dot Dot]

Ruth intook a breath when Isaac didn't open the door to her. Dang it, the basket was heavy. She didn't want to stand out here all day.

She prepared to release the breath in a holler when she recalled her earlier fear of coming down with the illness 'Getting Sacrificed'. She wasn't certain if howling outside of Isaac's door would constitute a crucifixion, but she wasn't going to take any chances.

"Excuse me...?" she whispered softly, hoping her small whimper would stretch through the hard oak door and enter into the boy's ears.

[Bunny]

Finally, prayer and worship of He Who Walks Behind the Rows completed, Isaac rose from his knees. A cursory glance out the window told him that the morning was bright and crisp, a perfect summer day for harvesting.

It also told him that there was a child - the little Ruth - waiting outside of his door, about to burst.

A smile of amusement splashed across his face, and he allowed it to stay as he opened the door.

"Greetings, Ruth," he said deliberately. He eyed the large basket the child was holding. "Would you like me to take that?"

[Dot Dot Dot]

Ruth almost leaped from her skin when the oak door previously standing before her vanished and Isaac took its place.

"WHOA!" she shouted. "How'd you do that? Sorry, sorry, sorry!" she chanted in the same breath, realizing she had spoken out of turn. Isaac always got so mad when she questioned him. "I mean, if you wanna make doors disappear, that's a-ok. You are the word, and the giver of his laws. Oak doors are nothing! NOTHING!" She shouted this final word to the heavens. As she slung her head back into its normal position, she realized that the door hadn't vanished. It had opened.

Doors do that.

"I---I see..." she said aloud. Quicky she added, "I wasn't accusing you of witchcraft!" The unspoken words were Don't have me killed!

[Bunny]

The child rambling. About nothing. She spoke quickly and with little pause, and much was lost on its way to Isaac's ears. Something about a door? She heralded his rank and listed his blessing of being the speaker for He Who Walks Behind the Rows.

Something about an oak door, and they are nothing?

Witchcraft now?

Isaac couldn't hide the smile from his face. The child was innocent and blissful, and truly uncorrupted, just as He Who Walks Behind the Rows willed. A perfect vision of the desired purity. If she didn't talk so much.

"You speak rashly, Ruth," Isaac reprimanded, but half-heartedly. "You must choose your words with care." He repeated his offer regarding the basket.

[Dot Dot Dot]

"The basket?" Ruth peered downwards at the vegetable-filled basket in question. Tomatoes. Cucumbers. Summer crops. It was supposed to be for either He Who Walks Behind the Rows or for Isaac to eat or...

Wait. No. This was meant to Rachel. Or Malachai? Not Isaac. No...not Isaac.

She flushed red.

"This isn't for you!" she shouted. "I was supposed to give this to the church. Or Malachai. I'm supposed to give Isaac the ---the..." she trailed off. "I have nothing for you, Isaac. I'm sorry."

[Bunny]

For a moment, Isaac just regarded the shouting child before him. She continued too speak a mile a minute, shouting seemingly random sentences from off the top of her head, blatantly ignoring the advice he had deigned to give her just seconds before.

That was irritating.

"Then why do you stand here, child?" he questioned her, trying to keep a kind countenance. Heart of gold but head of wood, this one Any trangression she was committing (which was, at this point, merely annoying the boy preacher) could be forgiven due to her --- special qualities. "If you are bearing gifts for the church, or Malachai, then why are you here before me?" He knew, of course, just as he knew all things. She had made a mistake, as children (particularly ones like her) often made.

[Dot Dot Dot]

Rush felt her cheeks grow as red as the tomato resting in the basket. If Isaac discovered that she had made a mistake, he might think ill of her. And if he thought ill of her, he might wake up one morning, and --and--- She didn't want to find out! It was best to play it safe here. Come up with a fool proof lie.

"Well, this is for someone else," she conceded, nodding at the basket. "But I brought something for you, too!"

[Malachai09gal<3]

Malachai had been in the cornfield looking for outlanders, hoping they weren't around, because they'd regret it if they were, Lucrisha was, a petite girl with dark hair and hazel eyes had gone with him, she always went hunting with him; "we must go back to the chapel, Isaac will be expecting us" he said to her without looking at her, she nodded and followed him back. They entered the chapel, Malachai in front of her; "the fields are clear Isaac, no outlanders among us.." he looked over and saw Ruth, Lucrisha didn't get along with Ruth much

[Bunny]

Isaac flicked his gaze towards Malachai, relieved at the presence of his enforcer before Ruth could trouble him further. He listened to the older boy's words, and nodded as he spoke. "I was not warned of the presence of an interloper," Isaac said to Malachai, keeping his voice level and calm to mask the irritation he had been feeling towards Ruth, lest it carry over towards the red-head who, for once, was not the source of his discomfort.

It was a different red-head.

"However, the Lord does so want us to help ourselves, so we must always be on the vigilant for the day may come when he wishes to test whether we can defend this land even without his holy guidance. I thank you for performing his will, Malachai. Lucrisha." He flicked his gaze over towards the dark-haired girl at Malachai's side in acknowledgment, and then looked back towards Ruth. "The child claims that she may have a gift for you, Malachai. As well as an offering to me." He narrowed his eyes into slits. Ruth's lying tongue had to learn.

[Dot Dot Dot]

Ruth's mouth dropped open and her slim frame began to quiver. "Um....um....well..." she gulped. "Actually, I don't have anything. But I was told to give this basket..." she struggled to lift the heavy weaving of straw, "and its contents to somebody. But...but...but..." The child's eyes began to swell with tears. "But I don't wanna die!" she shrieked.

[esau12]

A set of three knocks are heard at the door.

[Sly Cooper]

Damon after calming his nerves and un-clearing his head a bit passed through the streets where he saw a small Ruth talking to Isaac. He was slightly curious but he wasn't sure whether he should disturb the two. He knew he would have to talk to Isaac eventually when the time came to tell him of the wedding that was supposedly supposed to take place.

[esau12]

"Oh, I hope someone allows me to enter," is heard from outside of the knocks. The voice is that of Esau's, a modest member of the corn society.