Seth, Judith, and Soloman sat on a wooden table with served plates of baked chicken, a soup bowl, and a fruit basket in the center. While eating their delicious meals with utensils in hand, the trio was speaking to one another about their day.
Solomon is slowly eating his chicken piece, chewing it while savoring the taste of the meat itself. "It took so long to get those fresh wheats," he says, sighing as he eats. "I should have known it wasn't going to be easy," complaining in a half-jokingly manner. "Ah, but it was worth it anyway, because mom cooked it so super tasty!" Eating without much complaint.
She giggled at her son's antics. "Oh dear, you really love my cooking, don't you?" Speaking in joyfulness, Judith took a bite of apple from the basket before setting it back down on the side of her plate. "You are just like your father." The mention of his father caused the boy to frown in displeasure.
Noticing his change of demeanor, she worriedly asked, "Did I say something wrong?" Confused by this, the mother was concerned about having accidentally offended her child in any way after recalling her husband's absence from her boy's life.
In a brief moment, there was awkward silence in the air; even Seth did not dare speak, for it is rude to intrude on serious family time. Sitting there and observing them with interest, I waited patiently for what the boy would do with this confrontation.
Glancing away anxiously, the boy grimaced before hastily turning to her. "I hated him," he answered in a brave attempt to be honest with her as she froze in shock at what his mother had to hear. "I tried hiding it, but I can't do it anymore," letting out all his built-up resentment that he has been suppressing.
Gently placing his hand on Solomon's shoulder, he nodded in silent encouragement, easing the child into confessing his sins that have been festering within his very heart: "Everyday, I have to pretend that I don't hate him, because he is a father that I barely know of," gulping the saliva down his throat as he trembled. "That is why I never loved him to begin with."
Seth removed his hand from him, watching the silent duo stare at each other with differing expressions, unable to utter a single word in this time of conflict. His eyes then caught the movement of Judith, who immediately expressed a change of despair at her face. "Solomon..." Her voice cracked, struggling to speak with grief.
It was hard to respond to her child; moreover, she cannot blame him for feeling such anger inside, but to have their own child hate the very man who married and loved her is far too much to bear for Judith. "My dear Solomon..." Tears rolled down her cheeks as the woman began to sob, "How could you say such horrible things?" She wiped the tears from her face using her forearm.
Remorseful at her heartbreaking reaction, Solomon lowered his head with his eyes glued to the floor and said, "I... He couldn't find any excuse; the only thing Solomon can do is apologize in order to relieve his mother's suffering. "I'm sorry, I...didn't mean to say it!" The child began to feel his heart tremble with guilt for hurting the one person who means the most to him. "I am a horrible person for saying that."
Sadly shaking her head, she smiled sweetly while more tears continued to fall.No, "it's not your fault; please don't say that."Placing her palm on his cheek, she said, "I know it's hard for you to understand, but it is difficult for your father as well," explaining her situation to her son.
"But mother," a sad smile formed on Solomon's face, grabbing her hand on his cheek and pulling it down at the table. "I forgot to tell you that I have forgiven him for what he has done to you and me." His words of forgiveness surprised his mother while Seth listened intently, "because oh him," looking at Seth with a warm, friendly smile, "he made me realize how stupid I was to hold onto a grudge like that," causing Seth to happily nod in understanding.
Releasing her hand, Solomon stared deeply into his mother's teary eyes. "This is why I wanted to ask this just to see if what Seth said is true," confirming it to himself before looking away for a brief moment. "You really love dad, don't you?" He returned his gaze to her while letting out a beaming smile.
Judith nodded, wiping her tears. "That man was good husband to me and also a great father to you." sniffling through her nose, she touched her chest with affection. "I love him, and that's the truth." She is unable to express it in greater detail, as all she can do is hope he understands.
Regardless, he did, and there is no reason to lie: "Even though he is away from us, it's alright, because you are with me, mom!" Standing up, he rushed to her side and hugged his mother with the brightest of smiles. "I won't be sad, not anymore! For now, I am going to work hard to become king; that way, no one will bully you or anyone else."The child gleefully exclaimed his goal, giggling with excitement over this.
Blinking rapidly, her eyes widened in disbelief at her son's intentions but nonetheless went along with his dream: "If that is what you want, then so be it," resting her head at the side of his, "just don't forget about me, your silly mother," teasingly poking at his left cheek with her finger while Solomon chuckled in response.
Seth watched with satisfaction these two, his own smile forming on his lips. Then, a soft thump resounded inside. Hearing it echo from the depths of his ears, he closed his eyes. A brief image flashed of himself killing them in the most brutal way possible, which caused him to scream in fright.
Sweat poured down on his face as he opened his eyes, staring at the worried and surprised duo looking back at him with deep concern. "Seth, what's wrong?" Solomon's question snapped the man from his trance, returning him to the reality of himself sitting in their house.
He stood up. "I need to go," the young man said, turning around and calmly approaching the door in fear for what he had to witness and afraid for them, guilt and shame rising from his heart in having to imagine such a sudden intrusion of his mind.
Soloman called, "Wait, Seth!" He ran up to him and asked, "What happened?" Grabbing his wrist, he held it firmly, stopping Seth in his tracks. The man then faced him, revealing his uneasy expression at the younger boy. "Hey, are you okay? You don't look so—"
Immediately turning around, he easily retracted his wrist from him before kneeling down with one knee, putting his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Don't mind me, but remember to stay true to who you are and keep moving forward," Seth advised in a hurry with a gentle and friendly smile on his face. "Soon, I may not be able to talk with you for a while as I have to finish something, so," grasping his hands tighter, "I will see you later; take care, Soloman, Judith." Letting him go, he stood up and hurriedly left.
Leaving the two staring at each other in confusion.
Quickly closing the door behind him, Seth breathed a heavy sigh while lowering his head. "My God." Looking down at his open palms, he tightly clenched them in shame of what he had thought: "Is this a test? Are you testing me if I can resist the temptations that plague my mind?" Raising his head, Seth spoke to the starry heavens above in worry of having to fail his God's plan: "Tell me, is this my fate?" He closed his eyes, having to accept whatever tests he had to face.
It can't be, for God does not tempt evil. Perhaps the flesh itself is at war with God's will, while these images and thoughts are just trials he has to overcome while trying his best to serve the almighty. But this is nothing more than speculation about his way of thinking.
Or was it because of them? The fallen angels who continuously try to bring him to their side by deceit and lying alone—perhaps they were the ones that are to blame for having to plant these evil thoughts inside his mind. But he won't let them win.
Because the Lord is good and righteous, believe in him with all his heart, and he shall never have to endure the temptation of sin itself; "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak," ashamed of how the sinned world tries its efforts to corrupt him.
Looking ahead on this windy night, there was a field of fresh wheat in this farmland, and at the corner was the barn that stores all sorts of animal feed and livestock. From the distance, Seth could see the silhouette of his temple in the woods that reflected the light of his teachings to the people. A small, comforting smile formed on his face.
Taking a step forward, he turned around to see their home—small yet charming, humble, and well kept, unlike the wealthy and powerful ones of the land that have all sorts of riches and treasure—a normal home that anyone can live in but with good morals and kind people.
The house was made out of pinewood, with a tin roof covering it; the front door was painted white; there was a simple, small porch; and there was a well-kept garden filled with flowers, bushes, and plants around it. The windows were glass and shuttered, giving the appearance of a cozy and welcoming home. Its chimney was made of stones, with a faint smoke coming out of it, indicating a homely appearance.
"I pray for your boy to become a good man in his future endeavors so he to, would glorify God's works." He turned and walked away, leaving their property, passing through the fields as the crops blew with the wind along with leaves from nearby trees and bushes on this calming night.
Time passes by for Seth on this moonlit night, gazing up at the sky and seeing the beautiful stars that shine above him, where a slight breeze blows his robe. "I wonder how the people in the capital are doing," he thought to himself, imagining all the citizens living in poverty and suffering under tyrannical rule. "It seems that my job is far from over."
He continued moving until reaching the forest, entering it before encountering a small stream flowing along the riverbank with running water that flowed downwards in the direction of the village itself. A smile formed on his lips when he lowered himself down, staring at the reflection of himself in the waters on this flowing stream, refreshing waters that washed away all of his worries and troubles.
Then the mirror reflection of himself at the waters morphed into his younger self, a brown-coat fourteen-year-old boy whom Seth remembered all too clearly of his past in this life: "No, I can't go back; no matter how tempting it is, I can't," encouraging himself to move forward.
And it spoke back, "How can you be sure of yourself?" The younger version of himself asked, "Can the son of God be truly tested by temptation alone?" Hearing the voice caused him to be at unease. "Are you being true to yourself, or are you trying to fool yourself into believing that?" It questioned his sanity, "to ignore the dark thoughts that plague your mind, to ignore the urges to kill and destroy, for they are just obstacles that come between you and your dreams; you can't resist the temptation of the flesh alone; no mortal can, and that includes you."
Those words echoed in his mind, making him grasp his head and shout in agonizing pain from his conscience and conscience alone, "Enough!" Angrily yelling before standing up, "You are trying to convince me to comply with my dark desires; you are just a fragment of my own thoughts and nothing more!" He turned to the apparition of his younger self, whose smile changed into an innocent, childlike smirk.
Tilting his head slightly, the manifestation innocently replied, "You're right, I am just a fragment of your subconsciousness," confirming the truth before a wide grin appeared, "but how could you say that when you defiled Morgan's corpse?" The alter ego accused in glee, "Remember, it was you who left your friends dead; it was you who cowardly left them to die while they begged for their lives, but instead of helping them, you left them to die." As if on cue, his memories flashed back into his mind, showing him his comrades on the ground with bloody, gruesome wounds and the sins he carried.
The son of God cannot sin, for he is salvation itself.
Instead of lashing out, he calmly responded, "In my heart, I believe that I was once a sinner," serious yet gentle, "and though I have my weaknesses and faults, I have outgrown and saved after realizing who I was." His will to resist and suppress his dark side was righteously strong.
Seeing his determination, the manifestation chuckled, "You can fool everyone around you, but the devil nor I are the only ones who can truly see your ugly self hidden deep inside." The entity taunted while the sounds of grass crunching entered the man's ears. "Believe in God all you want, but it will be a matter of time when temptation finally sets in and you can't run away from it any longer," was the ominous statement that sent chills down Seth's spine.
Shaking his head in denial, "I have been baptized three times, one in fire, the second in blood, and the final one of water itself," his answer caused the manifestation to laugh maniacally as a sinister smile formed on his mouth before continuing, "I will carry the holy spirit inside until salvation comes to all," finalizing his faith, in which the manifestation tilted his head in curiosity.
"We shall see about that, child of God." As he said those parting words, he vanished without trade; replaced without a single reflection at the flowing stream, the only thing Seth can hear in this peaceful forest is the sounds of running water flowing through the riverside, where moonlight shines upon the area itself.
"Father in heaven, protect me from this world."
