Murdered

Murdered Atonement

Scene – Miriam is 17 helping father in the shop

She is tending the shop with Father. Brother Yehoshua, now 20 is on a merchant trip to the East by himself; he will return this week. Father & daughter talk about this and Miriam goes to the back of the shop. The successful business is a legacy business with great esteem and customer heritage in the area. Outfits made by this shop are heirlooms passed from father to son. Miriam is a sweet but professional lady. She is demure and retiring, but is often called to the front to help with selections, because of her fashion sense. She transcends the usual bounds of women’s limitations, because of her talents.

Thieves enter the shop and rob the father. He puts up a struggle, shouting as they physically overpower him. He thrashes violently, one picks up a cutting tool and kills him. Miriam rushes to the front of the store and screams, running to protect her father. It is too late. They push her to the back of the store. We hear screams. Scene dims.

Mother comes with dinner to the store hours later, sun setting over Jeruselum. She finds her husband murdered, screams and mourns. As she opens her eyes, she sees her daughter enter the room, bruised with torn clothes. “Oh, oh, oh, no!!!!” She embraces Miriam, clutching her with great gratitude and comfort. “Oh, my sweet girl. Oh no.” She sobs then catches a gulp of air, and with eyes wide, says, “Shhhh, we must be quiet. Let us take you home. No one must know you were here.” Mother settles the daughter quickly at home and races back to the shop.

When mother returns to the shop, she sees the devastating scene anew and falls to her husband, moaning, “What shall we do? What shall we do?” She screams and sobs, then runs to door and screams for help.

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