and give them victory o'er the grave | abel & scrum jb
Sept 27, 2021 8:34:05 GMT -5
Post by dovey on Sept 27, 2021 8:34:05 GMT -5
SCRUM O'MALLEY
Scrum still isn’t certain he really means to come and visit Cousin Abel until the Peacekeepers are ushering him into the room.
He’s never been close with his cousins. It seems to him that they’re harder than his own family, harsh in a way that’s alien to him for all that they share both his surname and his faith. Cousin Abel is maybe the one who feels the most familiar, in that there’s something about him that reminds Scrum of Prop – but Prop can be counted upon to love Scrum no matter what, and Scrum can’t say the same of Abel.
But then that’s why Scrum is here – why he has to be here, no matter how he feels about his cousin. Because of Prop. Because Abel saved Prop’s life – because Abel did what God meant for Scrum to do, while Scrum just stood there in silence.
“I’m so sorry,” he begins frantically as soon as he crosses the threshold into the room. “I’m so sorry, Abel, I just – it should’ve been me, it was supposed to be me, but I just froze. I’m so sorry. I should’ve had faith – I should’ve –”
He falls abruptly silent, registering only now that Cousin Abel very probably has no idea what he’s talking about. And just like that he’s frozen again. Because part of him – a large part of him – is terrified of explaining what he means. Cousin Abel might be family, but that’s definitely no guarantee that he’ll want to hear the truth. Telling him outright about Scrum’s calling to prophesy against the Capitol, risking denial or reproach or even being reported on to the Peacekeepers – well – that’s starting. That’s Scrum accepting his role, saying he’s ready. That means no turning back.
And Scrum’s going to follow God’s will, of course he is, he knows that’s the most important thing in the world to do – but he still feels so unprepared, and he doesn’t know how to be a prophet, and voicing his calling right here in the Justice Building feels so inexorably final.
Prophets get killed.
Scrum knows he shouldn’t be afraid, that he should trust in God and accept whatever happens to him. It’s shameful, that he can’t even do this much for Cousin Abel who is going to die because Scrum was too scared to follow his calling when the time came for it – but his fear sits on his chest and in his throat like a stone too heavy to move, and all his shame won’t make it any lighter. So he doesn’t explain himself to Abel, not straight out anyway. He coughs, and sniffles, and wipes away the tears that have begun to gather in his eyes, and at last he says in a small voice, “Did you know you’re going to be a martyr?” He bites his lip. “Like Six.”
He’s never been close with his cousins. It seems to him that they’re harder than his own family, harsh in a way that’s alien to him for all that they share both his surname and his faith. Cousin Abel is maybe the one who feels the most familiar, in that there’s something about him that reminds Scrum of Prop – but Prop can be counted upon to love Scrum no matter what, and Scrum can’t say the same of Abel.
But then that’s why Scrum is here – why he has to be here, no matter how he feels about his cousin. Because of Prop. Because Abel saved Prop’s life – because Abel did what God meant for Scrum to do, while Scrum just stood there in silence.
“I’m so sorry,” he begins frantically as soon as he crosses the threshold into the room. “I’m so sorry, Abel, I just – it should’ve been me, it was supposed to be me, but I just froze. I’m so sorry. I should’ve had faith – I should’ve –”
He falls abruptly silent, registering only now that Cousin Abel very probably has no idea what he’s talking about. And just like that he’s frozen again. Because part of him – a large part of him – is terrified of explaining what he means. Cousin Abel might be family, but that’s definitely no guarantee that he’ll want to hear the truth. Telling him outright about Scrum’s calling to prophesy against the Capitol, risking denial or reproach or even being reported on to the Peacekeepers – well – that’s starting. That’s Scrum accepting his role, saying he’s ready. That means no turning back.
And Scrum’s going to follow God’s will, of course he is, he knows that’s the most important thing in the world to do – but he still feels so unprepared, and he doesn’t know how to be a prophet, and voicing his calling right here in the Justice Building feels so inexorably final.
Prophets get killed.
Scrum knows he shouldn’t be afraid, that he should trust in God and accept whatever happens to him. It’s shameful, that he can’t even do this much for Cousin Abel who is going to die because Scrum was too scared to follow his calling when the time came for it – but his fear sits on his chest and in his throat like a stone too heavy to move, and all his shame won’t make it any lighter. So he doesn’t explain himself to Abel, not straight out anyway. He coughs, and sniffles, and wipes away the tears that have begun to gather in his eyes, and at last he says in a small voice, “Did you know you’re going to be a martyr?” He bites his lip. “Like Six.”
475 words
