Between Walls of Water

By Randy Anderson

Acts, a young teenage boy, pledges his life to be the servant of Joshua, a warrior chosen by Moses to guide the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. Under the mighty hand of God and faced with Pharaoh's vengeful pursuit, they embark on a treacherous journey with over two million people in tow. Acts becomes witne

• Language: English
• Publisher: EC Publishing LLC
• Release date: Feb 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9781953821768

Randy Anderson

Randy Anderson is a novelist and playwright. His first book was published in 2011. On Making Off recounted his adventures running The Beggars Group, a downtown theater company that produced over two dozen productions at the turn of the millennium. He is also the author of several plays including; Kill the President, The Dwelling, and Yippie! Randy currently lives in Brooklyn where he writes, reasons, and reacts. You can contact him at www.onmakingoff.com, or on twitter @onmakingoff.

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Copyright © 2024 by Randy Anderson.

ISBN 978-1-953821-75-1 Ebook

ISBN 978-1-953821-76-8 Paperback

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Acts

Trouble Brewing

Challenge

The Building of a Family

Acts Pushed

Rescue

No More Time to Waste

Burden Now Blessing

The Climb to Moses

Walls of Water

Naoon

Sin Stained Mud

Turn to Fight

Enemies Crushed

Introduction

He stood on the shore of the Red Sea, looking out across the deep blue water and waiting. He was waiting on a God who was as new to him as those who had followed him out of Egypt. The people of Israel had been enslaved by the Egyptians for generations. They had been forced into hard, unrelenting labor at the hand of the Egyptian taskmasters.

He recalled the ten plagues brought upon Egypt, because Pharaoh would not let the people go. The last plague was the most severe. It took the life of all the firstborn in Egypt from man and animal. The only escape: The blood of a lamb on the door post. After the death of Pharaoh’s own son, it was then that Pharaoh let the people go.

They were now trapped between the Egyptians and the Red Sea. Had this New God led them to this place to die? He stood looking out across the sea and in his heart, he could not see the true God, the God of their ancestors, turning on them. He believed in Him and trusted Him with all of his heart, and he knew that Yahweh would not leave them to die. He would provide a way… Between Walls of Water.

Chapter 1

Acts

THE DREAM…

Sharp, small pictures so real his muscles jumped and flinched as they passed through his mind. A black night starkly lit by the full moon. Cries in the darkness so close he felt them brush his skin. Black smoke moved snakelike through the shadows. Blood of a lamb dripped from a door. He felt the air dissipate from his lungs as the snake of mist slithered closer to his family’s house. It stopped, whipping its undefined head toward him. A heartbeat of paralyzing fear passed, and then the mist-creature coiled and leapt forward, jaws gaping in a harsh hiss. He convulsed back and shut the door.

A voice punctured his vision. Joshua? Acts heard him faintly, but as a few moments passed he began to understand what Joshua was saying.

Acts! Acts, are you well? Did you have another dream?

Yes, Acts groggily replied. He rubbed his face with both hands, slowly recognizing the desert sand he had grown newly accustomed to in the past week. It seems I never know when one will happen.

Did you feel anything before it came? Joshua asked.

Yes. It was that same ringing I got the last time in my ear, first in one, and then in both, Acts replied.

Joshua leaned over and offered his hand as he had done many times before and pulled Acts to his feet. I’m going to talk to Moses about this.

No, Acts said quickly. He… he has so much else to think about. I’m not hurt. A hesitant smile tweaked the corner of his mouth. Maybe these mysterious dreams that show the past do have a lesson or two for the future. His smile blossomed weakly, pulling along his feeble attempt at humor. But, still, they’re just dreams. Anyway, I’m okay. Don’t worry about me. Thanks for caring, though.

Joshua smiled. All right, my brother. If you’re ready, we have to be getting back so we can give report of our scouting to Moses.

I’m fine and fit for duty, my captain. Acts called Joshua captain because Joshua was the one training him in battle techniques, decision-making, and teaching him how to handle stressful situations as a teenage boy. But he was more than a teacher; he was the older brother Acts never had. Even though there was a five-year age difference, Joshua looked at Acts as an equal and never belittled him, always remaining a patient teacher. Acts measured shoulder to shoulder with Joshua, but his frame still lacked the musculature of a grown man. To keep Acts’ morale high, Joshua told the younger boy, You are getting stronger every day. Acts thought in his heart Joshua treated him as Moses treated Joshua.

At the same time, though, Acts knew he was not immune to Joshua’s anger. When Joshua did lose patience with Acts, he would first calm himself, then teach and explain the reason for his impatience; he’d even been known to apologize. Either way, it was always better than the way Acts’ father and his siblings had treated him. His family also distrusted Moses, the man the Lord used to free them from Pharaoh, the King of Egypt.

The Lord God caused nine plagues to fall on Egypt, but Pharaoh hardened his heart toward the Hebrews in response. The Lord gave instructions to the Hebrews to put lambs’ blood on the doorposts and over the doors of their houses, with the blood of the lentil dripping on the threshold of the door. The reason was for the protection of those inside the house. The Lord God was going to send the Destroyer through the land to kill all the firstborn of man and animal in Egypt. Only the presence of the blood promised safety. Even though it had only been a day since that night of terror, it still seemed Acts found himself peering into the darkness, feeling like a little boy despite his fifteen years.

That fateful night, Acts’ curiosity urged him to look out the door when he saw a dark shadow pass across the full moon. Though its shape resembled a serpent, it’s form shifting in different shades of shadow and gray; glissading in the light of the moon. It moved as a mist in a soft breeze. He jumped when the first scream of surprise and grief echoed through the city. The sounds came from some distance, but to Acts, it felt like they originated next door. Time passed, and then the serpentine shadow turned down Acts’ Street, and it began to weave between doors. By this time, the cries from the city were many and heavy with anguish, and the air was so saturated with death Acts could taste the metallic tang beneath his tongue. Some Hebrews had not done as Moses instructed and they too, lost their first born. The snake mist slowly advanced toward Acts’ home, and when it reached him, it turned to face Acts. Although it possessed no discernable features, Acts felt its eyes burn through his and into his skull. Seeing it coil in preparation for a lunge, Acts jerked and slammed the door. His heart pounded, and fear gripped his throat. He could hardly move. He had witnessed Death. But death could not enter his father’s house because of the lamb’s blood on the doorpost. The essence of the absence of life had looked into his soul and desired him, even though it had already taken so many lives that very night.

Get away from the door! shouted a gruff and uncaring voice. We are going to do just as Moses has said so we can get out of this prison.

Acts’ father, Uebel, a man of very little patience and no sign of love toward the boy. He made it very clear he followed Moses, not because Moses was chosen by God, but because Moses was the way out of Egyptian slavery.

Acts was the youngest of nine children, the oldest of which was twenty years Acts’ senior. After that brother came his oldest sister, then five more brothers, and then his sister Klee, who was only three years older than Acts. Klee had raised Acts because their mother had died in childbirth with him. That gave his father reason to hate Acts. Klee acted as a mother, sister and best friend to Acts, and out of such a relationship formed the deepest of love and respect.

Do you want your oldest brother to die, too? demanded his father. Now get over here with your sister and stop moving around.

Uebel spoke to him like he was a five-year-old, never acknowledging the independent and well-built teenager Acts had grown to be. Acts stood a full head taller than his father, and almost two heads above his sister. Yet it was in her arms he found parental security that night. They felt safe with each other; none of the other brothers or sister still lived with them. They had their own families, but even so, they never included their youngest siblings. Now, Klee and Acts were their own family, and together they waited through that night as the Shadow of Death passed over them, just as Moses had said it would. Pharaoh had many wives and so many of his own sons fell victim to this Death Angel because of his own pride. It weakened the heart of the King of Egypt to the point of letting the children of Israel leave.

Acts’ thoughts floated back to the present. Joshua dusted the sand from Acts’ back and picked up the spilled water skin, now only half full of water, and handed it to Acts. Well, we’d better go back and get word to the runners, so Moses will know all is clear and no one follows. The Israelites had camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness, and Moses had sent Acts and Joshua past the rear guard in order to follow the company and watch for any Egyptian troops that might appear to spy or even harm the last of the company.

They began a slow-paced run to catch up to the rear guard, which consisted of three tribes; Dan, Asher and Naphtali. These were the tribes Moses had put in that place of honor. The first tribe they would come to was Naphtali.

The pillar of cloud that led them by day gave them shade from the heat of the sun. But still, the heat had gradually built up to an almost unbearable level when Acts and Joshua caught up to Ahira, the leader of Naphtali.

Hoshea! shouted Ahira. This was the name Joshua had until he became Moses’ servant and Moses changed his name to Joshua. Even though some time had passed since then, some still called Joshua by his old name. Ahira shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun off the cloud that went before the entire company of Israel. As the young men approached he questioned, How did the scouting go?

Well, Joshua panted, coming to a stop and resting his hands on his knees, catching his breath. No one in sight. Not even dust flying in the air.

Ahira smiled and slapped Joshua on the back. Rest and eat. I will send word to Moses that you have returned safely and of the good word you and Acts bring.

Joshua straightened and offered a rolled piece of parchment to the tribal leader. Please instruct the runner to take this message to Moses so he will know we are to soon.

Certainly, Ahira answered as he motioned for the runner to carry the message to the next runner. Each tribe had enough runners to move messages throughout the entire company.

Knowing the tribes were spaced about a mile apart and each tribe was in a wide oval shape that was approximately three miles in length, Joshua quickly calculated. This would mean covering several miles.

Acts, whose lungs had just quit burning, shot a surprised glance at Joshua for the short amount of time Joshua had given them to make such a distance in this heat. But Joshua played like he did not see Acts’ stunned look. The younger one smirked and shook his head at his teacher’s orneriness.

Fatigue pulled on both Joshua and Acts. They entered the cover at the front of the tent where they were brought water with which to wash and food to eat. They slept until the next morning and rose early to begin the journey to the front of the camp. Etham was on the edge of the desert, but plenty of grass clumped in the dirt for grazing, and watering holes were frequent finds. The company had camped here.

Acts looked over at Joshua who knew what his young companion was thinking. I know it is a long distance each day, but I have thought about where we will rest tonight.

Acts sighed and asked, How far in will we be by the end of the day?

Joshua smiled and answered, Your sister’s tent, he said with some excitement.

Acts had not expected that. Seeing his sister would be a very good thing for him and it wouldn’t be bad for Joshua either. Acts found a burst of energy and said, Then we’d better get going, my captain! Joshua smiled as they turned to begin the run/walk for that day.

As they ran past the throng of people traveling within their tribes, Acts marveled at the number in this great assembly. He remembered the numbers called off by tribes according to their count of men twenty years and older capable of fighting. The total came to 603,550 overall, excluding women, children, and young men such as Acts. He had heard there were over two and a half million, total. A sea of people, who had lived everyday of their lives knowing exactly what lay ahead, were now walking into an unknown future.

Using every kind of craft, every area of expertise of which they could possibly conceive, from cloth to gold, the Hebrews had created a beautiful world for the Egyptians, a harsh and unrelenting people. Slavery was all that Acts had ever known, as did his father and his father before him. The bloodline went back generations to the man they knew as Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Jacob’s son Joseph had been placed second in command of all Egypt. God had placed Joseph in that position so His people would not perish in a seven-year drought that the Lord brought. When Joseph and the good king of Egypt died, all the good he had brought fell into oblivion. The Egyptians took the Hebrews as slaves. For generations, the Hebrews served their Egyptian masters until their last breath. Freedom existed only as an idea in the mind of the Hebrew people. They cried out to God for deliverance, never knowing what real independence could mean. Over time, The people of Israel had lost their relationship with The Only True God who had used Joseph in such a mighty way. Freedom and knowing ‘The God of Abraham’ was like someone describing a beautiful gem, which had never been seen.

Acts looked into the faces of the people as he passed, people smiling and laughing. Some would even stop their tasks and begin to jump around with joy. There was singing and dancing. It was a sight he never thought would be real.

They reached their own tribe of Ephraim and Acts immediately began looking for his sister’s tent. He rounded the edge of their tent and saw her with a lamb in her arms. When Klee looked up and saw Acts running to her, she quickly set