"Shut up, you prideful weed! Don't you know who you are?"
He was at it again; tearing her down, ripping her heart out. Leah crawled along the edge of the mountain, praying with fervency that she would not fall off. The sharp fangs of the precipice scraped against her pale bare legs. With each step she felt her heart grow more and more weary. It was bad enough that she had not eaten in days, but the emotional strain of him was almost unbearable.
Another attempt to crawl. The trim of her tattered dress had gotten snagged on the ridge. It pulled her back slightly. She let out a sigh of exasperation. Could this get any worse? Maybe it could.
Thanatos, a tall thin man who had the strength of an ox, squeezed Leah from shoulder to shoulder.
"You ungrateful twit. Don't you know all that I've done for you? I've given you people and pleasure and luxury unending! Yet you leave me for this Man??"
His eyes were like black crystal balls; she could see herself so clearly. It was like looking into a black hole. Thanatos terrified Leah greatly. He had come to her as a small child and threatened her very existence. It seemed to her that he knew every way to keep her in the grip of his clammy, greasy hands. He had made his mark on her by taking away one that she cared for so deeply. She felt enslaved by this nefarious creature. But of course, now that she had this dream about a Man and a light, and she knew the path He wanted her on, Thanatos was angrier than ever.
"Who do you think you are, Leah," Thanatos raged against her, throwing her on the dirt. "You think this road will be easy? You think it will be fun? You know what happened last time you tried to get away from me. I don't take your rebellion lightly."
"I just want to keep going," panted Leah, dehydrated and exhausted from the journey.
"Well, who said I would let you? You cannot just leave me whenever you want. You're mine, remember? You belong to me, not this crazy Man. He's a figment of your imagination."
Leah wanted to keep going. She wanted to follow the path. But she was so tired, and Thanatos would not leave her alone. Thoughts of giving up and turning back came to her mind. Maybe she should just let him have his way with her. All he wants is companionship, right? When she did what he said, everything went fine. But the memories of how she felt during her years with him echoed throughout her heart. She could not go back to being with him. She could not continue this life of slavery with a man that only abused her. This dream, however silly and childish, was the only thing she had to hold on to. And she had to hold on.
"Leave me alone, Thanatos," she whispered, bracing herself for what was to come next.
"Excuse me," Thanatos responded, not quite sure of what she was trying to pull.
"Leave...me...alone," she repeated. A strength was rising up within her, one she had not known until now.
"Hmph! You cannot tell me to leave you alone. I am the master. You are the slave. Now shut up before I give you something to complain about!"
Leah started to get up. Something was making her stronger. Something was giving her zeal to stop Thanatos. Rising up, she said, "Leave me alone, Thanatos! I won't be controlled or manipulated by you anymore! I've had enough!" She stood strong, only in time for Thanatos to kick her back to the ground.
"NO," he shouted in defense. "You're mine!"
"I will never be yours again, you spineless pig! Get away from me," she screamed, lying on her back, still trying to get up.
Thanatos was filled with fury. He started to go after Leah with means to kill her. Leah scuffled back and started to scramble to get away from him. But he was too quick. He grabbed her ankles and pulled her straight under him. She squealed for help, but her voice echoed on the cliff of the mountain. Leah swung her right hand and struck Thanatos' face, but immediately gasped. She couldn't believe she just hit him. His eyes were suddenly filled with flames. She thought she could even hear the screams of others in his eyes; the souls of those he'd taken captive forever. Leah froze, terrified of what he was going to do next. She knew she could not get him to relent in punishment this time. Her eyes grew larger, as a doe before her last breath.
Thanatos grabbed her wrists, which were carefully tucked in front of her chest. He pulled Leah to a standing position, and brushed the dirt off her cold body. Leah stood there amazed, but still afraid. What was he going to do? Was this over? Or was she in for something far worse?
"You were always my favorite," Thanatos said calmly. Leah could not speak. Her mouth was frozen from shock. "But, I guess I'll have to replace you with another, more beautiful, young woman. You know, there's one of your sisters that I admire quite a bit. She's not quite as old and used up as you are. Maybe I'll have her instead. Go play with your Man and follow your silly dream. I'll get my satisfaction elsewhere."
"Wait! No! You can't take her! She's too young!" Leah's heart began pounding. She loved her sisters. She knew the younger ones could not handle the pain and torment she had already endured. But going back to Thanatos was not an option. She had to stop him. But how?
"Oh, I will take her," Thanatos assured Leah. "I'll have her, and everyone else you care about on this earth. You will be alone. No one will be there for you if you follow this silly Man."
The strength came back to Leah like a lightning bolt striking the earth. She was consumed with zeal for the ones she loved. She wasn't going to let him take them. So, with all the physical strength Leah had left, she attacked Thanatos. They struggled for quite sometime. Minutes seemed like hours in this endless battle between the weak and the seemingly strong. But after awhile, Leah knew she could not do this in her own strength. She struggled and tried, and gave all her effort against the creature who was after her soul, but time was running out.
Leah hit her last wind when Thanatos slammed her entire body against the wall of the mountain. He had her pinned. Now he was just laughing at her, and taunting her. He knew she didn't have the strength in her.
"What are you going to do," Thanatos snickered, "call on your Man to help you? Don't be ridiculous. He'll never come for you. Like I said, I'm the only one who could find use in an old, used up, piece of trash like you."
Suddenly, it dawned on Leah. She should call on the Man from her dream to save her! Maybe He would help. He was so kind and warm in the dream. Why wouldn't He come and help her? So with her last breath of confidence, she let out a cry for help that reached the limits of the sky.
"Help me! I need You! I need Your strength! I can't do it without You! Please don't forsake me!"
Thanatos was hit with a wave of shock at Leah's cry. But he continued to hold her tight against the wall of the mountain. When she stopped crying out, there was a silence so loud it deafened the heart. Thanatos thought he had won. He laughed mischievously. Leah's heart was wrought with anguish. She thought He wasn't coming.
Suddenly, a thunderous trumpet billowed through the whole country. The mountain shook, and the rocks began to tumble. Then, the clouds split, and the sun shined through to Leah. An army of many angels came rushing through the partition in the clouds and down toward Thanatos. The sound coming from above the clouds was so glorious. Leah had never heard a more beautiful and breath-taking sound in her whole of existence.
Thanatos knew this sound. He snapped his fingers and called forth the most defiled and disfigured creatures to battle. They came from the depths and from inside the mountain. Had they been following her this whole time?
"You may have won this little battle, but rest assured that I'm not finished with you yet. I'm coming back for you," Thanatos said. Then, he disappeared.
Leah, free from the bonds of her former lover, fell to the ground in weakness. She had no strength left, but one thing she could do: keep her eyes fixed on this battle, thanking the Man who saved her life from Thanatos. She lay on the cliff of the mountain, worn, exhausted, but so grateful. She felt a sudden peace in her body come over her, and she knew it would be safe to close her eyes and rest, even if it was just for a little bit. As her eyes glazed over and slowly closed, she saw a Man coming toward her. He knelt down and gently picked her up. She was safe in the arms of her new Love.
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