A Cold Soldier cont.

It began to be very quiet. There was no wind or even a breeze moving about. The quietness became unsettling to the crowd. You know the kind of quietness. It is kind of eerie, a stillness that seems heavy, like something is about to happen. The soldier had felt it many times before. Each time before going into battle, when men know they are going to die it becomes very quiet. Some men look into their life and wonder. Some try to hide the silence and pretend it is not there. But it is. It is so heavy you can sense it. The soldier had witnessed men getting ill and worse before a big battle.

After a while some of the guards began to doze off. They had witnessed this so many times killing Jews was a bore. Just another bunch of Jews getting executed didn't mean a thing to them. At first the soldier didn't notice the approaching partner to the silence. It was beginning to grow dark. The dimming light was joining the silence and the two were becoming one. The morning had begun nice enough, the sun was shining and the breeze was comforting. Now the sun was fighting to even allow a few rays to illuminate the executioner's hill. The silence and descending blackness was covering the land in a cloak of mystery. What was happening? Even his men seemed to become a little agitated at the dark and quiet. The executioners hill was shrouded in darkness as the king spoke again. Well, maybe it wasn't speaking, it was more like pleading, a question conceived in the soul of abandonment, turmoil, despair, depression, even forsakenness. His first words were just a whisper, the words to the woman and young man were stronger. The words to the criminal were filled with hope. These words seemed so strange, yet fitting for what was happening. He didn't cry them out. He didn't whisper them. He really didn't speak like he was talking to anyone on the hill. His head was tipped to the side and he was looking up into the darkness. The words and tone penetrated the soul of every man there. His voice was like it was being crushed out of his body. As if some tremendous stone was placed on him and crushing the spirit out of him. His words, "My God My God, Why have you forsaken me" left the soldier deeply troubled.