(Right so I just realized that I have been spelling Malachai's name incorrectly for the past two chapters, so sorry about that)
They came upon Isaac and Malachai in the alley across from the scene of the slaughter. The fires were dying down but still strong and the air was thick with the smell of smoke and gasoline. Delilah had started crying involuntarily and the blood from her arm and hand had begun to dry and cake to her skin and dress. The two boys dragged her most of the way as she stumbled along, unable to put any weight on her ankle.
"Malachai, Isaac. We've found the outlander" The larger boy called and presented the girl before them. "Who are you people?" She demanded. "Where's my brother?"
"The sinner will be found soon enough. He is no longer any concern of yours." The tall blond informed her as the two dropped her arms and she wobbled on her feet, hissing in pain. The blond eyed the other two critically, "I told you to bring her unharmed." He barked and the boy preacher stepped forward to Delilah.
"How old are you?" he asked in a childlike voice that threw her off, as did the fact that he could not have been more than nine years old, with a wide brim black hat that somehow made his small pale face look almost angelic.
She didn't answer at first and Malachai growled, gripping the nape of her neck suddenly. "You were asked a question outlander, now speak!" He pushed her to her knees and she yelped like a kicked dog.
"Your age." The youngest boy repeated and Delilah swallowed. "Sixteen, I'm sixteen. Who are you people?"
The little boy was able to actually look down on her at this angle and did so, giving him a look of authority. "We are your path to Salvation, you are most privileged He Who Walks Behind The Rows has chosen you to come to us."
"What?" Delilah pushed herself to her feet. "You're all insane! You're all God Damn Lunatics!"
"Take not the Lord's name in vain Blasphemer!" Malachai shoved her to the ground and stepped forward, wielding his sickle threateningly before Isaac held out his arm. "Do not harm her, she knows not what she says." He looked up at the older boy, "did not the Lord say onto me that the Holy Spirit was not with her as it is with us."
The young boy took a few steps and knelt in front of her on his knees. "What is your name Outlander?" She swallowed, pressed against the brick all. Her eyes flicked from person to person and she knew she was vastly out matched and outnumbered. She then realized she must have waited too long to answer his question because Malachai palmed his weapon warningly.
"Delilah, Delilah Stanton." She said quickly and Malachai scoffed.
"Even her name is full of wickedness." He hissed and she glared at him. Isaac didn't say anything but surprisingly he leaned forward and took her hand, which was much larger than his was, into his own. "It is time you turn your back on your life of Sin sister. Repent and join our holy order, or burn at the end of this life."
She stared at him in confusion and fear, not knowing what she could possibly say to something like that in this situation. Finally she swallowed and wet her throat before opening her mouth.
"Where is my brother?"
Isaac stood. "Take her to the village and make sure she cannot escape before coming out to the field. We must find the other Outlander." He told the two who had brought her.
"Wait, he's still alive?" She stood up as the two gripped her arms. "He's alive, and you'll never find him!" she insisted as they dragged her away. "You'll never find him!"
Malachai and Isaac watched her be escorted away, unflinching at her words. "The Lord has spoken to me again Malachai, a warning." Isaac told his man. "What did he say?"
"He has told me that he has sent the girl for two reasons, to be a convert but also to test us. I did not understand until now."
"What sort of test is it to be Isaac?" Malachai asked.
"A Test of faith against deception and temptation. It is no accident she bears the name of a harlot and a liar. Do you recall the tale Malachai?" The blond nodded. "Yes, Isaac."
"We must be wary of her, though we accept her into the flock. Until she accepts the will of God she must be seen as dangerous." Isaac concluded ad turned toward the road. "We must go, the outlander must be found before darkness falls."
Meanwhile Delilah was escorted into a small village area filled with women all dressed in nearly identical dressed with white aprons. "Ruth" the lean boy called forward a heavily pregnant girl about Delilah's age. She was pretty, very pretty, with a hair full of brown waves and a heart shaped face and wide brown eyes.
"We have found the outlander, but the man is still missing. Isaac said to take care of her, and make sure she doesn't escape." Ruth nodded and led them all to a small cottage with a single room and a small cot. "Marian and I made this up when we learned we would have a new convert" she told them and pointed to the cot where the two boys threw her down.
She hissed as she landed on her ankle which had began to swell and turn an ugly red color. "What happened to her?" Ruth asked in what Delilah was relieved to hear was legitimate concern. "She fought too hard, it looks worse than it is." The beefy boy shuffled and Ruth frowned at them. "Bring Abigale and the medicine kit before you go. We need to bind her wounds before she gets a fever."
They nodded and left, and Ruth turned to Delilah with a soft face. "Do not be afraid." She told her. "As long as you follow our rules no harm will come to you."
"Please" Delilah felt herself tearing up once more. "Please, I need to leave. I need to find my brother he-he might be hurt. He needs my help."
"Shh, sh sh sh" Ruth reached forward and stroked her hair softly. "Do not fret sister, you will soon see that all will be well." A young girl of about ten brought a medical kit to the door and Ruth took it from her and sent her away.
"Why do you call me that? I'm not your sister, I'm Burt's sister and he needs help!" Delilah snapped harder than she meant to but Ruth did not even flinch but took her hand and pulled her arm out. "I must clean your wounds." She said plainly and Delilah stared at her until Ruth looked up, aware of her gaze.
"You have many questions sister. But they must wait."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Delilah asked. "I've been chased, cut, threatened, my sister in law is dead, and who knows where Burt is. Not to mention that awful boy with the sickle, what's his name, Michael or something?"
"Malachai." Ruth corrected her, "My husband." Delilah was shocked. "You're married to him?"
Ruth smiled and placed a hand on her swollen stomach. "He is a fine husband, even if he has a temper." Delilah swallowed. "Well, no offense to you, I mean you seem very nice. But I honestly think you could do better. I mean aren't you afraid of him?"
Ruth looked at the door way fondly and smiled, "No."
Delilah shrugged. "You must see something in him I can't" Ruth wrapped her arm and hand with cotton strips and cleansed the cuts with a stinging liquid. "What is that?" Delilah snatched her hand back as she poured it out of a small glass bottle, it burned twice as much as rubbing alcohol.
"Corn liquor, we are forbidden to drink it but it sterilizes wounds quite well." Ruth tightly wrapped the hand until it was not much more than a mitten.
"I never asked your name." Ruth realized as she cradled Delilah's swollen ankle in her lap. "It's sprained, we haven't any ice to take down the swelling but I can bind it" the blonde swallowed. "Delilah"
Ruth stiffened, wondering why anyone would name a child that.
"I didn't pick it, but I mean it's better than Jezebel right?"
"Isaac might make you change it, once you convert that is." Ruth warned her and Delilah blinked. "Uh, can he do that?"
"Oh you get a say in the change of course. But I think you should change it to Naomi."
"Uh, why?"
"I already feel as though you and I will be great friends, and in the bible Ruth and Naomi were inseparable." Ruth explained with a voice laced with excitement, "when Isaac told us there was to be a new girl convert coming, I was so excited. Not a lot happens around here."
She paused for a moment and her face fell. "You aren't planning on leaving are you?" Delilah swallowed, feeling very on the spot. "I don't think I will have much of a say in the matter."
Ruth hummed and stood up. "I must help get dinner ready for the men, but in the mean time I am sorry about this."
"About what?"
Ruth turned and pulled out an iron pike and a short length of iron chain attached to a rusted cuff. "I can't let you escape, but I can't watch over you all the time either. So until you can be trusted not to run away you have to wear this when you're not being escorted."
She drove the end over the pike until the ground until the top was level with the dirt and then looked at Delilah's good ankle expectantly. The blonde cast her a pleading look but sighed and offered up her ankle, only doing so knowing that it was the only way by now. She clapped it around her ankle and hooked a pad lock through the holes to keep it shut.
"I know it must be uncomfortable but I'll be back soon to bring you food, maybe then you won't have to wear it." Ruth said hopefully and stood up, holding on to her stomach as she did and give her a smile. "I really hope we're going to be good friends."
Delilah nodded and paused as the brunette made for the open door. "Ruth?" she said suddenly and she stopped. "I uh, considering the circumstances I mean, I just want to say… thank you."
Ruth smiled. "I am only doing God's work."
"No I mean." She licked her lips, "Everyone else, Isaac and Malachai and them, they haven't killed me because of God's will but you, you're the only person who's been nice to me so…thank you." Ruth beamed, glowing from both the pregnancy and from the statement. "You're welcome sister." She nodded and left quickly, leaving her alone.
"But I really wish you wouldn't call me that," she muttered.