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Summary: Hosea hears Sophie's plans, and both seek refuge in their faith.
Date: October 26, 2012
Log Title: Sacrifice
Rating: G
Xavier Mansion - Attic
Every wall is made of glass up to the domed ceiling. Storm has really done her work up here over time and turned it into quite the indoor garden. The room is separated into different parts for the different plants that are in there. There are flowers, vegetable plants, herbs, shrubs, small trees and much more. There are plants that shouldn't even be able to be found in this northern climate but they thrive up here. Anyone wanting to come up here for fresh herbs, fruit or vegetables are welcome to steal from the indoor garden. Depending on the time of year, various different species of flowers and different fruits and vegetables grow. In one area there are a few small fountains and a bench with some fresh dirt on the the ground with trees and plants all around. It seems like a good spot for meditation.
It's mid evening; a quiet night, for the most part, at least around the Xavier Mansion. Students are entertaining themselves in the rec room or studying in the library; and from the attic, the sound of a flute being played echoes down the stairs. Sophie stands in the middle of the room in front of her music stand, playing a stately, almost mournful sonata; she plays with such feeling that her whole upper body dips and sways with every note, every breath. Her leather-bound Bible sits on a chair not far from her; and dangling from a chain in front of her chest is the rather impressive crucifix, given to her by the vampire, Geoffrey.
Hosea had been walking past the stairs on the floor below when he heard Sophie's flute. His lips curl up into a smile, and he changes his course to head up the steps, his weight heavy on each stair. He reaches the top of the flight, and his hand rests on the railing as he listens. His casual apparel can't be seen by her, but by the presence of the ash colored sweat pants and plain white t-shirt, it is a safe bet that he had been planning to go work out.
Sophie's song continues for several minutes, until she reaches the final notes. The music drifts into a slumber, as it might seem; the blind girl straightens her back, as she lowers the flute and rests it on the music stands. "Hello, Hosea," she murmurs, her own lips turned upwards into a smile as she turns to face towards the stairs. She pulls her collapsed cane out of her sleeve and snaps it out to full length, to guide herself forwards. "How where your classes, today?"
Hosea steps forward to Sophie after she greets him, not having desired to interrupt her playing. "Dey were good," he tells her. "I think dat I passed my midterm in Math." One of the few classes he still needs to catch up in before he can graduate, a year and a half late. "You played a vedy beautiful song, but it is sad. Is everything well wit your soul?"
"With my soul?" She steps forwards, and reaches out to wrap her arms around Hosea's waist, and rest her head against his chest. "Si, my soul is fine. It is the state of the world that weighs on my mind. I did not really… realize that the music I had chosen was so sorrowful." She shrugs her shoulders lightly, and then her next words come in a brighter tone of voice, "It is good to hear you did well with your math midterm, though, si? Did the things I showed you help?"
"Yes, it did, I am vedy glad, I was worried dat I would not pass. I am not as good a student as you," he states, though his lack of education before he came here is hardly a secret to anyone, Sophie least of all. "It concerns me as well. Many people are in danger because of da actions. I am disappointed in America, I thought dat dis land was supposed to be without oppression, but oppression is everywhere it seems." He reaches up with his left hand to pet Sophie's head, and his right is placed gently on her back.
"You see? You are better at it then you give yourself credit for," Sophie replies, allowing a touch of pride to enter her voice. "I still think you should consider University, or Barnes perhaps. But it is not my path to choose, of course." She sighs softly, and stands still where she is in Hosea's arms. "I am also disappointed," she agrees. "In America, I mean. How can this be allowed to happen? Did they learn nothing from Europe's mistakes sixty years ago?"
"Or Africa's mistakes today," Hosea adds. "It looks as if America may be passing into a dark time indeed. But we have to remember, it is a young country. Maybe dey will come to their senses before it is too late." He strokes the girl's hair with his large, dark hand. "We can pray dat God will open their eyes befoh it is too late."
"The Purifiers claim to be doing God's work," Sophie replies. "Why is it that when men claim to be doing God's work, they are almost invariably using it as a cover for the doing of evil?" She sighs heavily, and shakes her head. For a long moment she is silent; and then, slowly, she leans back. Her hands rise to the back of her neck, where she unclasps the chain that her crucifix dangles from. She keeps hold of either end of it, as she reaches up and behind Hosea's head, to clasp the chair shut once more, so that the invaluable piece dangles in front of his chest, instead of hers.
"Hah, I claim to do God's work, and I do not do it for evil," Hosea says with a chuckle. "Unless working wit da soup kitchen is evil. Dey desire no truth but what dey invent for demselves. Dey follow da teachings of men and do not pay attention to God's holy Word. Yes? If you do not spend time reading God's message to us, den how will you know when evil men come to tell you dat God desires evil?" As she starts to clasp the crucifix around his neck, he frowns, "What is dis? Why do you put da crucifix on my neck?"
Sophie smiles thinly. "I did say almost invariably," she murmurs. "I would certainly call a soup kitchen God's work, si. You are a good man, Hosea… no, you are more than that, you deserve the name 'Prophet' that you have taken for yourself." She pauses, and the smile fades. She lowers her gaze, and leans forwards to rest her head against Hosea's chest once more. "That crucifix," she murmurs, "Was entrusted to me, for whatever reason. And I mean to look after it as well as I can. But… there is somewhere I need to go, and I dare not risk taking it with me. Will you keep it safe for me, Hosea?"
"I will keep it safe," Hosea answers, but his face fills with concern. "Where is it dat you are going?" he asks, pulling back slightly and holding her by the shoulders. His touch is still gentle, but he wants to see her face, or at least the part visible, when he asks the question.
Sophie turns her gaze upwards, and reaches up to rest her hands on Hosea's arms. Her muscles tremble as she sucks in a deep breath, visibly working up her nerve before she answers. "I mean to turn myself in," she replies, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I will sneak out of here, and go to where they are expecting mutants to appear to register, and… and I will register, and go where they send me, which I expect will be Mutant Town."
Hosea's eyes go wide. "Dat is madness!" He says, a tone far noisier than Sophie's whisper. "What makes you say dis? You would not be safe, you cannot do dis thing! Do you know what you are saying?" The large African, who usually tries to remain calm in stressful situations, seems to be very fast to lose his cool with this declaration by the woman he loves.
Sophie sucks in a sharp breath, and her face drains of color in the face of Hosea's distress. Her muscles tense up, and her fingers squeeze tightly around his forearms. "Please, Hosea," she pleads. "I know the risk. I'm terrified just thinking about it. But…" She trails off, and shakes her head quickly, before dropping her gaze downwards. "Nobody is allowed out of there. There is no hospital in Mutant Town, Hosea, and people… people are going to start to get sick, and people are going to get hurt. And…" She pauses, and shrugs her shoulders lightly. "I can cure any disease, and mend any hurt. What right have I to sit here, safe and warm, and let God's gift to me go unused?"
Hosea is accustomed to sacrifice. He wholeheartedly believes in sacrificing himself for God's work. Sophie, he doesn't want to have to sacrifice. "No, it is dangerous!" he retorts. "Not all da mutants in Mutant Town will treat you as dey should." Each excuse he gives for her not to go, however, sounds pitifully weak to his own ears. He knows full well at the first sound of her voice that what she says is true, and he feels utterly and totally helpless in the face of God's calling for Sophie.
"I am no more special than they are," Sophie counters. "I cannot… I cannot just sit here," she asserts. "Nobody else here can do what I can do, and if I do not go, and people die that I know I could have saved? How would I feel, then? How would I answer when someday I stand before God, and he asks me why I sat idle, and did not use the gift he gave me, entrusted to me, for the betterment of others?" She pauses, and shakes her head once more. "And I know it is meant for others. Else, I would be able to heal myself, si? But I cannot."
Hosea is quiet, knowing already he can't defend his desire for her to stay even against himself, let alone against her. His hands slid down along her upper arms. "I do not want to see you come to harm. God has turned my heart to you, and I cannot bear to see you come to harm. Let me come wit you. I would see you safe myself, and den we could help more people togetha." If you can't beat'm, join'm.
Sophie tilts her head to one side, and is forced to consider that suggestion; and she does so for a palpably long moment, before shaking her head slowly. "The world out here needs you more, I think," she murmurs. "I am no fighter, even though I have been training with Professor Logan to defend myself. But you are. God has forged in you a warrior, Hosea; and if this horror turns to violence, then… I think you will be needed, to protect the other students here, or fight to save the people… all of us, who will be in Mutant Town." She licks her lips to moisten them, and steps forwards to embrace the tall Nigerian once more. "We can arrange a meeting place," she murmurs. "You can teleport, si? If you bring me my phone once I am inside, we can arrange a place to meet… if everything goes wrong. And then… I need not fear the valley of death; for God shall be with me, and so shall you."
Hosea holds Sophie tightly. "Can I not take you there in secret to serve da people, and den you can come back out again. You can sleep in your own bed. Who will you live with if you go to da Mutant Town? Will you sleep on da street?" He still wants to see Sophie as safe as possible if she is going to serve in Mutant Town. "Dere has to be a way to do dis without you becoming trapped inside of da containment."
Sophie draws a deep breath, and lets it out in a low, troubled sigh. "I Don't know," she admits. "Rashmi is in there. I am sure she would not leave me to sleep on the street… I expect she is organizing everyone so that nobody has to." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "I… I don't know if that would work, or not. It wouldn't work if I were needed urgently," she points out. "And… it would be a risk every time we went in, if we were seen, since… neither of us are registered." She pauses, and smiles softly. "It brings joy to me, though," she murmurs. "To hear you argue so, for my safety. Thank you, Hosea… It is just another reason among many why I love you, si?" She smiles warmly, as she leans back. "Let me think about it, for now, si? And… keep my crucifix, for now. Only, be careful not to show it to Jill."
Hosea leans down to give Sophie a kiss. "I cannot go against God's design for you," he says, measuring his tone to keep his composure. "But I do not like dis. "If you are in trouble, you would call me immediately, yes? And you must talk to Rashmi first, so dat she would know dat you are coming."
"I think Rashmi will tell me not to come," she murmurs. "But I will try to reach her first, if I can." She shifts her hands to Hosea's shoulders, and stands up on tip-toes to return the kiss in kind. "Do not fear for me," she murmurs. "Pray for me, but… do not fear. Good keeps safe those for whom He has purpose, si? And even if for me He does not have purpose… then I know that he is with me." She sucks in a deep breath, with a sudden, choked sound. "I am sorry," she whispers. "To put you through worry and fear. I am sorry, Hosea."
"Yes He does," Hosea agrees, doing his best to sound brave. It isn't often that Hosea comes across an obstacle which makes him fearful. "Let us pray," he says, adjusting his hands to take Sophie's. "Father God, you are da Creator of all things, you hold America in your hand, and you hold da safety of all who live. Your servant Sophie desires to follow you and use da beautiful gift you have given her to serve you. Protect her, and give her boldness for da gospel, dat many people may come to know your power. Move through her, and give me peace dat I would not fear, for you are with her."
Sophie's smaller hands clasp with Hosea's larger ones, and she bows her head forwards. She lets her breath out slowly, and stands still as she listens to the prayer that Hosea leads; her muscles tremble lightly, but she, too, does her best to seem brave. "And Hosea," she adds, almost impulsively at the end. "Protect Hosea, your warrior, whos gentle hands protect the meek and helpless, that many might see your holy light, and sunder the darkness that clouds this nation." She pauses, blushing softly, and feeling a bit awkward and at a loss as to what else to add.
"In your Son, Jesus name we pray, Amen." Hosea closes the prayer. A tear rolls down his cheek, and his left hand reaches up to brush Sophie's face with his thumb, lacking anything else to say.
"Amen," Sophie echoes. A tear rolls down her cheek in kind, emerging from beneath her blindfold and glistening upon her skin. "Stay with me tonight," she murmurs. "Please?" She pauses, and while a second tear rolls down her other cheek, she affects a pleasant smile. "I am sure in a years time, we will both be laughing about how worried we were," she adds, though she doesn't herself sound entirely convinced.
Hosea nods, "We can stay here until da sun rises," comes the confident agreement. "I hope we will be laughing den. If not, we can still know dat we did what was right. Thank you, Sophie, for being da amazing woman dat you are."
Sophie bobs her head. "Thank you," she murmurs. "I will do my best to live up to the faith you have in me." She pauses, and smiles softly once more. "And you will have the crucifix, too," she points out. "To remind you of me, while we are apart. I am sure it will not be for long."
