TST
The two men managed their rage and gathered for group discussion.
Baraka opened the papers to read the question, "In 428 B.C, goddess of war, wisdom, and civilization planted a tree. She named it lover of wisdom. This tree was watered and nurtured by the father of ethics. Before the tree died in 348 B.C, it left a very important law in music. What is the law?”
Baraka finished reading the question and everyone’s hand was on their heads.
“Any idea?” Baraka said
Isla scratched her hair, “Not yet!”
Leo was not in the discussion, his mind was somewhere else. Daniel looked the same.
“Guys, this won’t do. We must split” Isla said as if she noticed the two men were not in the discussion
“Why?” Baraka snapped
“Baraka go with Daniel, I’ll handle this scoundrel”
“What?” Daniel snapped
“Go find whatever you can about the question,” Isla sighed, “we will inform each other if we find anything”
Everyone approved the plan except Daniel, who at the end had no choice but to leave with Baraka. They exchanged their phone numbers and then split.
Leo and Isla went to the school library where they found other students solving the question too. Isla dug into the books and started solving the question.
"It's not the time for storybooks" Isla scowled at Leo
“Don’t take life so seriously”
“What?”
“Nobody walks out alive anyway!”
“Can’t you be of any help?”
“Depends on your definition of help”
The whole day continued like that. Till the evening they found nothing, the same was for Baraka and Daniel. They went for dinner and at eight o'clock they returned to the library, Isla willingly and Leo hauled.
Leo was hectic exploring comic books when he found Isla asleep on the table. Her moon shadow hair rested well on her shoulders. He smiled looking at her beautiful face.
She is awesome, isn’t she? He hadn’t felt like that for years.
What’s wrong with you! He slapped his cheeks, stopping his palm which swung a few inches from Isla's face.
He took off his coat and covered her. For the first time, he took the question and had a bird-eye on it.
He kept staring at the question for hours, scratching his head and musing around the empty library.
Goddess of war….. Goddess of war, wisdom….. Who on earth is she? he kept on moving around the library.
Athena? Is she the goddess of war? Yes, she is….. Why on earth would she plant a tree? She named it─
“You still up?” Isla said, stretching her body
“I guess!” Leo said
“Found anything?”
“Not yet”
“Updates from others?”
“No”
“O.M.G” Isla shouted after peeking over her watch, “its 2 A.M!”
Leo shrugged
"Hey, jerk! I'm going home"
“I’ll escort you”
“I can handle─”
“It myself” Leo raised his hand, “then, Good luck!”
Isla rushed to the door. After looking outside she hastily returned.
"Looks like I can't handle it by myself," she said at a low tone
Leo smiled, “Wow! Our batman has surrendered”
The two walked out of the library. The night was very quiet and the wind was very smooth. Leo wanted to initiate the talk several times but his heart pounded very fast each time he tried lifting his lips. They walked wordlessly till they reached Isla’s room.
“You should go to bed too,” Isla said, “we have a sturdy job tomorrow”
“I wish I would!” Leo said
“What’s wrong?”
Leo smiled, “Nothing”
“Thank you!”
“For what..?”
“Escort and a coat”
Leo grinned
“Scoundrel…” Isla chuckled, “don’t look at me like that, I might start liking you”
“You are welcome” Leo muttered and started leaving the place.
“Good night!” Isla shouted
He turned back and his eyes escorted Isla who entered her room, you asked me what was wrong, I smiled and said nothing. When you turned around and a tear came down and I whispered to myself…everything is.
The days ran very fast and it was Thursday. Leo and the three teammates gathered in one empty store to decide the fate of their group.
“So goddess of war is Athena…” Baraka said, looking at the question
“And lover of wisdom means philosopher” Daniel added
"Athena planted a philosopher," Isla said
Leo nodded
“Then what?” Daniel said
"Ooh, God! Please assist us” Baraka muttered
"Does he help?" Leo asked a question which seemed to stun everyone
“Who..?” Baraka said curiously
“The invisible man in the sky”
“Don’t tell me you are an anti-Christ”
Leo smiled, “anti-Christ, what’s that?”
“What’s your religion?”
“I wasn’t given one”
“Who do you believe?”
“Must I believe in someone else?”
"That is why we labor and strive because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the savior of all people and especially of those who believe"
Leo smiled, “Savior..?”
"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved─ you and your household”
“Every time I get into trouble, there is no God or Allah to sort me out. I have to do it myself”
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” Baraka raised his eyebrows, “it’s not too late… go repent”
Leo chuckled, “You believe that there an invisible man living in the sky… who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time!
“But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money!”
“What a sinful and evil soul?”
“Baraka… is that person you call God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil..? Or is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
“If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”
“Belief is the death of intelligence─” Leo started moaning, rushing his hands on his head.
Baraka smiled, "God is punishing you now." His smile disappeared when Leo fell.