Ashima woke up one morning in the Temple hurting and burning. Bleeding.
She had been raped that night in her sleep. But not by any mortal being. She knew who it was. It was He that followed
her for her whole life in her dreams, ever since she was a child. But who he was, she did not yet know. But it awoke
memories that her mortal being had never had.
She rode up in the mountains on that morning. And there she fell asleep. And she
dreamed. She remembered. Memories of a past long beyond. She dreamed of another mountain, not far away. There too was
draught. She saw a Prophet. His name was Elijah. And around him were many priests and priestesses - hundreds.
And there were many, many thousands of ordinary men and women. And the people were all waiting in anticipation. And
there were two black bulls. Two high piles of wood. The priestesses were priestesses of Asherah. They belonged to the
church of Queen Isebel from Tyre, the spouse of King Achav. And the priests were the priests of Baal. And the
prophet said to the priests to pick out a bull. And the priests chose a bull. They chose the largest and strongest bull. And
they slaughtered it. And they butchered it. And they placed it on an altar. And the Prophet Elijah told them to tell
their god Baal to set the wood on fire. And the priests prayed to Baal. But their power was unaccessable. Nothing happened.
Nothing at all. And Eliah built an altar of his own out of stone and wood, and he slaughetered the other bull and placed
it on the altar. And the Prophet Elijah said to the priestesses of Asherah to help the priests of Baal to lit the
fire. But the Goddess detested death and blood - what She wanted was love and joy and celebration, nothing more, and so
the priestesses stood still. They stood all too still when they should be fleeing. For Jehovah had destroyed Baal. His
powers were exstinguished. He was no more. But the priests did not know. But Elijah knew. He was the Prophet of Jehovah God.
And He spoke to the Heavens: "Lord, Elohim, Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isac and Israel, may it show that You and no one else
is the God of Israel. That I am Your servant and that it is on Your commmand that I have done this. Answer me Lord, answer
me Jehohav, so that the people will know that it is You and no other god." And a thundering lightning struck the altar.
A fire consumed all that could ever burn. And the people fell down on their knees and shouted to Jehovah in
celebration. And the Prophet Elijah shouted to the people: "Cease the prophets of Baal and Asherah. Cease the priests
and the priestesses, every single one. Tear off their clothes. Tear them to strings and bind them with them." And so was done.
And the Prophet Elijah told the priests and priestesses to walk down the mountain. And they did. And the mob followed.
The priestesses sung as they walked. And stones were raining on them from the angry mob. And their naked bodies were pierced
by swords and knives. But they sung for as long as they had any voice to use. And it did not silence until every single
priestess and every priest lay dead in a sea of blood. And it started to rain. It was the massacre at Carmel
that she had seen.
It was the white dove that found found Ashima lying fainted and lifeless
on the mountain in the grass. And she fetched the priestesses of the temple. And they took her to the temple and cared for
her. They undressed her, and they found that her body were full of marks and scars and blood. They saw the scars of rape.
And the scar on Ashima's chest would never fully fade.
Ashima did not wake up. She was flying. She soared among stars and clouds. She was
one with everything. She was nothing. She was nothing but herself. But she was Ashima. But she was more than Ashima. She had
been more. She felt an immense sense of guilt. A guilt for not being there for those who needed her. For not protecting those
who loved her. And she felt an immense sorrow. A sorrow over Baal. He was her brother. Now He was
gone. But she did not understand it all yet. And so she entered into her own heart. And she searched it through.
And she cleansed herself. She cleansed away all the questions and all the answers, and what was left was just a condition
of pure love. She was who she was. One, and no one. Only her. And that was all that she needed to know. And all was dark
once more. And she awoke.
And as she awoke she found Zada sitting at her bedside. And Zada asked
her many questions. About who had done this to her. And she asked Ashima if she feared that Jehovah were to come for
them too. The priests of Jehovah were saying that the priestesses of Asherah
were prostitutes. So said the priests of the god who denied pleasure and love, and who based an entire faith
on punishment, fear and denial. And Zada said to Ashima, that never would she would she fogive the one who hurt
her, whatever the Goddess would say.
