The Nile River Turns into Blood (version 5)

Later that day, Olivia and Norman left the palace and wandered around the building sites where the Hebrews were working on another temple, and they were all exhausted from all the hard work they were put through. Jemediah Fieldson, the same old mouse which Norman saved from the harsh flogging of Old Blind Joe years ago, looked over at them and glared, "It's Norman!" He grabbed some mud and angrily threw it at Norman. The mud hit him in the face and he fell into the mixing area, getting covered in mud.

"Norman!" Olivia gasped in alarm as she ran down to help him. A familiar voice spoke up, "So, Norman, how does it feel when you get stuck to the ground?" Norman and Olivia looked up and saw Scotty standing above them and glaring. Norman looked away in shame and said, "I didn't mean to cause you more pain. I'm just trying to do as God told me."

Scotty exclaimed in disbelief, "God? When did God start caring about any of us? In fact, Norman, when did you start caring about slaves?" The other Hebrews gathered over and Scotty continued, "Was it when you found out you were one of us?"

"Don't listen to him," Olivia assured Norman. Norman just sighed, "No, he's right. I did not see because I did not wish to see." Scotty sarcastically said, "Oh, you didn't see because you didn't wish to see. Oh Boy! Well, that makes everything fine, doesn't it?"

"Scotty!" a feminine voice shot at him. Scotty gasped when he saw Arden standing in front of him and glaring at him.
"You shame yourself," she said in anger. She came down the mixing area and Norman smiled, "Arden." He hadn't seen his
sister since the day he found out about his true heritage, and he kept thinking about her since he started his new life with the Midianites.

Arden looked down at him with a soft and gentle smile. Norman said to her sadly, "I'm so sorry." He didn't know what else to say and he put his hand over his face, ashamed of what he put her through. Arden felt sorry for her brother and knelt down to him and she said to him softly, "Norman, hear what I say; I have been a slave all my life, and God has never answered my prayers until now. God saved you from the river, 'He' saved you in all your wanderings, and even now, 'He' saved you from the wrath of Pharaoh."

She gently lifted his chin up to look at her, and Arden said to him, "God will not abandon you, so don't you abandon us." They both looked over and saw Scotty and the Hebrews looking at Norman. His sadness turned into determination and he grabbed his staff and used it to help himself off the ground. He looked over and saw a riverboat on the Nile. He knew it belongs to Adrian.

With determination, he walked over to the shores of the river and Scotty watched as Arden followed him. He said in shock, "Arden, where are you going?" She didn't answer and Olivia and the other Hebrews followed her. He wanted to know where everyone was going and followed them to the shores.

Norman looked over and saw the boat nearby. On the boat, Adrian was relaxing on his throne drinking wine while being fanned by two servants, and Bob and George were entertaining his son. The young prince laughed as George moved a few cylinders around on a table between them and said to him, "The ball disappears. Now, where is it? In his hand." Bob took out a small ball from his hand and the boy laughed at their trick and he and Adrian applauded.

Norman ran down to the shoreline and called to them, "Adrian! Let my people go!" The royals looked over to see him standing there. Adrian chuckled and called to him, "Still gnawing away at that bone, are we?" He said to the priests, "Carry on."

Norman followed the boat and called to Adrian, "You cannot keep ignoring us!" Adrian said in annoyance, "Enough! I will hear no more of this Hebrew nonsense." He said to his guards, "Bring him to me." Isaac, Christian, and Paul brought out their swords and jumped in the water and started swimming to shore.

Olivia yelled in shock, "Norman!" She tried running over to the shore, but Arden and Scotty grabbed her arms and held her back. The Hebrews all watched as the guards started making their way to Norman and Adrian's son also watched, but Norman just stood there on the shore.

Dark clouds started gathering to the land and Norman looked up and remembered what God said to him, "Take the staff in your hand, Norman." He held his staff in front of him and slowly got in the water as the guards got closer. He dipped the end of the staff in the water and suddenly, the water turned from clear to bloody red. The guards stopped to a halt at the water change, and Olivia, Arden, and Scotty arrived at the shore when they came to a stop at seeing the water changing.

The red water reached the guards and Paul dipped his hand in it to get a closer look at it. At the boat, Adrian's son dipped his own hand in the water to feel it. He brought his arm back up and said to Adrian, "Father..."

"It's..." Arden gasped as she, Scotty, and Olivia backed away in shock.

"BLOOD!" Paul gasped in horror.

The guards were horrified and swam back to the boat, screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs. The Hebrews watched as the guards swam back to the boat and flailed about frantically. Adrian got off his throne and the guards came back to the boat and frantically tried to get on the boat, splashing blood all over him.

Adrian gasped in disgust at the blood and called to the priests, "George! Bob! Explain this to me!" The priests were startled by his attitude and were shock about this sorcery. Bob said to him calmly, "Rest assured, Your Majesty!" George got out a bowl and jug of water and said as he filled the bowl with water, "Uh, yes, we're going to demonstrate the superior might of our gods."

He turned around to make sure no one was watching him, and he brought out some red powder from his robes. "By the power of Ra!" he said as he threw the powder into the bowl and in an instant, the water turned red like the Nile. Adrian dipped his hand into the water and watched as it dripped off his hand.

He chuckled in amusement and called out to Norman, who was surrounded only by clear water instead of the blood, "Abandon this futile mission, Norman! I've indulged you long enough! This must now be finished!" The Hebrews all watched as the boat rowed away and Norman said quietly, "No, Adrian. It is only the beginning."

Scotty came over to him and said to him, "But, Norman, d-didn't you see what happened? The priest did the same thing.
Pharaoh still has the power over our lives." Norman came over to his brother and said as he put his hand on his shoulder, "Yes, Scotty, it's true. Pharaoh has the power." He said to the other Hebrews, "He can take away your food, your home, your freedom. He can take away your sons and daughters. With one word, Pharaoh can take away your very lives. But there is one thing he cannot take away from you; your faith." The Hebrews all felt a little better and Arden smiled.

"Believe, for we will see God's wonders," Norman added as they all watched as dark clouds gathered over Egypt.