The hooded man replies to Caleb, "As I said, 'It is a grim night for those who follow the Lord." Then to the others: "Take him." The two men close in on Caleb, their purpose clear.
*************
As Melech raises his bow, blinding light fills his vision. In the center of it he sees a small plateau in the desert, one he recognizes from his hunts It is night time, and a cowled man stands over a burning bowl. Melech recognizes him as the Hik Shasu from his dream. As before, the dread and hatred he feels for the man is palpable - all cosuming, such that Melech momentarily forgets where he is, even who he is. Suddenly, another man lies, tied up, face up and bare breasted at the Hik Shasu's feet. The pity Melech feels for the bound man is unbearable, as if it were his own child waiting for the Hik Shasu's knife to fall. The dread man's lips moves, pouring fourth sounds that seem like the bleating of a calf. Melech feels a need to stop the Hik Shasu, to free man before him, to overturn the brazier. And Melech will need help, for the Hik Shasu has allies. Now! But as the vision fades, so to does its compulsory nature. Whatever the source of the vision, Melech knows what it wanted him to do, but is not being forced to do it.
The mob is before him still - no time has passed during his vision, though he would have sworn it had.
**********
A few of the people within hearing distance of Avram begin to look uncertain, and he sees many in the crowd cease their stone throwing, if only few actually restrain others from launching their missiles. Someone shouts "Egyptian Slave master!" One of the stones that is cast strikes him on the cheek, and then another in the chest. Someone from the crowd, who Avram doesn't not recognize, moves out into the clreaing and starts trying to drag Avram away "You have to get away from here! You'll be killed!. You're right, but they will kill you for it!"
**********
Tsedeq look into the tent, carrying the unconscious Hur on his back. When his lifts the flap, Yuval looks up from beating on the boy, his eyes reflecting the torchlight from outside almost like a dog's eyes in the moonlight. He smiles cruelly, and in a blink, porduces a knife whic he hold against Nahir's neck. "Give me the old man, brute, and I will free the boy. If you take one step inside this tent, I will kill him. Nahir, nose bloodied, eye swollen, weakly shakes his head, and Tsedeq is unsure if the boy is telling Tsedeq not to give up Hur, or asking for mercy from Yuval.