In an open place

In an open place \ Edna Aphek
Hours have passed but he hasn't. She almost fainted under the thick veil. That Family; they had to die on her. All of them. Er and Onan. A deadly woman! A black widow!
And Bilhaa this concubine of Jacob, who openly went to bed with his son, Ruben, mocked her openly as they drew water from the well.
A deadly black widow!
He promised to wed her with Shela. But never did. She hated them. They keep lying all the time. They think that if they change their name from Jacob to Israel the people of Canaan wouldn't know their true nature. She hated them and herself for being one of them.
It's so hot! Only the heavily made eyes were breathing. The people from the camp haven't woken up yet.
They are probably dreaming about the memory of the vapors of cold that followed them in winter time. No one has come out. No one will be able to testify later on.
This is the stone they usually sit on, the harlots. Open space. The harlot stone.
She was naked under the heavy garment. Only the veil covered her deceit.
She reddened inside. She was sure her womb reddened because of her tricky deceit.
Lo, here are his signet, and his bracelets and his staff. He is coming close.
She opened wide her eyes.
He is nearing but doesn't approach her. The voices evaded her. The veil breathed heavily.
He looked at her. He was preoccupied. He had to protect Joseph from the others even though he was jealous of him. He took the sheep to pasture. He was the buyer for the entire family. He would come and go. In his travels he would take them, Hittites, Girgashites. Take them, know them and forget.
He looked at her again. Who is she? I have seen the shape of her eyes in my dream. In my dream? He shivered. I am becoming as mad as Joseph. He said.

Who is she? He shivered again.
The veil got up.
He approached. The veil smiled.
Her heat started melting, defrosted by twilight chill.
She shuddered. He stretched his hand and touched the veil. She shuddered.
She must be a Hittite.
He signed to the mute and dumb shepherd to go with the sheep.
To the sand hills.
To the rocks.
He sat her on the back of the donkey. His flesh aroused. The voice of the soil came upon him; to water, to fertilize, to make children.
Her veiled back touched him.
She smelt like a Girgashite,
Her eyes made like a Hittite, her veil Prizaite. Let him not recognize. Let him not know. Let him not recognize her Hebrew thighs.
To the mountains.
He threw her off the back of the donkey. It's almost evening. He wanted to touch the veil.
No! Her eyes said.
She lifted her garment to her head.
What a beauty! What a site! His blood cried aloud.
He came unto her, with all his might. He came unto her shouting:
"I am buying you. Buying. My soil! "
She put down her garment.
"A kid from the flock she said in a strange voice, in a Hittite dialect.
Isn't she a Prizaite?
"I'll send. He said.

"A pledge she said in a Girgashite dialect.
Who is she?
Girgashite, Hittite? This scent.
These thighs, who is she?
What a harlot! I wedded her! He got scared. I wedded her!
No! She is just a harlot!
This, she said, and this, and this!
"She bewitched me, He said, "bewitched.
He threw the signet the bracelets and the staff.
"When could I get them back?
"when you bring back the sheep she said.
"Harlot he said, "Harlot!
He left her rolling in his semen.

When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.