“Aha!” The men burst into laughter. “Look at his face! Think he’s found a friend, does he? Does Jorin look like a devout Jew, boy? He may have been a Jew once before, but he’s one of ours now. Aren’t you, Jorin?”

Jorin looked tortured as he weighed his options.

“I’m with the clan, through thick and thin.” Jorin clenched his teeth. “I think it’s a mistake to pester the boy, but if it’s what the group thinks is right, then I’ll respect the decision.”

“Good man.” The largest man in the group patted Jorin’s shoulder.

Jorin took out a dagger and sliced through the ropes binding Shimshon’s hands.

“Up.”

“Don’t do this.” Shimshon pleaded with Jorin as they pushed him outside and tossed him onto the back of a horse.

“Don’t bother pleading your case, boy. Save your energy, eh? We have a long journey back to the castle you escaped from.”

Jorin jumped onto the horse and quickly bound Shimshon to the saddle with rope.

“He’s right.” Jorin yanked the reins and off they went, traveling swiftly through the forest alongside the other men. “I’m not your friend. I can’t help you. Even if I wanted to.”

“You almost did help me. You were on my side for a moment. If you’re Jewish then you know all Jews share some basic, holy traits. We are bashful, merciful, and doers of kindness. We don’t harm the innocent. We certainly don’t send children to be thrown into prison cells. You can still stop this evil thing. Cut the ropes around my wrists and I’ll slide off the horse. You can tell them I escaped.”

“No.”

“Please. I know someone very wealthy who lives not far from the castle, near the harbor. A wealthy Jewish man who will pay you handsomely. If it’s money you need, you will have it. Just let me go.”

Jorin yanked the horse, bringing it to a sudden stop. He swiveled in his saddle and stared back at Shimshon. His eyes were flashing.

“Enough! If you can’t keep quiet, I will gag you with rope.”

“You don’t understand anything! Listen, this isn’t just about me. It’s about a mission to stop evil men from getting their hands on scrolls that can create monsters!”

“Monsters?” Jorin’s shoulders shook as he chuckled. “There are no such thing as a monster—”

“Monster!”

The entire forest shook as a massive foot landed in the middle of the forest clearing. The impact threw everyone from their horses. Shimshon hit the forest floor hard, beside Jorin.

“Weapons!”

The men unsheathed their weapons as another foot landed, rattling every bone in their bodies. Then two enormous hands pulled aside the trees and Pinchas the golem peered down at the human beings staring up at him in horror.

Shabsi’s tiny silhouette appeared on the golem’s shoulder, framed by the giant moon above them.

“Shimshon?”

“Reb Shabsi! I’m down here!”

The golem roared in anger, his giant hand speeding toward Shimshon’s captors.

They turned and ran, dragging Shimshon with them.

“To the water!” the leader screamed.

The got to the river and pulled out several canoes hidden behind the trees.

“Let’s hope that thing can’t swim!”

They threw Shimshon into a canoe and began paddling frantically across the still waters.

The golem emerged from the forest, his giant head turning left and right as he searched for Shimshon.

Shabsi’s squeaky voice rang out.

“In the water, Pinchas! He’s in the water!”

The golem plucked Shabsi from his shoulder and set him down gently on the sand. Then he raced forward, splashing into the water, sending waves crashing in all directions. The canoes flipped in the air, colliding with each other.

Shimshon found himself drowning, unable to swim in the frothing, turbulent water with his hands tied as the golem waded closer to them, every movement sending massive waves coursing across the river.

Suddenly, Shimshon felt Jorin lifting him from the water and dragging him into the canoe he had managed to turn upright. The golem let out a bellow of surprise as the riverbed sank beneath his feet, and he dropped deep down, the waters reaching close to his nose.

“Turn us around!” Shimshon yelled at Jorin as the canoe moved further down the river, and the golem roared in frustration, unable to chase them.

“No. I’m going to finish what we started.”

to be continued… 

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 972)