The Woman and the Sand

She covered her face in desperation as their fingers clawed at her skin. One lip was already bloodied and she could feel her right eye growing black.

All the while he stood there and let them do this. He let them. Son of –. He had approached her. Yes, she was lonely. Yes, she’d flirted when her husband was away. Yes, she’d allowed him into her bed. But he initiated everything. And now she was the one they dragged into the streets screaming, “Adulteress!”

Adulteress. Adulteress. Adulteress.

The words were like a chant.

They reverberated in her ears and buried themselves into her skin, defining her. Marking her. Corrupting her.

Except that she’d already been corrupted. She corrupted herself.

The moment had been beautiful. Mind you, beauty marred by a guilty conscience. They both knew exactly what they were getting into and the consequences if they were found out. But she had wanted so desperately to be seen. Seen in a way her husband never saw her, always out of town on business. She was certain he hadn’t been faithful. But did they drag him into the streets? Of course not.

The hypocrites.

Pain coursed through her body as they tossed her to the ground. Oh God, what have I done? And he just stood there, letting everything happen. Both her husband and her lover in the crowd, gaping. At her.

She had given herself away to a coward and married an even bigger one. Sobs racked her body. So this was how she would die. Without even a chance to defend herself. She may not have been the most upstanding woman in the community, but at least people respected her. Now she would die of shame and everybody knew. Everybody saw.

She’d wanted to be seen. Well, she sure as hell got her wish, didn’t she? They hadn’t even let her finish putting her clothes back on. She was utterly and completely exposed.

And more invisible than ever.

Slowly the jeering died down. She closed her eyes, expecting the stones to crush her at any moment. But the crowd remained unmoving.

Scarcely breathing she glanced up. To her left a man knelt, writing in the sand. What —? Confused, she looked at the crowd who all waited in breathless anticipation. This was the teacher that everyone spoke of! The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. His name buzzed in the air, the conversation of the town. Shame poured over, followed by fierce anger. Why was he here? To mock her too? Furious, she determined to spit on him along with all the other hypocritical murderers. She would go out fighting.

But something stopped. So she waited.

Finally, one of the mob said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

He paused, eyes down, and kept writing. She could sense the frustration of the man who’d asked and the tension of the crowd. The crowd wanted blood. Her blood.

He lifted his eyes and gazed around the crowd, one at a time, falling on her and then back to the man again.

“Let him who has no sin cast the first stone.” he said still writing.

Her muscles bristled, waiting for the stones to fly. But none came.

Slowly, one by one the crowd dissipated. The older left first then the younger until no one was left but him.

“Woman,” he asked, coming close to her, “has no one condemned you?”

She couldn’t meet his eyes though he gazed intently at her. “No, Lord.”

“Then neither do I condemn you.”

She felt the tears stream down her face. Her body shook in shock and relief and overwhelm at what had just happened. Half naked, she lay in the middle of the street as this holy man offered her freedom and a second chance. Even her lover had gone; her husband vanished. But this man…he stayed. She longed to question him to know what had possessed him to save her, but no words came. She simply wept. Sat at his feet and wept.

He stayed. Long after everyone had gone, he stayed. When she quieted down, he cupped her chin in his hand and she finally met his eyes. They were kind and soft and gentle eyes.

“Neither do I condemn you,” he repeated, tenderly. With that he extended his hand and pulled her from the ground.

“Now go and sin no more.”

And then he too was gone.

But his words remained, lingering in the air and rubbing salve on her heart.

What now? She had no idea. But she knew this.

She would never be the same.