Helpless: Day 2

Word Count: 12,006

Summary of Events:

Mikolaj's family threshed the grain they'd harvested with the help of his brother-in-law, the widower of his oldest sister, whose business of tanning was going slowly owing to universal reports of scant game to be hunted, which was much appreciated. That evening Mikolaj's sister-in-law complained that only half the goose was cooked and served in an effort to see the meat last longer. In frustration, Mikolaj confronted her, slapping her when she accused him of dishonesty, which prompted his mother to order him to apologise, before ordering him to go to confession when he refused. At the church, Mikolaj found the priest outside of the confessional and so decided to ask for advice instead of confessing, but it didn't go well . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“You do not need to be anxious, you are under good care,” Ksiądz Serafin replied, pointing one hand skyward and placing the other on Mikolaj’s shoulder.

Annoyed, Mikolaj shifted his shoulder out from under Ksiądz Serafin’s touch.

“I’m sure we would have better chances of surviving if she’d eat less,” Mikolaj said.

“You need to trust, my child,” Ksiądz Serafin said, reaching to touch Mikolaj’s shoulder again.

“Don’t touch me,” Mikolaj replied.

“My child,” Ksiądz Serafin said. “You have come to me for advice. Why do you not wish to receive it?”

“I want to know what to do with her,” Mikolaj replied. “Not how to survive the winter.”

“You must have patience my child,” Ksiądz Serafin said. “You do not know her heart, nor do I.”

“So I’m supposed to excuse her sin, even when it could kill people?” Mikolaj demanded. “Her own daughters could starve to death because of her!”

“You cannot be sure of that, my child,” Ksiądz Serafin replied.

“Then it will be my sisters!” Mikolaj exclaimed. “My mother! Me!”

“You do not trust child,” Ksiądz Serafin said, reaching toward Mikolaj, who stepped back.

“Why does she need to eat so much when she does nothing!?” Mikolaj demanded. “She has not once given us help, in sowing, in reaping, in storing away, but yet she eats twice as much as the rest of us. She is a slothful glutton!”

“Calm child,” Ksiądz Serafin said. “Be calm.”

Mikolaj glared at Ksiądz Serafin, but said nothing.

“You must have patience toward her,” Ksiądz Serafin said. “And you must have grace if she has sinned.”

“If!?” Mikolaj exclaimed. “It is not a question of if she has sinned! She has sinned! But she does not confess it and do penance for it!”
“There must be two or three witnesses before it can be proven,” Ksiądz Serafin said.

“There are,” Mikolaj snapped. “And I can bring them if you need, seeing as apparently you don’t believe my word.”

“Iustus prior est accusator sui venit amicus eius et investigavit eum,” Ksiądz Serafim said.

“I don’t speak the Swięty Język,” Mikolaj snapped.

“The first to state his cause seems right,” Ksiądz Serafim replied. “But his neighbour comes and searches him.”

“I am not the only one who is seeing this,” Mikolaj snapped. “The fact that you haven’t is appalling.”

“You must grow in your trust and long-suffering,” Ksiądz Serafin replied.

“It is sin!” Mikolaj cried. “How long am I supposed to suffer another’s sin!? Why!?”

“Only Bóg knows the heart,” Ksiądz Serafin replied.

“I don’t need to be Bóg to see that she is sinning!” Mikolaj exclaimed. “And I don’t even know as much about Him as you do! What use is it for you to know the Swięty Język if you can’t seem to tell when someone is sinning!?”

Without waiting for an answer, Mikolaj stormed out of the church and quickly down the stairs, stalking back toward home. As much as he’d never particularly liked Ksiądz Serafin, he’d never thought the man to be so utterly useless until now.

Pronunciations:

Ksiądz: k'seeohdz

Serafin: sehrahfeen

Język: jahzihk

Bóg: bawg