“Kid, it didn’t look like you were okay when you fell,” I heard Yuyagahor tell me.

I was thinking too deeply that time so I was unable to answer him. I just woke up to reality when I smelled that familiar scent of a kind of perfume coming from the basement. I looked at the door and saw Potiphar’s wife looking like she just came from a wrestling match: her hair disheveled and her dress torn in places. She was holding a torn cloak that I recognized immediately to be Joseph’s.

My eyes narrowed on what I saw. Now I know why I felt like this is going to happen. This is the day Joseph will be framed for frustrated rape on Potiphar’s wife. I already know what would happen next, but I can’t just come out and say that Joseph is innocent. First, I have no idea what would happen if the story somehow changes in this dimension. Second, no one would believe a simple slave like me even if I were to tell the truth. Third, and the most important of all, I don’t have any evidence proving Joseph’s innocence.

I was lost from my concentration when I heard Yuyagahor’s voice once again. “…happened to you? Are you alright?”

Potiphar’s wife didn’t answer him. She immediately ran off from where we are.

“This is not good,” Yuyagahor said as he entered the basement. When he came out, he was carrying the spade and rake I was about to fetch this morning.

Yuyagahor pulled me up and escorted me to the backyard. A while later, he faced me. Because of his size, he had to kneel in front of me for us to see eye to eye. He then held both of my shoulders.

“Listen to me,” he began, “I don’t like what’s happening here in this house, so you need to do exactly what I say, do you understand?”

I know exactly what’s happening this time, but I acted as though I was confused. “What’s happening? Why –”

“It’s only a matter of time before Lord Potiphar would surely arrive. From what I see, someone threatened his wife’s life. We won’t have to wait long before the culprit will be arrested,” Yuyagahor explained. “You weren’t in your assigned station when the crime occurred, so you might be mistaken as the culprit, but I’m here to prove otherwise. But starting right now, you must not leave this backyard because everyone knows that they’ll find you here. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, but –”

“Swear it. Swear that you won’t leave this backyard until I get back to you,” he told me.

I couldn’t answer because of all the things he told me. He then let go of me and placed his right hand at the left side of my chest; exactly where my heart is located. “Swear it.”

I also placed my right hand on his heart. “I swear.” But after I said that, “What are you gonna do?”

He took a deep breath. “I need to return to our basement. Lord Potiphar would surely summon all the soldiers just for this. He’ll surely be in doubt if he finds out that I wasn’t there while I was assigned in that place. I’ll be able to get back to you late this afternoon if we’re not going to take that long, whatever he’ll make us do.”

Yuyagahor then left the backyard without waiting for any response from me. If only he knows that I already knows what would happen before it actually happens… I don’t know what everyone would do to me.

Instead of starting to clean the backyard, I just walked to and fro by the fig tree because I really can’t keep calm because of everything that’s happening inside the house. I really couldn’t care less even if I failed to take my lunch or cleaned the backyard. I know that I mustn’t tell that I know of Joseph’s innocence, but I still can’t help but think that an innocent man has been wrongfully accused of a crime he didn’t commit. I know exactly what Joseph is feeling right now because this is an important principle Dad taught me. I saw in my imagination the image of Dad while saying his favorite quote, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

My shadow has already lengthened but I still didn’t stop pacing. After a while, I saw in my mind’s eye the scene where Joseph was being arrested because of the crime he didn’t commit. Blood suddenly rushed to my head and I involuntarily punched the rough bark of the fig tree. I then felt my right fist become wounded. I saw the wounds and all the splinters stuck in between them.

“Mother of Christ, why does this have to happen to me!?” I cried as I collapsed under the tree in a sitting position and felt all my strength leave me. I also didn’t realize that tears started flowing out of my eyes, but I didn’t care. The whole place started to darken so I couldn’t see anything at this point. The darkening of the surroundings was accompanied by me losing my consciousness.

How long I waited before the silence was broken, I didn’t know anymore. I just heard someone calling my name from a distance. I tried to follow the voice, but I didn’t know whether I don’t have the strength to stand up or I just didn’t feel like standing. I heard the voice again, and the more it called my name, the nearer it becomes. Later, I regained my consciousness and realized that the sun is already setting. When my vision cleared up from being closed when I was unconscious, I noticed that a large man is in front of me right now.

“John, what happened to you?” I heard the voice again which I recognized as Yuyagahor’s. “Why is your hand bleeding?”

I just looked at the part of the tree trunk that I punched a while ago instead of answering his question because I was still feeling weak from all that pacing here in the backyard. He also looked at the spot.

“Idiot,” he gasped, “why didn’t you have that treated?”

I angrily stood up from where I sat. “Don’t you call me an idiot. I did swear that I won’t leave this place until your return.”

He nodded and said, “Yeah right, I’m the –”

“Shut it! It’s not important,” I cut across him. At the very least, it felt good to cut across him while he’s talking because he called me an idiot just now. “So what happened inside the house?”

Even though I already know what happened, I still couldn’t control myself from shaking because of fear, anger, and confusion when Yuyagahor told me everything that happened.

“We took Joseph to prison a while ago. He hasn’t uttered a single word while we were taking him,” he finished.

For a long time, none of us spoke. I would really just want to scream at Yuyagahor because I couldn’t contain myself from saying Joseph was innocent any longer when he suddenly spoke again.

“I don’t believe Joseph would do that,” he told me with a low tone. “I’ve hung out with that kid the other day. I know he couldn’t possibly do that thing.”

Because of the shock I felt when he said that, I didn’t know how to answer him. He just told me afterwards, “Pretend that I didn’t say anything to you. You’re not going to believe me if I tell you he couldn’t do such thing, anyway. Everyone in the house believes Lord Potiphar’s wife’s story. Come, I’ll bring you to the ward before I get back to my station.”

Yuyagahor accompanied me to the ward to have my wound treated before he left me for their basement. After the healer bandaged my hand, I returned the spade and rake that I wasn’t able to use today to the basement. My mind wasn’t exactly in my head at the time so I didn’t bother looking around. I just proceeded to the dining room with the other slaves.

Everyone was quiet during supper, still in denial of what happened today. This is somewhat good because I really didn’t feel like talking to any of them if ever, but I couldn’t help but feel a considerable change. Usually, all of us were talking to each other everytime we are facing our supper and I confess, I don’t like this kind of silence.

I couldn’t sleep for a long time because of everything going on in my mind. Dad’s favorite expression, everything that happened today, and what Yuyagahor told me kept on playing inside my mind like an entire playlist played in loop.

I just thought, “You shouldn’t talk. You’ll never know what’ll happen to you if you didn’t keep your mouth shut.”

But my conscience kept on haunting me. I don’t really know why. Is it wrong of me to let them arrest Joseph even if I know that he’s innocent? And even if I told Potiphar the truth, would he believe me? And if ever, would his wife let this slide, or I’ll be next in her hit list?

I just took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind until I was finally able to fall asleep.

Everyone else was still asleep when I woke up early at dawn. I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck because I dreamt that Potiphar was scolding me because he caught me slacking off inside the soldiers’ basement. In the dream, I tried to reason with him that I just returned the sword I took to chop off the fig tree in the backyard while all the while, I hear Michelle’s voice from behind me, repeating the words ‘justice delayed is justice denied.’ I realized that I was sweating so I decided to go out for a bit to cool my head. I quietly snuck out of the quarters so no one would hear me.

Before I was able to get out of the house, I heard noises coming from the soldiers’ basement that sounds like metal objects hitting each other. I entered and saw Yuyagahor training by himself using a spear and his opponent is a steel post.

“What can you say, kid?” Yuyagahor said after striking the metal post.

“How did you know that I was here?” I wondered out loud.

He chuckled and said, “The basement went cool when you opened the door. Please close the door, we might catch a cold.”

I closed the door and I immediately began to sweat profusely. I went near Yuyagahor and sat on a bench across the cabinet where the other spears are. While watching him train, I remembered what he said to me regarding Joseph.

I don’t believe Joseph would do that, he told me with a low tone. I’ve hung out with that kid the other day. I know he couldn’t possibly do that thing.

If that’s the case, he also doesn’t believe that Joseph could truly try and rape Potiphar’s wife. I just didn’t know how to tell him that I’m thinking of the same thing.

Yuyagahor kept on training but he suddenly stopped. “Kid, you sound very quiet.”

I didn’t reply. I just kept on staring at him. I waited for him to feel uncomfortable before I tell him what’s on my mind.

He scratched his head using his little finger and said, “You know, kid, you really scare me when you stare at me like that. Is there something you wish to tell me?”

“Yes, there is,” I finally answered him before taking a deep breath. “You also don’t believe that Joseph can do it. You also don’t believe that he wouldn’t attempt to take advantage of Potiphar’s –”

“Lord Potiphar,” he corrected me.

“Yeah, him,” I continued. “You told me that yesterday.”

Yuyagahor thought for a bit. “Yes, I did say that yesterday. What of it?”

“You also believe that he wouldn’t do such a thing,” I told him. “I was just afraid to talk because all the evidence point against him.”

“I really don’t know about evidences,” Yuyagahor said, “but that’s what Lord Potiphar’s wife said. Who are we to say otherwise?”

“But you said you don’t believe it,” I insisted. “Why?”

Yuyagahor looked in different directions as if trying to think quickly. “I… I don’t know. Maybe I just couldn’t believe that he could do it because I hung out with him. Back then, I thought that he’s a good kid, just like you.”

“But – dammit, never mind,” I grumbled while I stood up and made for the door. I really didn’t know why I asked him, but I think he also believes that Joseph could do it now. If that’s the case, I couldn’t spend any more of my time trying to convince someone who’s adamant in keeping what’s in his mind.

“Wait,” Yuyagahor called while he dropped his spear but I didn’t stop walking. I opened the door and I suddenly shook because of the cold air.

“Are you alright?” said Yuyagahor, holding my shoulder, but he immediately let go of me. “Oh, I’m sorry, I accidentally put some grease on your shoulder.”

“Tch! I’m okay.” I looked at my shoulder and saw his large handprint made of brown-colored grease. I just shook my head but I suddenly remembered the first time I went out of this room yesterday. Memories of the scene that happened here yesterday flooded back into my mind as if I’m seeing all the events right now.

I walked towards the basement without saying anything while Yuyagahor followed me.

“Kid, what are you doing?” he asked.

I was too busy examining the whole place so I was unable to answer him. I saw the spade and rake I used to clean the backyard. They were still there. And so are all the stuff that I have seen here since my first day. This struck me as something odd.

I asked Yuyagahor, “Was anything broken here yesterday?”

“There’s none,” he answered. “Why did you ask?”

I pulled Yuyagahor back to the soldiers’ basement then closed the door. Both of us started to sweat again the instant I shut the door.

“Kid, will you please tell me what’s going on?” he snarled at me.

“Joseph is innocent,” I told him straight up.

Yuyagahor’s eyes widened at what I just told him. “What –”

“Joseph is innocent,” I repeated a little bit more loudly so he could hear me properly.

Surprise etched on his face this time. He may not be able to talk now, but I know for a fact that he wants to ask me if what I’m saying is true.

“Those accusations about him were false. He didn’t do anything wrong. He’s innocent,” I told him quickly.

“You mean –”

“Yes, all of this is fabricated by Po – by Lord Potiphar’s wife,” I finished.

Yuyagahor shook his head. “Wait just a minute, you couldn’t just say that. Even if I don’t want to remember it, it’s brighter than daylight that Joseph did attempt to take advantage of Lord Potiphar’s wife.”

“Which proves that you’re not using your head,” I told him.

“What –”

“You told me earlier that nothing was broken inside that basement yesterday, didn’t you?” I asked him before he can continue saying what he’s about to say earlier.

“Uh, yeah, there was none,” he said.

“Yes, nothing broke, even if there was a struggle between two people inside that basement,” I explained. “A lot of the stuff inside can easily be toppled, if I’m not mistaken. But almost none of them were even touched. Don’t you think it’s a bit odd after what happened?”

Yuyagahor thought for a little while. “Yes, you’re right, but how does that prove that Joseph is innocent?”

“Try to feel your body,” I ordered him.

He held his neck so it became coated with grease. “It’s kind of difficult because of all this grease in my – huh, why am I so dusty? Wait, you’re also dusty.”

I took a large breath because what I’m about to say is really long. “Yes, we’re both dusty because we just came from that other basement. In a normal situation, the dust wouldn’t stick to your skin. But in our case, we came from a very hot place, the soldiers’ basement to be exact. As you may have noticed, both of us began to sweat as soon as I closed the door.So right after we go out of this basement, anything small enough to stick to our skin can stay there because we’ve become sticky.”

“Oh yeah,” Yuyagahor agreed. “I also notice it everytime I go out of here after my shift.”

“And thanks to this basement, I got an evidence I’m not expecting,” I continued. “If you can remember, the moment I got out of here yesterday, Joseph bumped into me. Because he’s not wearing his cloak, almost no dust stuck on me. But there’s something else that should have stuck on me for us to say that Joseph really tried to rape Lord Potiphar’s wife: her perfume.”

Yuyagahor’s eyes widened again after I said it. “Yes, everyone could smell it from across the corridor.”

“I also noticed,” I said, “but when I bumped with Joseph yesterday, I couldn’t smell it from him and it also didn’t stick to me. This is another proof that Joseph didn’t touch Lord Potiphar’s wife.”

“Right!” he loudly agreed, but thought of something else. “But can we really say that Joseph is innocent if we base everything on those things alone?”

“Good thing you asked that,” I answered. “You were there when Joseph was arrested. Did you perhaps see the cloak shown as evidence against him?”

“Yeah, I saw it. It was ripped from behind. You think –” Yuyagahor suddenly stopped, as if he suddenly thought of something. “It was ripped from behind. That should mean it was Lord Potiphar’s wife that ripped it while chasing Joseph. This should mean that he was running away from –”

Yuyagahor was unable to finish what he was saying because both of us heard a loud scream just outside the door.

“ANUK-SOLAMUN!”

Alarmed, I immediately opened the door and we saw Potiphar running away from where we are.

I closed the door again and looked at Yuyagahor looking alarmed as well. “I forgot that heat is what can’t go through this door, not sound.”

There was nothing Yuyagahor could say to answer me. In my confusion, I started talking to myself.

“Son of a – ! Look at what happened because you didn’t keep your mouth shut!” I told myself while grabbing two handfuls of my hair. “Prepare yourself for whatever they’ll do to you!”

At this point, Yuyagahor held me again on both shoulders and said, “No, I won’t let it happen. Look at me. You have nothing to be afraid of. I won’t let them hurt you. They’ll pass over my dead body before that happens.”

Yuyagahor and I stared at each other for a long time. I didn’t notice that his hand has already been placed on my heart. “I swear it,” he said.

For reasons unknown to me, I calmed down after he did that. I also placed my right hand on his heart and said, “Thank you.”