Nowhere to run

The moment Rahab left their room, Salman and Phinehas tried to have a quiet argument. The whispers, sign language, and charades eventually made Salman burst into laughter when he finally realized how ridiculous they looked.

Phinehas slapped his hand over Salman’s mouth as he rushed to check the window. It was a long way down.

“We're in danger,” Phinehas whispered.

Salman signaled for Phinehas to let go of his mouth.
“From a whore?” he replied, “Unlikely. She thinks we’re Egyptian. She doesn't know who we are.”

Phinehas paced the floor, thinking aloud in whispers. “What if she does? She sells her body, she might decide to sell us. We’d fetch a handsome reward. Or maybe she’s been in it all along and the whole thing’s an act?”

“You really think so?”

“You're falling for her,” answered Phinehas

“No I'm not.”

“Sure you are,” Phinehas continued, leaning out the window for a better look. “Everything’s adding up.”

“Well you were never good with numbers,” joked Salman.

“Its not a game. Deception starts with denial, and ends with death.”

Salman crossed his arms and paced the floor. “Alright, suppose you’re right and I actually do think she’s pretty. So what? It doesn’t change our situation.”

Phinehas grabbed Salman’s face “You don’t get it, do you? We can't use the well, so we’re told to come here. And what better way to keep us here, than her? There's no time.”

Salman’s heart sunk. He checked the window for himself. That’s too far to jump, he thought, the fall would kill us, or worse - break our legs and alert the guards. We’d be captured, tortured, and jeopardize the entire invasion.

“We're gonna to have to risk it,” Phinehas muttered as he gathered his belongings.

“Wait a minute,” Salman interrupted, “I hear what you’re saying, but I still think she's harmless. Now the man they let in after dark, he’s got me worried. He looks familiar. Remember that arms merchant a few months ago?”

“The one who said he was from Damascus?” replied Phinehas.

“Yes. He asked for a copy of the Ten Commandments, but I thought nothing of it at the time.”

Phinehas stopped pacing the floor and froze. “How could I forget? We were followed.”