Christmas Slashes

 “I married you because I love you Isaiah,” Sasha said.

“Daddy, we’re hungry. Is Santa going to bring Ben a play set this year?” Isaiah’s daughter Cassie said.

He and his wife knew that the government had cut just about every benefit that they’d had left.

“Isaiah, are you even listening to your kids? Do you ever listen to anything we tell you? Cassie, go play with your brother.” Sasha said.

“How can we play if we’re hungry mama?” Cassie said.

Realizing that he’d literally just taken a verbal beating from his boss after asking for a raise, Isaiah sat back in his chair as his wife went on and on about what she and the family needed. He’d sold everything, he’d worked to the bone just to keep the lights on. His debts were mounting and sadly the vision of a Merry Christmas with presents everywhere for his family seemed to be fading. The entire time his wife spent screaming, Isaiah said nothing. Everything that he slashed led him to snap. After his wife got tired of complaining he kindly surrendered to his enemies and the debt collectors. They took his hands and nailed him to a cross then stuck him in the front yard so not only his family could see him suffer, but the entire neighborhood. To reclaim their debts, they whipped him and beat him into mercy. Isaiah, now bleeding and shamed, began to tremble in numbing pain. With a crown of thorns on his head, his family watched as his enemies took pleasure in reclaiming their debts and redemption. The ring leader then stood over him and spit on his bloody face. At this moment Isaiah’s wife began to cry. 

“Why are they doing this to daddy momma?” Cassie asked.

Sadly, his enemies hated him so much that they made them all sit and watch.

Sasha said nothing.

“Kneel to the Jesus freak.” She heard one of them say laughing as they’d took him down and left his battered and brushed body with his community that they pretty much controlled.

Once they were done, Isaiah was clean of his debts and neighbors began to pour in donations.

Nearly lifeless and in pain his family had the best Christmas of their life as he laid in bed almost lifeless in his room recovering. 

The entire time, Isaiah said nothing. As his family enjoyed the holiday they became the symbol of something far more important. They became the symbol of something far more powerful. Why Isaiah surrendered to his enemies and debt collectors was a mystery. His wife thought he did it because he wanted to die. His neighbors thought he did it because he wanted to be debt free. It was clear that what ever triggered him to do this and face extreme humiliation changed the course of his life. As time went on and everyone got older, Isaiah’s daughter looked at her father’s now healed Christmas slashes as he sat in a chair by his favorite window.

“I love you daddy.” She said to her father who often had no room for words.

Trapped inside of his mind. A tear fell from his eye.

Cassie had never heard her father say a word to her until now.

“I love you too. I did it for you and your brother, always remember that,” Isaiah said as the room grew silent again. Cassie was in shock.

Seeing his family make it to the finish line, Isaiah stepped into the light and gave up the ghost. For the sake of his entire family he slashed everything and even took a beating so that his children could enjoy the holiday. Somehow he made it through his marriage and eventually, in time, his Christmas slashes would heal. His beating evened the scales of justice and he and his family had been set free. The story of what a father would do for his children is what everyone got out of Isaiah’s book.

Christmas slashes