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Fiction

Sign of These Times

By João Anzanello Carrascoza
Translated from Portuguese by Renato Rezende

The couple stopped in the middle of the way to rest. They were both tired of fleeing and took shelter in a cowshed near an empty road. Soon the woman felt the first warnings. It was a providential stop; the most appropriate time and place for the birth of the child.

That night, under the intense light of a star, the woman intensely suffered the pains of delivery. It was late at night when, between her muffled moans, they heard a strange wail.

Perplexed, they looked at the newborn baby. But they were careful not to repeat the same mistake. They picked some leftover pieces of wood that were laid around and chose two of them, preparing the ritual. They were fast. The husband, a carpenter, had a lot of practice.

They crucified the boy on the spot. Then they gathered the animals and resumed the trip.

English

The couple stopped in the middle of the way to rest. They were both tired of fleeing and took shelter in a cowshed near an empty road. Soon the woman felt the first warnings. It was a providential stop; the most appropriate time and place for the birth of the child.

That night, under the intense light of a star, the woman intensely suffered the pains of delivery. It was late at night when, between her muffled moans, they heard a strange wail.

Perplexed, they looked at the newborn baby. But they were careful not to repeat the same mistake. They picked some leftover pieces of wood that were laid around and chose two of them, preparing the ritual. They were fast. The husband, a carpenter, had a lot of practice.

They crucified the boy on the spot. Then they gathered the animals and resumed the trip.

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