based on 2 Kings 11:1-3

Princess Jehosheba paused in the palace hallway.

“Don’t tell me I can’t do this! I’m the queen! I can do whatever I want!” a voice screamed.

“Only Athaliah could get that angry,” Jehosheba muttered. “And when did she become queen?”

Jehosheba shrugged and crossed the hall to the nursery. She smiled seeing her nephews asleep in their beds. Rachel, their nurse, was pacing the room.

“Jehosheba! It’s about time you got here!” she exclaimed.

“Why, is something wrong?”

“Yes! Your mother has gone completely mad! She is determined to be queen now that Ahaziah has died.” Rachel collapsed in a chair.

Jehosheba frowned. “But all of Ahaziah’s sons in here would have to die before she could rule,” she said. “That wouldn’t happen for years, if ever!”

“I think she’s planning to kill them now!” Rachel blurted. “She is claiming to be the new queen! How else could she become queen unless she killed all of the princes?”

Jehosheba heard more screaming from the hall. She was starting to believe Rachel. “How many babies are in the nursery?”

“Twenty-two. But don’t even think of rescuing one of them,” Rachel exclaimed. “Athaliah would notice if a baby missing. If she sees one is gone, she’ll kill us along with the princes!”

But Jehosheba was already walking to the cribs. “That’s a chance we’ll have to take. You don’t want Athaliah to be queen, do you?”

Without waiting for an answer, she picked up Joash, her favorite. His brown eyes blinked open, but he didn’t cry.

“We have to hurry,” Rachel said. “Someone’s coming. Follow me!” The girls slipped out a servants’ entrance.

Jehosheba’s heart beat rapidly.

God, she prayed, slipping quietly through the door, please don’t let Athaliah notice Joash is missing.

“Come on!” Rachel whispered, interrupting her prayer. The two girls hurried down the hallway. When they reached Jehosheba’s room, Rachel took the sleeping baby from her arms. “What are we going to do with him?” she asked.

“We can keep him in the old abandoned bedroom on the second floor,” Jehosheba suggested. “Athaliah never goes up there!”

“Perfect. I could look after him, now that I’m out of a job,” Rachel sighed. “How could Athaliah be so wicked?”

“At least we saved Joash,” Jehosheba said, looking at the baby. He smiled before falling fast asleep in her arms.

Amy G., 12
Warsaw, Indiana

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