It was the day after love and lust. Pamela, Elias and Jacob were the last remaining of the original flock of Happy Valley, now seated at the table and eating their morning meal, with Jacob at the head, Pamela to his right and Elias to his left. They were trying to enjoy a warily eaten breakfast consisting of bread rolls with Pamela’s homemade jelly, and strong coffee. Of the basic foodstuffs brought to the village in January, much remained, since the village was now in need of food for three, not twenty. Less farming was required and less milk needed collecting in the morning from the cows. Uncomfortable glances were occasionally passed around by the three spiritual siblings, who now felt more isolated than ever. The village was suddenly all too big; it engulfed them. Elias, despite his best efforts, could not stop trying to imagine what Jacob was up to; Pamela still had an air of stoic aloofness to her; Jacob was a man whose spiritual reserves were being depleted on a daily basis. Even he had been tempted by Satan to give up on a leadership role that was becoming increasingly obsolete and to abandon the dream that once united twenty people. But he had managed to only just stand his spiritual ground. So far.
"Brother Jacob, what are your plans for us today?" asked Elias, as he raised his cup of coffee to his mouth.
As if sensing a troubling atmosphere, Pamela immediately looked over to Jacob, seeing how he would react to what she felt was less a question from Elias and more of a challenge. Jacob seemed to take the question at face value, however, with his senses somewhat dulled.
"Brother Elias, I think we should all decide for ourselves. I have tried to guide this village, but not rule it. I always suggested Morning Prayer, not commanded it. I encouraged rotating the various farming chores, not demanded it. I for one plan to spend my quiet time outside my cabin this morning. I’d like to spend time with God in the nature that he created."
Jacob answered the question with a calm demeanor and no indication that he was in any way perturbed, though he had not looked to Elias as he spoke but to the surrounding woods. This, however, slightly disturbed Elias, causing him to acknowledge Jacob’s answer with a purposeful nod of his head and a guarded smile. Jacob in turn gave a brief glance in Elias’ direction. Elias’ previous doubts about Jacob now returned; seeing a man with an intense religious fervor now as a diluted version of his former self was worrying. Was Jacob a master trickster after all? A man who changed his self, or selves, at will, depending on the situation he found himself in? With only the three of them left, this would be easier to find out. Pamela decided to act as peacemaker for a potential storm that was brewing.
"I will clean the cutlery. Then could I accompany you on your walk Brother Jacob?"
"I’d truly like that. Would you like to join us Elias?" asked a suddenly eager Jacob.
"Yes Jacob. I would."
The three of them began their walk together a short time later. They made their way past the collection of deserted cabins, walking along the grassy floor that led to the animals’ dwellings. Pamela let her thoughts lead her, as she remembered her husband who had died two years earlier. She also thought of her one grandchild, the offspring of her only son, neither of whom was seen much nowadays. She had been a lonely woman for some time, until she entered the village. A woman who did not feel superior to anyone in the village but a woman who was simply enjoying basking in the company of others, which required nothing more than watching the world go by. No active participation was necessary. Her spiritual needs were met by the companionship of the villagers themselves, even if only two others remained. And these two young men, who seemed to be possessed by youthful spirit, were undeniably humorous. Yes, Pamela enjoyed her role as the one who was needed to keep these two remaining whippersnappers in line. But Pamela had been thinking for the past few weeks that perhaps it was getting time for her to leave the village. Time to let youth run this undeniably young person’s colony. Let them have it. Pamela chuckled to herself. She had come to Happy Valley not knowing what to expect, except to keep your eyes on the prize, as the Good Book says. Pamela felt she already had her prize; a chance to have met nineteen other wonderful, petty, funny, selfish, spiteful and loving people, some of whom she hoped she would meet again on the outside. New friendships, which had made her realize just how lonely she was before arriving at Happy Valley. This had inspired her to finally want to make a larger effort to see her son and grandchild again, after all this time apart.
As for Elias, he was still trying, predictably, to understand who Jacob was. It was that simple. Was he truly a religious leader, who planned to remain here all alone if need be? Was he the con artist that Elias had thought some of the previous villag