(aka Bike) Part 1425 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad
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I sat in the anteroom, exhausted. I heard a commotion in the corridor outside and moments later a man in blue scrubs burst into the room. “Are you the boy’s mother?”
“Oh no, he hasn’t died?” I gasped tears forming and blurring my vision.
“No–no he hasn’t died, but the strangest thing has happened.”
“What d’you mean?”
“We always do our own scans before operating as things can change in the patient since the one at Portsmouth.”
“I don’t understand,” I was confused, if Danny hadn’t died what had happened?
“He was in the MRI scanner and there was this blue flash and the computer on it went off and the machine stopped–like it was hit by a power surge. Of course we needed to get the child out of the machine–suddenly it all started up again and scans his head and there’s no injury.”
“But there was a gash in his head?” I felt quite strange and had to sit down.
“Are you alright, luv?”
“Just felt a bit giddy. So you’re saying he’s healed?”
“As far as we can tell, but how or why I can’t say. It seems the whole hospital was hit by some huge power surge and three patients who should have died have recovered, like some huge miracle has happened.”
“Where’s Danny?” I asked as collected myself.
“He’s sleeping in the recovery room, I’ve got another waiting who had a sub-arachnoid bleed, she’s walking round asking to go home–she couldn’t even focus her eyes before. What’s happened?”
“How should I know?” I said trying to avoid any suspicion being pointed at me.
“There’s a bloke in orthopaedics waiting to have his leg off, he’s walking better than he did twenty years ago. What has happened?”
“I don’t know–but I presume you’ll be checking up on all these so called miracles?”
“Lady, we have a baby with spina bifida who was awaiting surgery–her back has healed; another baby with meningitis we were expecting to lose at least one limb–she seems to have regenerated the damaged blood vessels. Something wonderful has happened tonight–and I just wish it would do so every night.”
“I’m sure–can I see my son?”
“Sure, we’ll get him sent up to a ward, we’ll keep him in overnight just in case this miracle is short lived or I’m dreaming the whole thing.”
“Could I get a cuppa?”
“I’ll get them to send one up to you–why don’t you go home and get some sleep–you look all in?”
“Yeah, as soon as my husband comes I will.”
I began to feel my eyes closing with tiredness and I was half scared to fall asleep in case that was when I died. I had made a bargain and was prepared to pay up, except I’d liked to have had the chance to say my goodbyes–especially to Simon. I hope he can cope with the children. Maybe he’ll find someone else to help him–I hope he does.
As sleep overwhelmed me I felt myself mumbling, “Beam me up, Scotty.”
I found myself in a large hall lit by the most amazing light–it seemed like there was a wonderful golden sun sitting right outside the windows–could hardly see anything it was so bright.
“You are here to pay for your impudence,” said the voice in my head.
“I suppose so–I never renege on my word,” I replied.
“Stand before us while the charge is read.” I half expected to see a crocodile waiting to gobble up my heart because it sure wasn’t going to be unblemished. Then I realised it was the wrong mythology–that was Egyptian, this was Old Testament or thereabouts–not that it has much influence on dormice.
I drew myself up to my full height but had to close my eyes to avoid the blinding light. “How do you plead?”
“I did what I had to do to save the lives of two children.”
“Is that guilty or not guilty?”
“I don’t know what the charges are do I?”
“Just say guilty or not guilty.”
“You’re going to find me guilty anyway, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“What happens if I plead not guilty?”
“We’ll weigh your heart to see if you’ve been lying.”
I wasn’t now but I certainly had done in the past. “Okay, guilty.”
“The court accepts your plea, have you anything to say before we carry out the sentence?”
“Only that I love my husband and my family and have done what I thought was necessary as a wife and mother to protect them, and would do so again.”
“You show no remorse?”
“For what? Being a wife and mother–for nurturing my children, even if I couldn’t give birth to them? I consider that to be the essence of being a woman and more especially a mother. I plead guilty for every offence of love I’ve perpetrated and regret for every time I could have and didn’t. Yeah, I’m guilty of being female–do your worst.”
“Catherine, the court has certain sympathies with your position and is aware of your efforts to care for and educate several children who would otherwise have lived poorer lives. You have used the healing energy we gave you, mostly with discretion and with a degree of compassion. You have not used it for personal gain or aggrandisement.”
I waited for the axe to fall–why all this bullshitting?
“We therefore sentence you to life on earth and to continue your task of mother and wife. Be gone and do not upset us in future or we shall not show such mercy again. It is time you have some respect for us–we therefore withhold the healing gift until you show that respect. Be gone from our sight.”
“Babes, are you alright?” I heard Simon’s voice and struggled to open my eyes.
“Um–yeah,” I yawned so he may not have actually understood what I said.
“How’s Danny?”
“Okay–I think.”
“There’s a pile of TV cameras outside, apparently something weird happened earlier–not you, was it?”
“Me? Nah–far too tired to do anything weird.”
“Yeah–I noticed,” he frowned and then smirked when I glared at him.
We went up to the ward and Danny woke briefly smiled at us then went back to sleep, I told him we’d be back tomorrow, he sighed and slept. Simon then walked me back to the car park and his waiting Jaguar.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yeah, except my healing gift has gone.”
“How d’you know?”
“Oh I know, alright.”
“Okay, I only asked.”
He drove past the television vans and the reporters standing in front of the hospital doing their stories.
“Did you have anything to do with all this?” he nodded towards the BBC van.
“What d’you think?”
“I think you did–disasters and miracles seem to happen when you’re about, babes, so this would be something of an amazing coincidence wouldn’t it.”
“Um, no comment.”
“So what happened to the healing energy?”
“There was a big blue flash and I felt it stop.”
“But you were trying to heal someone?”
“Our son, and a little girl in the renal unit, plus some babies in...” I yawned and felt my head rest against Simon’s shoulder. I was safe now and slept all the way home.
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Comments
Their Reasoning Is Flawed!
Interesting turn...
Interesting turn of events.
Fascinating how you made things "work out". Wonder how long it is until they "powers" decide to "test" Cathy. Test? Yes, test... Injure someone close to her, and make her "crawl" back ASKING for the healing power!
Thanks,
Anne
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1425
This just might be the Glory's way to gain Cathy's respect or possibly even her way of coming to grips with the religion that she denies. Somehow, I can't help but believe that a visit from Angharad's SNAFU Jamie Curtis might help Cathy.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Bah... snotty Gods
Just want Cathy to grovel a bit next time there's a disaster, which will probably be in about ten minutes the way things travel in her world. Pardon me while I stomp about and mutter a bit. at least the blue went out with a bang as it were.
Kris
You caught me out
there Angharad , I was already to make a comment on yesterdays chapter , Only to find the next part there ready for me to read..... I like those sort of surprises:) ..
So Cathy got off reasonably lightly, Cannot help but think that it will not be long before the gods realise they need her to perform their work, After all what alternatives have they?... Grant Stella the power, Or (if they still have the powers) use Julie or Trish, You would have to say Cathy for all her faults remains the best choice...
Kirri
End Of An Era
"Bike" has encompassed many themes and plot threads in its progress through the years. Of them all, I couldn't help feeling that the "Blue Light Business" was the least reality-based, and didn't fit as well as some of the others have. Yes, it was definitely fun at times, but I think we'll get by just fine without that little bit of genre-bending.
___________________
What? Why are you looking at me like that? What did I say?
Another fine mess.
Another fine mess you have gotten your self into Catherin. And for all the right reasons, but how are you going to get out of this one my dear friend?
The only bad question is the one not asked.
Why is being normal considered such a prize?
The only bad question is the one not asked.
I'd be for kissing some ass.
Yes, this surely is the OT God that everyone speaks of, except when I read the OT, I could never understand why people thought that God was mean? Most of the OT people were, slow, knuckle dragging, deeply faulted fools and to me it is no wonder that there was a lapse in patience at times.
Over the years, I have spoken with a number of people who have used the OT as an excuse to not engage God, or they use their own nasty, abuse fill past to not do so. Anger and hurt are hard to let go, so I give Cathy allowance for that.
As far as Cathy goes, she may be bull headed and stuborn,(a survival trait that T folk tend to develop) but we have all seen her develop into a marvelous young woman who is deeply loved. I don't expect her to be genuflecting in front of the cross anytime soon, but she could attempt to establish some sort of mildly respectful raport with Shakina, but that is just me. :)
Gwendolyn
One thing I have learned
in my 50 plus years, is that God tends to be revealed in the form we need at that time.
I suspect that Cathy is finished with this.
Janice
"You will be told what to do at the proper time."
Way back when Cathy's mother was on her death bed, and Cathy and Stella went to see her in the hospital, her mother said she saw two angels where Cathy and Stella was standing, then died.
Sometime later, Cathy's father died, and not long after, this sequence of supernatural beings began. The first one was her mother appearing to her and among other things being told, "You will be told what to do at the proper time." IIRC. her father was there also, but had his back to her, and Cathy's mother told Cathy, "He is still tired from his journey." or words to that effect.
Even after all Cathy has been through, what she has seen concerning a blue light, and white light, and some of her children being able to use it - and a scientific test showing the force exists - Cathy is still refusing to believe that a God(dess) was guiding her healing power. And now, the power has been taken away from her. I don't think Cathy's family is going to be harmed, but I do think Cathy will realize, after not being able to heal someone else, that she will realize that if she wants to continue being the kind lady she is, and continue healing, she is going to have to acknowledge those eternal beings as being who and what they are. When that happens, I feel she will be told what she is to do.
And how does the loss of Cathy's healing power affect the children who have shown they can also use it?
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
Definately Greek,
even if it is supposed to be old testament. I hope it will do Cathy good to see what life is like without the gift. In this she has been a bit of a female dog.