The Village (Harbingers Book 12)
Page 9
“Luke Morris . . .”
* * *
The children were housed in the hotel at the end of the street. Two entire floors had been converted to a hospital wing. The local doctor, a young man not long out of med school, and a few nurses he called in to help, tended to the children.
Andi brought them up to date. “You’re not going to believe this,” she began, but the doctor lived in the town and knew the score. The two nurses soon learned that all that Andi had told them was right. I can’t say enough good about them.
We stayed a week. Daniel began to look a couple of years younger and was having trouble finding the right size clothing. I guess it’s true, you can’t keep kids in clothes no matter if they’re growing up or down.
As for the adults, we were returning to our proper ages, more slowly than I liked, but I could be patient. At least I was in the right universe.
Each night I spent a little time looking at the stars and wondering about Littlefoot. I guess I will always do that.
* * *
Once the car was packed we said our goodbyes to Jewel, the hotel owner, and thanked her for making her place available for the kids to recuperate in. We also thanked her for trying to save our necks by sending us packing.
Before we entered the car, Brenda called us close. “We saved a lot of children,” she said. “That makes me feel pretty good. And Daniel was a big part of that. We might not have learned what we needed to know if he didn’t insist on some paper and started bossing us around.”
We all agreed to that. I figured there was more coming out.
“Daniel and me had a chat. Okay, he did the chatting and I did the listening. You know him, he’s not much on conversation, but he did make it clear that he was part of the team and even though he’s only ten, he’s a very different ten than other boys.”
“That’s a fact,” I said.
Brenda looked at the ground. “Anyway, forget all that Batman stuff I was throwin’ around.” Except she didn’t use the word “stuff.”
“Oh, man, and here I was thinking we finally got rid of you.”
She punched me in the arm. It hurt in a wonderful way. “I will take you down, Cowboy. You know I will.”
“Yes, ma’am, I do know that.”
Then I hugged her. That led to a group hug.
And a prayer of thanksgiving from me.
About the Author
Alton L. Gansky
Alton L. Gansky (Al) is the author of 24 novels and nine nonfiction works, as well as principal writer of nine novels and two nonfiction books. He has been a Christy Award finalist (A Ship Possessed) and an Angel Award winner (Terminal Justice) and recently received the ACFW award for best suspense/thriller for his work on Fallen Angel. He holds a BA and MA in biblical studies and was granted a Litt.D. He lives in central California with his wife.
www.altongansky.com
Don’t miss Piercing the Veil, Harbingers #13.