Light Fingers, a short story by Matthew Caesar

LIGHT FINGERS
BY

MATTHEW CAESAR

Ever since I was young I had a gift with my hands, I don’t know why, but I did and had to accept it. Some in the village didn’t like the idea and had made a fret to kill me to me and my family. I am now 12 years old. One day I was called to go to my Cousin’s house to help them and so I decided to go as I wasn’t going to refuse to help them out. News had leaked out and there was some strong resentment in the village as to the reason why I had been called to attend my Cousin Sarah’s home. I boarded the local bus with my older sister May, and made my journey, all was well until I neared my Cousin’s house a crowd had gathered close by and hindered the bus. They stood in front of the bus and surrounded the bus shouting abuse and threats at me. A few forced their way onto the bus and one of the villagers had a blade in his hand. He made threats to me. I was so scared at the sight of the blade.

The villager said, “If I use my hands he was going to cut off my hands,” and that, “My hands were a curse by the Devil.”

My sister May defended me and said, “Ronan’s gifted hands are not the work of the devil but the work of god,” and to, “Leave Ronan alone or you will have god to answer to.”

I said, “I’m not cursed by the devil, my hands are to be used for good.”

May said, “Put away your knife, please Paul, you know Ronan is a good person. He has done no harm to you.”

Paul put away the blade and told the others on the bus with him to back off, he said, “We could be wrong about Ronan, what if it is god’s will?”

Ronan got off the bus led by his sister May holding his hand tightly in hers.

Other villagers still shouted, “It is wrong for the boy to use his hands.”

May shouted, “It is god’s gift.”

The villagers reluctantly let us pass and I and my sister made our way to our Cousin Sarah’s home. May rang the bell and Sarah came to the door.

“Thank you, thank you both for coming so soon,” said Sarah.

“What is the problem?” asked May, “You didn’t say on the phone.”

“It’s my dog Bruce, he has died and I am beside myself. I hope Ronan can do something with his gift and bring back Bruce. Please Ronan, please.”

“Ok, I will try and use my gift if god willing,” I said, and, “Take me to where the dog lies.”

“Follow me into the kitchen. Bruce lies dead on the floor where he fell.”

I saw the large Labrador dead on the floor and hesitantly put my hands onto the body of the dog, unsure whether my hands would heal the animal. My hands glowed and after a short while Bruce the Labrador sprung back into life, he stood up from the floor and barked happily as if nothing had happened. Sarah cried with happiness and hugged her Labrador fondly.

I said, “I did not know how long the dog would live for, but I can only bring it back from the dead, once.”

“Ok, I understand, I will not ask you again. Thank you Ronan,” replied Sarah, as she gave me and May a hug.

There were still some villagers outside Sarah’s house and they carried on shouting abuse, but they did not dare harm Ronan or his sister May.

Ronan and his sister made their way back to their house after waiting a short while for a bus to pick them up.

It had been an eventful afternoon.

THE END

No part of this story may not be reproduced or used In any manner whatsoever, including information storage and retrieval systems, without the express written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

All characters appearing in this book are fictitious and have no existence outside the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All of the incidents are pure invention.

Author: Martine Drake
Posted on: 16th July 2020