FIRE

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Bart slouched down to one of the fields. It needed plowing after the harvest, but everything seemed to take so much effort.      Leanne was being nice but feeling a little sick. Bart knew it was a lovely day. The hospital orderly who knew how to unlock hospital bathroom doors quickly from the outside had visited him and asked him to try every day to think of at least one reason to live. But Bart felt he was sinking deeper into quicksand.     "God help me!" he cried aloud. He did not know if there was a God, but suddenly it seemed like the black clouds in his head rolled back and there was light.     "Yoohoo!" called a woman's voice from near the paddock fence. "I've got Rabbi to pray for you. He's here now."     A tall, slightly stooped older man climbed through the fence. "Timothy," he said holding out his right hand, "I'm not really a rabbi. But could I be a friend and tell you too that there is a ...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Timothy focussed on his visitor with an effort. He noticed it was a really beautiful day, blue sky, fluffy white clouds, sunshine. The wind was slightly chilly, a reminder of changing seasons.     "Please come in," he ventured, "my housekeeper could get us a drink and some biscuits." "That would be lovely. I'm Sally Elliott."\         "Timothy Winslow." He led the way to the kitchen. The window was open and he could smell the honeysuckle climbing up a wooden trellis near the back door.     An elderly lady came in, smiled and put the jug on. "What drink would you like?" she asked. "I am Kirsty."         Drinks and shortbread biscuits were placed on a nearby table . Kirsty closed the kitchen window and took her cup of tea and biscuits outside.     "The Roberts family could do with prayer help and I wonder if you could help Bart? He needs a friendly bloke. Can you help, rabbi...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Timothy Winslow dragged himself wearily along the passage to his front door. The knocking was not loud and demanding, more gentle but still persistent all the same.     He opened his strong front door and looked towards the middle-aged lady hovering on his worn door step.     "Excuse me," she said in a broad local accent, " are you a vicar or a cleric or some kind of pastor - minister person?"  Timothy blinked. Was that person playing a trick? "Actually," he replied politely, "I'm a rabbi," and waited for the reaction.      "Well, that 's nice," replied the lady, pleasantly, "I don't take any notice of that bogus news stuff. Anway, er... can I come in? I have a problem." Don't we all, thought poor Timothy, who had been up all till all hours keeping an elderly soul company until he passed to a better life - hopefully.      He had witnessed about God and salvation when he could. The old ...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Much to his chagrin, everything in the house was changed around when he came back to the farm.     He now had a smaller bedroom while his wife and Joey had the larger room. At first he made no attempt to hide his anger. The male nurse pointed out that his wife was expecting another child and was still recovering from cracked ribs. He was also told it was up to him to have the relatively small operation to prevent more children.     He fought strenuously against this, using an endless litany of self-centred arguments, none of which prevailed.     After a few days, Bart realised that when he went out to look after the farm, no-one shadowed him. No resident nurse ( beyond a regular cursory check), no Mrs. Elliot who was now in almost permanent residence.     What came to bother him most of all was the attitude towards him of all his children, particularly that of his eldest son, Buddy. Slowly the man realised ...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Bart came to and found himself lying in a high hospital bed. Something was very painful, tied high on his left arm. It was tight. It was dark, and then he remembered nothing for a while.     A male orderly was helping him bathe. His left hand would not work properly.     The staff in the ward treated him with disdain. Only after a few days was he sent to physiotherapist who got him to soak the hand in warm water and gave him exercises.     His wife Leanne visited. By now he was feeling very ashamed and asked about Joey, desperate to know if he had survived. Joey was home again, as was Leanne, but he had been a very sick little boy.     Humbly, Bart asked if he could go home. His wife hesitated. "it is only a trial leave for a few days. If you are not managing, you have to return. The doctors are concerned for our safety."     "Why?" Bart demanded, truculent once more. Leanne sighed and left.

FIRE   (CONTINUED) By Tessa Harvey     Ellie was very upset about her baby brother. A bird kept calling just outside the door. Distracted, the girl wandered outside to see what was wrong. Minnie (the cat) was watching a bird fluttering and calling. The young cat was interested, but just lazily watching.     Then she saw a baby bird on the fence. It was nearly fledged, baby fluff bits blowing in the wind. As soon as it saw Ellie, it went very, very still. Ellie knew baby birds do this in the nest, but now flight alone would save it. But how?     Creeping closer, she knew not to hold the bird. Fear kills so easily. Instead, she gently touched the toes, nudging them to unfurl.      Instantly it flew to the fruit trees nearby, the mother bird almost as close as a shadow, flying hard.     She turned back to see her teacher, watching quietly. She told how Jesus knew when even a sparrow fell to the ground. How much more will he care f...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     At the hospital, baby Joe was still in a critical care unit. His parents waited for news. Time dragged. Bart was slumped near his wife's bed. He had been so proud and happy when Buddy (Robert) has been born and also when his first daughter, Ellie captured his heart, wrapping her tiny fingers around his finger.     After three children, Leanne pleaded with him to have a vasectomy. She begged saying it was so much easier for him than for her with small very dependent infants. But he hadn't listened. He was proud of being a proper man.     As his thoughts focused inward, Bart was literally a prisoner in his world of self. He heard a rattle of the medicine trolley. Edging forward, he noticed a bottle of Mogadon. Moggies!     When he was ten, his dad had died in a farming accident. His mum was given some to help her. Suddenly he lunged forward, grabbing the bottle and pushing into the ward bathroom, locking the door. ...

FIRE   By Tessa Harvey     Polly Stanton, Ellie's teacher and Mrs. Colleen Bird, the school counselor were taking the five Roberts children. They had both talked with the principal and felt that as the children's mother was still in hospital and now little Joey, it was better if they were taken home.     The children were puzzled but quite happy with the arrangement, except for Buddy who felt anxious for some reason. The older kids were trying hard to keep up with bed-making. Many neighbours had donated food, so fixing meals was relatively easy. They looked after the small flock of brown and white hens and tried to keep up with dishes. But mornings were hard.     He wondered if dad had complained they were not doing enough to help. In reality they were all really tired and worried about their mother and dad's increasingly odd behaviour.     Not for an instant had they thought Joe would be sick. They ran into the house, calling for him, thinki...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Much to the relief of his fellow travellers, Bart followed them into the hospital entrance. He looked around, bewildered. An amazing variety of people swirled around him, almost all seeming absolutely certain of where they were meant to be going.     He tried to follow the nurses and doctors clustered around his son, but was firmly moved back towards a waiting room where people of all ages, some with blood-stained towels held against their heads or limbs - others with bowls held in front of them, obviously nauseous.     He turned away, disgusted and saw a nearby reception desk and asked for his wife. Vaguely annoyed, the lady did not seem to understand him. He eventually realised that she was passing him written instructions under the protective glass screen.     It took a long time, but the farmer eventually found the correct lift and then the correct ward. He was feeling more and more disoriented and even unwell by...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     The paramedic was concerned about the infant's breathing. It was stabilising, but he was watching for signs of seizure. Alcohol is poisonous to a baby.     But the adult male was also concerning him. He had been murmuring and complaining but was now mumbling incoherently. Glancing at the senior constable, he was pleased to note the officer was on high alert.      "Looks like a wee bit storm brewing," he said cheerily. "Canna have that noo." The accent was a little difficult but the other man patted his handcuffs in an unobstrusive way.      He had underestimated the child's father. "None of that," he stated, firmly. "I saw you. I can behave." The other man ignored this statement. The paramedic kept monitoring the infant. He was worried.     They drew near to the hospital and he radioed ahead. "Urgent. Very sick infant. Please standby. Alcohol poisoning."

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Dazed, Eleanor Smith sat at the table gazing at her small semi-circular cleaned space. A tiny kitten brushed her ankles. A small name tag read "Minnie." It licked at some of the dubious looking milk and purred.     "Ma am," the young female police officer queried, "are you feeling alright?" "No, not really," she tried to smile, but couldn't. A tiny pool had joined the liquids on the floor - beer-smelling vomit.     Eleanor had picked up the baby, laid him face down on her knees, and gently patted his back, keeping her legs out of the way.     The little boy had sighed and vomited, and showed some signs of life. By the time the ambulance had arrived, the baby, the paramedics, father and male police officer had soon departed.     She hoped the child would survive. All the time the paramedics had been assessing the baby, the father had kept up an endless litany of complaints against his wife, his children, the...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Bart rubbed his eyes blearily, annoyed. Someone was knocking. He tried to ignore it, put the pillow over his head, but it kept on, persistent, relentless. Finally, he got up and strode to the door, flinging it open.     It was a beautiful day, but he couldn't see it. A middle-aged woman stood on the doorstep, clutching some papers. She smiled at him, trying to disguise her reaction to his slovenly appearance - after all, the poor man's wife was in hospital.     "May I come in?" she asked and stepped carefully around him into the kitchen, clearing a space for her papers, among the dirty dishes and cereal packets, half-open. She flicked at a chair, careful to avoid some spilt milk and juice on the floor.....she hoped it was juice. The air smelt rank and she was glad the man had left the door open, even though the flies streamed in gleefully. But then so did sunshine and fresh air.     "I'm Mrs. Smith, a social worker. ...

FIRE   By Tessa Harvey     There was a clatter of approaching footsteps in the passage outside the door.     A lady, some years older came in, smiling. She was holding a beautiful bouquet of radiant red roses clustered with gold sunbursts of sunflowers sprinkled around with tiny perfect mauve star daisies.     "Hello," she said cheerily. She saw one of the ladies near her looked upset. "Not intruding, am i?" The elderly person in the next bed opened her eyes and saw the abundance of flowers. Her eyes shone. "Oh Elspeth," she whispered, "thank you. How gorgeous!" She was captivated.     Colleen saw how Leanne's face lit up at the sight of the flowers and resolved to bring some soon.     "I must go back to the school. The kids will be running amok! Could I ask Mrs. Elliott to bring your children to visit?" A delighted smile was her answer.

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     Colleen noticed with dismay Leanne had sunk down on the dishevelled hospital bed, holding both hands to her face. Tears leaked through her fingers.     "May I sit with you?" she whispered. "Which side do you have the cracked ribs?" Leanne pointed to her right side so gingerly. Colleen settled on the left side of the bed and put her arm around the mother's shaking shoulders, passing her several tissues from the hospital dresser.     She waited, wondering if she had gone too far and if she would lose her job with all these wonderful youngsters? "What have I done?" she thought. "I feel so ashamed..          Leanne looked up, looking stricken. "Bart was such a handsome man, but after a while he became slowly more and more domineering, constantly checking my whereabouts, giving me more and more kids."     Looking at Colleen, she paused. "I love my kids. Don't get me wrong. It's just that Bart thin...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     This morning Colleen was doing the tapping on the half-open hospital room door. She stepped inside. There were two beds, one occupied by a very elderly lady, asleep. The other bed, disarranged, the occupant sitting nearby, looking very anxious, rubbing her hands together.     "Oh! Miss Bird," exclaimed Leanne with a smile, then she asked "is anything wrong?"     "I hear your husband wanted Ellie to sleep with him while you are away to ostensibly look after baby Joe." She saw an angry flush spread over the other woman's face and neck and held up her hand. "I also heard from Sean that Joe sleeps through the night now and when I visited the family I noticed there are no locks on the bathroom door - nor the toilet door for that matter."     Leanne was sullen and angry. "Well, they are his children." "Yes," Colleen was aware she was not being very diplomatic, " but they are not his or your proper...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     "Come in," called Mrs. Bird, cheerily, hearing the expected tap on her door. "Ah, hello Robert," she said, smiling. The boy looked around, carefully as though someone else was lurking around the cupboards.     Colleen felt half annoyed, half admiring. He is good, she thought, and decided to let it go.     "Okay Buddy, how are you?"      Immediately she had the boy's full attention. His hair stuck up in small tufts, but his gaze was direct and intense. Colleen had thought of him as a bit of a rapscallion, but was revising her opinion.     They discussed the fire and how so much of the town had escaped unscathed. "How are you all managing?" Colleen asked as caringly as possible.     Buddy hesitated. "We could afford to get help," he suggested tentatively. "Mrs. Elliott down by the shops should love to help. Her children are grown. Just till mum gets better, like. We have enough money. Could yo...

FIRE   By Tessa Harvey     Bart Roberts was angry with his sons. How dare they speak to him like that? Arrogance, he thought.     It was a daughter's job to look after things at home if a mother could not. What use were dreams? Especially for girls. Stuff and nonsense!     He should just have talked to Ellie on her own. Of course she would have obeyed him, seeing it was her responsibility, her duty even.       Susan would be home soon. Thank goodness. Bart stomped off to check his corn to make sure there were no bugs. He hated bugs - and smart boys.     AT SCHOOL     Colleen looked round Polly's welcoming bright classroom.      "Where does little baby Joe sleep?" she asked as casually as possible. "Dad and mum's room," the child answered. "I have to go now and fetch Sean and Elise or we will miss the bus." She left the adults happily, unaware of the unease in their minds.

 FIRE By Tessa Harvey        Ellie was remembering how hard Buddy and Eddy had fought for her.   She told the two teachers "Dad said it was my fault mum got hurt as she was looking for me and the burnt branch fell on her and hurt her ribs."     Polly waited, sensing there was more.      "Buddy said we didn't lose much of our hay crop and truckers were haulin' some interstate for us round here. And we got food. So I shouldn't have to look after baby Joe at night."     Buddy had looked up at his father, angrily. Eddy, scuffing his toes in the dirt had also held his ground. Ellie had twisted a piece of her shirt round and round, scared.     "You can pay for a lady to look after us, " Buddy had argued, "Mum will be back here in a day or two."     Then he had said something startling. "Ellie has dreams, dad. They are important. She can't miss school."     How did Buddy know that? The little girl h...

FIRE  By Tessa Harvey     This is serious and Mrs. Bird puts down her reports. They can wait.     "May I help you?" she asks quietly. "My brother and I believe in God, but as a God who isn't as personal as Miss Stanton believes, which is fine," she adds quickly, not willing to undermine the young teacher.     Her brother Eric was an alcoholic. After a disastrous few years he went to weekly meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. Now he has been doing well for a whole year. A.A. believe in a Higher Power. However, this is personal and not something to share with others lightly, especially not children.     Polly smiles gratefully at Mrs. Bird. The three pull up chairs onto the teacher's platform and sit in a semi-circle.     Colleen Amy Bird is actually the school counsellor and well-respected.      "How about you pray, Miss Stanton," Colleen asks, gently.     "Lord Jesus, you do not judge children. Ellie is blamel...