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 thinks it's unmanly to have a procedure like a vasectomy. I am so tired and worn down, but I can't have a tubal tie just now."
    The injured lady looked bleakly out of the hospital window at the dreary city, grey rain falling heavily. "I'm pregnant again. It's to control me, to stop me working, even part-time."

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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 ...
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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...
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