LIGHT IN DARKNESS 


By Tessa Harvey


Just then the doctor's pager beeped. Pushing his hand through his almost grey thinning hair, the man mumbled an apology, wrote out a quick script, gave it to the attendant staff nurse and left.
    If only the doctor had had time to check the young girl's age, if only the harried staff nurse had not been preoccupied with her teenage son's belligerent attitude, if only the doorman had been stronger, less easily intimidated....the worlds of people everywhere are hinged on clanging gates labelled "If Only!"
    At 3 pm the staff nurse bustled off-duty, then found the unfilled script in her pocket. Her daughter called just then, in tears. Apparently she had been punched hard by her sibling.
    The doctor rushed over to the Intensive Care Unit to check a new COVID admission.
 The new nurses on duty found the girl's empty bed and began stripping it, talking of the coming weekend and an expected night out with friends - in small numbers of course, because of the virus.
    The night watchman downed a last hospital coffee, grimaced at the dark liquid, and swayed home, still thinking of the small, moving bundle, convinced now he had also heard a whimper.
    He passed a young girl in the street. She looked lost and afraid and hastily ducked around a corner. Bill paused. Maybe he could help balance a wrong he was now certain he had been part of and so he called, soothingly. "Could we help?" Hearing the word "we" made the girl hesitate. She was, actually, in desperate need.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
LIGHT IN DARKNESS  By Tessa Harvey "Have you a woman?" the girl asked, warily. "Is she free?" Bill was tired and puzzled. "My Glad...'course she's free. I need my bed. Glad will help you. Follow me and see."     He strolled away and Lacey followed, almost as weary and in a great deal more pain. Finally they reached a small house. Fumbling for a key, Bill opened the door and called "Glad - I'm home!"      He headed up the nearby stairs, yawning loudly, scratching his chest. Lacey teetered on the doorstep, uncertain. A small, wiry looking, grey-haired lady bustled forward. Seeing Lacey she halted. "Well, I never!"     Sensing the girl was poised for flight, she beckoned her in, closing the door firmly. Lacey whirled around. She was panic-stricken, reaching for the door handle, then yelping in pain as her sprained wrist gave way. Lacey sagged to the floor, whimpering softly. Glad knelt beside her. "What's your name, d...
Read more
Image
LIGHT IN DARKNESS  By Tessa Harvey THE STORM Phil  asked, "I knew she thought she did." With sudden clarity, the young man realised his mother usually did not lie.     His dad paused. They had reached the riverbank, and the dark water swilled by, surging and swollen by recent rainstorms.      The two men cast their rods into the quieter pool, eddying near the bank. They had to be careful not to catch their lines on driftwood, piled nearer the shore.     "Your mother did, I believe, really see Jesus! She saw Him carrying a tiny baby and somehow knew this baby belonged to Pierce and Lois. The child was looking at Jesus and smiling, even though it was so young. The Lord was gazing with perfect love at the child, then He turned to face Gladys and His face shone with great grace and light. Power emanated from Him, the power that formed the universe into being. Glad knew Jesus was asking her what she would like to see happen in her life and in the...
Read more
Image
LIGHT IN DARKNESS  By Tessa Harvey THE STORM Eloise (Lacey) had almost died at the hands of people who had trafficked in drugs and young girls. It seemed ludicrously far-fetched given that their other daughter, Simone had also almost died because of the same people. Despite being a nurse, this daughter had become a victim also.     The perpetrators were all in jail, convicted by the testimonies of other young women and by carelessly mislaid documents, records of their despicable work, which has increased worldwide with the COVID virus.     Gladys peered through the windscreen. Perhaps the storm was passing. The lightning had faded and great sounds of thunder were rarely heard. Only the drenching rainstorm continued.     The wipers moved rhythmically, annoyingly. Now Lois could die, and her baby.... It was just too much for one family. Why God? Why us, why? Her faith had been slowly eroded. Each day had become more of a struggle. Gladys was just too ti...
Read more