Healer of Pain Chp. 11

Chapter Eleven

On Top of the World

 Caleb watched in wonder as Erin wrapped a strip of cloth around a man’s wounded leg.

“If you rest for a week, you’ll be better. Your leg will only worsen if you try to walk on it.” She sounded so sure of herself.

Very much unlike Caleb.

Soon the injured man was asleep.

Caleb was deciding what he should say. Say something before it’s too late. Hurry!

“My name’s Caleb. Caleb Peters.”

Erin looked up from her sorting through her bag. “Oh, you’re Caleb?”

“Um…yes.” Caleb saw her cleaning up. How do I offer my help? Here, Miss. Let me help you. Nah. That’s not really offering, that’s telling her to let me help. That wouldn’t be right.

Caleb thought of many things to say, but he was running out of time. She was almost done!

“Hi Erin, do you want my help?” Caleb silently gasped.

Erin lifted on eyebrow suspiciously. 

Erin? Why did I call her Erin?

“I mean—Miss. Or Mrs. That is, if you’re married, I’ll call you mrs. But you’re not…are you?” Caleb sighed. 

Erin laughed. “It’s alright. You can call me Erin.” She picked up her bag and started for the house.

Andrew suddenly appeared next to Caleb. “I still think she’s rather odd. What do you think of her?”

Caleb smiled dreamily. “I think she’s amazing.” 

Avery had everyone gather around that night. He was thanking them all for their hard work.

“You coming here is surely a blessing. I think I shall like to take a picture of us all together. Matthias! Come out here!”

No answer.

Avery shouted louder. “Matthias!”

Avery sighed. “He is always disappearing. I needed to borrow his camera.”

Erin shrugged. “That’s alright.”

But some form of worry seemed to emerge in Caleb. He had this weird feeling deep down in his heart that Matthew was involved in something terrible. Maybe even something dangerous.

It was morning. And still no one could find Matthew.

Caleb woke up one sunny day and found Avery pacing about in the meeting room. Caleb took a seat on the ground. “Still no word from Matthew?”

Avery stared at him. “Matthew?” But then he sighed. “Oh, yes. Matthias’ legal name. You know, his real name is Matthias Ezra Ford. But when he left all those years ago, to attend the collage—he had his name changed! I mean, out of all the irresponsible things to do!”

Caleb still couldn’t get over the fact that Matthew was Avery’s son. He suddenly felt a slight branch of jealously rising within him. It was like a tree. It would grow and grow and grow until it was too big and Caleb was choking on it. Why was Matthew Avery’s son? Why couldn’t I have been Avery’s son? Matthew doesn’t even like it here. I love it here.

Avery finally came to a decision. “I am going to send two of you out to look for him. Also…that man I mentioned before. Akin.”

“Yes?”

“He’s…he’s also missing.”

“What?” Caleb tried to keep his worst thoughts from being true. “You don’t suppose…”

“Maybe.” Avery called everyone to the center of the village.

“I have an announcement. A very important announcement. My son, the village’s chief, and possibly others have suddenly disappeared.”

The crowd wasn’t very surprised. They spoke in a foreign language and Avery interpreted it. “They say that their chief often wander alone in the night. And my son does too. But I think something else is dreadfully wrong. God may be warning me.”

He turned to the missionaries. “The jungle is a very dangerous place. I am going to send out two at a time, and when they return two more will go out.”

“Who are the first two?” Erin shouted above the whispers of the crowd.

Avery smiled. “Mr. Andrew Kaminski and Mr. Theodore Peters.” 

The crowd was quiet.

Andrew looked behind him. “Theodore isn’t here. Marion isn’t either.”

Avery sighed. “When they return, I’ll tell them the news.”

“You can’t be serious.” Andrew commented.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“I think me and Caleb should go. I hate to say this, but Theodore would literally be no help at all.”

Avery nodded. “Maybe so. But I have my reasons.” 

Marion gazed at the stars. It was beautiful. “The stars are all so amazing. There’s so many. Millions. But each one is different.”

Theodore shrugged. “I guess.” He laughed.

“What is it?”

“Caleb will flip when he finds out I climbed a waterfall.”

Marion laughed also. “He’s just a bit overprotective, that’s all.”

“Maybe so. Still. He’s the one who told me to do something with my life. But then—but then every time I do, he just worries over me, afraid I’ll hurt myself.”

“He just wants what’s best for you.”

“I know.” Theodore felt the ground. “It feels so high.”

“Well, we are so high.”

“Yeah. It just feels interesting.” 

Marion relaxed herself. “So…what were you like when you were little?”

“Um…well, I was kind of a smart-aleck. It was annoying. And…I had a friend. A girl named Lilly. She taught me how to ice-skate, and she helped bring me back into the world, at my deepest moments of despair.”

“Whatever happened to her?”

Theodore looked down. “She died. She drowned.”

Marion swallowed hard. “That must have been so hard for you.”

“It was.” Theodore felt a slight tear but wiped it away. “I just felt a need to repay the debt. She—she helped me in so many ways. I wanted to somehow repay her. But it was too late. She snuck out outside to the lake to skate.”

It grew quiet. “I’m really sorry, Theo. But you can get through all things. It says the in the Bible God will never give you something you can’t handle.”

Theodore nodded. “I know. It’s just hard. Her birthday’s soon.”

“Why did you never mention her?”

“I guess I just never found a need to.”

Marion sat there silently. She gasped.

“What is it?”

“The sun.” She laughed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, silly. It’s just—we’ve been out here for hours. The sun is coming up.”

The wind began blowing softly.

Theodore stood up. He was at the edge of the vast waterfall.

“Don’t take another step.”

“I know.” Theodore sighed contently. He extended his arms out. “I’ve never felt more free!”

Marion stood up. “Me neither.”

Theodore breathed in the morning air. “I’m on top of the world!” He shouted out to the magnificent view of the vast amazon. No one could hear him, but him and Marion. He turned to Marion. “Marion. There’s been something I’ve wanted to tell you for quite some time.”

“Don’t, Theodore. When we go back home—my home is very far away. I live with my grandparents…and they’re moving and—I’ll miss you dearly. I—I don’t know when I’d see you. I’d be so far away…” She sighed.

Theodore smiled gently. “I’d travel the world any day, for you.”

Marion smiled and looked down. She stood up and went by him and looked over the massive view. “It amazing!” Marion yelled. She looked over the cliff. “Hi Andrew! Hi Caleb! Hi Avery!” She saw the small orange dots of campfires. “No one can hear me!” 

“Not a chance! Not as high up as we are!” Theodore and Marion sat back down laughing. “I wonder if someone did hear us.” Marion gasped.

Theodore chuckled. “Maybe. We should be heading down soon.” He stood up and reached into his pocket. “Marion…I have something for you.”

“What is it?” Marion stood as well.

“Here.” Theodore pulled out a beaded necklass. “I hope I got the colors right…I um…I made this, the day my father died. For you.” He dropped it in her hands.

Marion smiled. “It’s beautiful.” She put it on herself.

“I know you’ll look nice wearing it. I…” Theodore pulled out another one that was hiding in his shirt collar and had never been seen before.

“I have one too. My mother made it for me, when I was born.”

Marion wondered, “You’ve never mentioned your mother before. Why?”

“I…I guess it just never came up. My father used to hate it when I spoke of her. And he said I reminded him of her. So when we had the accident…he was just really upset.” 

“I’m sorry, Theodore. But I bet your mother would have been so proud to see where you are now. Standing on top of a waterfall, in Peru.”

Theodore chuckled. “I guess she would.”

Chapter Ten-Healer of Pain

Chapter Ten

Nurse from America

 Caleb watched Theodore sit by himself.

It had been only a week since the news. People were preparing, readying a spare room. Marion was talking to a young child, when she saw him. She stood up, when someone grabbed her arm.

“Where are you off to?” The familiar voice asked.

“Matthew, let me go.”

Matthew chuckled and slowly let go of her arm. He saw Theodore in the distance. “Oh, I see. You want to talk to him. Your little blind friend.”

Marion let free of his tight grasp. “Stop calling him that.” She went to leave but he followed her.

“Well, that’s what he is, isn’t it? You know, Marion, I believe we haven’t really gotten to know each other much.”

“That’s perfectly fine with me.”

Matthew laughed sheepishly. “Why, you don’t mean that, do you?”

Marion stopped in her tracks and faced him. “What if I do? What then?”

Matthew’s mischievous grin turned into a cold glare. “You know, you’re funny.”

“Funny, am I? In what way do you find me amusing?”

“You, Andrew, Caleb, all standing up for each other, always pitying that certain one. Why should he get more attention than the rest of us?” He talked extra loud.

Marion pushed him away. “You—you are so cold-hearted. He just lost his father.” Marion walked away and left Matthew standing there alone.

“Did you hear that?” Marion asked, sitting down.

Theodore nodded. “It’s pretty hard not to hear it.” He sighed and looked toward the horizon. “ ‘Your little blind friend.’ That’s what he said. That’s all I am. That’s what I’m always referred to as.”

Marion looked down. “Don’t listen to what Matthew says. He’d do anything to get my attention and win my heart over. But I won’t. I won’t do it. He’s selfish and cruel. I wouldn’t ever want to be with someone like him.” 

Theodore stayed quiet.

Marion looked around and sighed. Then she spotted something out in the distance. A mountain. A waterfall. 

“Theodore,”

“Yes?”

“Do you like climbing?”

Theodore was surprised. “Well, maybe. I can’t say I’m very good at it.”

“Do you want to see something?”

“What?”

“Take my hand.” 

Avery shouted out, “It’s coming! The plane is coming!”

Caleb gasped. “He’s here.” 

A big red jet swooped down from the sky and took a swift, gentle landing.

Caleb ran up to the jet. “Can I help you with your bags sir—” Caleb stopped to see that inside the jet was seated a lady with a doctors’ bag. She had deep blue eyes and golden blonde hair. And in that brief moment, Caleb kept getting a tingly feeling that told him, That will be my wife one day. I just know it.

The pause was awkward. Caleb realized he had been staring at her for a few minutes now.

 “I mean miss. Sorry, I just assumed you’d be…something else. Not—not what you are. I mean—” Caleb felt his head. “That doesn’t sound right.”

The lady laughed. “Do you always stutter this bad?” She hopped out the jet and breathed in the fresh air. “It must have just rained.” As she walked, her short blonde air bounced. 

“You are our nurse?” Avery asked.

“Yup.”

“Where is she?” Andrew was parking the jeep.

“She’s right here.” The nurse picked up her bag and hopped on the jeep. “You guys comin’ or not?” 

Caleb and Andrew exchanged glances and shrugged.

Ten short minutes passed, when they were arriving at Avery’s home.

The second the jeep was parked, the girl was already off and walking in. The rest didn’t know what to think of it. 

“Where’s Marion and Theodore?” Caleb asked.

Avery shrugged.

Andrew walked up to Caleb. “She’s not odd, she’s just…different.” He whispered in Caleb’s ear.

Avery came in next and sighed a content sigh. “What might be your name, miss?”

She came forward and shook his wrinkled hand. “Erin. Erin Micheals. Now,” she rubbed her hands together. “Got any patients?”

“You—you want to see someone now, at this hour?”

“Sure, why not? Thanks for asking.” Erin went back outside and Avery laughed out loud. “She seems very energetic and athletic. This is good. You have to be quick and strong to survive in the Amazon.”  

Marion took him deep through the trees.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?”

“I’m sure. I have a very keen sense of direction.”

“Right.” 

Marion stopped and sighed in awe. 

“What is it?”

“I hear a waterfall. I see it just up ahead.”

“Should we turn back now?”

Marion turned to him. “Turn back? We haven’t even started!”

As they grew closer, Theodore recognized the rushing sound. It was the same waterfall Caleb had shown him.

Marion looked around. “There’s—” She laughed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong! There’s—there’s a rope here.”

“So?”

“So, the Amazonian peoples probably climbed this thing and shot animals from high up. Do you want to?”

Theodore backed up. “I, uh, I don’t think it’s safe.”

“Safe? Is safe all you think about?”

Theodore blushed. “Not particularly. But…mostly…yes. In my situation.”

Marion grasped his hand and placed it on the rope. “You feel this? It’s strong.”

“I really don’t think we should. What if one of us were to slip? What if I slip?”

Marion sighed. “Just trust me.”

Theodore nodded. “Okay.” 

Up, up they went. The water rushing and soaking their clothes.

“I can’t believe I’m really climbing a waterfall.” Theodore said.

“There’s always a first time for everything. Don’t let anything hold you back.”

“It’s easy for you to say that. You’re not…you know.”

“I have asthma.”

“What?” Theodore paused.

Marion nodded. “Yeah. I can’t do much. I’ve never been able to do much. Only Caleb and Andrew knows. But—but that never stopped me. I never just accepted my life and gave up everything I loved to do. I stayed strong…and I…I just never gave up. You shouldn’t either.”

Healer of Pain-Chp. 9

Chapter Nine-Heart of Pain

C A L E B acted as if he had been slapped.

“So what if you told me. You could say anything.” Caleb held the tears in longer just enough for Matthew to talk once more and then disappear into the jungle.

“What if it was true?”

“How would you know!” Caleb yelled.

Matthew took notice of his tears. “I win. I always win, don’t I? I predicted you crying in public, like a two-year-old. I also predicted you immediately pitying that blind animal of yours. There’s a lot I could tell you. But I wouldn’t want to cause you more humiliation in front of your friends. They took it much better than you did.”

“Matthias.” Avery gasped in horror.

Matthew left. 

The crowd watched Caleb. 

He stood there silently. He turned to Andrew. “You knew? You knew all this time?”

Andrew couldn’t speak.

Avery stepped in. “We couldn’t hurt you like this, not now.”

Marion agreed. “I’m so sorry, Caleb.”

Theodore stepped out of the crowd and put his hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “Do you want me to stay out here with you?”

Caleb shook his head. “No. It’s getting dark. It’s going to storm. It’s best you go along with the others.”

Theodore nodded.

As hours went by, he was all alone in the middle of a storm. His clothes were stained brown from the mud and his heart was a heart of pain. 

“No. No. No!” Caleb woke up with a gasp.

He was still in the forest. All by himself. The sun was shining and he could still feel a few drops of rain falling. Just in between the blankets of trees there was an opening. Caleb saw a rainbow just in the middle. Caleb remembered God’s promise. But he didn’t want to ever see Matthew again. How could he? How could Matthew possibly know something like that before Caleb?

Caleb cried. A long, hard, painful cry. 

Why? Why?

It was dark. Probably long after everyone fell asleep. Caleb found his way to the house since it was still lit up.

He opened the door and saw his friends sitting on the couch awake.

“What’s wrong?” Caleb asked.

Marion stood up and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders. “Caleb—you’ve been gone for hours, we were worried.”

Caleb smiled gently. “You…you all waited for me? All this time?”

Andrew came and gave him a comforting hug. “You’re my friend. And that’s what friends do.” 

Caleb went home for the funeral. It was hard to believe that now both his parents were gone. He lost them both within three short years.

As Caleb walked along the sidewalk leading to his house, he spotted something. Someone in an alleyway. Someone shivering and coughing. 

“Wait…” Caleb squinted to see through the dark.

“Uncle?”  Caleb ran and knelt down by his uncle’s side.

Uncle Lawrence’s face was cold and stiff. He was bleeding.

“Uncle? Uncle, you’ve been shot! Wake up!”

He didn’t stir. His eyes opened just a bit to see Caleb’s face before him. “Ca…Caleb…how…how are you here?” He whispered and choked on blood.

Caleb was horrified. “Uncle, what happened?”

Uncle Lawrence smiled. “I…I thought I’d die alone.”

Caleb cried. “No, you’re not gonna die, it isn’t true, you’ll be alright. I know you will. You have to be! Uncle, you’re not saved! If you die now—”

“Leave me to die in peace.”

Caleb held his uncle’s head in his arms and he tried to wrap a piece of cloth around him to stop the bleeding. 

“No. Don’t. It’s no use.”

“Uncle, stop it! You’ll be alright! I can’t lose you too. I can save you, I know I can, just let me try!” Caleb pulled out his Bible and read: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Caleb stopped to breathe. “Do you believe it? Repent, and love Him! He’ll forgive you, but you have to repent!” 

It was storming now. Caleb was losing him to the vast jaws of death. 

Uncle Lawrence chuckled but choked on more blood. “Caleb. It’s too late for me.”

“No, it’s not! It’s not!”

Uncle Lawrence reached his bloody hand and felt Caleb’s tear stained face. “Tell Theodore…tell him I love him.” He laid back his head and breathed in his last breath. Uncle Lawrence was dead.

Caleb held his dead uncle in his arms. He seemed to be frozen with shock. “No.” He looked down at his uncle’s lifeless face. 

 

Caleb returned to Peru. They had buried Uncle Lawrence next to his father. Theodore did not know yet. It would be better to hear it from Caleb himself than from others.

Theodore sat on a log by a campfire. 

Caleb breathed deeply. Theodore was so happy, so content right now.

“Theodore…I have to talk to you.”

Theodore looked up. “What’s wrong?”

“Alone, I mean. I have to show you something as well.”

Theodore stood up. “Where?”

Caleb took Theodore’s hand.  “You’ll see.”

Through the forests they went and through swampy areas and hundreds of trees.

Theodore stopped. “Do you hear that?”

Caleb smiled, still having tears run down his face. “Yes. It’s water.” Caleb led Theodore to the wonder he had found only a few nights earlier.

Theodore gasped in awe. “It’s—it’s a waterfall, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Caleb took Theodore to a seat by the water.

There they sat quietly.

Theodore broke the silence. “Why did you take me here?” His face looked so healthy now, so young. How he didn’t know what tragic news was to follow, disturbed Caleb.

“Theodore…I—I—” Caleb cried.

“Caleb, are you crying? It’s alright.” Theodore wrapped his hand around Caleb’s shoulder. “What’s wrong? Tell me, what is it?”

Caleb looked into his cousin’s unseeing eyes. He thought that maybe if Theodore could see, he would know what had happened and Caleb wouldn’t need to tell him.

“Your father…”

“Yes?”

“He…he…he didn’t go back to Florida like he said. He’s…”

“Is he coming here?”

“No, no, he’s—well you won’t be able to see him.”

“Why?”

“Theo…he died.”

The great rushing of the water suddenly seemed to become silent. 

“What?” Theodore stared in shock.

Caleb let loose his tears. “I tried to save him. But—but there was nothing I could do. I’m sorry, Theodore. I’m sorry. But there was nothing I could have done!”

“He’s dead? My father is dead?” Theodore stood up and almost stumbled. “No, no! He can’t be! He’s not! He can’t be!”

“He told me to tell you he loves you!”

“No!” Theodore cried harder than ever before. “Father, no.” He buried his face in his hands.

Caleb wrapped his arms around him. “It’s gonna be okay. I will always love you and take care of you. You are my brother now, ok?” Caleb made him look at him. “It’s going to be alright.. You’re going to be fine.”

“It’s all my fault, I know it is!”

“No, it’s not. How could it possibly be your fault?”

“If I could have just hung on—if I would’ve never went blind, we could have done the horses together. He wouldn’t have needed to gamble or get in trouble, he would’ve been fine!” The tears streamed down his face.

“Gamble? What are you saying?”

“I told you, he wanted you to help him, because he knew I couldn’t. When you said no…he gambled thousands of dollars and when he wouldn’t pay them…they threatened him.”

Caleb’s eyes grew wide. “Someone murdered him?”

Theodore looked down. “Yes. It’s—it’s all my fault, I—”

“Listen!” Caleb put a hand on each shoulder. “Listen now! These things happen, it’s no one’s fault! It has nothing to do with that, nothing! You’re still a person with feelings, thoughts, emotions, great ideas—” Caleb stopped to breathe. “Now listen. You’re going to be alright. Your father loved you. And I love you. You’re going to be alright.” Caleb hugged him close. “And Jesus loves you. Always remember that.” Caleb tried to soothe him.

Theodore looked so tired and worn. “I don’t have a reason to live anymore.”

Caleb looked at him. “What are you talking about? Can you even hear yourself?”

“I can hear myself fine. I’m not deaf too.”

Caleb didn’t know what to do. He did what he thought was the only option at this point. “I have a reason to live.”

“I know you do.”

“Do you know what?”

“It could be anything.”

“It’s God. He’s my reason. He gave me a purpose. And He’ll give you one too.”

“What could I do?” Theodore scoffed. 

“Trust Him. Love Him. He’ll always be there.” Caleb stood up on a fallen tree and said confidently, “I have decided to follow Jesus. Will you?” Caleb held out his hand.

Theodore hesitated. “What if He hates me?”

Caleb smiled with tears. “He won’t. Take my hand.”

Theodore slowly took his hand and stood up.

Caleb hugged him. “Will you follow Him?”

Theodore backed away. “I—I don’t know.
Caleb repeated himself louder. “Will you follow Him?”

Theodore closed his eyes. “I will.”

“Will you love Him?”

“I will.”

“Will you trust Him and pray to Him, and have faith in Him?”

Theodore opened his eyes and smiled softly. “I will.”

As he hugged him, Caleb stroked his hair and whispered, “Everything will be just fine. You are now a citizen of the faith, and have earned a place in heaven.”

Just a heads-up

 Hey Everyone!!! I just wanted to say, that with my new blog I will be doing 

pretty much everything on there, except things relating to stories. So, just

letting you know, that my more important posts will be on my new blog. 

And I can't promise I'll remember every week to post a chapter, but I will

try! (:

-Elena

Click Here! (Life is a Beautiful Ride)

Chapter Eight Healer of Pain

Chapter Eight

Healer of Pain

 Caleb woke up. 

“Huh?” He looked around. He was in some sort of hut. Avery was next to him.

He looked up and smiled. “Ah, you’re awake.”

“What happened?”

“You fainted.”

“Why?”

“You seemed to have a fright.”

Caleb suddenly remembered. “Are they gonna kill me?”

Avery stopped reading his book and looked at Caleb as if he were an idiot. He laughed. “Oh, no, child. Something extraordinary has happened. I do not know what. It was nearly impossible to get them away from you.”

Caleb was dumbstriken. “What’s going on?” He stood up. “I think I better go see.”

Avery stood as well. “I’ll go with you.”

The moment Caleb pushed aside the blankets that were used for a door, the same thing happened. People cried, stared, pointed, shouted, and even kneeled. 

Avery watched in shock. His lip trembled. “Extraordinary.”

“What is it?” Caleb turned to him.

Men seemed to chant some sort of prayer.

Caleb couldn’t stand the suspense. “Avery, what is going on?”

“It—It seems they see you as some sort of god.”

“What?!”

Avery interpreted their prayers and an elderly man came to him and spoke quickly in their language.

“Well?” Caleb grew inpatient. “What did he say?”

“He says…he says for two hundred years they have believed in some sort of legend. Their legend says, one day on a very certain day, a white man will come into their village wearing clothes white as snow. He will be called, The Healer of Pain, Bird of Hope. He will cease all sufferings and heal their every needs. The blind, the lame, the dumb—they will all come to you. Lepers, those will such diseases.”

Caleb was astounded. “I—I’m not a doctor, they must be mistaken!”

“No, Caleb, you are not. But I believe fate has brought you here. God has brought you here.”

People began bowing down.

Mothers carried sick children and those who can’t walk to Caleb. 

“Krpaya! Krpaya!”

“What are they saying?” Caleb could hardly hear his own words over the screams and cries.

“They are begging you, pleading, asking you to heal their children!”

“I can’t!”

A man pulled on Caleb’s pants. “Krpaya! Heal me!” He was blind. 

Caleb was being crowded in. “What do I do?” God, give me strength.

“Try, Caleb! Try!”

“I’m not a doctor! I don’t know how!” 

The cries were getting louder.

A boy tugged on Caleb’s arm. 

Caleb secretly followed him to a hut more distant than the others. “What’s wrong?”

The little boy took him to an elderly lady lying on a mat on the floor.

“Me mama! Krpaya!”

Caleb looked at the lady. She was sick. Caleb had been taught to cure a fever, but this—this might be worse.

He knelt by the mat. He felt her forehead. It was burning hot. Caleb picked up a pot. “See?” He pointed to the pot and then to the child. “Water. You—get—water.”

The boy understood.

When he returned Caleb dipped a rag in water and then placed it on the woman’s forehead.

A little girl came in and brought her soup. “Mama?” She shoved her, but she wouldn’t wake up. The girl turned to Caleb.

“You heal her?”

Caleb went to speak, but couldn’t. He had to try.

All night, he gave the lady broth, replaced a dirty rag with a new one, and kept her drinking water. 

It was something between five and four in the morning that that the woman stopped groaning. Caleb went to her. Her face looked lifeless and cold. 

He felt her heartbeat. No response.

The children woke up. “Is Mama better?” The boy asked.

Caleb’s eyes filled with tears.

The children gasped. “M—Mama?” 

Caleb inhaled a deep breath. There was no way he could do this. He wasn’t a doctor, he would just cause more pain.

Avery joined him. “There was nothing you could do.”

Caleb blocked out his words. “I failed. I caused the death of two poor innocent children.”

“No, it isn’t like that—”

“But you’re wrong! It is like that.” Caleb left to go back to the house.

Avery watched with the others as he left. 

Caleb plopped on his little mattress on the floor. He sighed heavy sighs. 

“Why, God, why? Why must I cause such grief?”

“Just who I wanted to see. It’s your highness now, right?”

“What?” Caleb wirled around. It was Matthew. “What do you want? I thought you left.”

Matthew grinned. “Only for the night. I had business elsewhere.” Matthew came in the room and left his spot in the doorway. “Apparently, from what I’ve heard and seen, they think you as some sort of god.”

“Leave me alone.”

“But isn’t that what happened? Or are you so embarrassed, you refuse to admit it?”

“Matthew, stop.”

“You know, usually the guest doesn’t give the host orders.”

“Oh, so you’re the host?”

“The host’s son. But nevertheless, this is my room.”

Caleb fumed with anger. He could feel the heat rising in his face. “Well, while I am here it is also my room. So please do yourself a favor and leave.”

Matthew grinned and neared the door. “Whatever you say, your majesty.”

“Don’t call me that.” Caleb could still hear Matthew’s chuckling from down the hall.

“Whatever you say.” He repeated.

Caleb felt like giving Matthew what he deserved. Getting even with him. But he knew he couldn’t. There was no use. Matthew was way stronger and broader than he was. He would just make himself look like a fool in front of others.

There has to be a way. He thought. There has to! 

“Avery?”

“Yes, Caleb.”

Caleb stepped into the room. Avery was reading his Bible.

“Sir?”

“I’ve already said yes.”

“Oh, right. Of course.” Caleb laughed sheepishly. He sat down by Avery’s side.

“Is something the matter?” Avery questioned, the look of concern on his face.

Caleb let it all out. “I feel something. Something surging within me. I really, really want to help those people. And I was thinking, what if a doctor came out here, and he taught me?”

Avery narrowed his eyes and adjusted his over-expired glasses. “Here? You want a doctor from America, to come here? To the Amazon?”

Now that Caleb heard it from someone else, it sounded silly and unrealistic. It made sense it my mind.

“Well…?” Caleb said nervously.

Avery eyed him closely for a moment and then said in a series tone, “I think that sounds magnificent! Extraordinary!”

“Really?”

“Yes. Now, Caleb. Thinking up ideas such as these may be easy. But making them come alive may be impossible. Who would be crazy enough to travel across the world just to help tribespeople without any pay?” 

“Me.”

“Miss, are you sure?” 

“Postive.” 

“It’s a very long way. You could be potentially risking your life.”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing?”

The voice on the phone sounded very sure of herself.

Avery contained talking. “What do you mean, isn’t that what you’re doing?”

“Well, the only signal you can get in the Amazon is to climb a tree high enough. You must have climbed a long way to be able to talk to me like this.”

Avery looked down. “Yes, I suppose you are right. Well anyways, cheerio!” Avery hung up. He cupped his hands around the edges of his mouth and shouted down, “We’ve got a volunteer!!” His throat hurt after the scream.

He heard faint whooping and hollering.

People jumped up and down and hugged.

“I can’t wait!” Marion exclaimed.

“Me neither!” Andrew added.

Caleb sighed with a sense of accomplishment. 

A voice came up from behind.

“So, what now Peters? Or do I have to call you your highness again?”

Caleb groaned and turned around to face him. “Can’t you just be happy for people? Just once? Look—” he pointed towards the circles of huts and campfires. “There are people dying, begging to be healed. What if you were lame, and you couldn’t walk or run, wouldn’t you want to at least know if there’s a chance to heal? Or if you had a disease, wouldn’t you want help? What if you were isolated from your family, from leprosy?” Caleb stopped to take a breath, and Matthew only grinned. Caleb despised that grin. “What if—what if you were blind. Wouldn’t you want to see?”

“If there was a way to heal that, why don’t you heal your friend over there?”

Caleb glanced at Theodore. “He understands. He's mature. Unlike you. He'd do anything to help something. But some things--he just can't."

“You wouldn’t want him to be a useless animal, now would you?”

Caleb gasped. “What do you have against him? He did nothing to you.” Caleb looked at Theodore again. “Why would you say that?”

Matthew shrugged. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it.” It was more of a fact than a question.

Caleb looked his cousin, smiling and talking. “I’m proud of my cousin. He’s learning, he’s happy, and…and he’s my friend. You could be like that too.”

“Only I won’t. I changed my name for a reason.”

Caleb sighed, getting annoyed. “What reason?”

“The only reason. If you don’t know why I moved across the world, than you are plain pathetic. That’s right, Peters. That’s exactly what you are. I could say anything, anything, and it would bring you tears in an instant.”

“Like what?” Caleb stepped forward, preparing himself.

“What if I told you your mother passed from cancer?”