‘I saw him perform the miracle – last year it was. My mam had one of her. . . friends with her, so I was sitting in the alley mouth under cover. There was a storm raging and the lightning was fierce. I saw the flash of it in the alley, and I heard the loud crack as it struck nearby. A body came hurtling by me – and cracked into the wall. I ran out. It was Tall Tess; she’s my mam’s partner, and she works the Long Avenue. She must have been coming home. The lightning hit her, it did. Killed her dead. I felt her neck and there was no thumping in the veins. I pushed my ear to her breast, and the heart was stopped. Then a carriage came by. I run swift back into the darkness – for fear they’d think I killed her. Then Lord Klay jumps down from the carriage and goes to her. He feels for the thumping, and listens for her heart. And then he did it.’ Kells felt his breathing quicken at the memory, his heart beating fast.
‘What did he do?’ asked Carmol.
‘He bent over her and kissed her! I couldn’t believe my eyes. He kissed a dead woman. Full on the lips – like a lover. You know what happened then?’
‘Tell me.’
‘She groaned — and come back from the dead. That’s when I knew. I said nothing, not even to Tess. She had burns on her feet, and one earring had melted to her skin. But even she don’t know as how she was dead.’
The old man sighed. ‘ Tis a powerful tale, boy. And I think you should speak with the Lord Klay. Sit here, and I will see if he can spare you a moment or two. There is some fruit there. Help yourself to whatever you can eat.’
Kells needed no second invitation. Even before Carmol had left the room the boy had grabbed two ripe oranges and several bananas. These he devoured at speed, washing them down with fruit juice he discovered in a stone jug.
This was bliss! Fine food – and a miracle for his mam!
It was a good day’s work. Sitting down by the warm stove, Kells thought about what he would say to the god, how he would explain that his mother was sick and could not work. She was not lazy-sick. When the first lump appeared on her breast she had continued to work the Short Avenue, even though dizziness often caused her to faint during the labour. As the lump grew harder and more unsightly some of her clients had turned away from her, and she was forced to work longer hours, many of them in the alleys where business was brisk and conducted in darkness. But then came the second lump on the side of her neck – big as one of the oranges he had just eaten. Nobody wanted to pay for her favours then. Her colour had changed too, ghost grey her face was now, with dark rings under the eyes. And thin! Terrible thin, despite all the food Kells stole for her.
All this he would tell the god – and He would make it right.
Not like that surgeon Tall Tess paid for. Five silver coins he took – and he did nothing! Oh, he felt the lumps, and moved his hands over the rest of her body. Dirty skike! Then he whispered to Tess and shook his head a lot. Tess cried after that, and spoke to mam. Mam cried too.
Kells lay down by the fire and dozed.
He awoke suddenly, and found the god leaning over him. ‘You are tired, boy,’ said the god. ‘You may sleep if you wish.’
‘No, Lord,’ said Kells, rising to his knees. ‘You must come with me! Me mam is sick.’
Klay nodded, then sighed. ‘Carmol has told me what you saw; it was not a miracle, Kells. One of my physician friends taught me the trick. The shock of the lightning stopped her heart. I blew air into her lungs, then massaged the heart. There was no magic, I swear it.’