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Five Years Ago

"Mrs. Anderson, It's Doctor Jenkins, I have some very good news for you."

Later that morning

"Dear Lord, Thank you for delivering my baby back to me, for ridding him of his illness and for saving my life.  Lord give me the strength to spread thy name and to continue to help those who need it."

***

Three Years Ago

"Mrs. Anderson, I have checked the x-rays and had the lab double-check the test results and can happily say that Danny is officially in remission. I see no evidence of further tumor development and all of his vitals are back in the normal range.  Higher than I would expect for a child so soon after treatment. Of course we will conduct an annual check, but this is very positive news. For you both."

"Thank you Doctor, Thank You" Martha Anderson wept as she shook the doctor's hand before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek.

"Mommy, why are you crying?"  Her young son asked. "Am I sick?" The worry in his voice was obvious to them all.

"No Danny, not at all, you're all better. Doctor Cooper made you all better." Martha cried, tears flowed freely as she picked up her son and help him tight against her.

Later that night.

"Dear Lord, My prayers have been answered, I am you humble servant, thy will is divine and your ever command shall be my pleasure. Tell me what you will my Lord and it shall be so."

***

One Year Ago

"Mommy, I don't want to go to school, I don't feel well. My throat hurts."

"Oh Sugar, go on back to bed and get some rest. I'll call school and tell them you will be staying home today." Martha kissed her son; his fever warmed her lips.

***

Three Days Later

"Mommy, my head hurts, Mommy…Mommy." Danny cried out in the darkness. It was black in his room, black in a way he had never before experienced.

Martha came running, she burst into the room and turned on the light. Danny was standing in the middle of the room, his nose was bleeding and despite facing the door, he didn't react when the light came on. He was blind.

***

Six Months Ago

"Mrs Anderson. The surgery was a success, we managed to remove the tumor and save both of Danny's eyes. He's being moved into the recovery room, and I will come and get you when he is ready for you." Doctor Cooper led Martha through to the relatives room as she spoke. She was white with shock and hadn't spoken a word all day. Although it was understandable, the tumor had come from nowhere, seeming to grow overnight.

"I will be in the chapel Doctor. I need to say a prayer." She spoke in a monotone voice, distant and robotic. It was as thought she was held in a deep trance.

"Of course. It's right this way." Doctor Cooper gestured through the door to his immediate right.

"It's fine, I will find it." Martha answered. The tone of her voice made Doctor Cooper shiver.

A few moments later�

"Dear Lord, I have done all you ask, I have spread thy divine word, I have cured myself of sin and offered penance for those too weak to give it themselves, why do you chastise me. My baby suffers and I cannot take his pain away, please Lord� I beg of you, lead me through the darkness so that I may find my salvation, may find my peace." Martha knelt before the small alter, she held a crucifix in her hands and when she bowed her head she offered the small wooden cross forward as if she was presenting a gift.

When she raised her head, her cheeks were streaked black from her tears, and her eyes were red, but as she looked, the sun emerged from behind heavy clouds and a ray of golden light shone through the stained glass window. Yet to Martha, this was a sign, she saw light beaming from the eyes of Christ, whose death was the very object of illustration in the window.

"Thank you Lord. I hear your words and I shall do as thee commands of me." She rose, and before leaving, she leaned forwards and placed the small crucifix � which she had purchased at a garage sale the day before they got the Danny's first lab results back � on the floor beside the altar.

***

Two Days Ago�

"Mrs Anderson. Please, sit down." Doctor Cooper and called Martha away from her son's bedside and ushered her into a small empty examination room."I am really sorry�" He began, but Martha raise her hand and silenced him, pressing a finger against his lips.

"I know, I prayed to God and he told me that my son has been chosen, that his time is at hand. I saw it in my dreams." She still spoke in the same robotic voice, but her eyes glistened with tears and her chest shuddered as she took each breath. Doctor Cooper saw this and felt relieved.

"I truly am sorry Martha. The cancer had spread and, I mean, we can keep him comfortable and with the drugs available I say he could still have as long as a year, maybe more if you want to try Chemotherapy again." Doctor Cooper began.

"I would like to take my son home Doctor Cooper." Martha spoke, she seemed to ignore his words completely. "I don't want him to suffer any more, please give us the medication so we can go. I want him to enjoy what time he has left, and be in his own home when God sends his loyal servant to collect him." Tears welled in her eyes and when she blinked they ran down her face, but her voice still refused to register any emotion.

"Sure Martha, I understand. I will get the paperwork and you can be on your way. I will be in touch with an appointment schedule for you both." He began, but Martha turned and walked away before he had a chance to finish speaking.

***

Present

"Lord watch over my baby, take him under thy wing and guide him to a place of righteousness. Raphael will be his guide and he shall follow. As I have followed. Your every command is my honour to fulfill. Lord make me strong and hold me firm so that my way is not lost." Martha stood over her son, head bowed her clasped hands raised to her forehead.

"Mommy, what are you doing?" Danny asked, his voice groggy from the painkillers.

He laid on his bed, his body ached and he couldn't move. He coughed and it felt as though his chest was on fire.

"Nothing sweetheart. You go back to sleep, the Lord is watching over us." Martha didn't look at her son, for even as she spoke her prayers continued. She finished her bidding and placed the crucifix on Danny's tiny chest. "I love you Danny, but the Lord has come to claim you and I cannot stand in his way." She kissed him on the forehead and then took a gentle hold on his arms.

Danny slept lightly, he felt his arms moving and woke when the pinching sensation became pain; his whole body seemed much more sensitive since he came home from the hospital.

"Mommy you're hurting me." He cried out. Marthe stood over him, she wore a black dress and her face was pale, almost white. She was busy wrapping the rope around Danny's feet when he tried to raise his head; he was held firm.

"The Archangel Raphael has arrive baby, your pain is almost over." She stood and gently stoked his bare arms.

Danny didn't see the nail, nor the hammer that his mother held in her free hand, but he certainly felt it as his mother drove the nine-inch spike through his wrist. His world exploded in agony, his arm was white-hot and the blood seemed to burn his cold skin.

"Mama stop. You're hurting me." Danny cried between sharp rapid breaths. He tried to move but the rope was tight and his strength all but gone.

"Be still Danny, be strong." She spoke, her voice once again distant and robotic. She walked around the bed and drove another nail through his left wrist.

The blood spurted oner her dress, making it shine in the early evening sun that streamed through the window. Danny felt it speckle his face like a warm rain. His arms beat and throbbed as blood flowed from the wounds, and he could hear it dripping on the laminate floor. By the time his mother drove the spikes through his ankles Danny was only marginally aware of what was going on. Martha had given him as much of his pain medication as she dared without killing him. Still he cried out, his fingers desperately reaching for his mother who ignored his cried. Slowly, the fire began to die, the pain became less, and finally reduced to a dull ache.

His mother didn't speak another word to him, not even as she hauled the wooden board Danny lay on upright, leaning it against the wall of the living room � before the television � at a slight angle. Martha then knelt on the floor before her son, placed her head against his feet and fell into a near silent prayer.

By the time Danny's cries fell silent and his chest still his blood and matted the back of Martha's hair and stuck her skin against that of his feet.

Martha took her son's body down from the board, easily lifting his 30 pound frame and placed is on the sofa. She washed and clothed him before wrapping his body in a new white linen sheet before heading up to bed. She had a long trip in the morning and needed rest.