Green Desert - Chapter 8.6.5 - Vata

I stepped back as the swirling energy dissipated. I’d done it. Névazhíno had listened. He had come. He had healed Fírí.

The horse kicked a last spasm. Fírí gasped and opened her eyes. Everybody stared at me––Fírí, Sétıpímo, the flannel boys, the newsgirl, and the cameraman and his video camera. I wondered what it had looked like on film.

The young blonde felt her chest with one hand and sat up.

No more hiding. No more sneaking in secret rooms. All the worlds would know my power. All the worlds would be forced to accept the mighty power of Névazhíno. Too many unbelievers these days, but now they’d believe.

Fírí stood up, looked down at her body, back up at me. She breathed in sharply, paused, frowned. “Thank you.” She looked down at her feet again.

I smiled broadly. “You are welcome, dear. I only ever wanted to help.”

She rubbed her forehead, eyed me sideways. “You didn’t . . . You didn’t rape me, did you?”

Kindly, I took her hand. “Never, dear.”

Sétıpímo directed the two youths towards his car, their hands on their heads, their guns on the gravel. The old detective’s neck bandage spread with scarlet and yet he walked strong.

“Sétıpímo, dear.”

He turned to look at me, wary and silent.

“I can heal that for you, if you want.”

He shook his head slightly and whispered, “Doctor.” And he turned away.