THE LIVING FLAME 

By Tessa Harvey


    When Peter was discharged the next morning, the youngster was quiet. Eliana thought he was tired.
    "What is wrong, little brother?" she asked. It was a joke as she was two years younger. "Guillame died after all," he replied, sadly.
    "Was that the boy you rang to get help from the medical staff?" asked his mother softly. 
    "Yes - do you think I could have got help faster?" 
"Hang on, son," his father broke in, " you also pressed the alarm button on your bed, didn't you?" He was driving through town.
    Finally Peter smiled. "Yes, I did. I forgot."
    "Ernst wants to see you after school. He said he would call in to say hello," Eliana informed them all. She sounded proud an older boy had spoken to her.
    They pulled up outside their two-story semi-detached three bedroom home.
    Peter smiled again. Even after a short hospital stay, the flowers, shrubs, trees, sky seemed so much brighter. Still he wondered what Ernst wanted.


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