Brother Lucas
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                                        Part XI

        Lucas's strength continued to dwindle day by day.  By the end of
the week he was confined to a hospital bed.  Despite all their modern 
technology and immense quantity of medical knowledge, the doctors were all 
helpless to explain his failing health.  His body was strong; the muscles 
were not fatigued or atrophied in any way.  His heart thumped away solidly 
in his chest.  His breathing was even and regular.  Nothing should be wrong 
with him, yet it was as if his body would simply not do anything that he 
wanted it to do.
        His family visited him daily to see how he was doing and if the 
doctors had learned anything new.  Yet every day it was the same thing--they 
knew nothing of what was really happening or why.
        Every night after his family left, Brother Thomas would come up to 
visit, but tonight was special--he'd done Lucas a special favor.  "Greetings, 
Lucas.  I did as you asked; I brought the boxes that you told me about in 
your basement," he explained as he set 2 fairly large boxes on the low table 
next to the window.  "Mind if I ask what's in them?"
        "Not at all, Thomas.  In fact, why don't you go ahead and open them 
and see for yourself," he suggested.
        Thomas wasn't sure what to do, but simply opened the top box to 
reveal several smaller, oblong boxes inside.  Lucas made the barest of 
motions with his had, encouraging him to continue. so he did so.  Thomas 
complied, folding open the top of the box and looked inside.  "Baseball 
Cards?"
        "Lots of them.  Go ahead, look through them.  They're yours."
        Thomas could only stand and stare at his friend dumbfounded.  "I'm 
sorry... um... what..."
        "Exactly what I said, Thomas.  They're yours, all except for one, 
that is."
        "But what about your family?  Shouldn't they have..."
        "Thomas, that's my collection, and it's now yours.  My family 
doesn't even know about it.  Yes, I know what it's worth, and yes, my family 
will be well provided for."
        "But... why?"
        "Last night, Thomas, I had a long talk with Lord Grimace after you 
left.  He actually came to me last night here in my room and spoke with me."
        Thomas moved over closer to his friend and sat down in a chair, the 
cards forgotten for the moment.  "What did he say?"
        "You were correct in your comparison to a power line and a lightning 
bolt, my friend.  As a result of that battle, and my actions therein, there 
was nothing that could be done to prevent what is happening now.  However, 
in His mercy, He has seen it fit for me to live longer and take care of a 
few things first."
        "So why are you still alive at all?  I don't understand..."
        "It's not for us to comprehend completely, Thomas.  That's just the 
way it is.  As you said before, we are but mere mortals, and they are the 
deities.  Grimace has been feeding his power into me, gradually reducing 
what he's been giving me so as to keep the pain from being too great."
        "Then you *are* in pain?  Lucas, you've never said anything, you've 
never..."
        "Hush, Thomas.  Pain is a part of life, and I'm going to live as 
long as I can.  In exchange I want you to promise me something."
        "Name it."

...

        Scarcely a week later, Thomas found himself attending a friend's 
funeral, watching from a distance.

...

        A young boy pedaled his battered red bicycle back and forth on the 
street. His father watched the boy's every movement as he gradually got a 
feel for the bike.  It had been nice of the kind old fellow down the 
street to leave that old bicycle to his son; he only wished he had known him 
better.  Just then something caught his eye in front of his son's bike.
        "Nathan, look out for that cat!" he yelled, but it was too late.  
Just in the nick of time, though, a figure seemed to come out of nowhere and 
chase the animal out of the way.  The child continued doing his little loops 
back and forth in the street, completely unaware that anything had 
happened.  The father furrowed his brow, but thought little of it... until 
the figure approached him, that is.
        A lone figure in dusty brown robes approached where he stood.  
"Greetings, Peter," said the figure.
        "How did you know my name? and who are you?" asked the father.
        "We had a mutual friend," said the figure as he glanced back over 
his shoulder at the young child on the bike.  His deep brown eyes sparkled 
briefly as they saw a vague recognition flash across the man's face before 
he continued.  "He wanted you to have this..." he said, extending his hand 
towards the confused father.
        Unsure what else to do, he extended his hand to accept what was 
being offered.
        "Be careful who your son's role models are, Peter," he said as he 
turned to walk away.
        "Thanks... But who... why..."
        "You need not thank me.  One day, your time will come and you shall 
understand."
        Peter looked down in his hand at what the stranger had given him.  
It was a thin, clear platic envelope... a card sleeve.  He turned it over in 
his hand to reveal the face of one Mickey Mantle.  His head snapped up, and 
he started to call after the stranger once again.  "Hey!  This... is..."
        The figure was already long gone, vanished into thin air.

        "We'll meet again someday, my friend," smiled Thomas as he wandered 
down the secret corridor.  "Someday."

-----------
                                        -fin-
        
"Brother Lucas"
Copyright 1996
David R. Hibbs






-- 
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"In the end there will be only one OS, The Mind.. Ponder that for a while..."
        --unknown
"But if the mind is an OS, then there will be infinite OS's, and a vast
        majority of them will still suck."  --me
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