女兒的第一篇小說（四）

Chapter 4

 

 

“Everyone had sinned. I cannot say that I haven’t.”

 

 

          “What are you doing here?” The piercing voice caused the boy to flinch, but his face showed no discomfort, only apprehensiveness on what was yet to come. The still air was penetrated by only the labored breathing of Fred, who was sitting up, clutching onto his rapidly beating heart. Taking short gasps, his vision wavered and the bed seemed to slip out from under him. The boy seemed to notice this and prepared to leave once more, only to be stopped again.

          “Wait. Please,” the elderly man pleaded, his voice was croaky and sounded hoarse, due to the lack of liquids inside his aging body. “I- why did you return? Do you want to finish me off?” He asked bitterly, trying to make out the shape of his intruder. But the tranquility of the atmosphere coaxed him to sleep, though he knew that he could not.

          “No- no sir,” it was the voice of a young boy, who sounded no older then 15. Strange, Fred thought to himself. How can someone so young have done something so horrible? “No?” he inquired charily.

          “I- I came to give you this sir,” with tiny, prudent steps, he edged closer to Fred’s bedside and bent down to pick up the unknown entity he had left on the floor. Warily, Fred reached out his hand to acknowledge the small object into his hands. To his great astonishment, it was his wallet!

          “What?” Fred breathed; not believing what he held in his hands right now was even existent. Why did this boy return his wallet? Was this some sort of cruel, sick joke?  

          “Sir. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Please, don’t report me to the cops,” the youthful boy supplicates agitatedly; a faint shimmer of tears passed through his eyes. “Please. My mother would be so mad.” Sure, he looked innocent enough, but looks do not imitate what kind of person one was. But he was a Christian, and certainly should forgive other sinners, for he had sinned himself.

          “Stand up, my son,” he motioned briefly, as the young boy scrambled to his feet, smiling gaily. “You have been forgiven.” Fred almost chuckled at the expression he was wearing. It seemed as if it had inexorably appeared; sustaining the suggestion that he could not control his outburst of joy and relief.

          “Thank you sir!” But just as suddenly, his wide smile faded and he looked crestfallen. “However,” his voice was hardly above a murmur and Fred had to lean forward in order to catch just traces of it. “My mom would sure be furious once she finds out. She’s bound to find out. It’s all over the news.” Fred felt a massive wave of sympathy for the boy wash over him, and he reached over, resting his placid hand on the boy’s shoulder. He was startled by the sudden contact, looking into the primeval man’s kind, shinning cerulean eyes.

          “Go to her. And tell her that I had forgiven you. Tell her that your debts had been paid and there is no need for any further imbursement.” The teenage male shook his head, wiping away his hushed tears that streamed down his rough face. “What’s the matter son?”

          “I…” he buried his face into his arms, not wanting to meet the gaze of his superior. “My mother had disowned me…”