Chapter 3: A Great Power

How long have I been here in my little cell? Weeks? Months? A year even? I have lost track of time. Every day goes by the same. I awake, and get my daily rations...a loaf of stale bread and some overly salty meat. I spend the rest of the day sitting in my jail cell, enduring the foul insults of the guards. Escape doesn't seem like an option. The only window is too high up for me to reach, and it is barred and locked tightly. Even if I did climb out of that window, I would fall to my death. The armed guards patrolling my cell don't make matters any better. How I wish I could see the outside world...

The Prime Minister of Great Britain stared outside the window into the rising sun.

"Am I doing what I can to protect my country by keeping this boy locked up? Or am I just damning the young child to eternal imprisonment?"

Little did he know a miracle was soon to occur.

July 9, 1993

Today I found a most marvelous creature in my cell. It flew threw the small cell window and fell in a heap on the damp floor. It seems...hurt and one of its "arms" seem to be bent at an odd angle. I will ask Ian what this creature is and why one of its arms is like that.

Ian slowly opened the door to the jail cell, and entered quietly. The captive was usually still asleep at this time.

"Good Morning, Ian. How are you today?"

Ian jumped in surprise. The child was up early today! He turned toward the corner where the child usually slept.

"Good Morning to you, too! I feel fine today. Have you slept well?" replied Ian.

"Yes, thank you. Will you please tell me what the creature in my hand is?" inquired the boy, "It seems hurt."

Ian took a closer look at the squirming object, and instantly new what it was.

"Why, it's a bird! And...oh dear. Its wing has been broken." Ian looked closer at the limp creature. "My, my...it is dying."

The mysterious boy gave Ian a curious, wide-eyed look.

"Dying? What is that?"

"Death is when your life ends, young one."

"Life ends? I thought life goes on forever and ever. A great thing like life surely can't end so soon?"

Ian was shocked by the child's ignorance, but continued to patiently explain.

"No, child. Everyone's life must end eventually. No one lives forever; it is not right."

"But why must this bird die? It hasn't done anything wrong."

"It got itself mortally wounded...that is why it is dying."

"No...I will not allow it. Death is too terrible a prospect for this bird!"

"There is nothing you can do, son..."
Throughout the conversation, Ian noticed the boy's hands were beginning to glow a strange shade of blue...was he hallucinating? Or was something magical happening here.

"I will not allow this bird to die...it does not deserve it." said the boy through gritted teeth, "Everyone and everything deserves to live!"

The whole cell was wreathed with a bright blue tinge now, and Ian was convinced it was no hallucination he was experiencing. Before his eyes, the boy held the bird gently in his palm. With his free hand, he pressed down gently on the bird's snapped wing.

A split second later, the bird gave a shrill cry and flew out the window.

What...is this power. It seems...familiar. Yet I do not know where I received such a gift. Healing is natural to me...but I do not know where I learned it. Will it help me in this world? Or will it lead me to my doom?

When the rather stunned boy looked up a few moments later, Ian was gone.

Shoving aside a janitor busy at work, Ian stampeded toward Superintendent Thompson's office. Without even bothering to knock, he blew the door open, giving the Superintendent quite a scare.

"Good heavens, what was that for?" cursed the shaken Superintendent.

"Sir, we have a rather urgent situation here!" puffed Ian.

"What is it, Officer? Did the child get out of his cell? Is he on the loose?" replied the Superintendent nervously.

"Not at all, Sir. The child is still safe in his cell. This is a different kind of situation. It is easier to understand when you see it in person. Come with me, Sir."

The Superintendent followed suspiciously, wondering what could have happened.

Back In the Jail Cell

"So...boy. Is what Ian is telling me true the last word?" asked the Superintendent in a menacing voice.

"Yes, Sir. It is true."

"I don't believe it."

"Then let me prove it to you, Sir. Ian...do you happen to have any sharp items with you?"

Ian checked his pockets, and found his fine Swiss pocketknife buried somewhere in there.

"Don't hurt yourself too badly, alright son?" He reluctantly tossed the pocketknife to the young boy. Without blinking, the boy made a deep gash on his right arm.

"What the hell is he doing?" muttered Superintendent Thompson. Ian winced as blood poured out of the boy's wound. A subtle, blue glow wreathed itself around the jail cell.

"This is my proof...Superintendent." The boy's eyes locked onto Thompson's. He placed a glowing hand on deep gash. A second later, the wound was gone. Not a drop of blood was left.

"Good...lord..." gasped the Superintendent. Without further ado, he stumbled and groped his way out of the cell, clutching his chest. Ian gave the boy an apologetic look, and shut the door behind him.

An hour later, in the Prime Minister's office...

Superintendent Thompson tried to find the right words for his explanation of the boy's extraordinary power. The Prime Minister listened intently, and before long, Thompson had completed his explanation.

"This boy...the one the Keyes found. He has...the ability to heal any injury in a split second?" asked the Prime Minister incredulously.

"We don't know, Sir. The wounds that the child had healed were rather minor. I have come to ask for your permission to proceed with some further testing on some more serious injuries. We will also perform tests on various diseases and ailments." replied Thompson smugly.

The Prime Minister rubbed his eyes, and gave a great, heaving sigh.

"I give you permission to proceed with these tests. But if I find out that these tests are in any way abusive, I shall call them off. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir. Crystal clear."

"Very well then. Take the child to a more comfortable cell tomorrow, and arrange a meeting with him for me. Afterwards, you are free to test him at your convenience."

"Yes, sir. Thank you."