WHIRLPOOL

FIRE AND ICE    By Tessa Harvey       Helga had lost vitality, the vital life-spark of hope, without which she could not recover. With the promise of an iphone, TV, books, she had been eating again.     The nursing staff, both men and women had taken turns to always be there. Some spoke of Jesus who is remembered for being born as a baby at Christmas and later, as an adult, dying for us and rising again. One day, a young male nurse brought in a Children's Bible, well-illustrated. Helga was transformed. As she read, light and light and love poured into her. A resurrected King!     One day there was a great commotion and a group of unshushable people - adults, babies, children headed by Dr. Santa, his booming voice roaring around the ward. But Helga did not really hear or see him. He was pushing her beaming, happy mother who was in a wheelchair, but holding her arms out wide. Helga slipped out of her bed, stood and wobbled, while Ian Park...

FIRE AND ICE   By Tessa Harvey          Stefan knew he was going to die. His body had not recovered properly from the food poisoning and, shivering from the icy water, he suddenly realised it had been deliberate. He was aware that no-one liked him. They never had, not even his own parents. His father denied Stefan was his son. His mother, resentful and angry at her husband's lack of fidelity admitted nothing. Their lives had been consumed by greed and its many forms, seeking fame, achieving only notoriety.     Faintly, struggling feebly to believe, Olga was full of remorse, remembering the faith of her family in the God of the Bible, not the liturgies of man.     "Please pray," she urged. "Make peace with God." "I am not a coward," he whispered angrily. "I bow to no-one."     The swirling waves swallowed him. Olga tried to scream or cry, but water choked her. The young pilot had grabbed life-vests and helped Olga with hers. St...

FIRE AND ICE By Tessa Harvey        Helga refused to say any more. She had been ridiculed before for her dreams. Dreams had been part of Helga's life as long as she could remember.           Now, the child was beginning to consider that Laneke was a true believer in the Person she called the Lord Jesus Christ. Laneke said you could talk to Him as though He were your very best friend.     Laneke was sixteen and Helga's very best friend. Could Jesus be her very best friend too? Could such a God save her parents? Laneke often said that with God all things were possible. Helga loved to read, but the Bible was much too hard.      "God, you helped my crippled back. At least, I think you did. If you are real, send me some friends and send my only real mum."     As an afterthought and because she had been trained to be well-mannered, she added a small "please." And waited, and waited. Nothing. Even Dr. Parker ...

FIRE AND ICE   By Tessa Harvey     "You must do everything the nurses tell you to. Promise?" "I promise, but where are my parents? They crashed into the sea in my dream in a little plane going down in circles."     Ian Parker looked startled. "They were supposed to be in New Zealand, then returning to see you. We have heard of no accident. "Cross my heart," he added, looking solemn. "By the way, what did you slip on to fall so hard? Can you remember?"     "It was for my tea and for my friends. It was a beautiful shiny big fish." "You really slipped on a fish." He was booming more softly now, but amusement danced in his grey eyes. Helga noticed and smiled a little, but winced. Her head still hurt. The doctor noticed and checked her chart for pain medications.     "And I saw a boy in a whirlpool with rainbows," ventured Helga. "How have you met my grandson?" The doctor was very startled.

FIRE AND ICE   By Tessa Harvey     "Hold still, princess," the doctor beckoned. "You must not move too much." He sat down carefully close to her bed, dwarfing the metal chair and looking most uncomfortable. Then he noticed Helga crying again. "Hey, you can't do that," he stage-whispered, "this is a tidy clean ship. We can't have saltwater pooling on the decks. The other sailors might slip." Helga giggled, despite herself. For a moment she felt she was rocking in the sea waves, sun glinting on the water.           "Are you a bad pirate?" she whispered conspiratorily. "The very worst," he whispered back, like waves sucking at the shingle. He had such a funny voice. "I even made bad patients walk the plank!"     "I can't walk well now. Am I going to have a peg-leg like in the stories?" Dr.Parker's eyes looked suddenly misty. "You will walk perfectly, but it will take a while. Your back is...