THE THREE LIVES OF CHRISTINA THE ASTONISHING (#27)

As Told by the Holy Woman in Her Own Words
A Hundred or So Years after the End of the World

Standing to one side but still in view of all the people, Travis called out in a loud half-mocking voice, “Show us, Christina! Show us what coming back from the dead allows you to do!”

I did not like the way he said that, nor—in spite of the familiar craving this crowd had awakened in me—did I like the way the people were looking at me. They didn’t seem to be people who wanted to know about the world of Light and Love. But I knew I had to meet the challenge Giver had sent me.

Keeping in mind what Martin had just said, I sat down in the chair, picked up the hammer, and brought it down full force on my right shin. Oh Giver, did that hurt! My scream of pain was drowned out in the collective cries of those present. There was a scattering of hand clapping like rain on a metal roof. Dropping the hammer, I stood up with an effort on my left leg, letting the other one dangle. After a moment of startled silence, the people burst into cheers and clapped their hands even harder. That made me feel a little hopeful, so I flung back the cloak and stuck my left arm directly into the burning torch. My flesh scorched and blackened, then caught fire. This time we all screamed. As the aroma of cooking flesh filled the great room, my ever-hungry stomach perversely began to growl. By this point a few of the onlookers had fainted, but most kept their eyes glued on me as I slowly withdrew my flaming arm from the fire, careful to hold it away from the lovely cloak. The expression on their faces was one of—almost greed, I have to say, not revelation, as if I were feeding their own secret hunger instead of their souls.

(to be continued tomorrow)