'll never use it for myself again；〃 said Alvin Junior。 And when he said the words he felt like his heart was on fire； it burned so hot inside。
The Shining Man disappeared again。
Alvin lay back； slid down under the blanket； exhausted from weeping； weary with relief。 He'd done a bad thing； that was so。 But as long as he kept this oath he made； as long as he only used his knack to help other people and never ever used it to help himself； why then he would be a good boy and didn't need to be ashamed。 He felt lightheaded the way you do ing out of a fever； and that was about right； he had been healed of the wickedness that grew inside him for a spell。 He thought of himself laughing when he'd just caused death for his own pleasure； and he was ashamed； but that shame was tempered； it was softened； cause he knew that it would never happen again。
As he lay there； Alvin once again felt the light grow in the room。 But this time it didn't e from a single source。 Not from the Shining Man at all。 This time when he opened his eyes he realized the light was ing from himself。 His own hands were shining； his own face must be glowing the way the Shining Man had。 He threw off his covers and saw that his whole body glowed with light so dazzling he couldn't hardly bear to look at himself； except that he also couldn't bear to look anywhere else。 Is this me？ he thought。
No； not me。 I'm shining like this because I've also got to do something。 Just like the Shining Man did something for me； I've got something to do； too。 But who am I supposed to do it for？
There was the Shining Man； visible again at the foot of his bed； but not shining no more。 Now Al Junior realized that he knew this man。 It was Lolla…Wossiky； that one…eyed whisky…Red who got himself baptized a few days ago； still wearing the White man's clothes they gave him when he turned Christian。 With the light inside him now； Alvin saw clearer than he ever did before。 He saw that it wasn't likker that poisoned this poor Red man； and it wasn't losing one eye that crippled him。 It was something much darker； something growing like a mold inside his head。
The Red man took three steps and knelt beside the bed； his face only a little way from Alvin's eyes。 What do you want from me？ What am I supposed to do？
For the first time； the man opened his eyes and spoke。 〃Make all things whole；〃 he said。 A second later； Al Junior realized that the man had said it in his Red language。 Shaw…Nee； he remembered； from what the grown…ups said when he was baptized。 But Al had understood it plain as if it was the Lord Protector's own English。 Make all things whole。
Well； that was Al's knack； wasn't it？ Fixing things； making things go the way they were supposed to。 Trouble was； he didn't even half understand how he did it； and he surely had no idea how to fix something that was alive。
Maybe； though； he didn't have to understand。 Maybe he just had to act。 So he lifted his hand； reached out as careful as he could； and touched Lolla…Wossiky's cheek； under the broken eye。 No； that wasn't right。 He raised his finger until it touched the slack eyelid where the Red man's other eye was supposed to be。 Yes； he thought。 Be whole。
The air crackled。 Light sparked。 Al gasped and pulled his hand away。
All the light was gone from the room。 Just the moonlight now ing in the window。 Not even a glimmer of the brightness was left。 Like as if he just woke up from a dream； the strongest dream he ever had in his life。
It took a minute for Alvin's eyes to change so he could see。 It wasn't no dream； that was sure。 Cause there was the Red man； who had once been the Shining Man。 You ain't dreaming when you got a Red man kneeling by your bed； tears ing out of his one good eye； and the other eye； where you just touched him
That eyelid was still loose； hanging over nothing。 The eye wasn't healed。 〃It didn't work；〃 whispered Alvin。 〃I'm sorry。〃
It was a shameful thing； that the Shining Man had saved him from awful wickedness； and he hadn't done a thing for him in return。 But the Red man said nary a word of reproach。 Instead he reached out and took Alvin's naked shoulders in both his large strong hands and pulled him close； kissed him on the forehead； hard and strong； like a father to a son； like brothers； like true friends the day before they die。 That kiss and all it held hope； forgiveness； love let me never forget that； Alvin said silently。
Lolla…Wossiky sprang to his feet。 Lithe as a boy he was； not staggering drunk at all。 Changed； he was changed； and it occurred to Alvin that maybe he had healed something； set something right； something deeper than his eyes。 Cured him of the whisky…lust； maybe。
But if that was so； Al knew it wasn't himself that done it； it was the light that was in him for a time。 The fire that had warmed him without burning。
The Red man rushed to the window； swung over the sill； hung for a moment by his hands； then disappeared。 Alvin didn't even hear his feet touch the ground outside； he was that quiet。 Like the cats in the barn。
How long had it been？ Hours and hours？ Would it be daylight soon？ Or had it taken only a few seconds since Anne had whispered in his ear and the family had quieted down？
Didn't matter much。 Alvin couldn't sleep； not now； not with all that had just happened。 Why had this Red man e to him？ What did it all mean； the light that filled Lolla…Wossiky and then came to fill him？ He couldn't just lie here in bed； all full of wonder。 So he got up； slithered into his nightgown as fast as he could； and slipped out of his door。
Now that he was in the hall； he heard talking from downstairs。 Mama and Papa were still up。 At first he wanted to rush down and tell them what all happened to him。 But then he heard the tone of their voices。 Anger； fear； all upset。 Not a good time to e to them with a tale of a dream。 Even if Alvin knew it wasn't a dream at all； that it was real； they'd treat it like a dream。 And now that he was thinking straight； he couldn't tell them at all。 What； that he sent the roaches into his sisters' room？ The pins； the pokes； the threats？ All of that would e out too； even though it felt like months； years ago to Alvin。 None of it mattered now； pared to the vow he had taken and the future he thought might be in store for him but it would matter to Mama and Papa。
So he tiptoed down the hall and down the stairs； just close enough to hear； just far enough to be around the er and out of sight。
After just a few minutes； he forgot about being out of sight； too。 He crept farther down； until he could see into the big room。 Papa sat on the floor； surrounded with wood。 It surprised Al Junior that Papa was still doing that； even after ing upstairs to kill roaches； even after so much time had passed。 He was bent over now； his face buried in his hands。 Mama knelt in front of him； the biggest hunks of wood between them。
〃He's alive； Alvin；〃 said Mama。 〃All the rest ain't worth never mind。〃
Papa lifted his head and looked at her。 〃It was water that seeped into the tree and froze and thawed； long before we even cut it down。 And we happened to cut it in just such a way that the flaw never showed on the surface。 But it was split three ways inside； just waiting for the weight of the ridgebeam。 It was water done it。〃
〃Water；〃 said Mama； and there was derision in her voice。
〃This is fourteen times the water's tried to kill him。〃
〃Children always get in scrapes。〃
〃The time you slipped on a wet floor when you were holding him。 The time David knocked down the boiling cauldron。 Three times when he was lost and we found him on the bank of the river。 Last winter when the ice broke on the Tippy…Canoe River〃
〃You think he's the first child to fall into the water？〃
〃The poison water that made him throw up blood。 The mud…covered buffalo that charged him in that meadow〃
〃Mud…covered。 Everybody knows that buffaloes wallow like pigs。 It had nothing to do with water。〃
Papa slapped his hand down hard on the floor。 The sound rang like a gunshot through the house。 It startled Mama； and of course she started to look toward the stairs to where the children would be sleeping。 Alvin Junior scampered right back up the stairs and waited out of sight for her to order him back to bed。 But she must not have seen him； cause she didn't shout anything and nobody came up after him。
When he tiptoed back down； they were still going at it； only a little quieter。
Papa whispered； but there was fire in his eyes。 〃If you think this doesn't have to do with water； then you're the one that's a lunatic。〃
Mama was icy now。 Alvin Junior knew that look it was the maddest Mama knew how to get。 No slaps then； no tongue…lashings。 Just coldness and silence； and any child who got that treatment ftom her began to long for death and the tortures of hell； because at least it would be warmer。
With Papa she wasn't silent； but her voice was terrible cold。 〃The Savior himself drank water from the Samaritan well。〃
〃I don't recollect that Jesus fell down that well； neither；〃 said Papa。
Alvin Junior thought of hanging onto the well bucket； falling down into the darkness； until the rope bound up on the