The Book Keepers. A Free Short Story

 

The Book Keepers: A Short Story

The Book Keeper knew it was his only chance. He didn’t have much longer. He grasped for breath as he stood up from his bed. His pet pigeon seemed to know he needed her. She fluttered her wings and cocked her head to one side as the Book Keeper approached. He opened her cage door with frail hands and she fluttered readily to his arm. His eyes watered. It was going to be goodbye too. 

“Thank you little one. For all the joy.” The wizened figure took another shaky breath. “They will take care of you.” The Book Keeper attached the rolled up note to the bird’s leg. “Go now, little one.” With all of his remaining strength, he released the pigeon in the direction he wanted her to fly. “Good bye. And God speed.”

The bird hovered, then turned her soft pastel head to look one more time at her old friend before flying off in an easterly direction, away from the setting sun.

***

“It’s Mina!” Zephir shouted. He clambered down from the stone wall where he’d been resting and day dreaming. Topaz straightened her back. She’d been pulling weeds half-heartedly, but now she rushed to Zephir’s side. “She must have a message from the Book Keeper.”

The teenager was aptly named, for her eyes glowed as warmly as her namesake, and her thick hair was only a shade darker. 

Zephir nodded his head. His coal black hair catching the last of the sun’s rays. He stretched out his arm and the pet bird landed lightly on it. Spying the little scroll, he put a finger to his lips and gestured towards a large bush behind the wall. 

The siblings sat side by side in the dust as Topaz carefully removed the message. Her fingers trembled. What if it’s bad news? She wondered.

She squinted at the sloping script in the dim light.

“What does it say?” Zephir had always struggled to read.

Topaz just shook her head, barely able to take in what the note said.

“He says his time has come.” Her voice cracked. “And that Mina will take us to the treasure.”

***

Topaz buttoned Mina into her worn cardigan. “We need to go now.”

Zephir nodded. “But we mustn’t take the road. The workers may ask questions.”

Topaz agreed. It was home time. “We’ll take the trail path.”

They walked quickly through their father’s field. The trees embraced them when they reached the path, and they half jogged, half walked along it.

When The Book Keeper’s cottage came into view, their spirits’ sank further. No smoke rose from the chimney.

Mina poked her head out of Topaz’ cardigan, and coo’d softly.

“He’s gone, isn’t he?” Topaz hesitated at the front door, not knowing whether she had the strength to go inside. But they must. Their friend was counting on them.

Hand in hand they walked through the small spaces of the cottage. Each room was tidy and swept. All that remained of the Book Keeper was a small pile of clothes, some cooking utensils, and a few supplies.

Topaz pictured their friend taking himself off deep into the woods. To die. Her tears flowed freely.

Zephir, tried to be strong, and choked his feelings back. “The Book Keeper said Mina would show us the treasure. And we’ll be needing food for her. Let’s go to her coop.”

The little bird, now so dependent on them, brought  Topaz some comfort, and she followed Zephir to the yard.

Seeing her familiar home, Mina broke free, and fluttered into the cage. She strutted about on the floor, pecking here and there with her beak, and looking at the youngsters with bright eyes.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

Zephir quickly emptied a small cup of feed onto the cage floor, and Mina began to peck at it hungrily.

“There’s something under the straw!” Topaz pointed. “It looks like leather.”

Zephir reached into the cage, and brushed at the straw.

Mina stepped obligingly to the side as he lifted the object out. The tears he’d been holding back came. Now, more than ever, he was going to work at his reading. 

“It’s the Bible!” Topaz knew it at once. From the time she and Zephir had been little mites, The Book Keeper had read to them from the precious book. It was because of the old book that they had learned about Jesus, and The Way.

Zephir glanced over his shoulder, before peeking into The Bible’s pages with great reverence.

What a great treasure they’d been entrusted with. 

“We’ll have to keep it hidden.” Topaz broke the silence. “That is, until we can find other believers.”

Zephir nodded solemnly, then slipped the book into Mina’s feed sack.

It was nearly completely dark as they entered their father’s field once more; bearers of bad news, but bearers too, of The Good News. They were now Book Keepers too.

***

The End

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Story copyright: pencil in His Hand.

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