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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Miracles / Wonders
- Published: 04/06/2021
A True Miracle
Born 1944, F, from Melbourne, FL, United States![A True Miracle](/storage/story/F0661086-2E96-6890-1123-AA0EAA5D4992_1617720727-image(180x285-crop).jpeg)
A True Miracle
by
Valerie Allen
“Hey Seth,” Zach shouted and waved at the sight of his older brother pulling into the driveway. They did a man hug and King, the German Shepherd, lept out of the car and bounded toward Zach as the trio headed toward the front porch.
Zach reached down and rubbed King on the head, trying to calm him. He turned to Seth. “Man, I can't thank you enough for driving King here.
Jeeze, I missed him.” Zach nuzzled the dog, and the German Shepard was frantic with joy. King licked and pawed Zach until they both lost balance and fell from the steps onto the lawn. They rolled on top of each other while clogs of wet grass and muddy dirt flew into the air. Laughing, Zach lay outstretched while he caught his breath and allowed the dog to romp across his chest and legs. “Good dog, good boy!” Zach said and rubbed his fingers deep into the dog's flank.
Seth shook his head as he watched his brother frolic with the dog. “Man, you and that hound are having a real love fest.”
Zach grinned as he stood and brushed off his jeans and Tee shirt. “Didn't know how much I missed him until I moved into that dorm room last year.”
“Well, thanks a lot! I won't tell Mom. She thinks you missed her the most.”
Both men laughed. “You know what I mean. It's a man and his dog kinda thing,” Zach said.
Seth smiled. “Actually, I think Mom wasn't all that upset when you moved to off-campus housing this semester. I didn't notice any tears in her eyes when she hugged King goodbye,” he said. “She did mention something about visitation rights during the holidays.”
Zach scratched King behind his ears. “Go on, Boy. Have a run of the place. Make yourself at home.” Zach pretended to throw a stick toward the backyard and the dog took off on a run. Zach turned toward Seth. “How about a cold brew?”
“Sure, wouldn't want to turn down your Southern hospitality.”
Zach grabbed two long-necks from the frig, brought them to the porch, and handed one to Seth. They sat on the steps, tapped the bottles against each other, and offered a silent toast.
At the sound of a car horn, they looked across the yard and saw Zach's next-door neighbors as they pulled out of the driveway with their kids in tow. Zach and Seth raised their beers in greeting.
Zach took a long swallow and wiped his hand across his lips. “Well, our beer drinking will be the talk of the congregation today. I can hear them prayin' already.”
“Maybe that's a good thing. You could use some help from on high—just ask Mom,” Seth said.
“A few prayers from Mom are okay, but these people are real holy rollers. I hardly put my suitcase down before they were on my doorstep. They asked me to come over and join in their Sunrise Service, testify to the Lord, offer praise, and all that kind of thing.”
Seth raised his eyebrows. “Could be worse. You could be living next to a house of prostitution.” Both men grinned and burst into laughter.
Zach sighed. “I just think all that religion stuff makes them look so holy and the rest of us look like a bunch of sinners.”
“Having a beer is the least of your sins,” Seth said. “Wait until they see you in full party-hearty mode.”
“Hey, big brother, you did your share. As I remember it, Mom had those prayers goin' in your direction for a few years,” Zach said.
“Okay, truce,” Seth said and tipped his brown, cool bottle toward Zach. “So what else goes on with the neighbors? They have any single, good looking daughters—maybe with a pagan touch?”
Zach laughed and clapped his brother on the back. “See, you're a bad example for me.” They exchanged glances. “No,” Zach said. “No available females at that house but they do have an array of strange pets.”
“Such as?” Seth asked.
“They've got one of those huge turtles. I swear you could ride that thing it's so big. They keep a hen house, complete with a rooster.” Zach threw his head back and laughed. “You'll hear from that bird about 5:00 AM tomorrow morning.”
“Great, can't wait,” Seth said.
Zach peered toward the hedges which separated the two yards. “I saw a couple of rabbits last week. I guess they're a new addition.”
Seth tipped the beer to his lips. “Just how religious are these people? Maybe they've got that Ark thing goin' on.”
Zach looked at his brother and shook his head. “I wouldn't put anything past them. They're up and out every morning singing all that Hallelujah stuff and talking consecrations.”
“How do you get any sleep with all that racket goin' on?” Seth asked.
“Between that rooster crowing and all that praising going on, it ain't easy. It seems like they celebrate a miracle or two every day,” Zach said.
Seth nodded. “Sure will make Mom happy to know you've got the Lord close by.”
They heard a rustling in the bushes alongside the house and looked to see what the commotion was. King ran toward them. His paws and snout were covered with dirt and mud. In his mouth was a white rabbit, covered
in filth, its head bent limply to one side.
Both men bolted from the porch and ran toward the dog. “King! Drop it, drop it!” Zach commanded.
“Jeeze,” Seth said. “What went on over there?” He looked toward the neighbor's yard.
King dropped the rabbit at their feet and looked at them with big sorrowful eyes.
Zach ran his hand through his hair and down the back of his neck. Seth tossed his empty beer bottle onto the porch where it clattered as it rolled against the door frame.
Zach looked at Seth. “Man, oh, man, this is bad. This is really bad. What am I going to tell these people?”
Seth's head jerked up. “Tell them? Are you kiddin' me? They're not even home. They won't know what happened unless you blab your big mouth about it.”
“I don't know,” Zack said. “This would be kinda hard to cover up.” He glared at King.
Seth shook his head. “You better come up with something and quick. They could call the cops. They could have you charged with something.”
Zach took a step backward. “Charged with something? Something like what? I didn't send King over there to kill their rabbit.”
Seth took a deep breath. “You ever hear of a rabbit chasing after a dog? I don't think so. They'll blame you for not having your dog on a leash, not keeping him under control, letting him run on their property, and all manner of things. They'll call the cops for sure. You'll have to pay a lawyer and court fees. You may get arrested.”
Zach slid down onto the porch step and put his head in his hands. “Arrested? That would be the end to my scholarship. I'd have to drop out of college. I'd have to move back home.”
Seth put his hand on Zach's shoulder. “How would you explain this to Mom?”
Zach lifted his chin and shook his head from side to side. “I can't let all that happen! What am I going to do?”
“I'm trying to think of something,” Seth said.
Zach looked at King. The dog seemed confused and stared at his master. King's tongue hung from his mouth and he stepped from foot to foot, avoiding the dead rabbit on the ground in front of him.
“I've got it,” Seth said. “You know what, I think this rabbit died of old age.”
Startled, Zach asked, “Old age? Are you kidding me?”
“No, I'm not kidding. I'm lying. Maybe it died of sunstroke or a heart attack. How do we know for sure how this animal met its final reward?”
“It seems pretty obvious to me,” Zach said. “King chased it, caught it, and broke its neck.”
“You don't know that! Don't even think you know what happened to that rabbit. Neither of us saw a thing,” Seth said. “What we have to do now is move fast before your neighbors come home.”
“What the heck are you talking about?” Zach asked.
“I'm talking about a rabbit funeral,” Seth said. “You take care of King and be sure to get all the evidence cleaned up and put him in the house. I'll take care of the dead rabbit.”
“Take care of the rabbit?” Zach asked.
Seth set his jaw. “Yes, get the hose and a towel. Get a shovel while you're at it.”
Zach turned on the hose and quickly directed the water over the dog's face and body. King shook the water in all directions. Zach guided the dog into the house, rubbed him with a towel, and gave him water and a large bowl of food. “Alright Boy, now be quiet and go to sleep. You've caused enough trouble for one day.”
Seth rinsed the dirt from the rabbit and placed it onto the shovel. He told Zach to toss a towel over it and they walked over to the neighbor's yard. They went to the backyard and walked closely along the hedges until they spotted the rabbit cage, with one bunny still in residence. Quietly, they opened the cage. They swiftly removed the towel, gently put the deceased rabbit in the cage, and latched the door.
Shovel in tow, the two men walked gingerly back to Zach's house and went inside. King was on the floor, head tucked into his front paws.
“You're a bad dog!” Zach said. He knelt down next to King. “You're a bad dog but I know you didn't mean to cause trouble,” he said.
The men each had another beer. They turned off the lights and hunkered down in front of the TV. As the afternoon drifted into evening, they heard the neighbor's car pull into the driveway. Zach and Seth exchanged glances but didn't speak. Within a few minutes of the car doors slamming, they heard shrieks from the children. Soon the adults were yelling. They could hear ranting and raving, and soon footsteps were heard on the porch.
The pounding on their door was frantic. Both men stood and walked toward the door. Zack felt nauseous. Seth paled but warned, “Remember, we know nothing!” In the distance, they could hear the prayers of hysterical children.
Slowly, Zack opened the door and was greeted by his neighbors. Their cheeks were flushed. “Please, please come and pray with us!” Tears ran down their faces. “We have truly witnessed a miracle,” they chorused loudly.
Zack and Seth exchanged looks.
Zack cleared his throat. “A miracle?”
“Yes! A true miracle!” came the rush of words. “Our rabbit died this morning. We buried it before we left for church and when we came home it had risen from the dead!”
Zach's face drained of color.
Slowly, Seth nodded and put his hand on Zack's shoulder and whispered, “The Lord works in strange and mysterious ways.”
Zack turned to his brother in disbelief and spoke in a hushed tone. “This is a true miracle.”
# # #
Thank you for taking the time to read
A True Miracle
If you enjoyed it,
please consider telling your friends
and posting a review on
Amazon.com and other online sites.
Word-of-mouth referrals are
an author's best friend
and much appreciated.
A True Miracle
by
Valerie Allen
Copyright by Valerie Allen 2019
Amazon.com/dp/B07V5KGV7B
All rights reserved
For more information, please contact:
Valerie Allen
VAllenWriter@gmail.com
ValerieAllenWriter.com
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is entirely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author.
Short Stories
by
Valerie Allen
A Good Thing on a Bad Day
A License to Practice
A Marriage of Convenience
A Mother's Love
A Tooth for a Tooth
A True Miracle
Ad Hoc Committee
Best Wishes
Brotherly Love
Conditional Love
Doggie Tales
Father's Day
Fire Engine Red
Fireworks on the 4th!
First Love
Fit for Life
Future Plans
Holiday House Rules
Holiday Traditions
Home for the Holidays
I Remember Momma
Just Be Cos
Ladies in Waiting
Leisureville
Love is in the Air
Match-maker
Mother Knows Best
No Goin' Home
Potty Talk
Puppy Love
Queen for a Day
Second Chance
Small Steps
Split Second Timing
Thank You! Mr. Jackson
The Big Winner!
The Garden of Love
The Lonely Life of Amanda Miller
The Penalty Box
Words of Wisdom
Valentine's Day
Visiting Day
~ ~ ~
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
A True Miracle(Valerie Allen)
A True Miracle
by
Valerie Allen
“Hey Seth,” Zach shouted and waved at the sight of his older brother pulling into the driveway. They did a man hug and King, the German Shepherd, lept out of the car and bounded toward Zach as the trio headed toward the front porch.
Zach reached down and rubbed King on the head, trying to calm him. He turned to Seth. “Man, I can't thank you enough for driving King here.
Jeeze, I missed him.” Zach nuzzled the dog, and the German Shepard was frantic with joy. King licked and pawed Zach until they both lost balance and fell from the steps onto the lawn. They rolled on top of each other while clogs of wet grass and muddy dirt flew into the air. Laughing, Zach lay outstretched while he caught his breath and allowed the dog to romp across his chest and legs. “Good dog, good boy!” Zach said and rubbed his fingers deep into the dog's flank.
Seth shook his head as he watched his brother frolic with the dog. “Man, you and that hound are having a real love fest.”
Zach grinned as he stood and brushed off his jeans and Tee shirt. “Didn't know how much I missed him until I moved into that dorm room last year.”
“Well, thanks a lot! I won't tell Mom. She thinks you missed her the most.”
Both men laughed. “You know what I mean. It's a man and his dog kinda thing,” Zach said.
Seth smiled. “Actually, I think Mom wasn't all that upset when you moved to off-campus housing this semester. I didn't notice any tears in her eyes when she hugged King goodbye,” he said. “She did mention something about visitation rights during the holidays.”
Zach scratched King behind his ears. “Go on, Boy. Have a run of the place. Make yourself at home.” Zach pretended to throw a stick toward the backyard and the dog took off on a run. Zach turned toward Seth. “How about a cold brew?”
“Sure, wouldn't want to turn down your Southern hospitality.”
Zach grabbed two long-necks from the frig, brought them to the porch, and handed one to Seth. They sat on the steps, tapped the bottles against each other, and offered a silent toast.
At the sound of a car horn, they looked across the yard and saw Zach's next-door neighbors as they pulled out of the driveway with their kids in tow. Zach and Seth raised their beers in greeting.
Zach took a long swallow and wiped his hand across his lips. “Well, our beer drinking will be the talk of the congregation today. I can hear them prayin' already.”
“Maybe that's a good thing. You could use some help from on high—just ask Mom,” Seth said.
“A few prayers from Mom are okay, but these people are real holy rollers. I hardly put my suitcase down before they were on my doorstep. They asked me to come over and join in their Sunrise Service, testify to the Lord, offer praise, and all that kind of thing.”
Seth raised his eyebrows. “Could be worse. You could be living next to a house of prostitution.” Both men grinned and burst into laughter.
Zach sighed. “I just think all that religion stuff makes them look so holy and the rest of us look like a bunch of sinners.”
“Having a beer is the least of your sins,” Seth said. “Wait until they see you in full party-hearty mode.”
“Hey, big brother, you did your share. As I remember it, Mom had those prayers goin' in your direction for a few years,” Zach said.
“Okay, truce,” Seth said and tipped his brown, cool bottle toward Zach. “So what else goes on with the neighbors? They have any single, good looking daughters—maybe with a pagan touch?”
Zach laughed and clapped his brother on the back. “See, you're a bad example for me.” They exchanged glances. “No,” Zach said. “No available females at that house but they do have an array of strange pets.”
“Such as?” Seth asked.
“They've got one of those huge turtles. I swear you could ride that thing it's so big. They keep a hen house, complete with a rooster.” Zach threw his head back and laughed. “You'll hear from that bird about 5:00 AM tomorrow morning.”
“Great, can't wait,” Seth said.
Zach peered toward the hedges which separated the two yards. “I saw a couple of rabbits last week. I guess they're a new addition.”
Seth tipped the beer to his lips. “Just how religious are these people? Maybe they've got that Ark thing goin' on.”
Zach looked at his brother and shook his head. “I wouldn't put anything past them. They're up and out every morning singing all that Hallelujah stuff and talking consecrations.”
“How do you get any sleep with all that racket goin' on?” Seth asked.
“Between that rooster crowing and all that praising going on, it ain't easy. It seems like they celebrate a miracle or two every day,” Zach said.
Seth nodded. “Sure will make Mom happy to know you've got the Lord close by.”
They heard a rustling in the bushes alongside the house and looked to see what the commotion was. King ran toward them. His paws and snout were covered with dirt and mud. In his mouth was a white rabbit, covered
in filth, its head bent limply to one side.
Both men bolted from the porch and ran toward the dog. “King! Drop it, drop it!” Zach commanded.
“Jeeze,” Seth said. “What went on over there?” He looked toward the neighbor's yard.
King dropped the rabbit at their feet and looked at them with big sorrowful eyes.
Zach ran his hand through his hair and down the back of his neck. Seth tossed his empty beer bottle onto the porch where it clattered as it rolled against the door frame.
Zach looked at Seth. “Man, oh, man, this is bad. This is really bad. What am I going to tell these people?”
Seth's head jerked up. “Tell them? Are you kiddin' me? They're not even home. They won't know what happened unless you blab your big mouth about it.”
“I don't know,” Zack said. “This would be kinda hard to cover up.” He glared at King.
Seth shook his head. “You better come up with something and quick. They could call the cops. They could have you charged with something.”
Zach took a step backward. “Charged with something? Something like what? I didn't send King over there to kill their rabbit.”
Seth took a deep breath. “You ever hear of a rabbit chasing after a dog? I don't think so. They'll blame you for not having your dog on a leash, not keeping him under control, letting him run on their property, and all manner of things. They'll call the cops for sure. You'll have to pay a lawyer and court fees. You may get arrested.”
Zach slid down onto the porch step and put his head in his hands. “Arrested? That would be the end to my scholarship. I'd have to drop out of college. I'd have to move back home.”
Seth put his hand on Zach's shoulder. “How would you explain this to Mom?”
Zach lifted his chin and shook his head from side to side. “I can't let all that happen! What am I going to do?”
“I'm trying to think of something,” Seth said.
Zach looked at King. The dog seemed confused and stared at his master. King's tongue hung from his mouth and he stepped from foot to foot, avoiding the dead rabbit on the ground in front of him.
“I've got it,” Seth said. “You know what, I think this rabbit died of old age.”
Startled, Zach asked, “Old age? Are you kidding me?”
“No, I'm not kidding. I'm lying. Maybe it died of sunstroke or a heart attack. How do we know for sure how this animal met its final reward?”
“It seems pretty obvious to me,” Zach said. “King chased it, caught it, and broke its neck.”
“You don't know that! Don't even think you know what happened to that rabbit. Neither of us saw a thing,” Seth said. “What we have to do now is move fast before your neighbors come home.”
“What the heck are you talking about?” Zach asked.
“I'm talking about a rabbit funeral,” Seth said. “You take care of King and be sure to get all the evidence cleaned up and put him in the house. I'll take care of the dead rabbit.”
“Take care of the rabbit?” Zach asked.
Seth set his jaw. “Yes, get the hose and a towel. Get a shovel while you're at it.”
Zach turned on the hose and quickly directed the water over the dog's face and body. King shook the water in all directions. Zach guided the dog into the house, rubbed him with a towel, and gave him water and a large bowl of food. “Alright Boy, now be quiet and go to sleep. You've caused enough trouble for one day.”
Seth rinsed the dirt from the rabbit and placed it onto the shovel. He told Zach to toss a towel over it and they walked over to the neighbor's yard. They went to the backyard and walked closely along the hedges until they spotted the rabbit cage, with one bunny still in residence. Quietly, they opened the cage. They swiftly removed the towel, gently put the deceased rabbit in the cage, and latched the door.
Shovel in tow, the two men walked gingerly back to Zach's house and went inside. King was on the floor, head tucked into his front paws.
“You're a bad dog!” Zach said. He knelt down next to King. “You're a bad dog but I know you didn't mean to cause trouble,” he said.
The men each had another beer. They turned off the lights and hunkered down in front of the TV. As the afternoon drifted into evening, they heard the neighbor's car pull into the driveway. Zach and Seth exchanged glances but didn't speak. Within a few minutes of the car doors slamming, they heard shrieks from the children. Soon the adults were yelling. They could hear ranting and raving, and soon footsteps were heard on the porch.
The pounding on their door was frantic. Both men stood and walked toward the door. Zack felt nauseous. Seth paled but warned, “Remember, we know nothing!” In the distance, they could hear the prayers of hysterical children.
Slowly, Zack opened the door and was greeted by his neighbors. Their cheeks were flushed. “Please, please come and pray with us!” Tears ran down their faces. “We have truly witnessed a miracle,” they chorused loudly.
Zack and Seth exchanged looks.
Zack cleared his throat. “A miracle?”
“Yes! A true miracle!” came the rush of words. “Our rabbit died this morning. We buried it before we left for church and when we came home it had risen from the dead!”
Zach's face drained of color.
Slowly, Seth nodded and put his hand on Zack's shoulder and whispered, “The Lord works in strange and mysterious ways.”
Zack turned to his brother in disbelief and spoke in a hushed tone. “This is a true miracle.”
# # #
Thank you for taking the time to read
A True Miracle
If you enjoyed it,
please consider telling your friends
and posting a review on
Amazon.com and other online sites.
Word-of-mouth referrals are
an author's best friend
and much appreciated.
A True Miracle
by
Valerie Allen
Copyright by Valerie Allen 2019
Amazon.com/dp/B07V5KGV7B
All rights reserved
For more information, please contact:
Valerie Allen
VAllenWriter@gmail.com
ValerieAllenWriter.com
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is entirely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author.
Short Stories
by
Valerie Allen
A Good Thing on a Bad Day
A License to Practice
A Marriage of Convenience
A Mother's Love
A Tooth for a Tooth
A True Miracle
Ad Hoc Committee
Best Wishes
Brotherly Love
Conditional Love
Doggie Tales
Father's Day
Fire Engine Red
Fireworks on the 4th!
First Love
Fit for Life
Future Plans
Holiday House Rules
Holiday Traditions
Home for the Holidays
I Remember Momma
Just Be Cos
Ladies in Waiting
Leisureville
Love is in the Air
Match-maker
Mother Knows Best
No Goin' Home
Potty Talk
Puppy Love
Queen for a Day
Second Chance
Small Steps
Split Second Timing
Thank You! Mr. Jackson
The Big Winner!
The Garden of Love
The Lonely Life of Amanda Miller
The Penalty Box
Words of Wisdom
Valentine's Day
Visiting Day
~ ~ ~
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
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Valerie Allen
04/07/2023Thank you, Marla. I thought it appropriate at this time, as three major religions celebrate this weekend. Of course, the miracle these guys experienced wasn't exactly a "religious experience."
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Valerie Allen
04/11/2021Gail - thank you for your comments. I thought this story sort of fit in with the Easter celebration but with a very different twist!
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JD
04/11/2021That was hilarious! Thanks for sharing another great short on Storystar, Valerie, and happy short story STAR of the day to you! :-)
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Valerie Allen
04/11/2021JD so glad you enjoyed my short story. I must say I laughed my way through this story as I was writing it! I could picture these two conniving young men and thought about their poor mother. If only she knew what they were up to! Thanks for the honor of being selected as Story Star of the Day.
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