“Iambutapersonahumbleprayerandhavenhttomakeexcessivedemandsonyou．Butinthisworld，therearesomanydisabledpeople，allwiththesamewish-tobeewholeagain．Theiruniversalwishwouldfindsatisfainyourmiraculoushealing．Ifyouaketheblihemyriadoftwinklingstarsagain，itwouldbethehighestandmostbeauteouspraiseforyou．Ifthedumbcouldspeakandsingandthedeafcouldhearthechirpingofbirdsarigs，thatwouldbethehighestandmostbeauteouspraisetoyou．Iftheparalyzed，madealsoteandlikeness,couldusetheirlimbsnormallyagain,itwouldbethehighestandmostbeauteouspraiseofyou.”
“AlmightyGod,Iambutapersonahumbleprayerandhavenhttomakeexcessivedemandsonyou，butpleasemakeuseofyouromnipotentpowerthroughAmaliaandhelpapoordamsel..."ThefireweakenedanddimmedwhileAishaprayedsilentlythroughthenightuntiltheskylightehthefirstcrackofdawn．
Iernsky，dawhilyappearediernalsileheresihebeginningoftime，announgwithmagnifidgrahatanewdayhadbegun．Sheiwokeuprefreshedandvitalizedafteranight’sdeepslumberandwatchedthegraduallybrighteningskywithalerteyes．SherememberedAmalia’spromise，butcouldnotbelievethatamiraclewouldhappenonherbody．Liftingthebedcovers,shesatupandtoherutteramazementfoundthatherleftlegerfectterpartht，nolohinnerandshorter．Stunned,shestoodupandtookafewtentativesteps,surprisedtofindshewasnolongeracripple．Amaliahadkeptherword!Amiraclehadhappened!Shewasthurudcouldscarcelybelievehereyes!Openingherbedroomdoor，shewalkedsoftlytotheauditoriumsoasnottodisturbtheothersleepers．Thereoage，sheslowlyextendedherlimbandfouhingsoft，naturandfortable．Miraculoustransformationwashardtobelieve，buthereitwas．Shedanced，herbodylightandagileasacat，musclessuppleasiffloatingonclouds．Throughtheskylight，ashaftofgoldendawnlightshoheswayingform．
Overpoweredbyheremotions，shecriedsilentlyinprayerandthanksgiving，tearsstreamingdownhercheeks．Whatshedidnotknowwas,stnightaftershehadfallenasleep,Amaliaperformedhermagic．Sheshrankthegirl’sbodytothesizeofafingerandswallowedherwhole,feelingthegirlpassthroughtheabdomenahewomb．ThereSheiwasmadewholeandrebornwithanewbody．Likethespeckofsandiheoystershellthatbeganasanirritation，shebecameadazzlingpearl．ThenjustasquicklyAmaliarestoredthegirltonormalsize．Shehadbeenreborn,normandpleteineveryrespecludinghervirginity．Allhersinsanddebaucheryhadbeenpurged．Inherpast1ife，unfortueputherintheroleofasufferer，butnowshebecamethemostfortunatepersoninthewholeworldforhehistoryoftheuniversehadanyhuman，animaletationevergonebaother’swombtobereborn.Ifitwerenotforthealmightypod，whoperformedthemiraclethroughAmalia’swomb，Sheiwouldnotbeweepinginjoyandgratitude．Throughherjoyfulturbulence,shefeltthepreseneonebyherside．ShelookedupandsawAmalia,dressedinherbckwitchcloakandhat,herfeaturesnolongersinister,butkindaleasabenevolentelder．Sheikbeforeherandkissedherfeet．Amaliahelpedherupgently,tookherintoherarmsandpattedheronthebackasiffachild．Forthefirsttimeinherlife，Sheifeltthewarmthofamother’sloveandAmaliatoo,seemedtofeelthesatisfaofhermaternalinstincts．
CHAPTER10ELAWINFAIRIES
Dimitriwokeupmurmuring,"Wonderful!Awonderfuldream!"Openinghiseyeshefoundhewasstiltthebusstopshelter．Thewindandrainhadstoppedanduheclearblueskiesgoldensunlightsprayedthestreets，givingonearefreshingfeeling．Severalyoungstudentswithbackpacksstoodtalkingandughingatthebusstop．Hesawablondgirlinwhiteshirtandbluejeanswholookedlikegolden-hairedMary．Soon，bus#51cameandtookthemaway．AcrosstheaislefromDimitrisatawell-dressedmiddle-agedmanreadingtheneersandcirgoutthingswithhispencil．Perhapshehadjustbeenidoffandwaslookingforajob．Bus#40cameandtookhimaway，andDimitriwasleftallone．Heyawnedandstretchedhimself，wifheshouldkeephisinalpnofgoingbacktohishomeinthenarrowalleyandcheckuponhisdipidatedshelter．Justashewasabouttogetup，henoticedthebrokenportableradioonhispandhisthoughtswenttoitsowhemanwhocalledhimselfNapoleon,whomhehappeomeethereintherainandstormthenightbefore．HehadlungddaredtoraisehisfistsagainstGod’sjealousy．CarryingtheradioDimitriwanderedaimlesslyon．Itwasafinesunnyday,buttheclimateseemedabnormal．Thebuildingsonbothsidesofthestreetstoweredhighintheskiesandpassersbyhurriedhereandthereinhaste．Inthisabnormalweather,thecityheknewsowellseemedunfamiliarandtheformsofthebuildingslookedoldandweird．Hetinuedwalkingon．Inhishead，oecroppingupaingitself，"Don’tbejealousofme．Don’tbejealousofme.”Thehystericalbutundauntedfigureappearedagaininhismind．FromBroadway,Dimitrituro14thStreetandwalkedaimlesslyon．Thebusesrotatedbadforthontheirrouties，lettingoffpassetheirdestinationsandpigupnewoneswaitingatthedesigops．
Frombehind，soundsoflight，regurfootstepsearerandnearer．Awell-formedmanstrongasanoxranpastDimitri，joggingtowardsLakeMerritt．Hisregurheavybreathingandstrongbodyodorshowedhehadbeenatitforquiteawhile．Hisshadowcastonthegroundbythesunmovedasquicklyasitsowner．Wheopped,hewouldfeelmuchrefreshedfromtheexercise．Justthentheaudibletraffialsounded，remindingDimitriitwastimetostopandwaitforthelighttoge．Acrossthestreetwasaaryschoo1．Fromitsrowsofwindowscamevoicesofyoungchildrenreadingaloudinunison，mixedwiththepleasantmelodiousfemalevoiceoftheteacherinstrugthecss．Eaheldadifferentgradeofcsses,likestepsonastaircase．Thechildrenclimbedupastepatatime，theirbrainsging,beingmoreplexandintricateastheywenthigherup．LeftofthestreetwererowsofwarehousesheapedwitheleicpartsforTVs．Dimitriwalkedslowlyon．Thewarehousesoandtheschoolontherightwereliogethersomehowinhisbrain，buthecouldnotetoaclusionastothee．Ohersideofthe，wasabasket-ballfield,whereagamerogressbetweentwoteamsofteeheyspedaroundthefieldagilely，shoutingtoeachother，passingtheballorjumpingtoshootatthebasket，givingoffthevitalityofyouth,neverdreamingthatohisvitalitywouldbeallsappedup．Notfarfromthere，wasafishmarketwheredifferentkindsoffishesswamtoandfroiertank,seeminglytranquindhappy．Intheworlddifferentanimalsliveunderdifferentcircumstanamazingways．Suddenlyaswoopeddownandcaughtasquirmingfish．Nosoonerwasitthrownonthechoppingboardthanitwasstunnedbyaheavyblowontheheadwithasharpknife．Inamatterofmihefishmongerhaditskillfullyscraped，ed,choppedintoseveralpieces,putinapsticbagandhahewaitinger．Thefishwasstilltwitg,itsheartstillbeating．
Intheearlywinterm，thewarmthofthesungaveoneafeelingofindolehemailmaleisurelyonhisroute，carefullycollegallthemailfromthemailboxesandputtiohisbag．Outoftheblue，Dimitri’ssportableradiogaveoffanamazinglyloudbreofmusic，startlingthesedatemailman．Butsoon,itresumeditsinalsilehemailmanexgedasmilewithDimitriandtinuedonwithhiswork．Hisshadowcastonthegroundbythesunwassoateaseanduurbed．TheradioinDimitri’shanditentlygaveoffshortboutsofmusic．Evidentlyitsehadbeendamagedwhenthrowndownbyitsowhepreviousnight．HiswordskeptresoundinginDimitri’sear．"Don’tbejealousofme!Don’tbejealousofme!"Notfaraway，withinaradiusoftwoblockscametheshrillsirenofanambuncebreakingthecalmoftheearlywinterm．Dimitritinuedwalkingaimlesslyon．Attheeroftheblockhesawtheambuopandacrowdgather,someexginginformationinahushedwhisperandsomeexgaloudinsternation．AsDimitrielbowedhiswaythroughthecrowd，heheardpeoplesaying，
"ThatwasthemaintenanofoheapartmentsbytheLake!Hewasidoffayearagoandhasnotbeeofindworksince.”
"That’sbecausetheyfoundhehadHIVvirusandterlungcer．Reallybumluck.”
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