They acted like animals

His skin began to sting. Restlessly he moved one arm, bending it, and he felt a sharp pain in the crease of his inner arm at his elbow.

It was the first thing Jonas noticed as he looked at the new child peering up curiously from the basket. The pale eyes.

Gabe struggled carefully as if it were a wrestling game.

he was reminded that the light eyes were not only a rarity but gave the one who had them a certain look -- what was it? Depth, he decided, as if one were looking into the clear water of the river

Finally, when the container was open, he extended his arm slowly across the blood soaked earth, inch by inch and held it to the lips of the boy.

Then, the first wave of pain. He gasped and it was as if a hatchet lay lodged in his leg, slicing through each nerve with a hot blade.

In his agony, he perceived the word “fire”, and felt flames licking at the torn bone and flesh.

He couldn’t bare to see their faces, darkened with shame.