Reverend Timpson looked down at the packed pews. His congregation had more than trebled in size since last week. Their fearful faces stared at him.
It had all gone smoothly to start with. The annual church play had been a retelling of the Ten Commandments.
In the final scene Rosie appeared as the burning bush, a green glow behind her.
There had been an unexpected bang as the lightbulb popped, a flash of light and flames rose round Rosie’s feet. She carried on with her lines while Bill, the stagehand, desperately crawled round her dress, trying to beat out the fire.
Awe in the audience changed to fear. Rosie let out a strangled, unearthly shriek. Cries started spreading through the audience.
‘God forgive this blasphemous theatre!’
‘Lord forgive us taking your name for entertainment!’
The curtain was brought down as the panic-stricken audience fled from the hall.
The burnt spot where the event had occurred was turned it into a shrine to mark the miracle of Thornberry Hall.
Reverend Timpson knew he should explain the truth, but business was business and the church roof was in need of repair.
‘Last Friday night we witnessed a miracle, ladies and gentlemen. The Lord sent a message to us all.’
A ripple of ‘amens’ spread through the congregation.
Written as part of Sunday Photo Fiction. Write a story of around 200 words based on the photo prompt given (above). Hosted by Al Forbes. For more details visit HERE.
To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Iain Kelly 
Crafty vicar. There are some ways of getting what you want out of the parishioners.
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Making the best of the situation 🙂
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Trying to wrap my brain around what happened. So Rosie’s dress caught fire and Bill tried to put out the flames. Did Rosie die in the fire? No fire extinguisher back stage?
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Just some minor burns for Rosie, I think, no real harm.
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An Easter miracle. Recalls to my mind the booming business of manufacturing holy relics common in dark ages Europe. A fragment of the True Cross, a piece of the Savior’s robe. They were often encased in lead boxes and placed atop the spires of cathedrals to ward off lightning.
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Encased in lead boxes and placed where no one could see them sounds about right!
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And if the cathedral was struck by lightning anyway, nobody knew, since stone is a poor electrical conductor.
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Well, that went well!
My tale is called ‘Envy’
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Silver linings!
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Hey, you gotta take your miracles where you can find them, right? Crafty, Rev.
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The Lord works in mysterious ways 🙂
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The Lord truly works in mysterious ways!
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Thanks Steve
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Isn’t this the same church that a couple years ago needed a new heating system and someone found a grilled cheese with the likeness of Jesus on the toast? No? Must’ve been up the road. Gotta love a good miracle any way they come.
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That’s right, next door to the one that found Jesus’s face when they sliced a tomato in half!
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Hallelujah, Iain, praise the Creator.
Of this clever story!
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Thanks CE!
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Business is business indeed. Why let something like the truth get in the way? 😉 Entertaining story.
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What’s a little bit of fundraising between believers? Thank you 🙂
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Ha ha ha. You’re welcome.
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…Thou shall not manipulate events for nefarious ends – love it!
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Thanks Martin 🙂
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Great story. The truth is in the mind of the beholder, right?
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The mind sees what it wants to believe. Thanks.
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VERY entertaining Iain! Burning “bush” we will leave that one alone for the burlesque show Lol well done!
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No comment! 🙂
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Very clever, Iain. I guess you can’t be picky about the kind of miracles you receive, hmm 😉
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Good story Ian and Jade is right, clever Reverend. On the other hand, I’m hoping people aren’t that gullible. It reminds of ” The Simpsons” the TV show, town characters in church. I can hear Moe saying one of your lines and this is exactly what Reverend LoveJoy would do.
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I don’t think people would be this gullible, on the other hand, I’m sure there are similar and stranger stories like this in real life! Thanks Mandi
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I think the best part of all this is that we get to read a very first rate story. Good work, Lain.
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Ha, thanks Neel!
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Very nicely done Iain!
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Thank you!
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