Page 26 of Healed
Chapter 5
Standing outside an hour later, Charlie held Carson’s hand in his as he stood at the foot of the steps looking up at Daisy and her family. “Thank you again, so much for welcoming us into your home.”
“You’re welcome any time, Charlie. You and Carson feel free to stop by any time you want to,” Janie said.
“She’s right. Y’all just come on whenever it occurs to you,” Bane said.
“Thank you. I appreciate that. I don’t want to be a pest, though,” Charlie said, with a soft laugh.
“See? He doesn’t want to be a pest,” Daisy said to her parents with an incredulous tone in her voice.
“Oh, you’re not a pest. We miss having a little one around,” Janie said.
“Besides, you owe me a chocolate shake,” Bane added.
“You didn’t teach me a protection trick,” Carson added to the mix.
“Oh! You’re right. I didn’t,” Bane said, jogging down the steps quickly.
Carson pulled his hand free of his father’s and hurried to meet Bane.
Bane squatted down to Carson’s level. “Okay, now I’ll teach you a lot more next time you come, but for now, put your hands right here,” he said, taking Carson’s hands in his and laying the boy’s fingertips against the pulse on either side of his neck. “You feel my blood flowing through there?”
“Yes, sir. It feels like a heart beat.”
“Exactly! Now, turn your hand like this,” Bane said, holding his hand perfectly straight. “Hold your other hand out andpractice hitting your palm with it, like this.” Bane held his hand out just like he’d showed Carson and brought down the outer edge onto his own palm. He watched Carson repeat the action a few times before he nodded. “Good. That’s good. Now, I’m going to pretend to hit you like that, but not really. So, you’ll see how to do it.”
“Okay,” Carson said.
Bane moved very slowly, reaching out with both hands, gently bringing the outer edges of them down onto the arteries in Carson’s neck. “See? You hit on the pulse in both sides of their neck, at the same time, as hard as you can, keeping your hands straight and hard, like a piece of wood. And I mean, hit them hard!” Bane said, as he brought his own hands back to rest on his thighs.
“Okay!” Carson said, reaching out quickly and chopping his hands into Bane’s neck on either side.
“Carson!” Charlie exclaimed, horrified as he grabbed Carson and pulled him away from Bane.
Daisy laughed, as did Janie.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Bane!” Charlie said.
Bane was wheezing and Charlie really thought Carson had hurt him. But when Bane finally looked up, it was clear he was laughing so hard it was causing him to wheeze. “That’s it! That’s exactly how you do it!” Bane exclaimed, holding his hand up for Carson to high-five him.
Carson just looked at his hand not knowing what Bane expected him to do.
Bane took him by the wrist and slapped Carson’s hand against his. “High Five”
“Why is it called that?”
“Lift your hand, slap your friend’s, you got five fingers. High five,” Bane said.
“Wouldn’t that be high ten. If your friend has five fingers, too?” Carson asked.
Bane’s smile fell immediately as he thought about it. “Yeah. I think it would be. Okay, high ten!” he said, holding his hand up.
Carson slapped his hand against Bane’s.
“Okay, next lesson, but do not test it on anybody. Only use it if somebody lays their hands on you.”
“Yes, sir,” Carson said, waiting eagerly for whatever Bane would teach him next.
