he looked and hid.

he pulled down his sleeve and wrapped his cloak tighter around himself.

the crowd was massive, as always. he waited. and watched. they mustn't see me.

he peered behind the stones again. he'd heard that Jacob who used to live next door had been healed. but Jacob had only been ill. feverish at most. he had never heard of the man healing... one of his kind. he looked down at his bandaged hand and caught a glimpse of white skin. even looking at it hurt. he winced. then caught himself. they mustn't see me.

he heard a child laugh.

little eli. he wondered if his son was still a child.

"miriam, i went to see the priest today. he said..."

"i know."

and she'd touched the bundle on the table without another word.

he stopped the tear before it could form in his left eye.

miriam had come the other day. he'd just managed to make out her shadow on the floor of the cave. she'd said that if he could try, maybe they could be a family again. he could stop shouting "unclean" when he walked the streets. maybe he could... see his face again.

he peered again. the crowd was overwhelming. how many "unclean"s did he have to shout this time?

and then he saw him. the one with the face that was both determined and kind. and at that moment, he knew that miriam was right. he had to try.

he drew himself up, ignoring the pain that shot through his body as he did, and wobbled to meet him. he knelt down and bowed his head as the crowd grew silent first, then began to murmur. "A leper," the murmurs said.

"Lord," he whispered, his voice trembling. he felt the crowd retreat. he swallowed, and his throat burned. he'd forgotten to shout "unclean". but the sandalled feet never moved. his knees hurt from kneeling.

"If you are willing," If, he thought. if you are willing. "You can make me clean."

he held his breath as the crowd fell silent. still, he fixed his eyes on the sandalled feet.

then he felt a hand on his shoulder. the crowd gasped. it was forbidden to touch a leper.

he looked up into gentle eyes, and his Lord said,

"I am willing. Be clean."

and suddenly the hand on his shoulder was light. he raised his own involuntarily, and for once his bandages were the only white he saw. he tried to speak, tried to thank the man, but his voice wouldn't speak the words that his mouth formed. the man smiled, put a finger to his lips in a motion of silence and said,

"don't tell anyone. but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

he got up and ran the way he could run 10 years ago.

and so it was that the nameless leper came to call upon the book of Leviticus of the Jews.