As Seth plowed through the crowd and into the street, he heard his father telling the mourners, “You may all . . . go home. We don’t need your services.”

We don’t need your services?

Could this be? Could it be that they didn’t need the mourners because there was nothing to mourn?

Seth ran past three houses, then turned toward the lake and passed five more. “Rebekah,” he called breathlessly as he reached the small house. “Rebekah. Do you have any soup? My mother needs some right away.”

Without asking questions, the neighbor ladled some of her soup into a small clay vase so it wouldn’t spill. She handed it to him. Seth half walked, half ran back to his house.

In the courtyard, Jesus was speaking with his parents. There was Eli too —standing apart, his face anxious, straining to hear what was being said. Mother looked at Seth and pointed toward his room.

He dashed inside. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw something that didn’t seem real. There sat Talitha.

“I’m starved,” she said. “Is that soup?”

Seth couldn’t speak. He stared at her. He knelt by her pallet and handed her the soup. He watched as she took the vase and peered inside. “Any lizards?”

Seth shook his head.

“Any dirt? Or dead bugs?”

He shook his head again.

She put the vase to her lips and tipped it up. A few moments later she smacked her lips. “Mmm! Mother didn’t make this, did she?”

Seth still couldn’t find his voice. He shook his head. Was he dreaming this? Would he wake up in a minute to the sounds of the mourners wailing? Would he wake to find he really did have a room with no sister?

“It’s good, but not as good as Mother’s,” Talitha said, looking at him. “I’m so hungry. I feel like I haven’t eaten in . . . forever. How long have I been asleep?”

Seth shrugged his shoulders.

“What are you staring at?” Talitha asked between sips.

Seth kept staring. His heart thumped. It jumped. It felt like maybe it was dancing. Now his insides were alive, but his outsides seemed dead.

“Do you want some? Is that why you’re staring?” she said.

Seth shook his head. A smile started slowly and then grew bigger. His voice finally woke up. “Are you feeling better?”

Talitha lowered the vase and closed her eyes. A smile like he’d never seen took over her face. “I feel so perfect,” she said, her voice soft. “A man was in here. He spoke to me, and it was like he reached into some sort of darkness and called to me. His hand sent a . . . a kind of power through me.”

She opened her eyes and looked at her brother. “Seth, I don’t know what happened. I remember being so, so sick. I felt so awful, so weak, and so hot. And then I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. I couldn’t breathe. I thought I stopped breathing. I thought everything just stopped.”

“Then what?” Seth asked.

She frowned. “I don’t remember anything else.”

She took Seth’s hand. This time he didn’t yank it away. He let her hold it. He wanted her to hold it.

“I feel good, Seth. I feel different. I’m all better.”

“I’m glad,” he whispered.

Now it was Talitha’s turn to stare. “What’s wrong with you? I think you really mean that.” She tilted her head. “Did Mother make you say that?”

Seth gulped. “No.” He looked down at the floor. “I do mean it,” he said, his voice barely audible.

She drank a little more soup, watching him closely.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice squeaking.

“What?”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been so mean to you.”

Talitha dabbed at her mouth with the back of her long tunic sleeve, still watching him.

“I shouldn’t have made you sick with the lizard soup and embarrassed you,” he said.

She nodded, listening intently.

“I still don’t like that you always bother me and my friends.” He swallowed. “But maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to let you listen.” He said it, but he didn’t know if he meant it.

“Seth,” Talitha said. “You are such a pesky little brother.”

Seth couldn’t believe it. His sister thought he was a pest?

“But I still like you anyway,” Talitha said and then tipped the vase to get the last of the soup. “Let’s go outside. I think I hear Eli’s voice.”

“Now there’s a pest,” Seth mumbled, feeling like his whole self was returning to normal.

“What do you mean?” Talitha asked, defensive.

Seth grinned. “He’s been here every day asking about you. He’s been very worried.”

Talitha stood. To Seth’s surprise, she didn’t even wobble.

“Do you need help?” Seth asked.

She shook her head. “No. It’s so odd. I’ve never been so sick and gotten better so completely and so fast.”

“Maybe it’s not so odd,” Seth said as they walked through the door. “Rabbi Jesus touched you.”

Talitha looked at him, questions in her eyes. “That was Jesus?” Her eyes scanned the courtyard. “Where is he?”

Seth looked around but didn’t see him.

“Talitha!” Eli said, approaching quickly. “Are you sure you’re well? Should you be walking about?”

“Why does everyone treat me like I just came back from the dead?” Talitha said.

Seth watched the adults exchange glances.

“You were . . . very sick,” her mother answered.

Seth wondered why they didn’t tell her. She had been dead. The wonder of it swept through him again. Then, without warning, he said, “I missed you while you were sick.”

“No you didn’t,” Talitha said.

“So did I,” Eli told her.

“Of course you did,” Talitha said and then shyly looked away at the ground.

“Where did Jesus go?” Seth asked.

His father looked out the courtyard gates, his voice far away. “I don’t know.”

“He told us to speak of this to no one,” his mother added, looking directly at Seth.

“Why?” Seth asked, confused.

“He didn’t say,” his father answered. “But it’s clear we must obey.”

Seth nodded. He remembered what the disciple said: “He’s not a show.”

“Can we talk about it to each other?” Seth asked.

His parents looked at each other. “I think so,” his father answered.

Eli pulled his robes around him. “If people knew what happened, there would be masses following him, tugging on him, wanting his attention. He would have no peace.”

“Did he . . .” Seth began, looking at Talitha.

The adults nodded.

“Did he what?” Talitha demanded.

Mother moved to Talitha’s side and put her arm around her. “Sweetie . . . you were dead.”

Talitha’s knees gave way, and Mother held her up. “No . . . but . . . no!” the girl’s voice came out in a whisper.

“You were dead,” Father said. “But Jesus touched you, called to you, and you came back to life.”

“But how?” Talitha asked.

Father knelt in front of her. “Jesus loved you. I could see it in his eyes. I could feel it in his voice.” Tears began to trickle down his face, and he didn’t even try to wipe them away. “I thought I couldn’t go on if you were dead.” He reached over, grabbed Seth’s hand, and looked him in the eye. “If either of you was dead. I love you that much. But this Jesus —his love is even stronger somehow.”

“I thought I was in the presence of God Himself,” Mother said. She clapped her hand over her mouth and looked to the sky. Then she took her hand away. “Please, God. I mean no blasphemy. This rabbi Jesus is from You. He must be.”

Eli nodded, his voice barely audible. “Perhaps . . . Jesus is the Messiah.”

At that moment, before anyone could speak, two faces peered around the wall. “Can we come in?” Joshua asked.

“Of course,” Seth’s father said, standing and quickly wiping the tears from his eyes. “Come on, Joshua.”

“We wanted to —” When Joshua saw Talitha, his mouth stayed open. His eyes grew wide and he stopped so fast that David ran into him.

David scowled at Joshua. “What’s your prob —” When he saw Talitha, his mouth also stayed open and his eyes grew wide.

“But you . . . you . . .” David said, pointing at Talitha. He turned to Seth. “What kind of joke is this? You lied to us to make us feel bad, didn’t you?” he accused.

Seth shook his head. “I didn’t tell you anything,” he reminded him. “Anything you know, you heard from somebody else.”

David looked from Seth to Talitha and back. He looked terribly confused.

Joshua’s look of astonishment changed to realization. His grin grew wide. “Jesus” was all he said.

David’s eyes narrowed. “Jesus keeps touching unclean things. My father won’t be happy to hear about this.” He turned and walked out the gate.

“This is . . .” Joshua started and then hesitated. “This is so great! My father is going to love this! Was Peter the fisherman here?”

Seth’s father spoke. “I think so.”

Talitha wrinkled her nose. “I thought I smelled fish.”

“I don’t want to be rude,” Joshua said. “But I really think I should go talk to my father. He thinks Jesus is someone special. Maybe even the Messiah. Would it be okay if I leave?”

“Go ahead,” Seth’s father said.

“I’m glad you aren’t sick anymore, Talitha,” Joshua called. “Really I am.” Waving, he ran out the gate.

“I’m sure we’ll have more visitors,” Seth’s mother said. “I’d better go prepare a feast.”

“You may have one of my lambs,” Eli offered. “I’ll go prepare it now.”

“I’ll help,” Seth’s father said, and the two men strode away quickly.

Talitha turned to Seth. “You know what?”

Seth shook his head. He still couldn’t believe any of this was real.

“I’m glad you’re my brother. And I’ll miss you when I get married.”

“You’ll only be on the other side of town,” Seth said. “We can still get together.”

“I’ll have you over for stew,” she teased.

“I’ll practice Torah with you.”

Her eyes lit up. “Would you really? Eli has said he isn’t opposed to me learning all I wish. So you and I can learn together.” She paused. “If you want.”

“Maybe not all the time,” Seth said. “I mean, I’m glad you’re my sister, but I still don’t want you bugging me every day.”

“Do you think your friends would come back if I talked to them and promised to leave you alone?” Talitha asked. “I mean it. I won’t bother you.”

“I don’t think one of them wants me for a friend.” He frowned. “I think the other one might not care as long as you weren’t always around.”

Talitha threw her arms around Seth, giving him a quick hug. “Oh,” Seth said, “and not too much of that stuff either.”

Talitha laughed. She reached over and ruffled his curls. “Let’s go tell Mother we’re not going to fight anymore.”

“Well, not most of the time,” Seth said, and smiled.