by Susan Lowry
He stopped talking for a moment and then added. “It makes me shudder to say this… but, if his immune system is compromised, there’s a real possibility the plague could be reactivated.” He took a deep breath.
They were both silent for a long while. Kate stared out at the rising dawn unable to get back to sleep. She thought Jack had drifted off and was surprised that he suddenly continued as if there had been no lull in conversation.
“But, if I think he can handle it – I’ll operate. The boy deserves a functioning leg,” he said.
Kate rolled on her side and peered into his eyes, “I know you’re doing your best Jack. Whatever happens, I will always know that.”
He pushed the heels of his palms against his temples with a weighty sigh. “We’ll move him to the hospital tomorrow. How do you feel about assisting me in surgery? I’d like you to. He needs what’s called a flexible intramedullary rod. You screw it right into the bone to keep it aligned and stabilized. Get some rest. We both need it.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Surgery
(October 28th, Year Two, PA)
Lucy suddenly realized that for a while now, Chris and Sarah had been so completely silent, she hadn’t heard a sigh from either one of them. They were resting at the other end of the infirmary on cots. She remembered that Kevin had gone home without saying a word to her – perhaps an hour ago – but could not recall when the others had left.
She painfully slid to her feet and crept out of the infirmary, returning with a third cot which she wheeled beside the boy. Then, stretching out on the thin mattress, she watched him for a moment, eventually allowing her lids to close.
Sensing the morning light, Lucy abruptly sat up and gazed at Travis. His bruises and puffy eyes had worsened. Standing close, she placed a palm over the gauze on his forehead, another on his cheek attempting to focus. Her head began to throb and the muscles in her legs seemed to have no strength. Her hands slid from the boy as she glanced over at the tap.
She started across the room, passing the computer which was still emitting an audible hum and did not stop at the sink. Instead, she rushed out of the infirmary down to the end of the hallway where a shaft of sunlight fell across the patterned rug. She swayed precariously around the corner and continued to stagger down the corridor.
Upon Lucy’s return, she found Christopher waiting by the window. His hand, which shielded his eyes from the sun, appeared to have eight fingers instead of four – in fact, everything she looked at had double lines, as if she’d just sloshed back three shots of vodka one after the other. She swallowed, and leaned against the wall.
His deep voice was spoken almost in a whisper.
“You’re going to need to go easier on yourself from now on,” he said.
Her throat was as dry as a bone. She puckered her lips preparing to speak but he continued.
“No matter how bad things get for Travis, you have to protect your own health first.”
Lucy just wanted to get back into the room where she could lie down for a bit and he was in her way. Her response was intentionally sharp but unexpectedly croaky, “What would you like me to have done Christopher, abandon Travis when he needs me the most? I’m the only one with the ability to reach him the way he needs.”
“I understand that Lucy, but you don’t want to miscarry – now do you?”
Still propped against the wall, she let her head hang and gazed at the ground, processing what he’d just alleged, suddenly shivery with the dampness of her sweat. Then she laughed. “You think I’m pregnant.”
“I wouldn’t have said it otherwise Lucy.” Christopher glanced over his shoulder toward the infirmary door as if he didn’t want Sarah to hear.
“Oh, I see… because I was just sick? You didn’t notice what I’ve been doing for the last twelve hours I assume; no, because you were too fucking busy arguing with Kevin, weren’t you? You are so not connected Christopher. And you barely understand a single thing about me.”
She pushed past him and made her way to the sink, where she breathlessly sipped some water.
***
Back at the infirmary, after only a couple of hours rest, Jack shone his penlight into the boy’s pupils while Lucy watched, flat-out on the cot beside him. Jack wished he could have been better prepared for this. He would keep trying different batches of drugs but there was no way to tell which of them, if any, would be effective.
“What do you think,” Chris said, after Jack had spent some time assessing the boy.
Jack sighed, “He’s running a moderate fever; which is not a good sign at this point, but, it could go either way.”
“What about the leg?” Chris inquired.
Jack put his stethoscope over the boy’s heart for another listen and then gazed at Travis intensely. “We should move him now, while he’s still reasonably stable. We’ll prepare for surgery and hope his condition doesn’t deteriorate further. He might have a fighting a chance and at the very least I think he’s better off at the hospital anyway.”
“He hasn’t stirred once.” Sarah had come over from her cot and stood beside Christopher.
“I know Sarah. But, we have to deal with one thing at a time. We’re going to do everything we can for him,” Jack reassured.
“The device I need is at the hospital. I want you there, assisting – if you can.” He stared at both of them wondering if they could handle such an operation.
Christ had been somewhat obstinate when they were examining that corpse back in July. It had been odd behaviour for an astronaut, he’d thought, and he certainly needed cooperation in a situation as serious as this.
Sarah, who had obviously read him wrong, glanced briefly at her belly which was still completely flat, and then straightening, tall and graceful, she fixed her green eyes on Jack with the same determined look he’d seen so often in Kate, “I have no fears of the operating room,” she asserted.
“Oh, and I have no doubt you’re a natural. That was evident when you helped with Kate. This will be a little more graphic and intense that you are used to, but you’re a strong woman Sarah and I’m sure you’ll do fine,” he said, placing his hand encouragingly on her shoulder.
Chris’ brow creased and he gave Sarah a questioning shrug.
“Given your accomplishments Chris, I have no doubt you can do anything,” Jack said. That incident at the morgue had likely been some uncommon quirk in his personality and he decided to dismiss it.
“But, we’ve got to get a move on,” Jack insisted. “I want everyone at the hospital as soon as possible.”
***
(Hospital in Hunters Falls)
Lucy had decided to comply with everyone’s wishes and was resting in a nearby waiting room during the surgical preparations. Having done all she could for Travis for now, her faith had turned fully to Jack. It was odd to see Christopher going by earlier in scrubs. And Kevin as well; he still had not spoken to her. But he was with the others in the operating room now, part of their team.
Still reclined on the couch, Lucy was taking a sip of water from a plastic bottle, when Sarah peered at her from the doorway. “Lucy, we need you sweetie.”
She jumped to her feet and followed her back down the hall. Jack and Christopher were moving busily around the operating room and Rose stood just beyond the door with a white cap over her hair and a mask covering her mouth and nose. Her big brown eyes smiled at Lucy. “Travis is waking up dear,” she said gently, “But he’s terribly confused though, and, we’re going to put him under soon.”
“Oh Travis!” Lucy cried, and Christopher got out of her way as she rushed to his side.
“Calmly, Lucy,” Jack cautioned.
“Travis, how are you feeling?” Lucy said soothingly.
He appeared to be asleep again. “Travis? It’s Lucy.”
At the sound of her voice he opened his eyes and slowly scanned the room without looking at her or saying a word. She took his hand and smiled. “Trav, I’m so happy you’re awake.”
>
He glanced at the cast on his arm and then the IV needle taped to the top of his other hand, and finally over at Jack. Lucy could see that he was overcome with fear.
“It’s okay Travis! Jack’s going to fix your leg. And then you’ll be fine!”
Travis winced, and a tear came down his cheek while his eyes darted from one person to the next.
“He doesn’t like you wearing those hospital scrubs… or, or this room… he doesn’t understand!” Lucy cried. “Don’t be afraid Travis, we’re going to make you better!”
She was trying to ping him but he was too panicked to listen and then Jack came over and cupped his large palm over the boy’s cheek. “You’re going to be just fine son,” he soothed. “In a few minutes you won’t feel any pain at all. I promise you that.”
Chapter Twenty-T wo
The Bonfire
(October 30th, Year Two, PA)
Kate drove Rose and Sarah home from the hospital mostly in silence. The headlights probed the endless darkness along the highway and the universe loomed heavily down on them. Not far from their cut-off to Moonstone, Rose finally began to nod off beside her, while Sarah had passed out in the backseat along with Ben, soon after the car started moving.
Through the bumpy stretch Rose’s head dangled from her neck, swaying gracefully with each jolt. Sarah’s jaw sagged open and once she had snored so loudly she’d woken herself up. But now she seemed oblivious to the world.
The tires crunched over gravel as Kate guided the van to the back of Rose’s cottage and shut down the engine. She wished that Lucy had come home with them too, but the poor girl had a tragic yearning to safeguard dear Travis in utter disregard for her own wellbeing.
She’d flatly refused to rest – even after Kevin had literally dragged her away from Travis’ bedside and forced her to lie down in a separate room. But nothing they did or said would dissuade her and they had finally given up.
Now as Kate sat outside Rose’s cottage everyone seemed so peaceful that she hated to disturb them and besides an overwhelming fatigue had pinned her to the seat. Leaning back against the headrest the scuffle of dead leaves here and there in the gusty night provided an unexpected solace.
It had been agonizing. And yet, the fate of her precious Travis was still undetermined; the anguish of not knowing was like a mammoth question mark on her soul.
The temperature must have dropped fifty degrees overnight – back to what it had been weeks ago. The weather seemed to get more unpredictable with each passing day. But, it felt uncharacteristically right for autumn at the moment.
Kate pulled her sweater tight around her and nudged Rose. “Come on… both of you – inside where it’s warm.”
Rose moaned as she let her seatbelt snap off of her. Kate stepped outside and opened the back door to get Ben. She watched Sarah stumble to her feet, zombie-walk to the trunk and pull out some bags.
Picking a few of them up and starting for her steps, Rose mumbled groggily. “I’ll drop my stuff and follow you back to your place… if you don’t mind.”
Kate suddenly felt bad she hadn’t invited her in the first place. “Of course, stay with us as long as you want sweetie,” she encouraged.
Squeezing into the small back entrance, Rose wearily dropped her bag beside Snowy’s cage, and stepped out of their way, making room for Sarah, and then for Kate to carry Ben into the kitchen. She suddenly remembered to turn on the light for them.
“I just think we’d be better off together, tonight,” Rose said as Kate put Ben down in his seat. “Jack and Chris are about as useless as we are when it comes to understanding anything other than the simplest pings. And, Lucy – poor girl, we won’t be getting anything from her tonight, my dears. But if we have each other we might have a better chance of figuring out what’s going on.”
Sarah, who was crouching down by Ben now, spoke softly so as not to waken him, “Chris said he was going to set up the short wave radio for crap like this. It sure would have helped.”
Rose nodded. “But, we’ve all been so swamped. And, we’ve got this,” she said, flicking on the overhead light in Snowy’s room. “At least that’s something.”
She turned back towards the door. “Poor Snowy will need some fresh water and food before I –”
Kate wondered why Rose had suddenly stopped talking and why she was peering inside the cage in such a strange way.
“What’s wrong?” muttered Kate and Sarah simultaneously.
Rose opened the cage door, put her hand inside and gasped. “Oh no! Snowy?”
Kate’s heart jumped as she and Sarah went over to the cage.
Rose now had a lifeless cockatiel in her hands and was smoothing his feathers. “Oh Snowy, I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you.” She peered up. “I think he’s dead.”
“No he can’t be,” Kate cried. The universe couldn’t possibly be so cruel to let this happen now. She let Rose slip Snowy’s stiff body into her hands and the three of them stared at him, but he didn’t move.
“Oh Snowy,” Sarah bleated.
“He’s meant everything to Travis,” Kate lamented, not mentioning that, had it not been for discovering Snowy in her neighbour’s home, she might have given up altogether, believing that there wasn’t a living soul in the world left alive – far before Travis’ pings had begun to make any sense to her.
Rose suddenly sobbed, “Travis can’t know about this! When he wakes up… we can’t —” She shook her head, squeezed past Kate and rushed into the other room.
Sarah followed her. “But you can’t blame yourself Rose!”
Kate needed a moment. She cradled Snowy. This was not acceptable; it was utterly unfair and cruel and it would break Travis’ heart.
She carried him from the kitchen and found Sarah and Rose embraced and weeping. Kate stood back, suddenly struck by the reality that Travis was Rose’s fourth child. It would be impossible for her to lose him.
“Rose,” Kate said, “Why don’t we put Snowy in this beautiful container?” She was referring to the ornate ceramic box sitting on top of the tall chest of drawers. “We’ll bring him to my place, and then we can bury him in the morning, sweetie.”
Their exhaustion had been replaced by something far worse and they all agreed they needed to walk to Kate’s house. Rummaging through Rose’s things for warmer clothing, Sarah found a long cape at the back of the closet. Kate pulled a thick wool sweater overtop of the one she was already wearing and Rose put on her fall coat.
They stepped outside into stillness. The wind had died off leaving an unnatural lull and they scarcely noticed the plunging cold. Yet, with each breath, moisture froze in front of their noses. The lake radiated the warm light of an infallible moon and the leaves had settled in piles that softened their steps.
Snowy’s death felt surreal to Kate, like she was drugged or in a gauzy dream. While they walked in silence, Rose carrying the miniature casket, devastated by the death of their only pet – Travis was their real burden, the one they carried in their hearts.
Kate tucked the extra blanket she’d draped over Ben’s carrier close to her baby’s chin. If Travis didn’t make it, at least he would never have to suffer the loss of Snowy. Kate immediately hated herself for having such a horrible thought; why was she losing hope? Travis was more precious than any soul that had walked the earth – and he was a survivor. She just wished her ancestors could have known someone as special.
“Look, there’s the perfect place to bury him.” Kate stopped to feel for a soft spot to dig between the roots. “Snowy would stay in this tree for hours. And it was here that Travis felt safe again, where he got his voice back, remember? We’ll come back in the morning.”
When they began to walk again Sarah took the lead and picked up her speed. Except for the mesmerizing swish of their feet through the leaves, and a random splash rippling over the lake, there was silence.
But suddenly Sarah stopped and Kate bumped into her and then Sarah gazed up at the stars with a sigh.
Rose caught up to Kate and now all three gaped up into the twinkling firmament.
“Well, technically that would not be until tomorrow night, but it’s after midnight, this is the 31st, and that should be good enough,” Sarah whispered.
Rose gave Kate a suspicious glance.
“There are so many spirits lingering around us,” Sarah cried. “I can feel them, millions of them; ever since the plague.”
Kate put Ben’s carrier on the ground and Rose sneezed, once and then twice.
“Bless you,” Kate and Sarah chimed.
Still gazing upward, Sarah spread her arms, palms to the sky, and twirled so that the cape she had borrowed from Rose flared out.
Kate frowned. “Sarah… what are you doing?”
This was not the first time Kate had seen Sarah behave a little strangely. Soon after she’d been reunited with her twin she’d noticed a hint of instability, or something – having been raised by that completely unhinged woman had been a horrible ordeal for her sister. It chilled Kate. Sarah’s life had been monstrously more difficult than Kate’s – who was certain it could not be a genetic thing.
“Why are you looking at me that way? Gather branches and leaves. We have to let the spirits know we need their help. This is a chance to save Travis!”
So this is what grief and exhaustion did to Sarah who loved Travis and Snowy every bit as much as Kate did. But, for whatever reason, perhaps they were just too tired to argue, Kate and Rose went along with her.
Rose began picking up twigs.
“This is ludicrous,” Kate murmured to herself as she searched the wood for kindling.
Sarah chose a perfect spot by the lake where the trees could not catch fire and they could sit in the sand. They piled layers of brushwood until their heap was as high as their shoulders. Finally convinced it was big enough, Sarah pulled out her lighter.