by Susan Lowry
Soon a red glow was cast over their faces.
Sitting cross-legged on the beach, Kate breast-fed Ben, while the flames blazed high above them. The heat was strong, but Sarah kept nurturing the hungry fire with denser logs until the entire shoreline of Moonstone was bright and the freezing air was smoky and filled with crackling sounds.
Rose finally settled beside Kate. “I think this is a mistake,” she said, with her delicate brow creased.
“Sarah,” Kate warned, “you’ve gotten the fire big enough now. No more logs, okay?”
“Shhh! Do you realize we are the only humans in the entire fucking universe?” Sarah pressed.
Kate looked at Rose who was normally the theatrical one among them; she had no trouble envisioning Rose the actor, Rose the celebrity. But Rose was not herself lately and neither was Sarah.
And now Sarah was the performer, and Rose – despite her deeply ingrained superstitions – had become so absorbed in Sarah’s weird choreography that she wore an unrestrained smile, watching Sarah dance like a monkey around the fire, chanting; her face concealed beneath the generous hood of her cape.
“Billions of spirits be with us,
Billions of spirits awake,
Blend your strength for Travis,
Lend your powers for him to take.”
Leaping spears of fire pierced the cold night, higher and higher above them. The reflection across the water was brighter than the moon. Sarah raised her arms and shouted, her voice echoing back to them from the trees on the opposite shore.
“Now they know we still exist,
That we are alive!”
Ben who was back in his carrier began to wail and Kate was about to pick him up but instead he found his thumb – it was the first time. He whined wearily for a while and then fell back asleep between Kate and Rose.
Sarah’s hood dropped from her head and the crackling heat shimmered over her long reddish-brown hair. She straightened her tall body, spread her arms and tilted her face to the stars. “Please ancestors, send healing energy to Travis.” Then she seemed satisfied that she had done enough and sat on the ground opposite Kate and Rose pulling up her hood again.
At this desperate moment in their lives appeasing Sarah’s fantasies seemed the least they could do for her. And besides, the drama was a diversion; it felt as if Sarah had cast a spell over all of them. Whatever magic she had performed, Kate was suddenly filled with hope, wanting it to be true so desperately that the assistance of invisible forces Sarah thought she’d awakened seemed possible.
The heat was becoming intense. Kate shuffled backward several feet in the sand. She shielded Ben by sliding his carrier behind her and with bent knees huddled behind her soft jeans to protect her face.
Then, at Sarah’s prompting, the women began a concentrated ping and their minds began to merge. The smoky air was suddenly filled with the incense of the earth and the lake. The sizzling explosions popping from the fiery wood were an instrumentation improvised by the spirits. The flashes of red and orange flickering through the thin veil of their eyelids were cosmic magic.
Something different was happening to all of them. Together they felt adrenaline flowing through them which was sparked by an energy source they hadn’t had available to them before and was seeping into every pore from all around. Their nerves buzzed with the influx of it, each of their cells were charged with this intense, live power which they could direct on to Travis.
They had attracted a powerful assembly of spiritual ancestors and the healing energy was there to draw for Travis. Kate was completely engrossed, barely aware of the fuming, scorching, blaze – until, the spell was abruptly broken by a long, high-pitched scream which bounced off the wall of forest on the far shores, and ricocheted back to them.
Kate’s eyes shot open to find a streak of fire following Sarah as she jumped to her feet and away from the blaze. “Shit! Shit!!! Christ! Oh… Christ!!!” she screamed.
There were flames climbing up Sarah’s linen pants and rising from the fringe of her cape.
Kate sprung from the sand. “Roll!!” she screamed, and without a moment to think, she ripped the blanket from sleeping Ben and dove on top of her sister.
Chapter Twenty- Three
Melding of Minds
(October 31st, Year Two, PA, Early Morning)
Lucy grabbed the sink, nearly passing out when that purple line appeared on the strip from the pregnancy test Christopher had discretely handed her. It, and the gaunt, pale face in the mirror, didn’t lie. She stared at the bruises beneath her eyes and her perspiring forehead concerned that her body was screaming for rest.
The thought that she’d abused her own miraculous fetus at less than four weeks old made her want to vomit again. To continue to hurt it now that she had no doubt it was growing inside of her was wrong and she knew it; but Lucy was the only person alive with the unique ability to save Travis, who had rescued her from death three times.
How could she choose between him and her child, when he’d taken her pain and drawn it into him? Only now did she understand the impact that would have had on his small body. It must have nearly killed him. He was such a brave child and why he had suffered so greatly for her, she could not understand. But he deserved her help.
Travis was succumbing to infection and Jack — who Lucy trusted as a wonderful doctor and surgeon — had done everything he could. It wasn’t his fault they were about to lose Travis. But Lucy was left with no choice but to try harder.
Kevin was wiping her forehead with a cool cloth. She had passed out again. Travis was fading, the infection spreading in his bloodstream and his organs were beginning to shut down. The drugs were not enough. She hadn’t needed a diagnosis from Jack to know how badly off he was. She could feel he was on the edge.
But her body was weakening too and she had no doubt she had pushed herself to her limits. It couldn’t have been more obvious that if she didn’t cut herself off from Travis immediately, both of them were going to die.
Kevin felt her forehead and shouted for Jack. Christopher was there too, looking so bewildered. She had been hiding the extent of her battle for Travis and now she barely had the strength to explain to them what she needed of them.
She glanced at Kevin on one side of the bed, Christopher on the other, and Jack at her feet and then she peered into Kevin’s eyes. “I need Jack,” she whispered.
Jack put his large palms over her hand and shook his head, “Lucy, whatever it is you are doing… you have the same symptoms as Travis. I’m afraid, if you don’t —”
“Please listen to me…” She was shocked at how hard it was to speak, barely able to make a sound. Jack put his head closer. “I need both of you to contact the women… make them connect with us, and to Travis. We need to do this together… understand?”
Jack gazed over at Christopher and then back at her. “It’s pinging Travis that’s done this to you, isn’t it?” Jack said. “You’re taking on his illness… but it isn’t working Lucy. You’ve got to stop.”
Lucy tried to speak, but coughed instead. Then finally she managed, “Travis did it for me… But maybe all of you… together. Please try.”
Chris squeezed her other hand. “We don’t want to lose you pumpkin, neither one of you. It’s going to be okay; we know what to do now.”
She managed a smile. He really did care about her.
“Rest for a few moments until we prepare ourselves,” he said.
Lucy nodded, and closed her eyes. Christopher would figure out what needed to be done now. “Hurry,” she said.
***
“Back off already! It’s just a little swollen.”
“That is burnt,” Kate insisted, pointing to a particularly worrisome spot. She had helped Sarah tear off her scorched and melted pants before the three of them ran with Ben to Sarah’s cottage. “Where’s your antibiotic cream?”
“Oh Jesus… in there somewhere. But fuck Kate… I doubt it will do anything!”
“This is goin
g to be a trend with you, isn’t it Sarah? I’d forgotten what you can be like!” Kate retorted, pulling out drawers.
Rose needed them to stop arguing. She felt so strange. That voice had become increasingly persistent again and it wasn’t a good time for that. She couldn’t deal with any more confusion. It was in her head at that very moment. She tried to push it away again, as she’d been doing since Travis’ accident. At any other time it would have been welcomed, but now, she just wished she could find an off switch.
“Oh my God!” Kate cried suddenly from the bathroom.
“What is it now?!” Rose forced herself to focus. She was imploding, like a leaky balloon.
“Sit beside me!” Kate ordered, rushing over to the couch.
It took a second before Rose understood. Jack and Chris, and then Lucy had begun to enter her mind now too. And suddenly Rose realized how dangerously debilitated Lucy had become – she was preparing to sacrifice her life if they could not help her save Travis!
***
Travis comprehended everything now.
He was floating in a boundless cocoon filled only with peace. First, he observed Lucy, whose arm reached out to his hospital bed to touch him. He saw the astronaut squeezing her hand, his brow crumpled and his jaw tight. Kevin, glassy-eyed, tossed another crumpled and soggy tissue onto a growing heap at the foot of his bed. Jack stood beside Kevin, composed, but wracked with grief deep inside of him.
For a while Travis was hesitant, but then he lifted higher, hovering above his body, looking down on their heads, savouring every detail for the last time.
Effortlessly, he drifted to Ben, Kate, Rose and Sarah, stirring them deep in their souls as they sensed his presence. He would love them eternally. But, he was being called and then he was soaring away from the gravitational pull of the earth past limitless entities and onward into space.
Chapter Twenty- Four
Shocking Revelations
(November 7th, Year Two, PA)
Jack finally squeezed past the over-bed table and walked over to the bedroom door.
“He slept all night?” he inquired, peering into Rose’s weary eyes. She had been waiting outside the room.
“I heard him stir a few times… but by the time I got there he was sleeping again.” She looked like she was going to cry again.
“What about this morning?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No… nothing.”
Jack lowered his head. “All right, keep your spirits up Rose. This is often how it goes with head trauma. It’s still too early to tell, okay?”
“I know,” she said bravely.
Jack tapped Rose’s stomach gently. “We’ll try again one day. When you aren’t so stressed.” He touched her chin and turned away.
“And remember what we told you. We’re all here when you need help Rose, so… no need to be working yourself into exhaustion. Understand?”
She nodded. “I do.”
***
“Wake up son. Rose needs to give you your breakfast.”
The voice was unfamiliar to Travis and he didn’t know anyone named Rose. Where was his mother? He wanted to wake up so he could look for her… but he couldn’t. He was too sleepy.
Then he heard the man’s voice again.
“Can’t wait for his pills any longer I’m afraid… Travis!” he said firmly.
Travis was scared. It hurt to open his eyes. It hurt to move his body. He rocked his head from one side and then to the other, and suddenly he was on a dark ride, spinning out of control, he was going to spin right off into space. He groaned and that hurt too, and then he began to thrash until someone grasped him tight and made him hold still.
His leg was in a cast supported by a sling a foot above the mattress. It was blue with drawings all over it from different coloured markers. On the top part was a red heart with the name Lucy inside of it.
Travis was breathing so fast his lungs stung but he couldn’t help it. He fixated on Jack, now recognizing the man’s face and remembering his name. Jack had been there before.
The woman was beside him again, holding his sweaty hand. “It’s just me dear. Why don’t you eat some cereal for Rose?”
She had been there when he woke up and he remembered she’d fed him. He saw her scooping brown sugar on top of some oatmeal on a tray beside him. His breathing slowed and after a moment he nodded.
“Here honey, the button. Raise your bed up like you did before. There you go! Sweet boy.”
Travis looked at the plastic device she had placed in his palm and pressed where she showed him. The mattress slowly lifted. It made him dizzy and his stomach sick. When everything settled a bit, he moved his left arm to take the spoon from the woman, saw the cast, and wiggled his fingers.
The woman turned to the man who was standing by the door. “You see Jack, he knows.”
“Good boy Travis. You are going to be just fine… son.”
***
They both went inside and Kevin immediately put some logs in the fireplace. It was the first time it had been used since Lucy had moved in to her own cottage. She had stayed at Kate’s house for the few days it took until she was strong enough to go home. Now she was trying to warm herself with a blanket pulled up to her chin.
Finally Kevin sat beside her on the couch. The fire was going nicely and he enjoyed that smoky scent on his sweater.
“Look at you,” Lucy said. “You’ve still got scratches all over your arms from when you rescued Travis.”
Kevin glanced at his wrist where Lucy was holding him. “You should eat something,” he said.
“Kate gave me dinner already. I’m too cold and tired to think of food, but please help yourself if you’re hungry.”
“Yeah, well Kate told me you’ve barely been eating. And you’re way too skinny. Do you have anything in the kitchen?”
He peeked inside her freezer and Lucy had nearly drifted off when he returned with a plate of rice and beans that he was grateful to be able to quickly reheat in the microwave.
“You’re a good cook,” he grinned, with his mouth full. Lucy stared at the food drowsily.
“Do I have to feed you?” he grumbled impatiently, lifting a fork full of the spicy dish to her mouth.
“Stop it,” she said with a quiet laugh, taking the bite, catching some falling crumbs, and then grabbing the fork from him.
The warm dinner felt good to Kevin and by pretending to tease her, he managed to get Lucy to take several more bites. Neither of them spoke until Kevin had put the empty plate down on the coffee table.
He leaned against the opposite end of the couch with his hands behind his head. “What kind of child are we going to have Lucy?”
Lucy giggled. “How do I know?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
She offered him only a shrug and an unrevealing stare, which made him angry.
“Kevin, let’s not go there right now, not with all of us still so worried about Trav. I can tell how exhausted you are. You really aren’t in a good state, are you? Let’s save such conversations for when we’re both feeling better.”
Kevin sat up. “Well, if I’ve lost my mind I’m not going to make a very good father.”
“Oh Kevin… You haven’t lost your mind. I thought you said I needed my rest.”
“Go to bed then. I’m pretty tired too, but with so much confusing shit going on that needs clarifying… I doubt I’ll –”
“All right!” she shouted. She looked away, almost ashamed and definitely anxious. He was waiting. Finally, she gazed at him with a soft look of pity and said gently, “I’m just not sure you’re ready.”
Kevin fell back into the cushion again and crossed his arms. “I’m ready,” he mumbled.
She let her head roll to the side of her pillow, looking at him through slits. He didn’t care how exhausted she was; they needed to get this out in the open once and for all.
“I think you’ve figured it out all by yourself darling,” she said.
If what he had been thinking was true then he needed to hear it in words. He stared at her with his blood beginning to boil, expecting a better explanation than that.
“Listen to me darling. This whole thing has got you terribly confused and I’m so sorry about that. I thought it would be obvious after what happened; but you still don’t quite get it, do you? Not completely.”
“Then why don’t you just straighten me out. After all I’ve done; don’t you think you at least owe that to me Lucy?”
“I don’t blame you for being angry. Everything must have been frightening for you. But, please don’t be so suspicious of us. I told you before, we’re all good people and I was telling the truth, you’re among friends. Do you get that?”
Kevin raised his brows impatiently.
“But we’re different,” she confessed.
He meant to laugh but it came out more like a squeak. He bit his lower lip hard.
Lucy sat up and peered at him with soft, pale-blue eyes. “How do you think we knew Travis was hurt? How did we find each other after the plague?”
“You tell me?”
“Well… how do you think?”
Okay, he would play her game. “Um… was it telepathy?”
“You see! You do know.”
He opened his mouth but whatever he was going to say vanished from his brain. There had to be more to what she was trying to tell him; he wasn’t getting it. He studied her earnest features, rubbing the long stubble on his chin.
She continued wearily. “I suppose that must be a little difficult for someone like you to accept; even now, after you’ve had so much time to mull it over. Even after you’ve seen the truth. I understand Kevin, and I’m truly sorry. It was never possible to get anyone to believe me back in the old days. I guess I’m just not good at explaining it.”