by Susan Lowry
Sarah gasped.
“I believe your sister’s had an accident.”
“Oh no, please tell me she's okay!”
“I think she needs you right away Sarah. Her vehicle overturned. We passed her fifteen minutes up the road. She was in an ambulance on her way to the hospital in Hunters Falls. According to the fellow driving, she needs your blood.”
“I knew it,” Travis said, heading back to the car. “Come on — we’ve got to hurry!”
“We’ll follow you there,” Chris said, rushing back to the truck.
Sarah sped off, watching the truck in her mirror as it turned and caught up.
“Why did she do this?” Travis sobbed.
Sarah was too upset to speak. The hospital was almost thirty minutes away and if Kate needed blood, it must have been bad.
“Travis,” Rose soothed. “We think maybe this had something to do with her hormones dear. Sometimes when women have a baby their body doesn't like all the changes. It makes them very ill. But that doesn’t happen very often.”
“Oh God, look at that!” Sarah bleated. Just before the incline going up the mountain there was a dead animal, it looked like a deer, and tire marks… and there, off the road and down a steep hill in the trees was the motorhome.
Sarah put her hand across her mouth stifling a scream. “Jack must have pulled her out of there.”
“Oh, my Lord,” Rose gasped. “Oh. But, Jack’s a doctor, isn’t he? We have to trust he knows what he’s doing. Oh, I’m praying for you Kate.”
Sarah was having trouble catching her breath. “This is all because of him,” she cried. “But she put on such a brave front. Now that I think of it she was pulling further away from us every day. I should have taken her more seriously.”
Travis stopped sobbing to speak. “It’s all because… none of you know how to ping properly!”
“Ping?” Sarah said, watching the truck following close behind.
“Jack was trying to ping Kate,” he wailed.
“I think you’re right. But, why are you calling it ping?”
“Because, that’s what it’s called! And Jack is the worst at it.”
That was a strange coincidence. But Sarah had enough to deal with at the moment. As she turned the corner and looked down on Hunters Falls she could see the hospital near the center of town.
“Please hang on Kate,” Sarah muttered under her breath. She sped faster down the main street, weaving through the obstacle course of permanently stopped vehicles like a professional racing car driver, and finally pulling into the emergency entrance.
The truck squeezed in not far behind her, and they all jumped out, rushing inside the hospital.
“Jack! Where are you?”
They heard footsteps and he appeared from around the corner at the end of the hall. “In here,” he beckoned.
He led them all to Kate’s room but Chris and Lucy stayed outside. From the open window Sarah heard the noisy generator feeding the lights and a fan, which was oscillating and blowing hot air around.
Sarah rushed to her sister’s side and gazed at her bandaged forehead. There were cuts and bruises on her arms and legs that Jack hadn’t tended to yet. There was blood on the sheets and soaked into a towel. Kate’s eyes were closed and her face all puffy.
“Oh Kate,” she whispered, taking her hand as Travis and Rose gathered closer. Kate glanced up at them for a second but quickly turned her head away.
“Are you alright, Kate?” Travis sobbed.
Jack motioned everyone to follow him back out of the room but Sarah stayed behind for a second. “We’re all here for you sweetie. I'll be back in a minute, okay?” she promised.
Jack was standing in the hall waiting for her. He walked further away from the door and when they’d all congregated around him, he finally spoke.
“I won't know until I do some tests but I think she's better than I first thought. She's been in and out of consciousness and for now she needs to rest. It's best to give her some time alone.”
“But, how bad is the damage — can you tell anything yet?” Sarah demanded.
Jack appeared quite shaken. His dark hair had a twig in it, his face was smudged with dirt, and there were several scrapes on his arms. “There may be some broken bones, possibly some ribs… maybe even internal damage. I think those airbags saved her though. She bit her tongue pretty bad, which seems to be the source of all that blood — I thought it was internal at first… but she may be lucky.”
“Oh, poor thing,” Sarah said taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh of relief.
“Please do everything you can for her,” Rose said, bouncing a fussy Ben in her arms.
“It's a damn good thing she has you Sarah, just in case she needs a transfusion. I’ll test all of you later, for future reference. We just can’t afford to have accidents. There’s only so much I can do.”
“Could you operate if you had to?” Sarah wondered if Jack really was the medical doctor he claimed to be.
“I've got all the equipment I need, here. There's a supply of drugs as well, but they’ll only be good for a while.”
“Well, I'm pleased we’ve got someone like you around, Jack,” Chris piped in. He was standing to the side with Lucy who peered at Jack with big, blue eyes. “Considering how few there are of us — we couldn’t get much luckier than having a doctor on board,” Chris said.
Jack gazed over at him soberly. “I can fix the breaks and the cuts but there’s always a chance of infection. The concussion, we just have to wait.”
“Poor Kate,” Sarah said. “This wasn’t at all like her.”
Jack looked down at his feet. “I hold myself responsible for that.”
He looked up at her, his eyes misty and his voice trembling. “I’ve made quite a few mistakes, I’m afraid.”
Sarah was speechless. Rose peered over at her with a look of astonishment.
Jack cleared his throat and looked away. “My telepathy got out of control. I think she's going to need a while to get over that.”
Sarah glared at him. “What can we do for her?”
“Nothing at the moment. I'm going to keep an eye on her for a bit. Then I'll put a few stitches in her forehead. If you want to help Sarah, I could use an assistant.”
Jack peered over at Chris and Lucy. “There’s a sitting room down the hall with a snack machine. I think some of it might still be good. Help yourselves.” He led them all into the room, hooked up a fan, and then left.
Sarah was still in a daze. She flopped onto the couch and Travis plunked down beside her. Ben had begun to cry, so Rose dug out the bottle of formula from the diaper bag and sat down next to Sarah with him. Returning from the vending machine with several packages of chips and some pop, Chris spread everything out on the coffee table for them. “Dig in,” he said.
Sarah was too upset to think of food. She couldn’t believe she had almost lost her sister. Both Chris and Lucy opened their cans of cola, and while Ben glugged his dinner, Rose peered over at them. “Travis has been very secretive about the two of you, my dears,” she said with a smile.
“Well,” Chris said, placing his can on the table, “I specifically asked Lucy tell the boy not to mention us. There was an awful lot to focus on. It would have been nice to have rushed here, but, that would have been a mistake; didn’t want to be tempted to cut our work short, you know.”
“We were at the Google headquarters in California.” Lucy added, speaking for the first time.
“You were?” Sarah suddenly looked up at the girl.
Chris nodded. “Google digitized everything stored at the Washington Library of Congress — that’s over 500 terabytes worth of data just for the books. There's over two million books sitting in that library — couldn't risk losing any of that information. We also grabbed all of the movies, videos, music, everything we could find. With no maintenance to the building, things could deteriorate. So we made backups.”
Rose beamed. “We’re going to have acces
s to all of that?”
“Of course! There's about thirteen million photographs, four million maps, half a million movies, and approximately three and a half million sound recordings.”
“So that’s what you’ve got in that truck,” Rose grinned.
“Actually, the external disc drives are only taking a small amount of space considering what they are holding — there's a couple hundred of them. We’ve got computers, and servers too. Figured I could set up a network. But, the bulk of it is solar panels. Then of course, there’s wiring, electrical components, breaker switches… stuff like that.”
Sarah was impressed, but her mind was too preoccupied with Kate to get into it.
“Well, I must say, we are awfully lucky you’ve joined us, my dears,” Rose smiled.
“Nobody’s happier than we are about it. Right Lucy?” Chris patted the girl’s knee.
Rose, while still holding the bottle for Ben, gazed over at Lucy. “I hear you and Travis have known each other for a very long time. You’ve been able to, ping each other?” she inquired.
The girl blinked at her with serious blue eyes. “Travis started when he was around two years old. That would be about six years ago. I was ten. Didn’t even have a clue I was telepathic until then. We’re pretty good at it, now. Don’t think anyone in the world understood each other the way we do. We couldn’t wait to meet each other… and we’d planned to soon—”
Travis had covered his face and they all suddenly realized he was sobbing.
“Oh, Travis,” Sarah said, putting her arm around him.
“It’s just that, I — I'm so happy Lucy’s okay,” he said, his whimpers turning into giggles.
“I'm happy too,” Lucy said, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I — I wouldn’t have made it, if it wasn’t for Travis.”
Chris cleared his throat. “It’s true. The boy saved Lucy’s life. More than once, I hear. Long story. There’s lots to catch up on, that’s for sure.”
Sarah got up. She went to the door and peered down the hall. Jack was still out of sight. “Listen,” she said, lowering her voice and gazing over at Chris and Lucy. “I have to warn you both about Jack. He may be a doctor, but he's also a convicted criminal. He was in prison for life. I don't want to go into the details, “she said, peering over at Travis, “but imagine the worst.”
“She’s not kidding,” Rose added, “Well, we’re just going to have to be careful. He can never be left alone with Ben or the other children, if you know what we mean.” She gave Chris a discerning look.
At that moment, Jack seemed to appear out of nowhere. “Kate wants to speak to you Sarah.”
Sarah jumped up. She rushed down the hall and into Kate’s room. “How are you doing sweetie? You had us so worried.”
Kate peered up at her, her green eyes nearly swollen shut. “Oh Sarah. I’m so sorry I scared you. But whatever it was that Jack gave me, I feel a whole lot better now. Except for my tongue. Nearly bit it off.”
Sarah smiled. “Do — do you have anything else wrong with you, uh, besides your tongue sweetie? And this on your head?”
“Yeah, I think I cracked a rib or two. Is Ben okay?”
“Don't worry about him. Rose just finished giving him some formula and he’s sound asleep.”
Kate raised her head and looked toward the door to see if Jack was around. “Listen Sarah,” she slurred, “about Jack. I was so confused.”
“What is it sweetie?”
“It was so… disturbing, I — couldn't handle it.”
Sarah huffed, and peered over at the door. “We know he’s the reason why you were so upset hon, and we don't blame you one bit considering, but now—”
Kate grabbed Sarah’s arm firmly. “Jack was wrongly convicted.”
Poor Kate was so confused that Sarah was suddenly more concerned about her mental state than her physical afflictions. “Sweetie, that can't be right. He told you right to your face he did it.”
“His father abused him,” Kate muttered.
“You mean, sexual abuse?”
Kate nodded. “Evil son of a bitch.”
“You mean—”
“He’s innocent.”
Sarah stared at the bandage on her sister’s forehead wondering how badly her concussion was affecting her. Now she didn’t know what to think.
“I am not out of my mind,” Kate moaned. “He told me telepathically!”
It hurt Sarah to see the pain she was in. All because of that jerk. “But, he said himself, his telepathy sucks. He even admitted it hurt you.”
“I wasn’t letting him. Until a few days. Then I got it… a big blast, all of it at once. It was too much,” Kate mumbled.
Sarah thought of what Travis had said, about Jack pinging Kate. “No wonder you were so depressed,” Sarah sighed.
Kate’s swollen eyes were tearing up. “He’s been so badly treated. That’s why he acts that way.”
Sarah couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Abuse as a child is no excuse for hurting others.”
Kate then glared at her, squeezing painfully tight around Sarah’s wrist. “Do you want proof?”
Suddenly Kate was pinging Sarah, a message that was so disturbing, it felt like a punch in the stomach and Sarah dropped into the chair beside her. But Kate persisted, aware that she had Sarah’s full attention.
It was suddenly evident to Sarah that when two minds met in such a way there was no possibility of distortion, and — aside from holding back the worst of the truths — there was no way to tone it down. Jack’s pain was coming through in all of its horror — the source of which was not solely from the abuse he’d suffered as a boy. Barely at all, in fact. In her core, Sarah felt Jack’s innocence… that he had never purposely hurt anyone. His misery stemmed from his inability to prove it, and the world’s failure to see the virtue in him.
Sarah wanted to cry.
“Sorry,” Kate said wearily. “I had to show you.”
Tears were coming to Sarah’s eyes. Even the abuse she’d experienced from Lillie seemed mild now. It was like living in Disney Land in comparison.
“There’s a lot more, Sarah. He’s a good man.”
Sarah felt completely overwhelmed with the sudden truth. “We’ve been so wrong about him. And he didn’t—” It was going to take a while for the magnitude of what she’d just learned to fully sink in.
“We can discuss it later. Okay?” Kate sighed.
That was probably a good idea given the circumstances. It was obviously too painful for Kate in her condition. And Sarah needed some time to mull things over, it was weird to suddenly have a completely different outlook on Jack.
“Of course sweetie. Just rest now. You know I get it… Jack deserves so much more than what life’s dished out for him. Close your eyes and I’ll stay here with you for a while.”
Kate sighed with relief and let her lids close. Sarah stayed by her side, thinking about what Jack had been through, what not having been believed had done to his spirit.
It must have been half an hour before Sarah heard Jack’s steps and turned to see him entering the room. Kate opened her eyes again.
Gazing at Sarah on his way over to the sink, he took out a package from the cupboard above it. “So what about it Sarah. Do you have steady hands? I figure ten stitches should do it.”
Sarah peered at Kate thoughtfully, finally peeling back the bandage. “Is this going to be, like — plastic surgery?”
“Sort of,” Jack said.
She examined the wound. “We can’t have her scaring, not any more than she already is. She simply refuses to wear makeup.”
Kate rolled her eyes and muttered, “If he’s letting you do it, then I’ll have to start.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The Ping Factor
(July 2nd, Year Two, PA)
Jack was preparing breakfast in the microwave with his back to Kate. She watched him for a moment, the sound of the generator droning outside. He turned to see that she was awake, and smiled.
“You missed being with Ben,” she muttered. Her tongue was worse today. Painful and difficult to move.
“I'm to blame for that. Sending you away pregnant wasn't cool,” he said, wheeling the hospital table over to the bed with her bowl of hot cereal and a box of juice.
“Is Ben okay?”
He slid a chair close to the bed and sat down. She noticed he was more relaxed, his eyes emanating a spark of encouragement and hope. It was a look she’d never seen from him.
His lips curved up slightly as he took her hand. “Ben is just fine, so stop worrying. They’re all fussing over him. You can nurse him tomorrow, if you feel up to it.”
“I’m so sorry Jack. I didn’t let you near him.”
He squeezed her hand gently with his large, warm palm. “Please don't blame yourself,” he said soberly.
“It was so confusing,” she sighed.
Jack sighed too and turned away from her. “I’m just no good with telepathy — of course you were in no state to hear me either, which is also my fault. When Sarah showed up, I — I was afraid she’d judge me like everyone else did. You trusted me — the only one in such a long time. I admit, I was hoping to have you for myself.” He lowered his head.
“Because I saw beneath that anger. I knew. Until, you told me different.” She moved her spoon through her cereal.
“If only I’d—”
“He was so disgusting… your father.” A knot was forming in her throat. “I felt exactly what you did Jack. Exactly. And I'm so sorry.”
“Jesus Kate, I — I should never have put all that on you — but, it was out of control, telepathy can be like a weapon. We both need to learn. I just wanted you to understand.”
She couldn’t deny that it had hurt her terribly. “You couldn’t help it.”
He held both of her hands in his. The muscles in his arms were so strong now. His health had obviously improved over the last year. “It felt like a miracle that day on the beach when I first spotted you Kate. After the hell of prison, and then, all those deaths… but, I sensed you were out there. In my darkest moments. Each step of the way the feeling got stronger. And not only were you real… you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.”