It was only then, gazing at her daughter, so helpless, so transformed by her illness, that Kristin broke and started to cry. ‘She isn’t getting stronger. She’s dying, Vincent.’
Vincent turned his back on her to deflect the truth in her words. ‘And what would you have me do? Even if it keeps her going for a little longer, isn’t that worth something? Hell, you know my beliefs. This is it as far as I’m concerned; there’s no ever after. Every minute is precious.’
‘Not like this. With her in pain. Becoming something else.’ Kristin thought about opening the case and showing him a much better solution to their anguish, but she decided it was the wrong moment. ‘Go get yourself cleaned up. Salty has a kit in the pickup.’
Still running his bandaged hand through Emily’s hair, he paused for thought.
‘Go – before it gets infected. I’ll watch over her.’
Eventually, he got up from the backseat, cradling his new, self-inflicted wound and walked to the other vehicle.
Kristin climbed inside the sedan, wiping her cheeks dry. She lifted Emily’s head onto her lap and the little girl opened her eyes. ‘Mommy?’ The demonic voice was still present, but in her whispered, drowsy tones, it was subdued somehow. Either that or Kristin had gotten used to hearing it.
‘I’m right here, baby.’
‘Were you and Daddy fighting about something?’
‘No. It was just something silly. You know how we can be sometimes.’
‘I remember. Then you make friends again and you laugh about it, right?’
‘That’s exactly right.’ Kristin leaned forward to kiss the top of her head.
‘Those times when we were back at the house with Tugger, they seem so long ago,’ Emily said. Her chronic wheeze seemed to be getting worse with every breath, stirring an ominous rattle from her chest.
‘Like a lifetime away, but nothing can ever take those memories from us… nothing.’
‘I love you, Mommy.’
Kristin had to compose herself so she didn’t blub during her reply. ‘I love you too. Now close your eyes and go back to sleep.’ Before Kristin could rest her own head on the seat, Ethan appeared at the open door.
‘Sorry to interrupt. Miller just got on the radio. She says the house is clear. She’s going to check out the light tower, but she’s sending the kid back with something to help us with carrying Emily down there.’
‘I’ll get her ready,’ Kristin said.
From their vantage point on the rocks, they saw O.B. returning, large objects under his arm. When he reached the edge of the sand, he stopped to catch his breath. Salty had to climb down to help him. The items he’d been struggling to carry were two wooden poles and a waterproof sheet that had been used as a makeshift windbreak.
Salty realised why Raine had sent him back with it. They slid the poles through each side of the sheet and gently lowered Emily into the middle of it. With no place to hide their vehicles this time, they left them where they were and hoped no one would come by.
Vincent took up one end of the stretcher they’d made, and Salty grabbed the other. Kristin stayed by Emily’s side all the way to the beach, both to comfort her and to try to keep her as still as possible. The painkillers were pretty useless now, and she cried out whenever they tilted the stretcher as they stepped over the rocks.
Approaching their shelter for the night, they saw that the light tower was built onto the reef. It was difficult to distinguish between the end of the reef and the beginning of man-made construction. The tower itself only rose a little over ten feet above the keeper’s house, from which it was separated by an iron walkway. The stone foundations of the house were rife with saltwater corrosion, indicating where the tides had crashed in to surround the reef. It offered a chance for the kind of isolated existence that all survivors craved in the new world.
Now they were much nearer the shore, the winds swirled around them, rattling the railings of the walkway. Ethan stopped to gaze up to the top of the tower, which was encased by storm glass panels. The long spike of the lightning rod and grounding system were connected to the cupola roof. He stared for so long that all of the rest of the group passed him and entered the house. The realisation that he was on his own sent a shiver through him.
The interior of the house was quaint. The walls were rendered and painted grey. There was a grandfather clock in the corner, the sofas were upholstered with a floral pattern reminiscent of the 1970s, and old pedal-powered sewing machine sat on a table near the window. A smell came from the toilet, just as in most places now. Raine had already checked it and discovered that it was backed up and overflowed with water.
They set Emily down in the bedroom, still lying on the makeshift stretcher. Vincent and Kristin watched her through the open door while everyone else gathered in the living quarters.
‘Do you think we should fortify this place?’ Salty said.
‘The tide will be coming in soon. That’ll protect us from any unwanted visitors. We’ll take shifts up in the tower so we can see any company on its way ahead of time,’ Raine said.
‘I don’t like the idea of our rides out there – exposed.’
‘If you wanna go sleep in the pickup tonight, knock yourself out,’ Raine replied. ‘We’ll fix something to eat, then someone can take the first shift in the tower while the rest of us get some sleep.’ She noticed that Darla was standing with her arms folded, looking at the others in disbelief. ‘What’s on your mind?’
‘I don’t know ‘bout the rest of you, but I’m pretty far from OK ‘bout that.’ Darla pointed towards the bedroom door.
‘Excuse me?’ Kristin said.
‘Hey, lady. I’m real sorry about your kid and all. It’s a terrible shame, but I ain’t gettin’ any sleep knowin’ what could happen during the night. I mean, she’s in another room, but she’s less than five feet away from us and there’s no locks on the doors.’
‘No one’s forcing you to stay here,’ Vincent said.
‘I ain’t the one that got bit. Look at her. She’s practically one of ‘em already.’
Vincent’s eyes flared and he threw himself at Darla. Kristin and Ethan grabbed hold of him before he could attack her.
‘She’s just a little girl, you heartless bitch!’ he screamed, still trying to get to her.
Salty put himself in the way and held up his scarred hands. ‘I think you should take a timeout.’
‘Did you hear what she said?’
‘I did. I’m not excusing the way she said it, but she does kind of have a point,’ Salty replied.
Out of shock, Vincent stopped struggling and turned his anger on the man in front of him. ‘I can’t believe this. So you and her are best buddies now? United in your condemnation of the outsider? For one second, I’d started thinking I had you wrong, but you’re just like all the others when it comes to it, aren’t you, Jake? Southerners stick together when there’s dead weight to cut loose.’
‘Come on, Graham. He’s thinking about the safety of the group. We have to discuss this,’ Raine said.
Vincent shook his head. ‘You too, huh?’
She replied to his question with her usual cold stare.
It was more than enough for Vincent and he shrugged Kristin and Ethan away. ‘Fine. I get it. I’m taking my daughter outside, and I’m not coming back.’
‘Vincent, please,’ Raine said.
‘No, no. It’s a mild evening, and we have plenty of blankets. Besides, I’m not too keen on the company I’m keeping right now. At least this way you won’t have to take matters into your own hands.’
‘We never said…’
‘You never said it, but you thought it. I can see it in your eyes.’ He gave Darla, Salty and Raine one last look of disgust and headed into the bedroom.
‘I’m going too,’ Kristin said. Before Raine could speak, she cut her off. ‘Really, it’s fine. It’s for the best.’
Raine nodded and Kristin proceeded to help Vincent lift Emily from the bed in her stretc
her and carry her outside.
‘I’d prefer it if you kept your mouth shut from now on,’ Raine said.
‘All I did was say out loud what everyone was thinkin’,’ Darla said.
‘Well, don’t.’ Raine turned to O.B. ‘Do you think you could fix something to eat out of those bags?’ She gestured to the packs rescued from the preserve. ‘Don’t go overboard. It’s got to last.’
‘Sure,’ he said, immediately getting to work.
‘I’m gonna take first watch in the tower. You OK holding things down here?’
‘Do you have to ask?’ Salty said.
‘Yeah, I have to ask.’
He passed her a walkie and one of the throws from the floral patterned chair. ‘Two hours and we switch over.’
‘Ethan.’ Raine got close enough to the young man to whisper her message. ‘Watch the Grahams for me. Give them space, but keep an eye on Emily’s condition, and on Vincent – especially on Vincent.’
‘I can’t say as I feel comfortable about it, but I’ll do it,’ he said.
‘Good. Anything happens, anything at all, you call me.’
6
Vincent and Kristin managed to wedge the poles between the jagged rocks of the reef so the stretcher was suspended off the ground with Emily in it. Even with blankets piled on top of her, she continued to shiver and sweat.
‘I can smell the sea,’ Emily said in her split voice. She started to cough, and blood coated her tongue and her bottom lip.
‘Hush now. It’s better if you don’t speak.’ Kristin wiped the blood from her mouth with a napkin.
‘We decided we didn’t want to be with the others anymore,’ Vincent said. ‘We wanted it to just be us as a family. Like it used to be.’ He watched the waves crash against the beach below. ‘The others can go straight to hell.’
Kristin screwed up the bloodied napkin and clenched it in her fist. ‘They were right about one thing.’
‘What?’
‘It’s almost taken over her. It will happen soon, and I don’t think we should let her suffer any longer.’ Kristin removed the fabric case tucked in her jeans and allowed it to fall open in front of him. ‘She can just drift off to sleep.’
Vincent gazed at the small delivery units filled with morphine and broke down. He wept uncontrollably, so much that he shook. Kristin embraced him from behind and they cried together. ‘Oh God, Kristin. I don’t want her to feel anymore. I just can’t bring myself to…’
‘Look at her,’ she said.
Through his tears, he could make out something that vaguely resembled his child. The infection had almost consumed her. Her breath was laboured, her eyes blood-red, her pupils dilated, her skin adamacious, gums swollen purple. No amount of denial could protect him from the reality of Emily’s condition. He reached out to trace his fingers over each of the five remaining morphine pens. ‘It’s a shame there aren’t enough for all of us. How many bullets do you have left?’
Kristin loosened her hold on him and turned him around to face her. ‘Vincent, I… I don’t want that. I want to carry on. If we die, her memory dies with us. We have to survive.’
Vincent nodded, as if he’d expected that reply. ‘I’ve been contemplating it ever since she was bitten.’
‘I was here. I was always with you. Why didn’t you confide in me?’
‘It’s OK. Forget I even said it,’ he said.
‘How do you expect me to do that? I want to understand, so I can help you get through it.’
‘To understand, you’d have to be me, and you’re definitely not me, Kristin.’
She sensed the harsh undertone to his voice and understood what he really meant. She took her hands from him completely and stepped away. ‘I see now,’ she said. ‘That’s been it, hasn’t it? Ever since she got infected – before that. I can’t possibly fathom your sense of loss because I’m incapable of loving her like you do?’
As Kristin walked away, he snatched at her wrist and squeezed to the point where it hurt her. ‘Please. I’m sorry, Kris. I don’t know where I am anymore.’ He dropped to his knees and pressed his head against her stomach.
She hesitated before pushing her fingers through his grey-flecked hair. ‘We can get through this. We’ll help each other, but we have to put that to one side for now and think about what’s best for Emily.’
‘I know. I know.’
‘I’ll do it,’ she said.
Vincent stopped crying and looked up at her. ‘I can’t let you…’
‘It’s ok. I’ll do it.’
Vincent thought for a moment. He dried his eyes and stood up. ‘I want to help.’
‘Then do what you do best.’ She caressed his damp cheek. ‘Talk to her. Make her feel safe.’
They were so caught up in their emotions they didn’t notice Ethan approaching with two plates of food until he was right on top of them.
‘I thought you might like something to eat,’ he said. On each plate were some ringlets of cured pineapple, a piece of bread they had taken from the freezer at the visitor centre restaurant, and slices of canned pork. ‘I turned the meat down, so you get extra.’ Ethan stopped smiling when he saw how much distress they were in and the open case of morphine.
‘We’re OK, thank you, Ethan,’ Kristin said. ‘Just need some privacy.’
Ethan nodded repeatedly. ‘Of course. I’ll get out of your way.’ He glanced over to Emily before he made his way back up the steps to the house. ‘I’m so sorry.’ He plodded along the walkway, taking the plates with him.
Darkness was near and the stars were beginning to show themselves in the cloudless sky, their light masked only by the persistent smog from the previous mass burning of vessels on the water. The ashen ghosts floated aimlessly. Vincent felt like one of the ships, burnt out and broken – lost.
‘Are you ready?’ Kristin waited patiently for his answer. He moved back to Emily’s side and held her hand. It felt so cold, even through his bandages. No matter how much he rubbed and put pressure on it, the blood wouldn’t flow.
‘Would you like me to tell you one of my stories?’ he said.
The little girl opened her eyes and looked around, as if she’d forgotten where she was. ‘A story outside?’
‘Yes – under the stars.’
‘I don’t know. I’m really tired,’ Emily said.
‘Don’t worry. You’ll like this one. It’s about a girl about your age,’ Vincent said.
‘OK.’
‘OK, here goes.’ He beckoned Kristin closer and she joined them. ‘In another time, in a faraway place, there was a town called Glow. A powerful magic ruled over everyone who lived there, in that they were at the mercy of the weather. When the sun shone, their hearts were filled to the brim with life and joy, but when the rain came, a great shadow of sadness overwhelmed them.
‘The only person in Glow who was not subject to this strange spell was a little girl. She was always happy – always saw the good in people, rain or shine. Some of the town’s folk said she was surrounded by an invisible light. Even when the weather turned the grimmest of grim, just being in her presence made everyone feel better.’
Emily coughed, hacking up some blood, which spilled onto her bottom lip and dribbled down her chin. Vincent paused to wipe it away. Once she’d finished spitting it out into the napkin, she settled back into the stretcher with a tired wheeze.
‘Things stayed the same in Glow Town for a long time. Some days were bad, and others were good. Then one day, snow began to fall. It had snowed there before, but never this deep; never had the weather been this cold. It snowed for days, and days soon turned to weeks.
‘The girl could not bear to see everyone so sad. They struggled to get out of bed in the morning, to kiss their children as they sent them off to school, and they couldn’t muster the energy to care for their neighbours. So the girl decided she wasn’t going to stand for it or see her beloved town fall into ruin. She started to visit the residents more often. She spread her light around with h
er presence and helped to thaw their icy hearts. Of course, they were all grateful to her for it, but the whole experience began to wear her down as the snow kept on falling.
‘Weeks became months. The girl gave up more and more of her time to visit each household twice a day. Still the snows did not cease. In fact, it only seemed to get heavier. The girl never slept after that. All she could do was keep on walking from door to door, taking food and shelter while giving people the benefit of her warmth.
‘The residents would beg her to slow down and take some rest. Most of them were very worried about her, but she didn’t listen. She could see how vital it was for Glow Town’s survival.’
Hands shaking, Kristin pulled one of the morphine pens from the case and tightened it in her grip. She struggled to even look at her daughter.
‘All of a sudden, her visits stopped. Although they knew their sadness would soon consume them utterly, the townsfolk were relieved that the girl was finally getting some rest. But they were wrong.’ Vincent’s voice began to break. He pushed on through in order to finish the tale, fading into a whisper. ‘The residents searched everywhere and eventually found her lying in the street. They tried to wake her, but they couldn’t. She was sleeping an endless sleep. Everyone wept for her and wondered what would happen to Glow Town now it had lost its light. Then they noticed that the snow around her body had melted. It stopped falling shortly after. Soon, all the snow started to thaw until there was nothing left of it. The sun came out and it shone brighter than ever.
‘Glow Town lost its eternal sadness and everything was right again with the world.’ He smiled at Emily, tears freeing themselves from his eyelids. ‘The little girl had saved them all. Although they missed her every day, they told stories about her, passing them down to future generations to make sure she would never be forgotten, and that they would always carry her light inside of them.’
Everything Dies [Season One] Page 27