"Candle of Life"

8/8/2019 "Candle of Life"

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Yael Dragwyla and Richard Ransdell First North American rights

email: [email protected] 5,700 words

The Eris War

Volume 1: The Dragon and the Crown

by Admiral Chaim G. Resh, USN detached

Book 2: This Devastated Land

Part 1: Deep Impact

Chapter 9: Candle of Life

Sorry, I didnt mean to hurt you, Jeanie mumbled.

Its all right, its been a rough time for all of us. Hmm . . . After looking over the latest entries in

disbelief, Janet asked her friend, Jeanie, how long was I out there with Tom?Half an hour, 45 minutes at most. Probably a lot less. I wasnt paying much attention to the time.

Why?

How could her status have changed so fast? Janet asked her, trying to keep her voice low in order to

avoid disturbing the woman asleep in the bed.

Reading her mind, Jeanie said, I dont think youll disturb her, Janet. Shes out like a light again.Not surprising, the way her vitals have changed.

Her temperatures 103? Pulse is, what, 70?

And thready, yet. Weak. My acupuncturist would shit kittens about now if it were my pulse!Have you ordered up fluids for her, anything?

Waiting for you, my tardy friend. Youre the doctor.Im not a doctor, dammit! Just a wannabe medical student well, would have been starting this

Autumn if, er, ithadnt happened.


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Yes, well, youre probably the closest thing to a doctor weve got available right now. Did you knowthat there is only one MD now in this hospital who isnt down sick now with something or other or dead

of it? And that one is Chief of Staff Pearsons, an old fart who, to give the Devil his due, is doing all he can

to help the patients here, but at this point hes overwhelmed and outnumbered and cut off at the pass,

without a sign of the cavalry thats supposed to come over the hill and bail us all out.

Weve also got Gordon, the Nurse-Practitioner, and hes so tired hes about ready to drop. Weve got

two nurses on duty now, one of which is Yours Truly, and Andy the Gopher, poor guy, this must be givingthe poor man absolute fits,, and a couple of people in Pathology, and some vets down there, too. In fact,

Pearsons managed to recruit something like six veterinarians as acting physicians as he said, they have tobe knowledgeable about just about every sort of animal, including primates, and were primates, and what

they dont know theyll be able to figure out quick, so theyre probably better than most MDs at this point.

Beyond that, sweetie, you are it. You, and Tom, too he knows almost as much medicine as you do

by now, and youve been studying to be a doctor ever since you were a little girl, havent you? she said,

her expression momentarily breaking into a smile. Then, frowning again, she said, Anyway, theres

nobody to help here but me and you. I wasnt about to leave this poor woman alone aside from the fact

that shes just about one of the best writers ever born, except for her husband, of course, shes good-hearted

and has done a tremendous amount of good for this whole state, she and her husband both. I figured shesdue for a little return on her money about now, dont you? Id far rather do what I can for her than some of

the buttheads theyve got in the other rooms here, or maybe go out where theyre putting the sick to bed in

tents theyre setting up in front of peoples houses and the town library and city hall and not be able to do adamned thing forany of them but watch them all slowly freeze to death in the snow!

You mean there isnt anyone else who

No, Jeanie said grimly.

Oh. My. God, Janet said, sinking down into her chair, stunned. Its . . . really that bad, hunh?

It really is.

Sighing, floundering mentally, trying to think what to do next, Janet asked the nurse, What medicines

do they have her on?Now? Amoxicillin for the bacteria, and Ribavirin and Amantadine, a couple of antivirals. When they

brought Rachel in, they tested her blood and also did a spinal. They found three types of strange bacteria in

her, one that vaguely resembled streptococcus, another that looked like a variant of staph, and one that

might have been Pillotina, a spirochete, which is weird, because as far as anybody knows, Pillotina only

lives in the style of clams and oysters, or in the hindguts of termites and wood-eating cockroaches, she

commented as she paged through the first few entries in Rachels chart. There also seemed to be apossibility of a viral infection. Her spinal fluid contained some odd viral proteins, and they sawsomething

with the electron microscope useful gadget, aint it? Old man Flournoy did us quite a favor, endowing uswith that and the burn unit after we cared for him while he was recovering from those burns he got in that

explosion down at the plant! Wonder how many kids in Africa couldve been saved if that money had gone

to buy meals for them? Anyway, they think they found two or three viruses when they did her bloodwork

and checked her spinal fluid, something in her bloodstream that might have been viral hep but wasnt

exactly like any of the known agents for it, another in the spinal fluid that could have been an agent of viral

meningitis, but again they werent sure. Which doesnt surprise me any now, considering the downright

weirdshit that everyone and his dog Charlie around here have been coming down with these last couple of

days!Anyway, thats when they put her on the antibiotic and the antivirals. Ribavirin is usually used to

treat respiratory syncytial virus, and Amantadine is normally used on influenza A. But Ribavirin also

seems to inhibit the messenger-RNA that viruses use to do their dirty work, using the bodys cells to make

zillions of copies of themselves, and Amantadine interferes with viruses ability to get rid of their protein

coats so they can get down into those cells in the first place, so I guess they hoped theyd work like that on

whatever Rachel has now. Theres a note here that theyre thinking of switching her from Amoxicillin to

some other antibacterial if she doesnt respond well to it, but they havent done it yet. They also put her on

an IV drip of hydrogen peroxide solution as well as giving her a massive injection of time-release C and

another one of about the same dosage that wasnt in the time-release form, 100 grams each, it says here. It

was about then that they discovered that the machine they were using to generate ozone and hydrogenperoxide was down, and of course no parts to be had anywhere near, and the only ones in Maine over in the


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coastal Hot Zone. You dont like that term, Hot Zone? the nurse asked the younger woman, seeingJanet wince at the last phrase.

I suppose it fits, Janet told her friend. As they say, bringin it all back home. All those people over

there . . . and maybe were going to be part of that Hot Zone one of these days, ourselves.

Honey, I hate to disillusion you, but we are part of that Hot Zone now! Or hadnt you noticed whats

been going on around here lately? Anyway, Jeanie continued, working her way through Rachels chart,

that was night before last. They gave her Teracillin, the most powerful antibiotic we had on hand, andBoratin, an antiviral in the same league, and vitamin C, as much as they could or maybe dared; the doses

listed here are like, off the map! and several teaspoons worth of colloidal silver between then and earlythis morning, when you came in with Adelle and Martin.

She developed a hellacious case of diarrhea by about 2 p.m. yesterday, but it slowed down and finally

stopped late last night, and seemed to do so in proportion to the amount of C they gave her.

So she had something really nasty in her intestines but it was something that the C wiped out,

wasnt it? Had tove used up all the C in the process, though Cs acidic, and any excess goes out the

colon, and shed have had diarrhea from thatafterward, otherwise.

Good girl! Jeanie told her with a thats my girl, I knew you could! smile. Yep, thats what it

sounds like.Anyway, they also got whatever was causing all the blood in her urine cleared up, too. She bled out

over a pint before they got thatstopped they had to catheterize her, because she was unconscious and

wasnt holding her urine when she came in here, her temp was so high that apparently it was interferingwith deep-seated, long-term reflexes like that. Adults dont normally pee themselves in their sleep, so

somethingwas going on there. Anyway, they catheterized her right away, and they collected I dont know

how much urine before it slowed down, probably thanks to everything they were giving her. Her kidneys

were letting everythingleave the body, it seemed like, according to Tet, the doctor on duty at the time. And

that included one hell of a lot of blood. As if those semipermeable membranes had become almost

completely permeable for awhile there.

Like whats happening to poor Martin Toms dad only his is in the brain instead of the kidneys,Janet mused, thinking.

Ill bet its his kidneys too, sweetie, Jeanie told her, frowning. Blood vessels are blood vessels, I

dont care where they are, and kidney tissue is made of the same basic stuff. Well, not completely, but I

still wouldnt be surprised if it isnt just one place in his body thats doing it. Did Tom say what they

thought it was?

No, but Tom and I both couldnt help but think of Ebola and Marburg and other hemorrhagic fevers.His liver was doing something similar, too.

Shit. Well, lets hope for the best, but expect the worst I cant think of anything else that would hitboth the brain and the liver like that.

But Rachels definitely better, isnt she? Janet said, desperately hoping for reassurance. If Rachel

recovered, then there was truly hope.

She certainly was this morning! Diarrhea cleared up, incontinence gone, fever way down, shes still

catheterized you can see the tube and sac there under her bed if you bend down a little and no more

blood is appearing in her urine, so I guess shes doing much better What, Janet?

Out of reflexive curiosity, Janet had bent down to look for the catheter tubing and sac under the bed.

Jeanie, look at this.What, the tube oh,shit!

The tube from Rachels urethra coming down into the sac from the other side of the bed, and the sac

itself, were filled with yellowish-brown fluid heavily streaked with red.

Oh, fuck, what do we do?! Janet moaned.

I damn, Jeanie said, putting the chart down on the foot of Rachels bed, getting to her feet, and

heading for a cupboard standing against the wall of the room across from the foot of Rachels bed. Let me

see if theres anything left of the C in here, she told Janet, pulling open the cupboard doors. Hey,

jackpot! she cried gleefully, holding up a brown plastic bottle.

What is it? Janet asked.

Somebody left some powdered C in here! You know were down to nearly nothing on all ourpharmaceutical supplies, including ascorbate powder? she asked Janet as she walked toward the door of

the room.


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Where are you going?Im gonna fix her up an IV drip of ascorbate solution with normal multi-saline, Jeanie told her,

pausing in the doorway. Shell need minerals, too. There aint much of this left, she said, jiggling the

bottle, but Ill use what there is on her. It may be the last in the hospital. Be right back . . .

So whats up?

Adelle! Oh, thank God, you lookgreat! Or healthy, anyway, Janet babbled, hastily standing up.

Hows Mom doing?Not real great, sweetie. I wish it were otherwise, but well, well just have to wait and see.

And how doyou feel? Are you all right? Janet said, starting to get to her feet.No, no, please sit down, Im all right, the other woman said, smiling graciously at her as she pulled

up a chair and sat down next to Janet. She had brought some of her clothes to the hospital with her, and

was wearing pale blue slacks, a long-sleeved white blouse, tennis shoes, and a warm sweater, an outfit that

looked a lot better than the flannel shirt, blue jeans, and run-down flats Janet had thrown on this morning,

Janet thought unhappily. I feel a bit peaky, you know, but other than that I seem to be fine, Adelle told

Janet.

Janet thought that the dark shadows under Adelles eyes, the sudden lines in her face that were

certainly not those of old age, the hollowness of her cheeks said otherwise, but she hesitated to contradicther elder. On the other hand, Adelles tread was firm, she still seemed alert and strong, and the bloom of

fever was absent from her face, so she may just have been feeling the effects of simple fatigue and the

burden of worry shed been carrying for the last couple of days. How do things seem out there in thehalls? Janet asked her. Ive been in here for awhile with Rachel and Jeanie Jeanie just went to set up an

IV solution for Rachel, she should be back soon and its begun to sound very quiet out there.

Well, there arent nearly as many people around as usual, Id say, Adelle told her. From what Ive

heard, more and more people are coming down sick with all sorts of strange ailments, including the staff

here, as well as the two or three patients they had in here for other things from the beginning, such as the

little Frost boy with his broken arm. And there are a lot of people who have died in the last two days its

been very bad, she said, shaking her head. Even if all of us me and Martin, you and Tom and yourparents, and Rachel and John, say should recover of whatever we have now and survive these epidemics,

Im afraid that so many people will die that the infrastructure we depend on for our lives and well-being,

our community, the economy, technology, our culture, all of that will be so fragmented by all those deaths

that essentially it wont exist any more. What it would be like ifthathappens is something I dont want to

think about think of a world with no fire departments, no police, no hospitals or doctors or pharmacies or

pharmaceutical companies, just for starters! Food distribution systems would go, wed never get ourtelephones and electrical power and gas heating back, thered be no stores where you could buy new

clothes, no stockyards all gone. It would be a world where the only law wasforce majeur, the only orderwhat the will of the strong man, the warlord, could impose on it, a world without indoor plumbing and

modern medical technology wed fall right back into the Dark Ages! And we might not ever be able to

come out of them again, this time.

Oh, Adelle . . . Reaching out, Janet put a hand on the older womans arm, attempting to comfort her.

Smiling a little, Adelle put her other hand on top of Janets and gave it an affectionate squeeze. Then

again, she told the young woman who, if luck were with them, would soon be her daughter-in-law, I am

probably being an alarmist. In fact, Im sure I am. Ive heard nothing to indicate that anything like this has

taken place anywhere else, and some people are saying the war, however it got started, may be over now.So probably the rest of the country, with a few exceptions, is in fairly good shape. In which case we should

soon get a visit from the Army and the CDC, who will help us start getting this situation cleaned up and

putting our lives back together.

Oh, I hope youre right! Janet sighed.

Dear Lord, give me the ability to take care of the things I can do something about, and to not worry

about the things I can do nothing about and the wisdom to know the difference, Adelle told her,

chuckling a little. So, hows our new friend, Rachel? she asked Janet, changing the subject.

Back to sleep, Janet told her.

Thats not all, is it? You looked very concerned when I asked about her.

I I guess I am. Adelle, look under her bed, there. See that tubing?


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Leaning down to look, Adelle said, squinting to bring the shadowy realm beneath the hospital bed intobetter focus, Over there on the other side? What oh! Thats blood, isnt it? she said, sitting back

upright again.

Yes. Thats a catheter theyve been using on Rachel since she came here. She was a lot better earlier

this morning, fever down, more energy, she was eating, but I went out in the hall to talk with Tom and then

came back in here and when I did Rachel was asleep again, and didnt look very good.

Tom told me you and he had talked after helping Rachel to talk with Steve, Adelle said. He cameto my room to see how Elaine and I were doing, mentioned a little of what the two of you talked about.

Not about anything personal, of course, Adelle added hurriedly, it was just that he was very worried foryour sake, above all. Tell me he didnt say anything, I just wondered, because he was so worried are

you pregnant?

I no.

I didnt think so, but I certainly wouldnt have been angry at you or him if you were, she said

reassuringly. Its been clear for years that the two of you were meant for each other and would be married

and have kids some day, and if the first one came along just a bit early, well, wed have gotten together

with your folks and had a big wedding for you and then a lovely shower just before the premature birth.

Thats the way they do things in this part of the country, and it shuts the gossips up and makes for rejoicinginstead of trouble, which is the way things ought to be, dont you think? she asked Janet, smiling. Tom

was early himself, did you know?

No! Janet exclaimed, brightening considerably at the fact that Adelle was sharing such a confidencewith her.

Yes. He came along three months early, six months after Martin and I got married. The smile

Adelle wore now was positively mischievous. A fine, healthy, bouncing 7 pound boy pretty good for a

preemie, dont you think? Adelle asked her with a wink.

Janet, unable to help herself, started giggling.

Hey, I was young once, too, myself, Janet. I know what its like. Its okay. Youre like the daughter

Martin and I never had, and youll be a wonderful addition to our family, Adelle told her, putting a handon her arm. At any rate, clearly Rachel isnt doing nearly as well as she was, then?

No. What worries me was howfastthe change was she was doingso much better when Tom and I

helped her make that call to Steve, and then he and I had a talk in the hall for a bit, maybe 30-40 minutes at

the outside, and when I came back in here, Rachel was already looking a lot worse. Tom said that theyve

nearly run out of vitamin C and everything else here, so she probably hadnt had any of that since early this

morning or maybe last night, and without it . . . She left the thought unspoken there was no need to gofarther, given what Adelle knew about ascorbate and other supplementary therapies and their effects on the

human body.Are they all out now? Adelle asked her, frowning in concern.

It sounded like it, from what both Tom and Jeanie said.

Were out.

Jeanie! Were you able to make up the IV? Janet asked her nurse, who had just appeared in the

doorway, as she rose to her feet.

Yeah, I was. Good thing I found the stuff, because there simply isnt any more to be had at any

price, the little nurse told her. Here, gimme a hand with this thing, she told Janet, stepping aside so that

Janet and Adelle could see the IV stand and the bottle of clear fluid it held that had been behind her.Sure. Here, where do we put it? Janet asked her as she helped the nurse maneuver the stand through

the room and over to the side of Rachels bed.

Right here, where its easy for us to tend to it, Jeanie said as they pushed it into place by the near

side of Rachels bed, close to her head. Adelle, come help me with this IV, will you?

What do I do? Adelle asked her.

Just hold Rachels arm steady so I can get the IV seated properly. Yeah, like that. Okay, I think

weve got it . . . Jeanie said, stepping back to look at her work, noting with satisfaction that she had seated

the needle cleanly so that there was no subcutaneous bleeding. Ill want to check that every so often, see

if its going in properly, but I think that should do it. God, I hope its enough! There just isnt any more.

How much C did you give her in the IV? Adelle asked her.All there was left in this bottle I found over there in that cabinet, about two teaspoons. I added it to a

normal solution of multimineral salts. That was about the last of that, too, she added, looking unhappy.


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Its all gone? Adelle asked her, clearly hoping the case was otherwise.Im afraid so, Adelle, Jeanie said. Now, could you hold on to this stand for me, move it when I say

to, while Janet and I move this bed out from the wall? I want to get at that catheter, make sure its draining

properly, change the container and all that. I bet nobodys checked on that since late last night.

Why not? Adelle said. Here, Ive got the stand. Honey, you want to help Jeanie, here, with the

bed?

Sure, Janet said. Which end do I take, Jeanie? Head or foot?Head. Okay, here we go . . .

With Jeanie taking the beds foot, Janet its head, and Adelle the IV stand, they got the bed movedseveral feet out from the wall quickly and with virtually no problems.

Hey, we make a great team, dont we? Janet said, grinning, contemplating their work.

Sure do, Jan, Jeanie told her as she began checking the catheter. God, just in time, too, this bag is

overflowing! Somebody, go get me another plastic bag and a pair of plastic gloves, theres a bunch of them

in that same cabinet I got the ascorbate out of, okay?

While Janet found a plastic sac and plastic gloves in the cabinet and brought it back to Jeanie, Jeanie

told Adelle, The reason nobody changed her catheter all this time is that there was probably nobody here

to change it. I came in here earlier only because I was worried about Mrs. Yeats and wanted to make sureshe was okay. Shes done so much for this state, she and her husband, and it wouldnt be right, leaving her

unattended. So I stopped in to see her, and then Janet and Tom came in to set up the shortwave call, and it

kinda went from there.When I first came in here, she told Janet as she began changing the catheter sac, Rachel was doing

a lotbetter. After the call, though, she started going downhill. I dont know why, but Id bet that it was

because they hadnt given her any more C or silver or even antibiotics since early this morning, when we

began running out of everything and they started taking more and more of it out to the tent hospitals

What? Adelle asked her, horrified.

Yep. Theyve got most of the people left here in town in those tents now. No room for them here in

the hospital. And the only other sources of medications around here are the veterinarians offices, and they

didnt have all that much, either. So weve been sharing what we have with the tent hospitals some of our

people are running those, anyway, and theyve got people from town to help take stuff from here to the

tents and that sort of thing. Anyway, almost everyone around here who hasnt already died or headed out

of town is in those tents somewhere. Theyve got the tents set up all over town in front of the library, the

schools, the fire department, the parking lot of Baileys Supermarket, you name it! Plus, theyve converted

some school buildings into wards, as well. The vets are taking a few human patients, too.Oh, my God its thatbad?

Its thatbad, Adelle. Havent you noticed how empty this place is? The doctors the ones still ontheir feet are working down in the tents. Weve got maybe two to take the duty here now, and for all I

know both of them are down sick or dead of plague right now, themselves. One of the vets is helping out

here, plus weve got vets working in Pathology, not just on dead animals but on human beings, too, because

the pathologists here want to pick the vets brains for whatever microbiological expertise they might have.

Okay, let me go dump this thing out, she said, taking the sac full of bloody brown urine into the little

bathroom just off Rachels room.

It took the nurse less than a minute to empty out the sac into the toilet, put the sac and the disposable

gloves shed used into the covered waste can, which was marked with a bright green biohazard sign, andflush the toilet. Then, after washing her hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap, she returned to the room.

At least the water lines and sewers are still working, she told Janet and Adelle when she reentered

the room. Wonder how long thatllgo on? she asked worriedly as she went over to check on Rachel

again. Hey, our patient looks a little better, I think, she said, more cheerfully. Maybe the C is

starting to work. Here, Mrs. Yeats, lets check your pulse, she said, a rhetorical and probably automatic

utterance, since Rachel was still asleep. Ah, good, down to 55, and stronger, she said, laying Rachels

arm back down on the covers. Now let me get the thermometer so we can take your temp . . .

As Jeanie took Rachels temperature with an ear-clip digital thermometer that didnt depend on the

patients ability to keep it in place, Adelle asked Jeanie, Whos taking care of the other patients?

I dont know. Maybe nobody but I think that you and Jan and Tom and your husband and Jansparents and Mr. Hamilton are the only ones still left here.


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Why? Where have all the patients gone? To the tent hospitals? That doesnt seem right, its so coldout there what could they do for them there that couldnt be done here?

Not that, Jeanie told her. The Frosts came and got their boy early this morning and took him out

against medical advice. Several of the patients we had here on the 16th died. So have some of the staff.

The rooms just sort of emptied out over the last two days.

Thats why there arent many people here, then, Adelle said thoughtfully.

Yes. Im staying because, frankly, Ive got everything here I need. I dont have any pets, myhouseplants can fend for themselves, anything Im going to need for awhile is either right here or nowhere,

and if I get sick I can just crawl into one of the beds here.But who will take care ofyou then, if everyones leaving or, or dying? For the first time, Adelles

ineradicable poise and assurance was beginning to falter in the face of the nearly inconceivable disaster that

had befallen them all.

Whoevers here, Jeanie said, shrugging. Hmm, her temperatures gone down again by a half a

degree or so. So shes definitely getting the solution, she said as she inspected the read-out attached to the

ear-clamp, which had just beeped to announce it had completed the process of taking Rachels temperature.

Okay, lets let her sleep for awhile, see if this helps her. I hope so thats the last of the C, and I think

were out of antibiotics, too, she told Adelle.Well, we can still pray, Adelle said, smiling somehow recovering her equanimity and sense of

humor. Ill only really start worrying when we lose that.

Okay, then, I think Ill go back to my room so I can see how Elaine is doing, maybe read some. I Frowning, crossing her arms over her chest, she looked around.

Adelle? Whats wrong? Janet asked her, alarmed.

Does it suddenly feel colder to you in here, or is it just my imagination?

After cocking her head for a moment as if straining to listen for something, Jeanie told Adelle, Its not

your imagination. I should have realized it sooner I cant hear the forced-air heating system working.

Either the furnace suddenly stopped working, or theres some kind of problem in the vents or something.

The furnace oh, thats right, they heat the hospital with oil, dont they? Adelle said. I hadnt eventhought about it! But that explains why we havent felt cold since we got here, even though theres a

blizzard outside. Which leads me to ask: how much oil they had for the furnace?

Couldnt have been much this is July, after all, Jeanie told her. Like Adelle and Janet, she was

suddenly feeling real alarm. Who thinks about the need for heating in mid-Summer? The company that

delivered the oil only started making regular deliveries around the end of September, and stopped making

them again when the warm months began, around May. As soon as the temperature started dropping, theymustve fired up the furnace to keep the hospital warm. By now weve run out. Oh,shit! she hissed,

scowling. Thats allwe need right now! Wonder whatll go wrong next?Im going to go back to my room, Adelle said again. Ill see what I can do to cover up the

windows, and scrounge extra blankets somewhere for Elaine and me. Then Ill go check on Martin and

Fred and Mr. Hamilton

Thats all right, Adelle, Jeanie told her, rising to her feet, Ill go do that, part of my job. Janet, why

dont you start doing that in here, maybe drape a blanket or two over the window, on top of the curtains?

Theres a linen closet just down the hall from here on the left has a sign on it, you cant miss it. Take as

many blankets as you can find in there, sheets, too, bring them back in here and put them in the cupboards

over there where I got the plastic sac and rubber gloves. If they come raiding us for the tent hospitals, Idont want them getting the last of our blankets.

You can help her with the blankets, Adelle, she said as she headed for the door of the room. Take

as many as you need for Elaine and yourself, put the rest in the cupboard in your room. Ill raid the

cupboards over by Critical, which is where they have your husbands and Mr. Hamilton. If you need me,

you know where Critical is . . .

So saying, she headed out of the room and down the hall to Critical.

Quickly Adelle and Janet got busy locating all the clean blankets they could find close to their own

rooms. The linen closet yielded ten thermal blankets; Adelle took five for her room, Janet for Rachels

room. They also found three stacks of clean sheets in the closet, and each appropriated half. Finding

nearby rooms empty, they raided those, as well, finding not only blankets and sheets in the cupboards inthem, but potentially useful things such as hot water bottles, rubber gloves, liners for biohazard waste


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containers, bags full of unused disposable syringes, and numerous other things which they quicklyappropriated., each taking half of the loot.

Adelle had gone to her room to see about insulating it and making sure Elaine had plenty of warm

covers and Janet was starting to hang blankets over the curtains in Rachels room when Jeanie returned.

Jeanie! What happened? Janet exclaimed, seeing the look on Jeanies face. It was an expression

shed never seen before on anyones face, let alone that of the ebullient, tough-souled little nurse, one so

bleak it seemed that light would never fill that face again.Im gonna need your help with something, Jan. Adelles too, if shes up to it, the little nurse said,

pulling up a chair and wearily taking a seat on it. I I hate to be the one to tell you this, Janet, but yourdads dead, she told the younger woman in flat tones, as if she couldnt bear to think about them too much

herself. So is Mr. Hamilton. And Martin. They theyre all gone. All three. We need to move the

bodies out of here, not far, we dont need to actually bury them, but we need to get them out into the snow

before they they oh, God, Janet, I cant believe this is happening! she cried, suddenly losing all her

aplomb. Putting her face in her hands, she began weeping, loud, uncontrolled sobbing that shook her slight

frame the way a strong wind shakes a sapling.

"Candle of Life"

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