Read Online H10N1 by M. R. Cornelius, Marsha Cornelius - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: M. R. Cornelius, Marsha Cornelius
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mini-sermon about how he and Lily had been praying for an answer to their predicament. “God provides for all his children.”
He stared at Rick with absolute conviction in his eyes.
“I think you need a new handbook,” Rick said. “The Good Samaritan routine didn’t work out too well for you.”
“Even Jesus had his moment of doubt and pain,” Bobby Ray said. Funny, the kid didn’t look like a Rolling Stones fan. “But you cain’t let your faith falter.”
Well, thank God, the Young Christian Coalition was still alive and well.
Sanchez had tortured the poor boy long enough—or she was tired of his bullshit, too—because she got to her feet to check out Miss Lily. She pressed her stethoscope to the girl’s belly. “The baby’s heart sounds strong. Have you felt movement recently?”
“Yes’m,” the girl said. She massaged her belly, like she was trying to wake the baby up. “He was kickin’ away when I woke up this mornin’.”
She told Sanchez her mother died in the “plague”. The local midwife took a bullet to the brain in the Gravel Springs massacre. “We heared they was a hospital in Warshington. Thought maybe I could birth my baby there.”
“Sorry to ruin your plans,” Rick said, “But the D.C. facility shut down a couple days ago.”
That little tidbit took a big bite out of Bobby Ray’s faith. And Lily’s mouth trembled as more tears streamed down her face. Sanchez gripped her stethoscope like she wanted to wrap it around Rick’s neck. Hey, what was the point in giving them false hope?
He turned back to the food, cut open the pouches, and slithered the tasty gray meat into the foil-lined boxes soldiers used for plates. When he handed a plate to Lily, she dropped to her knees to feed Bobby Ray. But before either of them took a bite, they gave thanks to God for the bountiful feast.
Sanchez propped the boy up, then took the rations and fed him, urging Lily to eat her own. After a couple more bites, Bobby Ray took the plate, and blessed the Doc before feeding himself.
When he finished, The Doc eased his head back down, took his empty tray and stood. The kid stared at Rick.
“You know, Mister, God works in mysterious ways,” Bobby Ray said. “After all, He sent the doctor—and you.”
“Oh, yeah, right,” Rick snorted. “I wondered what all that whispering in my ear was this morning.”
Sanchez gripped his arm. “Stop it! You can be mad at me all you want, but don’t take it out on these kids.”
She might as well have slapped him. But she was right. His skin was alive with gnawing anger. He wanted to just rip open his chest and crawl out. He wanted to scream at her and Bobby Ray and Lily. Most of all, he wanted to keep the demons in his head from taking back control.
Rick tried to concentrate on Bobby Ray, but his eyes kept drifting back to Lily’s belly.
The nerves in his palm betrayed him, bringing back the sensation of baby kicks through flesh. That rippling and bumping of a child growing inside that made his heart swell. Goddamit.
He pushed Sanchez toward her car.
“How soon can he walk?”
She shrugged. “Hard to say. I need to drain some fluid off the knee to see if its water or blood. That could relieve some of the pressure. But if he puts weight on it, the fluid will probably build up again.”
Crap! He had to get out of here before it all came crashing down on him.
“Give me your keys.”
Her eyebrows cocked like she hadn’t heard him right. She took a step back, her eyes juggling back and forth between his, like she was trying to get the joke.
“Give me the goddamn keys.”
What was he doing? This was insane.
Sanchez reached into her pocket and held them out. He couldn’t see under her mask, but he could tell from her eyes that she was smiling.
He snatched the keys away and dropped them into Lily’s lap. Then he got his map book from the van and sat down next to the girl, ignoring Sanchez when she hovered over his
He stared at Rick with absolute conviction in his eyes.
“I think you need a new handbook,” Rick said. “The Good Samaritan routine didn’t work out too well for you.”
“Even Jesus had his moment of doubt and pain,” Bobby Ray said. Funny, the kid didn’t look like a Rolling Stones fan. “But you cain’t let your faith falter.”
Well, thank God, the Young Christian Coalition was still alive and well.
Sanchez had tortured the poor boy long enough—or she was tired of his bullshit, too—because she got to her feet to check out Miss Lily. She pressed her stethoscope to the girl’s belly. “The baby’s heart sounds strong. Have you felt movement recently?”
“Yes’m,” the girl said. She massaged her belly, like she was trying to wake the baby up. “He was kickin’ away when I woke up this mornin’.”
She told Sanchez her mother died in the “plague”. The local midwife took a bullet to the brain in the Gravel Springs massacre. “We heared they was a hospital in Warshington. Thought maybe I could birth my baby there.”
“Sorry to ruin your plans,” Rick said, “But the D.C. facility shut down a couple days ago.”
That little tidbit took a big bite out of Bobby Ray’s faith. And Lily’s mouth trembled as more tears streamed down her face. Sanchez gripped her stethoscope like she wanted to wrap it around Rick’s neck. Hey, what was the point in giving them false hope?
He turned back to the food, cut open the pouches, and slithered the tasty gray meat into the foil-lined boxes soldiers used for plates. When he handed a plate to Lily, she dropped to her knees to feed Bobby Ray. But before either of them took a bite, they gave thanks to God for the bountiful feast.
Sanchez propped the boy up, then took the rations and fed him, urging Lily to eat her own. After a couple more bites, Bobby Ray took the plate, and blessed the Doc before feeding himself.
When he finished, The Doc eased his head back down, took his empty tray and stood. The kid stared at Rick.
“You know, Mister, God works in mysterious ways,” Bobby Ray said. “After all, He sent the doctor—and you.”
“Oh, yeah, right,” Rick snorted. “I wondered what all that whispering in my ear was this morning.”
Sanchez gripped his arm. “Stop it! You can be mad at me all you want, but don’t take it out on these kids.”
She might as well have slapped him. But she was right. His skin was alive with gnawing anger. He wanted to just rip open his chest and crawl out. He wanted to scream at her and Bobby Ray and Lily. Most of all, he wanted to keep the demons in his head from taking back control.
Rick tried to concentrate on Bobby Ray, but his eyes kept drifting back to Lily’s belly.
The nerves in his palm betrayed him, bringing back the sensation of baby kicks through flesh. That rippling and bumping of a child growing inside that made his heart swell. Goddamit.
He pushed Sanchez toward her car.
“How soon can he walk?”
She shrugged. “Hard to say. I need to drain some fluid off the knee to see if its water or blood. That could relieve some of the pressure. But if he puts weight on it, the fluid will probably build up again.”
Crap! He had to get out of here before it all came crashing down on him.
“Give me your keys.”
Her eyebrows cocked like she hadn’t heard him right. She took a step back, her eyes juggling back and forth between his, like she was trying to get the joke.
“Give me the goddamn keys.”
What was he doing? This was insane.
Sanchez reached into her pocket and held them out. He couldn’t see under her mask, but he could tell from her eyes that she was smiling.
He snatched the keys away and dropped them into Lily’s lap. Then he got his map book from the van and sat down next to the girl, ignoring Sanchez when she hovered over his
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