Read Online Pestilence (Jack Randall #2) by Randall Wood - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Randall Wood
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harbor, the situation won’t improve. Those of you that did not require new vaccinations will be asked to donate blood. The local population is full of HIV and other diseases, so any outside donations will be priceless. I’m told that the Americans that are stable enough to be flown out are being moved in the next twelve hours or so. Those that can’t are being treated as best we can here. They need blood and platelets mostly, so please donate.”
“The hospitals range from a modern facility here in Dar, to tents in the bush country. Medications are very limited. You’re going to see some people suffering. That doesn’t really cover it, but just know what’s coming. Try not to touch anything you don’t have to, keep your gloves on, and just be careful. I don’t know what else I can tell you.” Heather shrugged and looked to Sydney for help.
Sydney stood and took her place. “Any questions?” She got nothing but head shakes from the team. It was hard to know what to ask when everything was an unknown. Those who knew just watched out the windows as the bus made its way through the busy streets.
The hospital came into view as they rounded a corner. A building of modest size with little thought given to aesthetics, it sat in the city surrounded by a large group of people. Most sitting quietly in whatever shade they could produce while others crowded around the entrance, pleading their case to the military guards controlling access to the door. Children and adults, some covered in blood, milled about aimlessly, unsure as to what they should do as they waited to see if they would be allowed into the hospital. The bus closed on the bumper of the Jeep in front of them and they slowly forced a path to the front door. The crowd of refugees, disease victims, and the recently wounded parted slowly. From their elevated position, the passengers of the bus could see over the square and down the side streets in every direction. The sea of humanity stretched out as far as they could see. The mass of bodies moved like a single living organism. Most of them dressed in rags, some carrying children, or what few possessions they still had. Some lay still in the dirt under the open sky and merciless sun. The smell and sounds of the living and dead filled the bus, and they all heard the fragile, erratic coughing of sick adults and children coupled with the moaning of the wounded and the wailing of the mourners as relatives died. It was as if they were crossing a battleground just after its horrible conclusion. The fine cloud of dust stirred up by the mob did little to hide the scene from the team.
“My God,” Eric whispered. He looked down on a young boy of no more than four years as he clung to his mother’s leg. The boy gazed up at Eric with one eye, the other glued shut by dried blood and filth. The sun’s warmth and the size of the crowd had attracted a great swarm of flies. As the boy watched Eric pass, flies landed in his mouth, his nose, his eyes. Anywhere there was moisture. He brushed them away but they immediately returned. Too many to deal with, the boy couldn’t afford to waste his strength and the flies were ignored. Eric watched him until he disappeared into the dust.
Their attention all turned to the front of the bus as it stopped in front of the hospital. Eric stood and then bent to retrieve two boxes of supplies that had been assigned to him to carry. He shuffled forward until he was at the front.
“Can you handle one more?” Heather asked.
“Sure.”
Heather added a small box to the top of the two in his stack. Her height did not let her carry too much without blocking her view. Eric did not have the same problem.
“Where do we go?” he asked her.
“Just follow the major until we’re through the gate. Don’t let anybody grab you or the boxes. They’re like gold, and these people are desperate,” she warned.
“Okay.” He got an encouraging look from Sydney as he passed her and followed Heather
“The hospitals range from a modern facility here in Dar, to tents in the bush country. Medications are very limited. You’re going to see some people suffering. That doesn’t really cover it, but just know what’s coming. Try not to touch anything you don’t have to, keep your gloves on, and just be careful. I don’t know what else I can tell you.” Heather shrugged and looked to Sydney for help.
Sydney stood and took her place. “Any questions?” She got nothing but head shakes from the team. It was hard to know what to ask when everything was an unknown. Those who knew just watched out the windows as the bus made its way through the busy streets.
The hospital came into view as they rounded a corner. A building of modest size with little thought given to aesthetics, it sat in the city surrounded by a large group of people. Most sitting quietly in whatever shade they could produce while others crowded around the entrance, pleading their case to the military guards controlling access to the door. Children and adults, some covered in blood, milled about aimlessly, unsure as to what they should do as they waited to see if they would be allowed into the hospital. The bus closed on the bumper of the Jeep in front of them and they slowly forced a path to the front door. The crowd of refugees, disease victims, and the recently wounded parted slowly. From their elevated position, the passengers of the bus could see over the square and down the side streets in every direction. The sea of humanity stretched out as far as they could see. The mass of bodies moved like a single living organism. Most of them dressed in rags, some carrying children, or what few possessions they still had. Some lay still in the dirt under the open sky and merciless sun. The smell and sounds of the living and dead filled the bus, and they all heard the fragile, erratic coughing of sick adults and children coupled with the moaning of the wounded and the wailing of the mourners as relatives died. It was as if they were crossing a battleground just after its horrible conclusion. The fine cloud of dust stirred up by the mob did little to hide the scene from the team.
“My God,” Eric whispered. He looked down on a young boy of no more than four years as he clung to his mother’s leg. The boy gazed up at Eric with one eye, the other glued shut by dried blood and filth. The sun’s warmth and the size of the crowd had attracted a great swarm of flies. As the boy watched Eric pass, flies landed in his mouth, his nose, his eyes. Anywhere there was moisture. He brushed them away but they immediately returned. Too many to deal with, the boy couldn’t afford to waste his strength and the flies were ignored. Eric watched him until he disappeared into the dust.
Their attention all turned to the front of the bus as it stopped in front of the hospital. Eric stood and then bent to retrieve two boxes of supplies that had been assigned to him to carry. He shuffled forward until he was at the front.
“Can you handle one more?” Heather asked.
“Sure.”
Heather added a small box to the top of the two in his stack. Her height did not let her carry too much without blocking her view. Eric did not have the same problem.
“Where do we go?” he asked her.
“Just follow the major until we’re through the gate. Don’t let anybody grab you or the boxes. They’re like gold, and these people are desperate,” she warned.
“Okay.” He got an encouraging look from Sydney as he passed her and followed Heather
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