Primordial earth, p.63
Primordial Earth, page 63
Before he could reply, Jessica reappeared from within the pub with his bag. “I’ve got your things. Now, we can go.”
As they set off down the street, he asked. “How far is it?”
“A few miles. We’ll be there shortly,” Jessica said.
“What’s there, precisely?”
“A safe place to stay the night. An old bank, actually.”
“And tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow, we go home. To Prime City,” Bear rumbled, cutting off Jessica’s reply.
Lee opened his mouth, then closed it again. Whatever he wanted to know, it could wait. The worst was over, and despite his awkward position, he could relax. I’m alive; that’s all that matters.
***
The Alpha female fled before the hail of bullets. Though she was no coward, she wasn’t stupid either. When three of her pack died within seconds, she called the retreat. With powerful strides, she fled from the two-legged creatures and their killing sticks.
When she reached a corner, she paused and looked back. Her nostrils flared as she drank in their scent, never to be forgotten. Her lips quivered with rage, and she snapped at the nearest packmate with a vicious snarl. The youngster squealed with surprise and scrambled to escape her ill humor. Long claws raked open his side, and he limped toward the back of the pack. Within days, the wounds would fester and poison his blood. When his weakness grew apparent, his own kind would tear him apart. He was dead already; he just didn’t know it yet.
The Alpha snorted her disgust and dismissed the two-legged creatures from her mind. The hunt was over, and it was time to return home. A clutch of eggs required her attention, the last brood of the season. Another generation of raptors waited to be hatched, ready to plunder the prehistoric earth.
Chapter 17 - Olivia
Olivia made her way through the Shanghai tunnels toward the infirmary. They bustled with activity as people went about their business. Along the way, she spotted Jamie and waved her over. “How are you this fine morning?”
“I’m well, and you?” Jamie asked.
“I could be better,” Olivia admitted. “My knees are acting up with all this rain we’ve had recently.”
“I know what you mean,” Jamie said with a grimace. “We’re getting older with every passing day. Not younger.”
“Where are you off to?” Olivia asked.
“I’ve been summoned to the infirmary,” Jamie said.”Apparently, there’s been an influx of sick people, and the council is worried.”
“Worried?” Olivia queried.
“Yes, they want me to speak to the doctor and find out how serious the situation is.”
“Well, I’ll accompany you. I was on my way there, anyway,” Olivia said.
They walked arm in arm, chattering about inconsequential things.
“How are the wedding preparations going?” Jamie said.
Olivia pulled a face. “It’s been a nightmare, actually. Nothing is going according to plan.”
“When does it ever?” Jamie said with a laugh.
“Truer words have never been spoken,” Olivia agreed.
The entrance to the infirmary loomed ahead, and they ducked inside. The waiting room was crowded, and the single attendant was hard put to keep order. Chairs lined the walls, filled with sick people. Coughing seemed rampant, and Olivia wondered if it was a good idea to stick around. Especially if the flu was doing the rounds. “Jamie? Is it serious? This illness you spoke off?”
“I don’t think so. It’s probably just a false alarm. The seasons are changing, and that always means an increase in patients. You know how people are,” Jamie said with a knowing smile.
“You’re probably right. I’ll see you later then?” Olivia said. “I’m just here to collect the medicine for my arthritis before heading back home.”
“Tell you what. I’ll pop in for tea once I’m done here,” Jamie said. With a quick wave, she ducked through the crowd and disappeared into the ward.
Olivia joined the queue, patiently waiting for her turn. It took a long time, and her gaze wandered from person to person. She knew most of them by sight. It was hard not to in such a small, tight-knit community.
What she saw disturbed her, however. Not only were the people ill, but they seemed to be in genuine distress. Their cheeks were flushed, indicative of fever, and their coughs sounded wet, never a good sign. Several clutched their stomachs, moaning with pain, and her worry increased. This is not just a case of the sniffles.
When she reached the front, the attendant shot her a harassed look. “How can I help you, ma’am?”
“I’m here to collect my medicine. My name is Olivia Reid.”
The attendant nodded. “Hold on for one second, please.” She pulled a box out from underneath the counter and sorted through the labeled packages. She found the correct one and handed it over. “Here you go, ma’am. Have a good day.”
Olivia turned to leave but hesitated. “I’m sorry to bother you, but can I ask a question?”
“Sure, ma’am. Ask away,” the attendant said, though she looked anything but happy.
“Why are all these people still waiting for treatment? Surely they should’ve been helped by now?” Olivia asked.
The attendant rubbed one hand across her brow, her expression pinched. “We don’t have the room or the hands, ma’am. Our beds are full, and the staff are working night and day as it is. I’ve never seen so many cases come in at once. We’re being overrun.”
“I see. Thank you for being honest,” Olivia said, heading toward the exit. As she walked, she mulled things over. The situation was far worse than she’d believed possible. Worse even than Jamie had thought. I need to speak to Ric and Jamie. Something has to be done.
Back inside the peace and quiet of her own home, she prepared a kettle of boiling water. Opening her medicine packet, she measured out a teaspoon of the dried herbs into a cup and let it steep.
Once the concoction was ready, she sipped on the bitter liquid while seated at her kitchen table. She was used to the taste, and the action allowed her to think. Once she’d gotten her thoughts in order, she set about preparing a light lunch and a pot of coffee. She reckoned they’d need the kick of caffeine if they were to set her plans in motion.
She’d scarcely finished when Ric entered, followed by Jamie. “Sit down, you two. I made coffee.”
Jamie plonked down in her seat. “Thank goodness. Just what I need. This day didn’t turn out at all as I expected.”
“Same here,” Ric said, slumping into his chair.
“What happened, Jamie?” Olivia asked while she poured the coffee.
Jamie shook her head. “It was awful. Just awful. Dozens of people are sick, and the infirmary can’t keep up. There’s not enough room or staff to accommodate them all.”
“I noticed that while I was there,” Olivia said.
“Even worse, the doctors don’t know what’s wrong with them, and whatever medicine they give them doesn’t seem to work,” Jamie added.
“So it’s not just an ordinary cold or hayfever at work?” Olivia said, her suspicions confirmed.
“No. The patients are complaining of body pains, fever, headaches, and a cough. A few of the early cases are even coughing up blood,” Jamie said, clearly distressed.
“Have the doctors tried antibiotics?”
“The natural stuff we produce ourselves is not working,” Jamie said. “Like oil of oregano, garlic, ginger, and so on.”
“What about the real thing? Surely we must have some left in storage. Even if they are expired, they still work to a certain degree,” Olivia said.
“We don’t have any. Our last bit of stock ran out years ago, and none of the scouting teams have been able to locate more. Portland is wiped out. Everything of value has been stripped, especially medicine.”
“What do you think, Ric?” Olivia asked.
Ric sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know. If the situation gets any worse, the council will need to step in.”
“I think we’re already past that point, dear.”
“I agree,” Jamie said. “If we don’t do something about it now, we could face an epidemic.”
Olivia shuddered. The word epidemic brought back horrible memories of a time when the Zoo nearly collapsed beneath the weight of a cholera outbreak. At the time, contaminated water was to blame, and it took all their efforts to contain the outbreak. “Listen up. I’ve got a plan. All you two need to do is present it to the council and see it carried out.”
“I’m all ears,” Jamie said.
“There’s not much we can do about the illness itself. It’s up to the doctors to figure out what they’re dealing with and how to treat it. What we can do is support them in every possible way.”
“Such as?” Ric said.
“We need volunteers to help with the sick. Menial tasks such as cleaning, washing, and feeding the ill can fall to them. That should free up the nurses and allow them to perform more specialized tasks.”
“Good idea,” Jamie said.
“We also need more room, beds, and equipment. The infirmary clearly can’t cope with the number of people coming in.”
“I’ll check what we have in storage, and I’m certain we can convert some of the common areas into temporary clinics,” Ric said.
“Another thing we need to address is the spread of the disease,” Olivia said. “Since we don’t know what it is, it’ll be hard to pin down the exact cause. But, we can tell people to practice common sense, in the meantime.”
“You mean like boiling their drinking water, washing their hands, and keeping to themselves?” Jamie said.
“Exactly. Plus, someone needs to check our food supplies to rule out the possibility of food poisoning,” Olivia said.
“I’ll get a team together to disinfect all public spaces,” Ric said.
“Tell them to pay extra attention to the restrooms and food preparation areas,” Olivia said.
“I’ll do that,” Ric said, staring into his empty cup.
“More coffee?” Olivia asked.
“Yes, please.”
“How about you, Jamie?”
“No, thanks. I think I should get started on this plan of yours. I’ll call a council meeting for this afternoon.”
“I’ll be there,” Ric said.
“See you then,” Jamie said, getting to her feet.
“Oh, one last thing before you go,” Olivia said, holding up one hand.
“Yes?”
“I believe we should warn Prime City. If they can get a headstart on preventative measures, it might help them stave off an outbreak.”
“What about trade?” Ric said. “It’s possible that the infection could be carried over by contaminated goods.”
“You’re right. Perhaps we should suspend all trade for the time being,” Olivia said.
“What if we got the infection from them?” Jamie asked.
“It’s possible. In any case, I still think someone needs to go there. Who knows? Maybe one of their doctors has the answer to this riddle.”
Jamie nodded. “It’s worth a shot, but who do we send?”
“Ric and I can go. Neither one of us is sick, and I’d like to see Lillian again. It’s been too long,” Olivia said.
“You mean Rogue, don’t you?” Jamie teased.
“She’ll always be my Lillian.”
“I can understand that,” Jamie said with a smile. “Why don’t you take Brittany and David with you? The two have been driving me up the wall lately with all their talk of adventure.”
“Brittany is welcome to join us. David too if his father agrees,” Ric said.
“I’ll ask him.”
“What about Aret? Don’t those youngsters do everything together?” Olivia said.
“Not since Paul and Sandi left. They’ve drifted apart since then, especially with Natalie grooming Aret to join the council,” Jamie said.
“And Brittany? Don’t you want her on the council anymore?”
“I do, but she has other plans. The same with David. It seems they’re going through a rebellious phase,” Jamie said, rolling her eyes. “That’s why I think this trip is a good idea. It’ll give them a chance to work out what they want in life.”
“I see.”
“When are you leaving for Prime, Ric?” Jamie asked.
“First thing in the morning. The fastest way to travel is by boat, and I think we can spare one.”
“What about the infirmary? The extra space and equipment?”
Ric frowned, tapping his fingers on the table. “Perhaps, I should put Aret in charge of that, under her mother’s supervision, of course. It would free me up for the trip and teach the girl how to handle a crisis.”
“Excellent thinking,” Jamie said with an approving nod.
“I’ll start packing.” Olivia pushed back her chair and stood up.
“Hey, what about lunch?” Ric protested.
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, you big lump. I’d never let you go hungry.”
“I’d better get going,” Jamie said, heading to the exit. “I’ll call for the council meeting, and I’ll make sure Brittany and David are ready to leave at dawn.”
“Will we see you at dinner?” Olivia asked.
“Why not? I’ll drop by around sevenish?”
“I’ll be expecting you,” Olivia said with a wave.
Jamie left, and Olivia refilled their coffee cups and served lunch. The meal was a simple affair: Tomato and cucumber salad, pickled fish, and bottled beetroot.
“Are you sure about putting Aret in charge?” Olivia said, crunching on a slice of cucumber. “She’s very young, and this could turn into a huge mess if not handled right.”
“She’s young, but she’s smart and driven. Besides, Natalie won’t allow her to slip up,” Ric said.
“I don’t think shoving your kids into a role is the right thing to do. I’m glad Jamie is allowing Brittany to make her own decisions, and I’d never try to dictate to Lillian either,” Olivia said with a frown. “Could you imagine her serving on the council?”
Ric chuckled. “Certainly not. She’s far too free-spirited for that.”
“That she is,” Olivia agreed, her mind lingering on her daughter. She hadn’t seen Lillian in weeks and missed her with every fiber of her being. I can’t wait to see her again. We can talk about the wedding preparations. It’ll be such fun.
Chapter 18 - Jessica
Sandi finished her examination of Lee’s leg and straightened up. She waved Jessica over and said, “His leg looks good. I’m not an expert; I’ve only begun my training as a nurse, but it’s set straight, and there’s blood flow to the entire limb.”
Jessica sighed with relief. “That’s wonderful news.”
“Once we get to Prime, one of the doctors can splint it properly, but for now, he’s fine. He should heal without any problems.”
“Thank you.”
“Would you like me to look at that cut on your head?”
“No, it’s not necessary. It’s shallow, and I cleaned it up myself. No infection,” Jessica said.
“Okay, but let me know if you need anything,” Sandi said.
“How’s your ankle?” Jessica asked, trying to sound polite.
“It’s getting better every day. A simple sprain, really. If it wasn’t for that stupid pothole…”
“Pothole?”
“Yeah, I stepped into one after the Ankylosaurus stampede.”
“Stampede?”
“Uh-huh. The herd stampeded and caused a building to fall on us. We had to run for it, and I stepped into a dumb hole.”
Jessica winced. “That must’ve hurt.”
“It did, but getting dragged off by Troodons was the worst,” Sandi said with a shudder.
“I can imagine,” Jessica said, staring at Sandi’s retreating back.
“Did I hear right? An Ankylosaurus stampede, collapsing buildings, and a pack of Troodons?” Lee said.
“I’m just as shocked as you are.”
“You mean, they faced all of that, looking for us?” he said with a deep frown.
“Seems like it,” Jessica said with more than a hint of admiration.
“I must say, they look a bit rough around the edges, but they’ve got guts,” Lee said.
“That they most certainly do,” Jessica agreed.
Her eyes traveled across the group. Moran and Sandi were checking everyone’s injuries, cleaning, bandaging, and disinfecting. They were quite efficient, given what they had to work with: Bandages made from strips of rough linen, herbal ointments and painkillers, homemade alcohol for disinfectant, sewing needles, and homespun thread.
Seth was on patrol, checking the windows and entrances for danger. He seemed the most alert of the lot and the most seasoned fighter. Bruce and Paul were at work on a new, better set of crutches for Sandi and a stretcher for Lee.
Most surprising of all was the big brute Bear. He hunkered next to the fire, preparing their evening dinner: Soup. It was a weird mixture of water, herbs, and slivers of dried meat. When he sprinkled a handful of white flakes into the broth, she asked. “What’s that?”
“Dehydrated onion and garlic.”
“Interesting,” she said, sniffing at the air. “It smells good.”
“It’s not a feast, but it’ll hit the spot,” he said with a grunt, pulling out two more pouches from his backpack. “This is dried chili, and these are chives. I’ll add some fresh baby turnips, too, straight from my garden.”
“Fresh?”
“Yes, I grew them myself,” he said with a proud grin.
“Impressive,” Jessica said, sitting back on her heels. She’d never grown anything in her life. Everything she wanted, she’d bought with the tokens she earned from her various gigs.
“They seem to be good people,” Lee murmured.
“It looks that way.” Jessica fluffed up the pillows behind Lee’s back. “There. Comfy?”
He nodded. “Much better, thanks.”
“How’s the leg?”
“I don’t even feel it,” Lee said, waving the bottle of painkillers in the air.
