Please buckle your seatbelts and keep your hands, face, and feet in the ride at all times. Also, keep your hair to youself. You don't want it blowing into other people's faces.
I could repeat this in Spanish, but I won't do that to you. All set? Good. Brace yourself!
I felt like a fraud. But then again... I was a fraud. That was no new news. I kept on trying to change that fact, but the Isabel inside of me was just exploding to take advantage of people. You know that feeling? Of course not. The weird thing was, it was positively the tiniest fib I had ever told in my entire life, yet it was one of the only fibs I felt guilty about. Why? Because it was to Amy Cahill. The most innocent, accepting, and simply pleased person that I had ever met.
There I was, getting my uniform together for the final championship match, when I had told Amy I was going to stay with Daston instead. I really cared about Daston and all, he was the only living thing in my life who had listened to me, but my team needed me as well. Anyone would admit, I was the star player. I knew I would not be as good without Daston though. He seemed to read my mind when we played polo together. I figured nothing bad could happen to Daston in a few hours. I would prepare many servants and nurses to watch over him. I guess I just... wanted Amy to know I wasn't heartless. Because I am not!
Either way, I felt like as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
I heard a little beep from the super wall that indicated that I had received an email. I crossed my fingers hoping that Jonah had finally taken up my request. I would kill to get in to the Venice Janus stronghold. Not literally though. That would be just pointless; I don't believe in killing. However, it was from Amy. The only one person I would rather receive an email from at the currant moment.
"I was looking through my uncle's study, and I found a newspaper article from 1884 about a weird horse disease. It includes side effects that resemble Daston's completely. I TRULY hope that it is not what Daston has because the article looks rather grim. I didn't want to show you, but if it is what Daston has, it must be diagnosed. It is worth looking into. Also, the article was written a long time ago so they might have discovered a cure by now. I attached a photocopy of the article. Good luck Ian!
-Amy"
She seemed so worried for Daston, just like I was. She really did seem to care about everything and everyone. But what had she meant by "the article looks rather grim." Without hesitation, I pulled up the hazy picture of a newspaper clipping. Simply looking at the title, my face fell. Oh. So that's what she had meant.
"The New York Times
Several Valuable Horses In New Jersey Dead
Philadelphia- Feb. 9, 1884
Dr. B Miller, veterinary surgeon to the New Jersey State Board of Health had to put to rest several valuable horses in Camden since the appearance of a rare disease known as azotwina. Dr. Miller said that he had received letters from surgeons all over the country asking about the nature of the disease. All reported the same issues. The animal breaks into a violent sweat, shakes, and is stricken with total paralysis of the hind quarters. If not treated properly within a few days, it is believed that the only way to realive the horses suffering is to put it to sleep. Efforts are being made to have a meeting in Camden at an early date of consultation."
If I was a normal boy, all the color would have drained from my face. However, I just stood there, my face deadly placid. All my feelings were going crazy in the INSIDE. Exactly how long was a few days? It had been two and a half so far! Would it KILL Dr. B Miller to be more specific? Kill. The article had said put to sleep, but to me, that was the same as the word kill. As I mentioned before, I don't agree with killing. Deep breath. Let it out. Press print.
The paper slid out of the wall in to my awaiting hand and I sprinted out of that room exactly like... a bowling ball wouldn't. Sorry, just felt like I needed an analogy there. Caring less about a jacket, I ran outside. The cold wind nipped at my face as I reached the well kept stables. Multiple veterinarians turned toward me as I reached their sides.
I basically thrust the paper into their hands. "Do any of you think that this article could in any way relate to Daston's currant condition. If so, does this azotwina have a cure by now?"
I could barely stand the minute wait as the veterinarians looked over the article murmuring words to themselves. I impatiently drummed my hand on my leg like it was a hyperactive hummingbird wing. Finally, a tall vet in a lab coat probably the main leader, decided to speak up.
"Where did you find this Sir?" he asked staring at the pages.
"It was faxed to me by a... friend," I answered in lack of a better word. Was Amy my friend? I smiled. I think she technically was.
"Well this is an extraordinary piece of history," Dr. Tall explained as if I didn't already know that. He took out a electronic gadget and searched some things. "According to the veterinary database, the disease wasn't ever reported again after 1886. We thought it had disappeared for good. I really hope that is not what your horse has, because there still isn't a cure."
"Is there still a chance? The article said that there is still a chance until after a certain amount of days," I said trying not to to sound to desperate. Daston, covered in velvet blankets, was laying on the ground, breathing hard and raggedy.
"Give us a moment to examine Daston some more," Dr. Tall said. "We can't even be sure if the horse has azotwina quite yet."
"His name is Daston," I said harshly yet smooth. "He isn't just another horse." Where had that come from? I don't know. But if he called Daston "the horse" once more, my head would explode. You see, if this were my own mother, I wouldn't have cared this much. And that just adds to the list of depressing circumstances in my life.
So the plan so far was to find out for sure whether Daston had azotwina or not, and cure him. The plan was simple. Like my second-cousin Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
Not able to bare the sight of doctors sticking needles into Daston to take his blood, I went to the other side of his spacious stall. Spotting a laptop in the side of the room, I realized I should probably thank Amy for the article. It would help me take my mind off things at least. Sitting down on the mahogany bench, I logged on tho my email. Apparently, she was already on chat. Sweet.
PoloBoy11: Thanks for the article. It has really helped. There is no cure for azotwina yet but, it may be what he has.
AmyCahill: I really hope not!
Listening to the ragged breathing that was cutting through the air, I had my suspicions.
PoloBoy11: I can't believe you were able to find that article!
AmyCahill: My uncles study has information about every known subject on Earth compacted into a 10 by 10 foot room.
I smiled. I just couldn't help it. I just played in my mind what the funny lines would sound like if she were saying them, adding a slight stutter at the end. Every once in a while she would bloom with a little humor. Last time, it had been when Isabel was trying to kill her. She had to work on her timing. I wanted to answer with a little fun.
PoloBoy11: Wow! Let's put that to the test! Can you find anything that has to do with parakeet fossils?
AmyCahill: That would be interesting! I should search the database!
PoloBoy11: OK but...
That is when I heard it... nothing. The hard breathing that once filled the air had ceased. Daston had almost stopped breathing and each breath was more hollow and slow. I looked at the multiple doctors around Daston. They were staring up at me, their faces pale and white.
"Do something!" I commanded not knowing what to do. I would have ran to Daston's side, but I couldn't bare to look at his limp face yet. I had to collect myself. I took a deep breath and took out my anger by harshly typing on the computer keys sloppily. My words made no sense, but I had a horse to attend to.
PoloBoy11: D slowd breting, gota go
AmyCahill: WHAT! Show me the horse.
I looked at the computer wondering if I had read it right. How had Amy even read my jumbled message in the fist place? That's right. She probably had practice reading Dan's writing.
PoloBoy11: ?
AmyCahill: Just show me the horse. I feel like I could help. I don't know how, but I would like to at least see the horse.
Was she mental! This was serious medical issue and she had probably never even seen a full grown horse in her life. But this was Amy. I owed so much to her already. I switched on the web-cam. Hearing the beep of the heart monitor, I forced myself to go to Daston's side by the vets. The mountainous line that had once shown Daston's normal heart rate, was now a slowly decreasing slope. Poor big guy, he didn't deserve this at all. He was hardworking, obedient, gentle yet fierce. He just happened to be unfortunate. Totally innocent. I sighed a deep breath. I was pumped on adrenaline yet totally calm. I didn't know what I could possibly do for him.
I gazed across the room as two green eyes flickered onto the lap-top's screen. Amy was eagerly, leaning towards the camera surveying the scene. She looked quietly at the heart rate monitor, face pale. I could have looked at Amy forever, but I looked up at the monitor and tried to contain all my inner organs by not exploding. After all, exploding isn't very gentlemen like. The screen contained a straight line.
I leaned back on some tank of liquid behind me, breathing hard, and stared at my horse. "Just back away from him," I whispered to the doctors. If they couldn't save him in three days, they couldn't save them now. It was as simple as that. I was tired of it already.
The doctors didn't even question me and backed up about a yard.
Amy suddenly spoke up, not stuttering once, but with a face as pale as... an albino armadillo. "Look behind you Ian," she almost commanded quietly. I looked immediately and saw the multiple tanks marked with... I am just going to say scientific words.
"This would kill any other horse, but if he's almost already dead, it could be his only chance," she said. I'll admit, hearing her say this scared me.
"Find Dimethylsulfoxide for almost instant anti-inflammatory effects, Methylsufonomethane for connective tissue cross-linking to increase strength and flexibility of the tissue, and Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan degrade articular cartilage so the other medications spread faster." She said really fast and vigorously. Hearing her say this almost scared me even more.
I whirled around and quick as a flash, picked out the tanks she was referring to. Each had a "danger" label on them.
Mr. Tall stepped out of the corner speaking up. "NO! Do you not think we already tried that! We included some in his IV! Too much on that stuff is dangerous!"
"But to little is useless! And apparently it was useless!" I shot back in a firm tone that nobody could ever argue with. "What now Amy?"
"Insert the last injection into Daston's heart and the first two on the horses rear," she stated, color still drained from her face. I would have laughed at having to insert something in to some thing's butt in any situation but this one. I walked up to the needles.
"This is a life or death situation children!" Dr. Tall complained. He had called me the c-word! He was so in for it!
I glanced at Amy to make sure she was positive. How could she be so sure? What if the doctor was right? Her eyes held the same look they did when she had saved me from falling of Mount Everest. Most fourteen-year-old boys would say that metaphorically, but I am not "most". They shone with such a determination to save somebody else and a rare confidence that only comes out when you really believe something. I would have trusted her with my own life right then, and definitely Daston's.
In a split second, I grabbed the injection, whirled around, threw myself to Daston's side, and sunk the shots deep into his limp figure. It was hard to make myself peirce through flesh but I was determined.
And then there was silence. Amy's face on the web cam was now blushing, hoping she had done the right thing. She was suddenly aware of what she had done. There was doubt in her face, wondering if the one time she had stepped out to be a leader, she had messed up.
I waited for something to happen, every second drawing longer in my anticipation. I took a deep breath and leaned on to the horses side, so that I would feel his heart beat if he started to breathe again. I waited.
Nothing happened.
-OH THE DRAMA! Even I am into it. Sigh. It needs more humor though.
-I got a lot of reviews last time, so I wanted to make this chapter exciting for everyone. I worked about seven hours on this chapter. It is an extremely long chapter and I worked like never before. I REALLY hope you like it. Please review.
-I know it is kinda mean to stop right here, but I could have stopped it when Daston had stopped breathing. That would have been even more cruel! It is a serious challenge to only change perspective every other chapter, but it is just the challenge I need to help me become a more experienced writer.
-It was really funny today. For my younger brother's birthday I gave him a white gangsta hat with green skulls on it (he is a messed up kid) and a thing of Coke. He LOVED it. You see, my parents don't buy soda for "safety reasons." As soon my brother opened the box my mom yelled, "Seriously! You bought him soda! I'd rather you buy him DRUGS!" It was hilarious!
-Look up "horse azotwina" to see the original New York Times article. It is legit. So are all the medical references. I did lots of research for this story.
-I would really like to thank you for all the reviews. I read them all like fifty times and they make me so happy! I give my lowest ninja bow to you! (That is like the equivalent to a bear hug so be very grateful!)
-How did you like it? Review fool!
Where Adventures Begin...
Alex Almighty
