CHAPTER 27 - When All I See Is Darkness Part III

For the next three days Layton and Bennett took turns staying with Melanie.

Sitting on the sofa on the fourth morning, Layton waited patiently for Melanie to finish getting dressed. He had innocently offered to help the first morning, which only got him a deep scowl and a surly, 'No, thank you.'.

And so Layton simply waited for her to finish as he sat in the main room.

"You're getting better at that." He commented when she finally emerged from the bedroom. "It only took you about fifteen minutes this time."

Melanie's tone lacked every ounce of his enthusiasm. "I used to be able to do it in five."

"Cheer up." Layton encouraged her. "I have a surprise for you this morning."

Melanie cautiously made her way over to the table, hands held out in front of her as she slowly took each step. Finally finding the back of one of the chairs, she sat down at the table, facing his voice with a suspicious look.

"What sort of surprise?"

Layton turned to the young woman sitting in the chair next to Melanie, giving her a small nod.

"Good morning, Ms. Cavill." A voice answered her. It was cheerful, but uncertain, and laced with a strong, lilting Spanish accent.

Melanie nearly jumped out of the chair, but immediately recomposed herself as she turned back to Layton's voice with a questioning stare.

"Melanie, I'd like you to meet Rosa Castillio."

Melanie turned back to where she had heard the other voice immediately to her right.

"It is very nice to meet you, Ms. Cavill, Especially after all this time."

The same questioning stare turned back to Layton with a bit of uncertainty as she heard him getting up from the sofa and cross the room.

"I have a train to run, Melanie." He answered her questioning stare. "As much as I would like to, I can't just sit in the cabin with you all day. So I got you a..."

"Babysitter?" Came the harsh accusation.

Layton knew she wasn't going to like it. But he had told her the truth. He had another things that demanded his attention that he had ignored for far too long in order to stay with her. Now it was time to get back to work. And he didn't feel it was fair to Bennett to be asking him to divide his time between sitting with her and his regular shift either. So getting someone else to stay with her seemed the logical solution.

But to do that, he had wanted someone to stay with her to make sure she didn't get bored or hurt herself trying to find her way around.

"What about Bennett?" Melanie quickly spoke up. "He's been staying with me. Why can't he...?"

"For the same reason I can't." Layton answered her. "While you're injured, Bennett is the head engineer. On top of that, he's already doing double duty helping me take care of you."

Melanie fell silent for a few moments. "I told you this would happen." She finally said softly. "You would eventually see how useless I am. Now you're starting to see what it's going to mean...keeping me...here. Already you have to make special arrangements for me. 'Hire' someone to watch me."

Layton refused to rise to her bait. "Rosa is a very competent nurse." He stated plainly. "She'll stay with you during the day while I work. And if I'm late, she can stay with you at night until I get in."

"I don't need anyone with me at night." Melanie replied in a hard tone. "I sleep."

"We'll talk about it tonight." Layton answered her, gathering his papers off the table, he walked over and lightly kissed her head. "Try to have a nice day."

"Doubt it." Came the mumbled reply.

"I was talking to Rosa." Layton said, pulling back and heading for the door, not turning back to see whatever gesture or look he was being given.

For several moments after the door closed, the cabin fell into utter silence. For her part Melanie sat staring ahead of her, wondering what she was going to do for the day. The past three had been mostly like just one incredibly long day to her. Without light or darkness to mark the passing of time, she found her body lacking any real foundation on what to do when. It had been Layton who had told her when to eat or when it was time for sleep.

Now it was going to be a stranger.

"Mr. Layton did not hire me to sit with you." The voice to her right finally spoke.

Melanie turned back to her. "What?"

"You indicated earlier Mr. Layton had hired me to sit with you. That is not true." The voice answered her.

Melanie paused for a moment. "So how did you come to be here?"

"Mr. Layton had come to the clinic yesterday to speak with Dr. Pelton about your situation. He was asking if she thought you could stay on your own yet, because he had to get back to work. Dr. Pelton was very much against it. So I volunteered my services to stay with you."

Melanie said nothing in return.

The girl sighed quietly to herself. Layton had warned her from the beginning Melanie was not going to be an easy assignment. But she felt it was just a matter of adjustment for the head engineer. Going from being the leader of the train, to suddenly being, in her own assessment, less than nothing.

Useless.

"Is there anything I get for you, Ms. Cavill?" The pleasant voice asked her.

Melanie hated talking to a faceless voice. "I want to know what you look like." She said.

The girl turned towards her. "All right."

Carefully, Melanie reached a hand out towards the voice. The first thing she found was the girl's hair, which was long and straight.

"What color is your hair?" Melanie asked.

"Black." Came the soft answer. "My abuela says sometimes it is as dark as a starless night."

"Abuela." Melanie echoed the word. "You're Spanish?"

"My family is Portuguese, Ms. Cavill. My father was a doctor there. That is why I became a nurse. I was studying to be a doctor...when the freeze came."

"How did you end up on the train? Did your father buy passage?"

A voice became cautious. "Oh, no, Ms. Cavill. We...jumped the train. A friend of my family was a scientist..., and he said he knew someone, who told him what was happening. He told us what was coming, and my father believed him. He spoke of the trains Mr. Wilford was building. And he told my father if we went with him to the states, he would get us on one of those trains. Tell them we were his family. He said the train would need doctors and my father could be useful there."

"And?"

The girl's voice grew a little softer. "When we arrived, the man who we came with told us to wait for him in the train yard. He went to where the other scientists were waiting to board the train. We could see the other scientists the man went to join standing outside the train. The others were upset, yelling something at the train. I could not understand them. But suddenly the guards pulled their guns out and killed all of the scientists, including our friend. My family did not know what to do. We were frightened they would kill us also and so we ran and hid. But my father found a worker, another man from Portugal. He helped us. We were snuck on the train that night, before the real trouble started. We hid in the very back of the train where other workers were hiding in fear of the guards who seemed to be killing people at random. We were terrified we would be found and killed also."

A solid fear crept into the girl's tone. "But then suddenly there was a great commotion from outside. We could hear people shouting, and we heard the guns firing. Suddenly the doors to the compartment we were in were forced open. We thought it was the guards. But it was other people. Hundreds of them it seemed, all trying to shove their way through the doors at once. It was horrible. No one cared for anyone but themselves and getting on the train. Many of them were shot by the guards. I saw a guard killed. My father grabbed the man's gun and aimed it outside the door and started to fire while my mother and I helped others inside. Then suddenly it seemed, the train started to move. I remember hearing people screaming, begging to be allowed on board. Others tried to grab those reaching out to be saved. Families. Children. Anyone we could reach. But eventually the train was moving too fast..., and we had to close the door." The girl finished in a very quiet tone. But after a momentary pause, she picked up her story again.

"Because my father was a doctor, the people in the end of the train respected him and his family. I helped him take care of many of the sick over the years. Those that were injured...or punished."

Melanie gave the girl a rueful smile. "You must just love having to be my babysitter then." She said.

The girl's answer surprised her. "It is a great honor." She stated.

Melanie returned a skeptical look. "Really?" She asked. "An honor to have to help the woman who made your family's lives a misery?"

The girl's tone did not change. "My family lived like the rats we ate in the Tail. That is true. But tell me, Ms. Cavill, did you set the rules, or did you live by them the same as all of us?" The girl paused for a moment before she continued. "When Mr. Layton took over the train, you were the one that called for the census in the Tail. Many people in the Tail were skilled at crafts the train needed, but for nearly seven years no one seemed to care. When the census was conducted, many in the Tail were brought up the train. My father was one of the first to leave with us. The train needed doctors. There were ten in the Tail. Also nurses like myself. We had no materials to work with in the Tail, but we did what we could. Now we work and serve all citizens on the train. We can truly help people. And I am back learning under my father to become another doctor for the train." The girl paused again. "You may have done much harm in the past, Ms. Cavill. But you have also done much good in the present. Perhaps that is what you would do better to focus on now."

Melanie paused for a moment, but then quickly traced her fingers over the girl's other features before letting her hand drop back into her lap.

"So," she finally asked, "what is it exactly Mr. Layton wants you to do?"

The girl smile at her. "First, breakfast. Mr. Layton says you do not eat enough. I think I can fix that."

Expecting a drudgery of a day, Melanie actually found that the morning past rather quickly. When afternoon arrived, so did several visitors in the form of Rosa's family, including her father, mother, brother, and her grandfather and grandmother, who came with a small pot of something that soon had the whole cabin smelling like a spice market. The family was delighted to find the train's former leader spoke fluent Spanish as they regaled her with stories about things that happened in the Tail. While Melanie had always thought that living in the Tail was one long, unending, unbroken struggle, the Castillio family showed her a different side to life in the Tail. While it wasn't all laughter and happiness, it appeared to have it's moments as the people living there tried to make life more bearable in even the smallest of ways.

But they seemed more interested in telling her stories about how things had changed in the last few months. Many of them due to actions she had taken. The census, the turning up of the heat, the supplies that suddenly seemed to become available so those still living there could build a new life for themselves and their one time home.

Melanie was quick to point out to them that none of what they mentioned could have been done without Layton's approval. But Rosa was quick to answer.

"Oh, we all appreciate Mr. Layton." She replied in a lighthearted tone. "But Mr. Layton does not run the train alone. This is well known among many on the train now. You have always been beside him. Making him the leader he has become."

Before the family left, Rosa's father gently insisted Melanie let him take a look at her eyes. A 'second opinion', he had told her. It was always worth the time with something so important as one's sight.

Melanie sat stone still as the doctor took off her bandages and carefully checked her eyes. She could feel the warmth on her face of the bright light as he passed it over her eyes, asking her if she saw anything. Shaking her head, Melanie told him she never saw light. Only darkness.

After several more minutes of the impromptu exam, Rosa's father sat back, studying his patient.

"People who are suddenly blinded still see light." He told her. "It is...like a memory in the eye. But you say you see nothing. Yet from what I can tell, there is no damage to the retina or the inner eye. Only to the cornea. That is where the light is being blocked from entering the eye. The cornea is made to protect the eye. And I feel that is exactly what it did when the flash occurred. And the cornea can repair itself, given time, if the injury is not too severe."

Melanie looked up at him. "But Dr. Pelton and Klimpt said..."

The man made a dismissive sound. "Bah! Pelton and Klimpt are more scientists than doctors. They experiment. I practice medicine."

"So..., you think I'll get my sight back?"

Rosa's father didn't answer right away as he faced down the hopeful stare looking back at him.

"I told you," he replied softly, "it depends on the damage. Keep the bandages on. I'll send some drops to put in your eyes twice a day. To help the cornea heal. But I will be truthful, Ms. Cavill. The damage is very bad. Can your eye heal itself?" The man shrugged. "Time alone will answer that question."

After the family left, Rosa waited for Layton to return that evening. After the girl left to go back to her own family for the night, Melanie gave Layton a run down of her day.

"She was suppose to watch you, not throw a party." Layton stated.

But Melanie quickly frowned up at him. "I like her." She stated. "And I liked her family. They were very kind...considering."

Layton gave her a questioning look. "Considering what?"

Melanie paused for a moment. "Considering...who I am to them."

Layton sighed quietly at her statement. "I've told you before, Melanie." He replied to her. "The whole train does not see you as some...some monster. And a lot more people in the Tail respect you now than hate you. You've been trying to help the train gain some stability. Put everyone on a more equal footing. And no where more so than the Tail. And they know that."

Melanie simply gave him a small nod as he went to the kitchen to see what he could put together for dinner.

Opening the small refrigerator door, he suddenly poked his head up over the counter in the kitchen.

"What are all these containers in the refrigerator?"

"Rosa said her grandmother brought a few extra dishes to make sure I was eating,"

Layton gave the filled shelves a happy smile. "I think I'm starting to like her too." He said quietly as he picked out one of the containers to heat up.

The next day Rosa again came knocking on the door just as Layton was leaving.

"Now behave yourself." He warned Melanie as she sat at the table. "No parties."

Melanie shooed him out the door from her chair.

Rosa immediately set about getting breakfast made. Melanie was sure if Layton could just smell the food, he would happily delay leaving each morning. Rosa really was as excellent a cook as her grandmother.

As the morning drew on, a knock came at the door and Rosa went to answer it.

"A good morning to you, Ms. Cavill." A friendly male voice greeted her this time.

Melanie simply looked up in the sound of the voice.

"It's Richard Landreys." Rosa informed her. "He works in the Ag Cars."

"Works in the Ag cars 'now'." The man quickly put in. "Used to be in the Tail, Ms. Cavill, until the census. Now...well, now I got a whole Ag car to myself to work in. It's like being in heaven for me. Can't thank you enough for that census. For taking an interest in what people in the Tail were actually capable of doing. Now a lot of us are working for what we get. Have something to take pride in again."

Melanie gave the man a small nod. "I'm glad things worked out for you, Mr. Landreys." She answered him.

"Heard about your accident." The man went on. "Wanted to stop by. Others in the Ag cars are asking after you. Wondering how you were fairing." A sound caught her attention as something was set on the table. "We got a small bowl of fruit together for you. Picked it all just today. Thought it might help you feel a bit better."

Melanie reached over towards where the sound had come from and, after a few missed attempts, let her fingers wander over the fruit in the bowl.

"That was very kind of you, Mr. Landreys." She replied, then paused for a moment. "I don't remember you from the council meetings."

"Not part of the council, Ms. Cavill. McCavins and Lutz are our representatives. Part of third class."

Melanie gestured to a chair at the table. "I would like to hear what's been going on in the Ag cars, Mr. Landreys. It used to be one of my favorite places."

The man happily sat himself down in the chair. "Well, I suppose no harm in sittin' a spell." He stated. "Heard from some you used to work on a farm yourself."

"That I did, Mr. Landreys."

The man gave her a smile. "Always appreciated a good farm girl. Sturdy women out on the farms."

Melanie gave him a small laugh as they settled into discussing the state of the train's now thriving farming community. Apparently many people in the Tail were capable farmers or at least knew something of growing things. Craving an opportunity to be in the light again and work with growing things, they went to work in the farming and agricultural cars. Meanwhile, those who had done that work for the past seven years were just as happy to be able to move on to other work themselves. So the census had proved itself again in allowing those on the train to make a sort of massive shift in work duties, with many being able to now find their way into work they found more interesting. All in all, Melanie saw this as adding to the train' stability in that people were no longer forced into doing something every day that they either hated or were ill suited for.

When Layton returned to the cabin that evening, he found Rosa sitting in the main room by herself.

"Where's your charge today?" He asked.

"She said she was tired and went to bed a short while ago."

"Did she eat?"

Rosa nodded. "She enjoys my abuela's cooking. And she seems to have a good appetite for it. So I am glad we could help there."

"Did she take her medicine?"

Rosa nodded again. "She was very agreeable." The girl replied. "Since my father's visit, and his encouragement regarding her condition, she seems much more hopeful, so she complies with her care more. I think this was a very good idea of your..."

But Layton slapped a hand quickly over the girl's mouth, then put a finger to his lips.

He could feel the smile under his hand nonetheless before he withdrew it.

"Still," Rosa replied in a quieter voice, "she seems more encouraged. I am glad for that. Ms. Cavill is a very kind woman. Not at all the person we always imagined her to be in the Tail." The girl began to gather up the few things she brought with her. "She has been in bed for about a half hour. Everything has been very quiet since then."

"Was it not quiet up until then?" Layton asked suspiciously.

Rosa shook her head. "Not in the way you think, Mr. Layton." She replied, a small smile on her lips. "Richard Laudreys from one of the Ag cars came by today. He and Ms. Cavill had a very nice visit. He even brought you a lovely bowl of fruit. They talked a lot about farming and what was going on in the Ag cars now."

"Sounds like she enjoyed herself then."

"She enjoyed the visit, Mr. Layton. It is good thing that you..." But Rosa stopped abruptly at the look on his face. "...that people come by to see her." She amended carefully in another low, whispered tone. "It keeps her occupied."

Layton gave her a small smile. "That was the plan." He said quietly.

Rosa returned his smile. "Will you need me again tomorrow?"

Layton shook his head. "Not tomorrow, Rosa. I think I'll stay with her tomorrow."

Bidding the girl a goodnight at the door, Layton happily made his way to the kitchen in blissful anticipation of what he was going to have tonight for his own dinner from among Rosa's grandmother's offerings.

When he had finished he cleaned up and made his way into the bedroom to check on his roommate.

For all appearances to the untrained eye, Melanie was quietly curled up under the coves, sound asleep. But after watching her breathing for a few minutes, Layton walked up to the bed.

"Don't even try." He stated. "I know you're not asleep."

The body in the bed shifted slightly. "And how would you know that?" A soft voice answered.

"For starters, you're answering me. And I'm the one that allegedly talks in their sleep."

"That's not an allegation." Melanie replied, rolling over in the bed. "It's a fact. And it's also the way I've learn most of the things I know about you."

Layton walked over and sat down next to her so she would know exactly where he was.

"How was your day?"

"You already know."

Layton smiled despite himself. "And how would I know that?"

Melanie kept her bandaged eyes focused on the wall in front of her. "They say when you lose one sense, the others take over to compensate." She turned to face him. "When you lose your sight, hearing is usually the first to become more acute."

Layton wisely kept silent.

"I heard you talking to Rosa." Melanie continued when he didn't say anything. "And I concluded enough to assume you've been badgering people to come see me."

"I'll only admit to letting people know you were injured and might enjoy some company." Layton responded. "I will outrightly deny I 'badgered' anyone."

"And Rosa?"

"Rosa is studying to become a doctor. You're her course on uncooperative and disgruntled patients." He added with a small smile. " And from what I've heard, happily, you've been a totally rotten example so far."

Reaching out, Melanie took his hand. Holding it up, she reached over to her night stand and opened the top drawer. She pulled out a small glass with several pills in it, which she unceremoniously dumped into Layton's hand.

Sitting in the bed, she stared him down.

Layton looked over the assortment for a few seconds. "I stand corrected." He replied. From his estimates, he had just been handed all of her sleeping and pain pills from the last five days. "But at least you took the antibiotics."

"I told you I didn't want any sleeping pills or any pain pills." Melanie stated.

"Fine." Layton conceited. "Only the antibiotics from now on."

"And Rosa's father?"

"What about him?"

"Where did he fit into all of this? 'Encouragement' I think I heard Rosa say."

Layton quickly rose up to that challenge. "Anything Dr. Castillio told you was on his own." Layton stated firmly. "I had nothing to do with anything he said. And he's a doctor. He wouldn't lie to you even if I asked him to."

Melanie gave a small nod to his answer.

A deep silence fell between them. Layton knew he was basically on trial and she was considering her verdict. But before she got there, he decided perhaps it was best to just confess.

"I was worried you might get bored,,,,or end up just sitting around all day worrying about things." He finally admitted. "So I asked a few people to come by and see you. That's all there was to it. And yes, I'll even admit I wanted a second opinion on your injury. So I asked Dr. Castillio to look at your eyes. Was that really such an awful thing to do for someone you care about?"

Not waiting for an answer, Layton got up and left the room.

Sitting up still in the bed, Melanie listen carefully to everything he did. She could literally follow his movements as he shut things off in the outer room and finished by checking the front door was secured. She could hear him walk softly across the carpet and come back into the bedroom. He picked up his thermals without any comment to her and went back to the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed.

She sighed quietly as she heard the door to the bathroom close.

He was trying, she conceded. Things were by no means settled between them, but he was trying at least to be pleasant to her until they could find a way to put this latest crisis in their relationship behind them. How much would it cost her to give a little in return?

When Layton come back into the bedroom he found Melanie was now curled back up in the covers, facing the door this time. With a tired sigh, he padded his way over to the bed, and settled in on his own side, finally reaching behind him and shutting off the light.

'Best to just try and get some sleep.' He told himself as he settled once more under the covers.

He was just starting to feel sleep pull at his weary brain when a soft voice reached out to him in the darkness.

"Richard Laundrys brought us a bowl of fresh fruit."

Layton's eyes snapped open. He tried to figure out where she was headed with the comment, but finally decided the best course was just to see where it led.

"That was nice of him."

"It had some apples." She went on. "Some oranges, I think. It's hard to tell since they feel the same. But there were some grapes. You like those."

Layton paused for a moment, then finally turned his head towards her. "Yeah. I had some."

He watched in the semi-darkness as a small smile answered him. "I hope they were good."

"I left you some. You can try them tomorrow."

Melanie shook her head slightly on the pillow. "Go ahead and eat them." She replied softly. "You like them best. I like the apples better."

Layton returned her smile, even though he knew she couldn't see it. But it was reflected in his tone well enough. "OK." He stated quietly. "I get the grapes. You get the apples. We'll split the oranges."

Melanie nodded slightly in answer.

They fell into silence again. But this time it didn't feel quiet as uncomfortable to Layton as he closed his eyes again.

"Goodnight, Melanie."

For several moments he waited for a reply. But when none came the uncomfortableness made a return. But after a few more moments passed in silence, the same quiet voice reached across the bed to him.

"Laundrys came with some good ideas today."

Layton readjusted himself slightly in the bed, pulling his arm up under his head as he rolled over to face her. "Like what?"

Melanie mimicked his movements before she answered him. "He said he doesn't think the Ag cars are getting what they need to grow enough food."

Layton frowned in the darkness at the information. "But you told me yourself that everything on the train was carefully balanced. So it remained completely self sustaining."

"And now we have more mouths to feed." She replied, her tone remaining soft and level. It wasn't an accusation. Just a statement of fact. "And Landreys has some good ideas about how to increase the yield without stressing out the ground we have."

Layton quietly smiled to himself. He was glad to see her so engaged in what Laudrys had talked with her about. Even without her sight, her mind kept working.

He had built his plan on Audrey's suggestions. She was so focused on what she felt she couldn't do anymore, maybe she needed to be reminded of the things she had done. That she still could do. And since she didn't appear to want to hear it from him, maybe she would hear it from others. And so he had asked others to come and talk to her. To feed her issues and ideas. Something that, even if she wouldn't admit to it, her mind was hungry for. Just as he had told her earlier, it was something new to work on. Something that steered her away from what she was currently facing, even if just for a little while.

"OK." He replied, echoing her tone. "Let's talk about it."