Chapter 8: Back at Home
Sara lifted the manhole lid carefully and peered out into the blinding daylight. After a moment, she slid the manhole lid to the side and climbed out, then turned to grasp the pale hand that reached up toward her.
Helga struggled to climb out of the cave and onto the street, but they managed to do it with very little noise or drama. Once out, they sat together in the center of the street, right beside the manhole. Helga leaned her weary body against the stronger of the two friends, and they sat in companionable silence, just as they did every other day.
It had become a routine that Helga had suggested soon after Arnold had left. She had done her reading and new that sunlight, clean air and fresh food were the best remedies for this disease aside from specific medicines developed in the 20th century. Adequate medicine was more than scarce these days, and fresh food was something that only existed in dreams. Though the only sunlight available was what happened to sift through the haze that covered the city, the sulfuric air was far better than the filth that they breathed in the tunnels. Yes, the sewers had been running clean for a long time, but they'd recently stopped running entirely. This being added to the already disgusting living conditions caused people to fall sicker faster, and Helga was determined to survive no matter how many people died around her.
So many had died already.
After sitting for a moment, the two girls were joined by Mrs. Freyermuth, who carried Lupita up with her. When the middle-aged woman had discovered what the girls had been doing in secret, she'd insisted that she accompany them for the sake of Gerald's baby. The children had been suffering the worst of the epidemic. Dropping like flies, as Helga would have once termed it. Not now, though. Now it was not a joke.
Please God, she prayed inwardly, if You're really up there, why is this happening? Are we not supposed to survive? God, please…help us…bring them back…I've waited so long…bring Arnold back to me…please…
A horrendous cry shot suddenly from the medical room. Each person sitting in the hallway gave a start, but none rose from their places standing against the wall. Jenny clasped Curly's arm, but her eyes turned to Aaron against the far wall and he proceeded to sign to her what had made them all jump. She turned her gaze to Curly, who did not look at her but instead rested his free hand atop hers.
They, along with Weitman an Evalyn, had been waiting for hours to hear what the doctor had to say about Arnold. No one knew what had happened, only that Arnold had come barreling down the stairs and fell, and he was now lying unconscious in the school's medical lab turned hospital with the resident doctor examining his leg.
At least, Arnold had been unconscious. Another cry ripped through the hall, followed by countless other quieter ones that were tight with attempted self-control. They waited in agony for the doctor, or someone, to come out and tell them what had happened. Finally, someone did. The Asian doctor stepped gingerly through the open door and closed it behind him, muffling the sounds from inside. They all looked at him expectantly. At first, the doctor stood there silently, contemplating how best to say what he was about to.
"Arnold has severely damaged his left leg," he said at last, "He…may not be able to use it again."
A stunned silence overshadowed them for a moment before Curly finally spoke.
"But what happened? How did he fall?"
"I couldn't ask him specifically, he's in far too much pain right now to answer any questions. My best guess is that he just came down the stairs too fast, what with his leg already being damaged the way it was."
"But…didn't you look at it?" Curly asked, almost accusingly. Dr. Kinder did not appear offended.
"Yes, he did eventually consent to let me look at it and give him some medication, but I couldn't get him to come down and let me do a thorough examination. He said he was going to, but he kept avoiding it. In fact, he was avoiding stairs almost entirely until yesterday."
"Well, was he taking the medication?"
"He said he was, but I don't know."
Curly seemed to be fuming for a moment. Then suddenly he wrenched away from Jenny, whirled around and struck a pitcher of water that was sitting on a nearby table with the cane he was still using to walk. He swore loudly, walking a few feet away from the group.
"Why didn't he tell anybody!? Why!?" He shouted to no one.
The rest of the group kept their distance, and Aaron turned to Dr. Kinder. "Will he ever be able to walk again?"
The doctor sighed. "I don't know."
"What's your best guess?" The shorter man asked, though not with a demanding tone, but a trusting one. Aaron was looking for a sign of hope, not indefinate answers.
"He may walk again, but not without help. And it will take time."
Aaron nodded his understanding. Time was something they were not lacking in.
"Can we see him?" Evalyn asked. There were tears in her eyes.
"I wouldn't advise it just yet. He's still in a lot of pain and perhaps even shock. I couldn't really give him a clear diagnosis, but I think he knows."
Evalyn gave a small, almost silent sob and clung to her husband.
A/N: Ok, I know this was a short chapter, but the this story will be complete and uploaded very soon - I'd say within the next week at least.