Previous Life: Edward's story
Chapter 3
I was going to live for a long time? I was going to see it all? That woman was just an insane old wido, i told myself. Questions swarmed my mind, as my eyes came back into focus. "Take this, lad." I heard coming from my left. I jumped when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. "Son, you're going to have to stay awake. Business is moving much faster today." I heard my father say. My father pointed with his eyes to a man standing above us on the metal grate. The man was quite tall. He just stood there quietly, watching vigilantly over the crowd of working men. "Who is he?" I asked, looking up to the man.
"He's the new manager, and he doesn't take it lightly to those he catches slacking on the job." my father muttered. I took it that that was my fathers way of hinting that I should get back into focus, and quick. I turned around and quickly got back to shoving wool into the burr-picker machine.
When we got home, my mother was seated at the table, her hands covering her face. A letter rested on the table in front of her. My father moved closer to her to comfort her. "Elizabeth, what's wrong?" She lifted her face from her palms, her face was all wet from tears. "A letter came today." She said in a low voice. She picked up the letter with one hand and handed it to my father.
My father stared at the letter, not sure whether to open it or not. He slowly unfolded the letter and began to read. My eyes were locked on him. The suspense was making me mad. "Dad what is it?" I could tell my mother sensed the fear in my voice. The uncertainty.
"I knew it would come, sometime or another." my father said looking into my mothers wet eyes. I walked over and took the letter from his hands. My eyes danced over the first part.
Registered to: Edward A. Mansen
It was a draft letter. I looked up into my mothers eyes. She knew my father wouldn't be safe, and that there was a great chance of him not coming back. I was 17, off by one year. I was glad I could stay, my mother needed me.
The morning my father left there was such mourning that lingered in the air. Our house wasn't the same. My mother wasn't the same. I had to work later hours to make up for my fathers absence. I didn't mind so much because I knew it was harder for my mother.
Weeks went by so fast, and more and more reports came up regarding the pandemic. It was spreading faster then people ever suspected. You would read lists of peoples names and what state they were from. It was all tolerable, until a name came up in the papers one day that's location was not in Alabama, Virginia, Maryland, or New York. It was in Chicago. People began to panic, as word of mouth constantly spread. Rumors were passed and people started looking more towards God for help.
Figures, just when death becomes the problem, they suddenly then decide to turn to God. I remember how my mother started to wear rosary beads around her neck. When people weren't working, sleeping, or eating, they were praying. Praying for peace, praying for wounds to heal, praying for husbands to come home, praying for a miracle.
Every week my mother would sit at the kitchen table, waiting for the mail to arive. Hoping to hear from my father, in his letters. When the letters would come, i would watch my mother from the living room. She would read each sentence over and over, taking in each word carefully.
"Edward!" I heard a voice call from in back of me. I turned around and met Anna's warm brown eyes. Her eyes were different this time, they were filled with panic. "Whats wrong Anna?" I asked, searching her eyes. "It's Tom" she whimpered "Somethings wrong with Tom, he wont eat anything. He's heating up, we cant seem to get the fever down!." she cried. Her eyes began to fill with tears. "I think it might be the plague." she whimpered. I averted my eyes to the ground, my mind searching for what I could do. "Take me to him." I demanded. No, please don't take him. I thought.
I followed her all the way to Tom's room. Tom wasnt alone, a physician was already there. He checked his pulse and turned around to talk to Tom's parents. I walked over to Toms side, he looked so tired; as if he hadn't slept for days. He was so pale. "Tom" i whispered. Tom's eyes opened to my voice. "Ed" he said smiling. "I'm so sorry, Tom."
"Keep away boy, don't get too close." The physician said, pulling me back by my shoulders. I turned to look at him. He was quite young, much younger than what you'd expect. He was very tall, and handsome. He must have been new, an intern.
"Doctor Carlisile, what do you reccomend?" Tom's mother asked. She held such hope in her eyes.
"Mr. and Mrs. Barlow, may I speak to you outside please" I heard the doctor ask.
I watched as both, the doctor and Tom's parents left the room. Anna wiped away her tears with her sleeve and left the room with them.