WARNING
This next chapter contains several graphic sections one dealing with butchering livestock for meat and another on an insect infestation. Please be warned ahead of time. The sections will be marked so you can skip over them if you'd like.
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Chris scowled but decided to stay out of it when Jock Steele started interviewing Prof. Crooks. Crooks is a grown man. I guess there's nothing I can do about it. If that pudgy little reporter starts in on the kids about Kilkenny, I will lock him in the kitchen.
Angry looks were sent Crooks direction as he loudly proclaimed that it was the 'Talents' fault for driving the unfortunate Cedric to his shocking death. Wide grins, smirks and giggles began to fill the room as Sydney blamed the psychics for everything but the Fall of Rome and Watergate.
A wide-eyed Jock, hurriedly scribbled in his notebook while listening intently to Crooks describe the events that led to Kilkenny's demise.
"Professor Cranks, however did you acquire your information? To the best of mah recollection, you were situated in the Game room at the time of the tragic affair." Ezra interrupted with a huff, his southern accent highly evident.
Jock's pen lifted and he blinked. "Come to think of it you were in here with me. Are you psychic too, Professor Crooks?"
Crooks flushed brightly and muttered something unintelligible before stalking off angrily.
"What did I say?" Steele asked in bewilderment.
"Not a thing, Mr. Steele.Your behavior has been quite pleasant in contrast with Professor Cranks," Ezra smiled mischievously, his dimple showing prominently
"His name is Crooks, isn't it?" Jock flipped through his notebook thoughtfully.
"Why, I do believe he may be a Crook as well," Ezra smirked, before settling more comfortably into his chair.
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever," Josiah smiled widely as Ezra sat down beside him.
"I beg your pardon, Dr. Sanchez?" Ezra looked over.
"The way you bridled that ass," Josiah admired.
"Why thank you kindly," Ezra sighed and closed his eyes.
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Nettie tutted to herself as the reporter cornered Angel and was asking her questions about Cedric. I better take care of this before he upsets the children or gets young Chris angry enough to do him bodily harm.
"Angel honey, would you finish these waffles for me? My shoulder is bothering me worse than I thought," Nettie called, making a production out of rubbing the bruise.
"Of course," Angel hurried to Nettie's side, relieved over her reprieve.
"Aunt Nettie?" Casey questioned, looking up from her breakfast preparations.
"I'm fine child. Think I'll find me a quite corner and rest a bit. I'm still just a bit upset over that Kilkenny boy. Need to get things straight in my head you know." Nettie patted Casey's hand and grinned before she wandered off.
"Do you think Nettie is alright?" Angel asked softly, now manning the waffle iron.
"Aunt Nettie's gone hunting," Casey giggled softly.
Angel followed Casey's gaze to where Jock was moving gradually closer to the old woman. "Steele?"
"Aunt Nettie expects folks to be considerate of other people. Poor Mr. Steele is about to get a lesson in manners, Wells' style," Casey snickered.
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"May I help you, Mr. Steele?" Nettie Wells asked softly as Jock slipped up close to her.
"I'd like to ask you some questions, if you don't mind?" Jock smiled ingratiatingly.
"I suppose, I could answer some questions," Nettie sat down carefully in a chair across the room from her 'chicks', where she wouldn't be overheard.
"Can you tell me about what happened in the kitchen?" Jock stuttered excitedly.
"The kitchen, a bad bit of business that one. What did you learn about me when you ran your search, Mr. Steele?" Nettie looked curious but not threatening.
"I . . . uh . . . well," Jock suddenly looked uncomfortable. "I didn't mean any harm."
"No harm done. It's a matter of public record whatever you found. I've been a nurse 35 years, Mr. Steele. Started out as an army nurse straight out of school. Served in Vietnam two enlistments. Lord the ugliness of that. Children torn apart . . ." Nettie's voice trailed off.
"About Mr. Kilkenny," Steele prodded.
"Josiah, Tony and I went to fix breakfast. We took young Cedric along to keep him out of trouble." Nettie began her story, while Jock scribbled in his notebook furiously.
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"It's so much easier to cook now than when I was a little girl. Why, back then I had to milk the cow, feed the critters and gather the eggs, before I could even start cooking. I grew up on a little hardscrabble farm in West Virginia. Didn't get electric back there till I had gone off to nursing school, you know. We made our own meat back then," Nettie reminisced. "Have you ever helped butcher, Mr. Steele?" Nettie asked.
"No, I haven't'," Jock muttered, looking up from his notebook. "About the . . ."
"Back then you'd wait 'til you had a good cold spell. Then take the fattening hog or the calf you raised up. We generally used a pistol to the head to put 'em down with. . . Have to be careful when you stick 'em. Always stand at the critter's back and reach over. That way you don't get kicked or sprayed with blood when you open the veins." Nettie explained.
"Kicked?" Steele paled.
"Why sure, it's not like those TV shows. A critter will rarely just flop over. The brain's gone but those reflexes are still functioning, they'll kick out or such well after they're dead. An old snapping turtle's head can still bite you the day after you butchered it. Gives you a funny feeling looking at that head snapping after you've already eaten him. Why I've seen chickens run around close to 10 minutes after you chop their heads off, blood splattering all over," Nettie reminisced.
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"Do I need to get rid of Steele for your Aunt?" Chris glared over at the cozy twosome.
"No, I do believe she's taking care of him now," Casey smiled widely. "Mr. Larabee, Aunt Nettie must be getting pretty thirsty with all the talking she's doing. Would you take her this juice for me?"
"Sure." Chris took the glass and started over to the pair. If he's upset her, I'm breaking that damn pen and burning his notebook. That'll hurt him worse than a beating. Chris studied the pair as he got close. Steele doesn't look too good. Wonder if he's getting sick? He looks kind of green.
"Here, Ms. Nettie. Casey thought you might need a drink," Chris handed the old woman the tomato juice.
Nettie smiled warmly and winked at Chris. "Here son, you've been asking a lot of questions this morning. I bet you're thirsty." Nettie pushed the glass into Jock's hand. Looking down at the tomato juice he gulped and pushed it back into Nettie's hands before racing to the bathroom.
"Now, I wonder what's got into him?" Nettie said dryly.
"I'll make sure Steele doesn't bother you anymore," Chris offered.
"No need son, I believe he's through talking to me," Nettie smiled gently
"Was he asking about Kilkenny?" Chris growled.
"No, we were talking about cooking and my childhood," Nettie's eyes twinkled. "Now why in the world did that child send me tomato juice? She knows I don't drink the stuff. It reminds me too much of blood." Nettie sighed.
"I'll go get you some coffee," Chris offered. Walking past the bathroom door, the painful sound of retching could be heard. Glancing over his shoulder at the smiling woman, Larabee couldn't help but wonder what he had missed.
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Fresh fruit, an offering of hot and cold cereals, and the waffles made a light breakfast. The selection of juices did not offer tomato juice as a choice. Very little was actually eaten, but the meal settled everyone back into a more 'normal' atmosphere.
"Now it's our turn," JD gently pressed Nettie back into her seat as the quiet meal came to a close. "Bruce, Tony and I already decided to take clean up duty. You sit here, enjoy your coffee, and relax."
The room seemed to brighten as the boys began to 'cut-up', while clearing the table and washing the dishes. Conversations picked up as the atmosphere lightened.
Amused glances were exchanged as Jock made a point of avoiding Nettie Wells and quickly backed off when she glared at him for approaching one of her 'chicks'. The poor little reporter was currently making heavy work of Josiah's interview. The big ex-priest seemed to go out of his way to befuddle the reporter.
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Crooks sniffed disdainfully and stalked into a corner to brood when JD suggested that he help clean up. Everyone suppressed their smiles when the professor tripped over the bearskin rug and fell against the bar. The smiles quickly disappeared when Crooks tangled with the still hot waffle iron and ended up with the thing landing on his rump. Bruce hurriedly rescued his waffle iron. Nathan quickly moved Crooks behind the bar to examine the burn that the professor had acquired.
"It's not too bad. You're going to be hurting for a bit though." Nathan said as he pulled off his examination gloves.
"Wouldn't have happened if Babcock had put that thing away," Crooks hissed, gingerly pulling his pants back up over the injury.
"Don't blame Bruce. The waffle iron was safely out of the way. It wouldn't have happened if you had put up your bedding," Chris growled.
"Someone must have moved it," Crooks protested. "I left it in the corner over there."
"Yeah. Sure. I guess that bearskin just crawled over here to attack you." Buck laughed. "Then the waffle iron bit you."
I think it did. I could swear that waffle iron attacked the professor. JD looked over at Casey. The young woman nodded, her eyes wide with fear.
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Nathan's concerned eyes lingered on Ivy. The girl had refused the meal and paced beside the French doors.
"She was whimpering in her sleep," Chris said, following Nathan's gaze.
"She's in pain," Nathan surged to his feet and walked towards the shaking girl.
"Ms. Miller, may I help in some way? You appear to be in pain," Nathan asked.
Ivy doubled over, holding her stomach, and wordlessly nodded. Taking her elbow in a gentle grasp, Nathan steadied her. "Ms. Nettie, would you bring my bag and something for Ms. Miller to lie on?" he called.
"Certainly, Dr. Jackson," Nettie hurriedly carried over the black bag and a sleeping bag. Wasting no time, she had the bedding arranged and Nathan's bag open and waiting, before going behind the bar and scrubbing her hands.
Carefully, Jackson lowered the trembling girl to the floor.
"I'll be right back, I need to wash my hands first," Nathan soothed, hurrying over to scrub-up while Nettie tried to make the girl more comfortable. "Now what seems to be the problem?" he coaxed upon his return.
"I got a navel piercing last week. I guess it's gone bad," Ivy hissed.
"I'm going to raise your shirt and take a look. Is that alright with you?" Nathan asked clearly.
"Sure, Doc," Ivy grimaced.
Nathan nodded in thanks as Nettie held out a pair of examination gloves before donning a pair herself. Gently raising Ivy's shirt, Jackson frowned. Yeah, it's infected. But what's causing the white patches? Carefully, he examined Angel's navel and the swollen area around it. Doctor and nurse exchanged worried looks before getting to work.
"Ivy, it will make this much easier on you if I give you a local before I start. Are you allergic to Novocain?" Jackson asked calmly.
"No, I'm not allergic. Just fix it alright," Ivy hissed.
Nathan admired the way Nettie Wells had the equipment laid out ready for use. Wonder if Nettie would work part time? I can really use a nurse and she doesn't get flustered. Just ready for whatever I need. It would appear she's been a surgical nurse at some point. Vin could come with her. He could have sessions with Josiah or play in Hannah's garden. Nathan smiled faintly, noting the syringe of antihistamine drawn and waiting just in case of a reaction. Nettie offered the capped syringe of anesthesia. Nathan uncapped the needle and started numbing Ivy's navel area. That didn't feel right. Nathan schooled his face in to a mild mask. A cyst maybe? "Now we wait a few minutes for that to take effect," Nathan smiled.
"Can you feel that Ivy?" Nathan asked, gently touching her abdomen.
"Yes," Ivy hissed.
"Nettie, another syringe please." That should have numbed her; this must go deeper than I thought.
"What about now?" Nathan asked Ivy.
"No, I don't feel a thing." Ivy said in a relieved tone.
"When did this start bothering you?" Nathan took the surgical sponges from Nettie and began cleaning the area.
"It was hurting when I woke up," Ivy admitted.
"You should have said something earlier." This happened over night? Nathan stared in disbelief. No antibiotics and no way to get out to a drugstore. I really don't want to drain this here. Too many things can go wrong.
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Movement under his gentle cleansing startled him. Nathan stared in shock as the skin ruptured, and a horrible stench filled the air. Sarosanguinous! Nathan's mind took refuge in his medical books. The opening revealed a seething mass of tiny larvae tightly packed in the wound. "Nettie, may I have my tweezers, please. I seem to have a myasis here." Wow! I sound so calm and all I want to do is run out of the room screaming. I even remembered the correct terms. Nathan thought in amazement.
Accepting the tweezers, Jackson lifted a tiny invader out. Now what? If I try to get them all out I might make more of a mess. What are they and what can I use to kill them? Josiah might know, but how do I get it over there without upsetting Ivy? "Nettie, I seem to be low on antiseptic. Could you get a bottle of something strong from behind the bar?" Nathan's eyes locked with the old nurse and he darted a glance toward Josiah, as he handed the tweezers back complete with the tiny larvae.
"Certainly Dr. Jackson," Nettie stood up and moved away.
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"Josiah, do you have any idea what this thing is?" Nettie Wells hissed, trying to avoid drawing anyone's attention.
Josiah slipped on his glasses and studied the tiny insect. "It might help if you told me where you found it," he said softly.
"There's a mass of them in a pocket just in the edge of Ivy's navel." Nettie murmured.
"Unhealthy or healthy flesh?" Josiah asked, turning the insect for a different view.
"Healthy, but it had a stench when the place ruptured." Nettie added.
"If this is what I think it is, these things are pretty much wiped out in the United States. I think it's a screw worm," Josiah took off his glasses and rubbed his jaw. "If they're disturbed, they'll only burrow deeper. Alcohol isn't going to kill them. Nate's not going to have anything in his bag for this." Josiah muttered to himself. "I've seen them overseas; they can eat an animal alive."
"So what do we do?" Nettie demanded sharply.
"Unless Nathan is willing to excise the entire area, which he doesn't have the equipment to do, the only thing that he can do is bandage it and pray that we're freed before it gets to be life threatening." Josiah admitted, dropping the larvae onto the table top where he crushed it with a napkin.
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Nettie rummaged behind the bar and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels and carried it back along with the now empty tweezers.
Nathan studied Nettie's carefully schooled features as she knelt down. "Sorry to take so long Dr. Jackson, I believe Jack Daniels will help. Nettie replaced her examination gloves and prepared several sponges to clean the infection in the piercing itself. Nathan frowned and looked towards Josiah.
"Do you want me to bandage this, Doctor?" Nettie's eyes caught and held Jackson's.
"Thank you, nurse," Nathan responded.
"Ivy, once we're out of here, I want you to go to the hospital. This is more serious than I can handle. They'll want to put you on IV antibiotics. Now promise me you won't mess around. This will only hurt worse the longer you wait." Nathan ordered as he covered the opening with a bandage and taped it down.
"I'll go to the hospital," Ivy agreed sharply.
"Why don't you try to sleep while the local is working?" Nathan smiled comfortingly.
"Sounds like a good idea. Leave me a glass and the bottle," Ivy huffed.
"After you wake up, the local ought to have worn off by then," Nathan sighed. Don't guess her drinking the pain away will hurt. It's not like I have enough painkillers to last long. I better save the good stuff for later.
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"What's up?" Chris asked quietly while Nathan and Nettie scrubbed their hands and arms.
"She needs proper care, fast," Nathan growled helplessly.
"What is it?" Larabee demanded.
"She's my patient, Chris, I can't talk to you about her medical condition," Nathan said flatly.
"Can you tell me if she's infectious?" Chris green eyes narrowed.
"I . . . I'm not sure. I need to talk to Josiah," Nathan pushed past Larabee and stalked over to Josiah.
Chris scowled at Nettie.
"Don't go lookin' at me like that, 'cause I'm not telling you anything either, son," Nettie said stubbornly. "I took an oath just like Dr. Jackson."
Chris sighed and turned away, then looked back. "If the rest of us are in danger I want to know."
"I'd tell you if I thought it was dangerous for the rest of us," Nettie promised, but Chris couldn't help but notice the worry in old lady's eyes.