*this is a very early story from years ago*
S1 E6 – Trial by Fire
The fever has been building for days with an ever growing thirst, a tingling in his face that no amount of scrubbing will abate, tiredness, irritability, and an inability to concentrate. He manages to soldier on through sheer stubbornness but finally, a morning dawns without him. He is lost in a sea of fire and nightmare.
Dark clouds mass over the globe. There is a black roil obscuring England. He stoops down as if from a great height to part the storm when a tiny sound draws his attention away to the south where he sees another caul of night churning. The weak cry is repeated. Something in that forlorn sound makes him speed away to reach blindly down, scoop gently, to find a jeweled Sainte-Marie nestled safely in his hands. He feels vast relief and, for a brief time, all is quiet.
Then he sees Camille; laughing, crying, loving. And children. Paternal pride swells his heart.
He senses a monumental task awaits him. He must be made ready but he's afraid.
It's dark. He hears voices arguing, a hissing and a booming, words in an unknown language but he knows a heated debate when he hears one. The argument rages for a long time until there is sudden grudging silence. He hears one final muted boom. It sounds of satisfaction.
Now he knows he's dreaming because there's a ring of faces looking down at him, small green faces that descend one by one to tap their tongues to his sweat, his tears, and the tiny cut on his hand where he's nicked himself with Grandfa's pen knife. He can almost hear whispering. He nods as he slips into welcome slumber. My Watchers. I'll never be alone again.
Sunlight in his eyes. The haze parts. Fidel. A doctor. A case!
And now Dwayne… Dwayne asking questions. About the case? No. Strange questions. About the voices. About the… Loa? Strange term. Don't know it. Must look it up. When I'm better.
Dwayne is by Richard's side and he's worried. The Chief's raving but he's making sense in one regard, something's happening here and it isn't just a fever! When he calls the Commissioner, Dwayne's skin hitches up in goosebumps as a carefully coded message is conveyed. He must nurse Poole if he can. Find out more. What is the task? If needed, certain people will come help but Dwayne says he can manage on his own and hangs up.
Sitting at the bedside, Dwayne feels hidden eyes watching. Looking down at the sweat-soaked man, he tries to make sense of it all. Trial by fire. He's never heard of it happening to someone not of the blood, not of the island. He will administer what aid he can and he's sure his boss will recover from the fever… but only time will tell about this man's fate and future.
Many are called, few answer.
END
*before you ask, I had a notion that Richard was called to Sainte-Marie by the Loa*
