“Miriam, please don’t die. Please
try to come into the kitchen. I have medicine that will help you. Cool water.
As much as you want. We have plenty, and I’ll collect more. Please, Miriam.”
Alice’s voice couldn’t sound any
different, but it did. Miriam heard desperation. Alice was afraid. The thought
shocked her into movement. She rolled onto her stomach and pulled herself with
her left arm, pushing with her left foot.
“Okay, Alice. I’m coming. Do we
have any strawberries left it the vaccuum packs?”
“Yes, we have 27 packs remaining.
Would you like me to pull one out for you?”
“Yes, Alice. I think I deserve a
reward for this,” Miriam’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Yes, Miriam, you do deserve a
reward. Please continue into the kitchen and I will have it ready for you.”
Miriam heard relief in Alice’s voice. She kept crawling.
“These are the best strawberries I
ever had. Thanks, Alice,” she leaned over the counter so she could use her left
hand to eat and drink, to swallow the medicine Alice had dispensed hours
earlier. She climbed down and lay on the cool kitchen floor. “Alice, I’m going
to sleep again. Two hours, okay?”
“Okay, Miriam. Please wake up.
Miriam? Please wake up? Miriam?”
It didn’t feel like she had slept
at all. Her whole body ached. Wait. Her whole body burned. She looked down and
tried to move her right hand. It flopped feebly on the floor.
“Yes!”
“What, Miriam?”
“I have feeling on my right side,
and I can move my hand a little. I think I’m getting a little better. I need a
bath, to clean off my butt and legs. They’re a mess.”
“I’ll heat water so you can have a
hot bath when you get into the bathroom,” Alice promised. Miriam heard the
relief in her voice.
Her right leg was feeble and
uncoordinated, but she made much better time into the bathroom and soon pulled
herself into the most luxurious hot bath she had ever felt. Her skin burned,
and she reveled in the feeling.
“I guess I’m not going to die
today, Alice.”
“That’s good, Miriam. I don’t want
you to die.”
“Why not?” Miriam asked, drowsily
waving her hands back and forth in the water. When Alice didn’t answer, she
looked up. “Alice? Why don’t you want me to die?”
“I don’t want to be left here all
alone,” Alice finally said.
Miriam leaned back in the tub. She
had always thought she was the last one left. “I know, Alice. I know.”
TBC (perhaps)
Dogs in house
|
Houdini
|
Time writing:
|
~1 hour (all three parts)
|
August word
count:
|
16,508
|
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