by David Achord
Chapter 16 – Quarantine
I sat tiredly in the cage, listening to the sound of a vehicle drive up, skid to a stop, and upon hearing the door open, the hurried footsteps of people running toward the barn. Julie and Andie pushed through the barn door. Julie was holding little Frederick, who was bundled up to the point where I could barely see his face sticking out. She handed him off to Andie and hurried over to the cage.
“Are you okay?” she asked with exasperation as she started pulling on the door to the cage, even though the chain with the padlock was in plain sight.
“I’m fine, but stop with trying to open the door. I need to stay in here a while,” I said, and explained to the both of them about the results of the encounter. After I finished, they were quiet, confused, and worried. The emotions were etched on both of their faces.
Andie reached out and touched the cage timidly, as if drawn to it but at the same time worried it might infect her somehow. “Is this like quarantine, or something?” she finally asked.
“Yeah, I talked it over with Fred and we agreed this is the best course of action.”
“For how long?” Julie implored.
“At least twenty-four hours,” I answered. “If there are any symptoms, I’ll be in here at least a day or two longer.”
The two of them continued to stare at me, afraid to ask the ultimate question. I answered it for them.
“If I turn into one of those things, Fred is going to take care of it. I made him promise,” I had no sooner said it than her tears started. Even Andie was crying. I tried to put on a reassuring smile.
“Hey now, it’s not going to come to that. This is merely a precautionary measure.”
“But, you’re in a cage!” Julie lamented. I tried to calm her down and talk to her. Fred returned while we were talking with Tommy and Joe in tow. They were carrying an assortment of items.
“It’s going to be okay, sweetie. See, Fred has everything I need. A sleeping bag, food, water, a bucket I can do my business in, all of the luxuries of life.”
Fred turned the key in the padlock and pulled the chain out through the bars. Julie tried to step past him but he quickly grabbed her, preventing her from going any further. She responded with an angry glare, but he didn’t let go. With a fatherly shake of his head, he explained.
“I can’t let you. If he’s infected, he’ll infect anyone who comes into contact with him,” Fred looked at her gently as he scolded her. Julie’s glare changed to doubt and she looked over at me for confirmation. I nodded.
“In fact, I’ve asked Fred to padlock the barn door after everyone leaves. The last thing I want is to be a sideshow attraction.”
It took a moment for total understanding, but eventually, she nodded sadly.
“It’s precautionary, but we must establish a protocol. If someone else becomes exposed, they’ll be less inclined to argue about being quarantined if I put myself through the same thing,” I gave the two girls a confident smile and decided to change the subject.
“Okay, since I’m going to be out of action for the next day or two, here’s what needs to be done around the farm…”
We talked until little Frederick became fussy. Julie and Andie reluctantly left, vowing to come back first thing in the morning. Fred and the boys left a minute later. Once he locked the barn door, I lit a kerosene lantern, opened the two knapsacks, and inspected the contents. The first item I paid attention to was a couple of bottles of antibiotics. We’d found them in a drug store about two years ago and I realized we had never used them. The expiration dates were long past, but I didn’t care. Looking at the dosage instructions, I doubled up and downed the pills with a gulp of water. Fred had added a small notepad in the pack, along with a thermometer. I took a reading, ninety-nine degrees, and dutifully logged everything in the notepad.
There was an assortment of other items, which I wasn’t too interested in at the moment, and a thick textbook about nuclear energy. I thought about Benny and chuckled to myself. I rolled out the sleeping bag, made myself comfortable, and started reading.
I had read for almost an hour when I became aware that my skin was feeling weird, like when you’re a kid and you’ve rolled around in the grass too much. My finger also felt like it was on fire. I checked my temperature and resting pulse rate. Both were slightly elevated. I logged the time and the information before going back to my book, but ten minutes later, I was on my feet. I was feeling antsy and restless. I did some calisthenics and pushups to relieve the nervous energy and then tried to read again, but it was no use. I couldn’t sit still, nor could I concentrate. I heard someone walking up and a moment later, there was a soft knock on the barn door.
“Hoss, are you awake?” Rowdy asked.
“Yeah, Rowdy, but you can’t come in, Fred padlocked the door,” I heard him chortle, followed by the rattle of some keys. A few seconds was all it took for him to defeat the lock. He walked in carrying a bottle of dark liquor. Julie was following him.
“Where do you think Fred got them padlocks from? I kept copies of all of the keys. Besides, someone, and I won’t name any names, but someone threatened to shoot my manhood off if I didn’t get her back in here.”
“Did you really think I would stay away?” she asked rhetorically as she found something to sit on. “I’m with you until the end, remember?”
I nodded and smiled sadly at her. “How is Lil’ Rick?”
“He’s fine, Andie agreed to watch him.”
I stared at her somberly. “If it comes down to it, I will have to be killed. I insist on it. You understand, don’t you?” I asked. She closed her eyes and quietly nodded.
Rowdy grabbed a galvanized bucket, turned it upside down and sat on it. He then pulled a coffee cup out of his jacket pocket and poured a healthy shot before handing it to me.
“Something tells me we can’t drink out of the same bottle,” he said with a halfhearted chuckle, helped himself to a swallow and looked me over. “What’s going to happen, Zach? Are you infected?” he asked.
I looked at the dark liquid, thought, why not, and took a sip. It burned my throat pleasantly as I swallowed it. Taking another sip, I told them what happened, all of it.
“So, there is a risk I’ve been infected and I could turn,” I concluded.
“You mean, turn into one of them rotten pus filled bastards?” he implored. Julie glared at him. I nodded my head, which caused him to take a healthy swallow before replenishing my coffee mug. “So, if you turn, one of us is going to have to shoot you, and then burn your corpse,” his question got another nod from me and another glare from Julie. Rowdy scratched his beard.
“Shit fire, Hoss. I don’t know what to say.” The three of us sat in silence for a few minutes before Rowdy spoke again.
“Who is going to do it?” he asked reluctantly.
“Fred is going to take care of it, y’all won’t have to worry about anything,” I sighed heavily before continuing. “Now, consider this an order: none of y’all are going to try to stop him or argue with him. Don’t question him, just let him do his job, it’s going to be hard enough on him as it is, so he doesn’t need anyone giving him grief about it. Now, there’s no logical reason to belabor the issue, so let’s change the subject.”
We were all quiet for a time and the only noise was an owl hooting in the distance. Julie shivered and pulled her jacket tighter. Rowdy cleared his throat.
“It’s a little cold in here, how about I fire up that kerosene heater,” he said, pointing at the heater sitting in the corner.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind,” I replied. Rowdy primed it and had it going in no time. He sat back on the bucket and looked around. The silence was apparently making him uncomfortable.
“Y’all want to know a secret?” he asked.
“Sure,” I replied.
“Rhonda actually kissed me yesterday,” he said with a smile. “I think I’m growing on her.”
I chuckled. “Good for you, Hoss.”
“I mea
n, I know if we become an item or something, the kids are part of the package, but it’ll be worth it, I’m thinking.”
“I bet you’d be a pretty good dad. They certainly like your singing,” I was serious when I said it. Hell, I liked his singing too, and I was not a fan of country music. The liquor seemed to be calming my nerves a little bit, but now I was feeling hot and I was sweating. They didn’t notice, or pretended not to.
“She’s an old fashioned gal,” Rowdy continued, “she said we weren’t going to do anything until she was sure I’m in love with her and she’s in love with me.”
“Sounds reasonable,” I said.
“You think?”
“Sure, after all, you said yourself she’s an old fashioned gal,” I responded. Rowdy nodded. I continued. “I bet she wants you to clean up your manners. No more belching and farting all of the time, and don’t be surprised if she insists you cut out your drinking.”
Rowdy groaned. “Yeah, she’s said as much already.”
I chuckled again. “I think she’d be good for you.”
“Zach, what do we do if, you know, if you aren’t with us anymore?” Rowdy asked as he shot a quick glance at Julie.
“You guys stick together. This is a good group we have, Rowdy. Each of you has unique strong points. Like you for example, keeping extra copies of keys. You think of little things that nobody else does.”
“Why, thank you for the compliment, Hoss.”
“Can I come in?” Terry was standing at the entrance to the barn. He had been living in the tour bus with Rowdy, so I guess it was a given he was going to show up. Rowdy looked at me. I nodded.
“Come on in, Hoss!” he shouted out. Terry came in a moment later, found something to sit on, and dragged it over beside Rowdy.
“Zach, I want to apologize. I should have gone with you,” he said. Rowdy handed him the bottle, to which he took a long swallow. I started to say something, but he waved me off.
“I knew you needed back up. Hell, we always work in teams, but I was thinking with the wrong head at that particular moment.”
I didn’t say anything. I had wondered if he was going to admit it. Rowdy and Julie looked him over.
“Are you trying to play a little bit of hide the salami with Carla?” Rowdy finally asked in his characteristic manner, which he followed up with a nudge in the ribs. “You dog, you.”
“You’re not worried about her husband?” I asked.
Terry shrugged. “I’ve been keeping a respectful distance, but she’s been making friendly overtures, and Anthony seems oblivious. It’s like he’s in his own little world most of the time. She probably spent the better part of their marriage busting his balls, and now that he’s a meek little lamb, she’s tired of him.”
“It’s a good analysis,” I opined, “but think of it, you know she’s a ballbuster, but you want to get with her anyway,” I set the coffee mug of liquor down and took a long drink of water from a canteen.
Terry shrugged. “What can I say, I’m a whore.”
“I hope you’re careful and it doesn’t blow up in your face like it did with Kelly.”
“Yeah,” Terry responded quietly and took another long swallow before giving it back to Rowdy. “I’m going to turn in early,” he looked over at Julie. “I promised your beautiful wife I’d do all of your chores while you’re in quarantine hell.”
“Alright, buddy. See ya’ later,” I said.
“He’s a good guy,” Rowdy said after he left. “He’s been getting the homestead ready to live in. He’s put a lot of work into it, but I don’t think he realizes Carla would never live in such a common house.” Everyone chuckled.
Rowdy stood. “I’m supposed to help out with the chores too, but if you two need company, I can sit here all night,” Rowdy said.
“No, it’s fine. I think I want to talk to Julie a little bit and then try to get some sleep.”
“Okay, Hoss, whatever you say. I’ll check back in the morning,” Rowdy started to reach through the cage and shake my hand, but I waved him away. He handed the key to Julie before walking out.
When he was out of earshot, I spoke quietly to Julie. “I meant to say it earlier and I know I don’t say it enough, but I want you to know I love you very much. I love you, Frederick, and our unborn child more than anything.”
Julie looked at me somberly. “I love you too, Zach,” she said worriedly. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I’m pretty sure I’m infected,” I said. She involuntarily let out a whimper and then tried to reach into the cage, but I waved her off angrily.
“Sweetheart, this is exactly why I didn’t want you in here. Under no circumstances are you to come into contact with me. If you become infected, what happens then?”
She hung her head, admonished. Tears sprang unbidden from her eyes. It took her a minute, but she composed herself, wiped her face with the back of her jacket sleeve and took a deep breath. “You’re right, I’m sorry, but I’m still not leaving.”
I sighed. “I didn’t mean to snap at you,” I said meekly. She nodded in understanding.
“Anyway, like I was saying, I’m not feeling well. My body itches and I feel like I’m running a temperature.”
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked anxiously. I thought for a moment and then pushed my notepad through the slot.
“Yeah, I want you to turn off your emotions and I want you to observe and notate everything. If my behavior changes, whether I become deathly quiet, or I start jumping up and down like a wild banshee, I want you to write it down. Observe and notate everything you see. Can you do that?”
Julie nodded silently as she looked at the notepad. I looked around, found the pencil lying on the ground, and tossed it to her as well. “Okay, let’s start with my vitals,” I said and took my temperature.
“It looks like one hundred,” I said. “My resting pulse rate is normally around sixty, but it’s currently at seventy-two.”
I watched as Julie dutifully started taking notes. The feelings of anxiety were getting more pronounced. I was worried, very worried.
“I’m feeling anxious and irritable. It could be the situation I’m in, or it could be some symptoms of the illness,” I said as I stood and attempted to pace. Unfortunately, the cage was too small. I forced myself to sit down and looked at my watch. It was eight p.m.
“I’m going to try to relax and get some sleep. Keep an eye on me. I have no idea what’s going to come next. If at any time it becomes obvious, you go get Fred immediately,” I looked over at her. She tried to smile but failed and merely nodded. She was too scared I guess. So was I.
Chapter 17 – The Fever
I awoke sometime during the night with a strong bout of ague. I was shaking uncontrollably and my mind was a muddled quagmire.
“Zach,” I looked over at the person who spoke my name. It took me a moment before I recognized Julie. She was a fuzzy apparition, dimly illuminated by the kerosene lantern. “Take your vitals and tell me the numbers.”
Even though I was not thinking clearly, I sluggishly complied. I read out the number on the thermometer with a tongue that felt like an oversized slug.
“One hundred, three,” I mumbled while scratching myself, and even though I was out of sorts, I recognized the worried look on Julie’s face. An involuntary shiver went through my body. It was happening. Once it got to one hundred six, irreversible brain damage was going to occur.
Julie pointed at the canteen. “Zach, I need you to take another pill and drink some water.” She said it loudly and forcefully, like a mother scolding a recalcitrant child.
I dully nodded in compliance, dropped the pill on the ground a couple of times before I got it in my mouth and drank as much water as I could stomach.
“I’m cold, but my head’s on fire,” I said.
“Get a pair of socks or something out of you knapsack and soak them in water. Do it!” she shouted as I looked at her dumbly. I found my socks in one of the knapsacks, poured wate
r on them and sat there looking at her wondering why she made me do this.
“Wrap them around your head and get back in your sleeping bag,” she ordered. My brain absorbed the information and finally understood. I wrapped the cold, wet socks around my head and zipped myself up in the sleeping bag. The coolness of the wet socks seemed to help, but only a little.
It didn’t take long before other symptoms started. I think I became delirious soon after talking to her. My thoughts were a chaotic, unintelligible blur. It seemed to last forever, but I woke up sometime during the night to the sound of a dog or coyote barking in the distance. My watch said it was a little after five in the morning. My clothes were soaked in sweat, and I was parched. I sat up tentatively, which immediately caused my head to spin. It took a long couple of minutes, but things came into focus gradually. The first thing I saw was Julie. She looked frightened and fatigued.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Better, I think, but damned if I was convinced at one time during the night my hair was on fire and I was covered in spiders.”
“You were hallucinating,” she said, “take your vitals for me.”
I took my temperature and resting pulse. The numbers seemed to indicate I was fine. Julie dutifully notated the data. I nodded gratefully as she passed a full canteen of water through the bars and dropped it before I reached for it. It irritated me, but only for a second as I realized she was merely following my instructions and avoiding physical contact.
Fred walked in shortly after sunrise and spotted Julie.
“I should have known,” he remarked dryly. “Okay, how’s he doing?” he asked while he stared at me intently. Julie showed the notepad to him. He looked it over and I could see she had written several notes. No doubt it was going to be interesting reading.
“My temperature is back to normal now. I think I may have beaten this stuff, Fred. All of the news reports I read didn’t say anything about a person seemingly getting better before getting worse.”
