“You’re not going to go back to sleep while you can?”
Doug’s tone implies I’m crazy.
“I need to call Emma and make sure they’re safe.” I
almost reach the tent flap when his words chill me to the
bone.
“If the carriers of this disease reach America, I don’t
think we can save our families. Plus, you can’t tell her
anything because it’s classified.” He flings an arm over his
eyes, ending his side of the conversation.
I just hope that I can catch Emma and convince her to
go to Nana and Pop’s house on the mountain.
Infected Waters: A Titanic Disaster
By Alathia Paris Morgan
Turning a corner on the main deck, Jonathan ran
straight into Nora as she raced around a corner,
heading for the captain’s quarters.
“What happened?” Jonathan pulled her closer to
help keep them both on their feet.
“Our patient died. I need to let the captain know
so he can decide what to do about the body.” Nora
took a deep breath to steady herself and instead
inhaled Jonathan’s cologne.
“I’ll get him for you. Go back and stay with the
body until we can get there.”
Relief flooded Nora as he took charge and went
to inform the captain. Being the bearer of bad news
was never something a nurse wanted to do.
“All right, but please, hurry.”
Nora turned and retraced her hurried steps.
The wait seemed to take forever before Captain
Smith and Jonathan burst through the door of the
infirmary.
Standing over the dead man’s body, no one
been carrying aboard sank in.
“What do you suggest we do with his body?”
Nora asked Captain Smith, hoping he had an idea.
Exchanging glances with Jonathan, he informed
them, “I believe we should burn his body. There is
no one to identify it, and if we wait until we land,
the infection from him might move to some of the
passengers. It’s a chance I’m not willing to take.
Has anyone else been stricken?”
“Just one crewman, sir. He isn’t doing so well.”
Jonathan affirmed.
“He was bitten when he and Jonathan tried to
hold him down so I could disinfect his wounds. It
was a fairly normal reaction from someone who was
unconscious at the time.” Nora tried to explain in
more detail.
“It doesn’t seem to be an airborne illness. Only
through the exchange of blood or saliva,” Nora
added, hoping to be helpful.
“Hmm. What does our doctor say about this?”
Captain Smith questioned.
“Honestly, sir, he hasn’t been here very much.
Other than to agree this patient wasn’t going to
make it, he hasn’t really commented or examined
him.” Unhappy to have to give the report about the
ship’s one doctor, Nora grimaced guiltily.
“Where is the good doctor now?” Captain Smith
spit out angrily.
“At the moment, he is delivering a baby with
one of the nurses.” Nora rushed to assure him that
the doctor was indeed working.
Pointing to Jonathan, the captain demanded,
immediately. Now, I’m going to send a few crew
members in to take our friend to the incinerator as
quickly as possible. Most of our passengers are at
lunch at the moment, and this will be the best time
to take care of a situation that is this delicate. While
you seem certain this is isolated, nurse, I want to
make sure we don’t have it spreading to others.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll handle it immediately.” Jonathan
hurried to find a few suitable men for the task.
“Nurse, I want you to keep me informed about
our crewman or any other things that seem
suspicious to you. If this is what I’m afraid it is, it
will still manage to affect everyone, no matter how
cautious we are in preventing it.”
“I understand, and will let you know of the
slightest change in our passengers.”
“That is all I ask. Thank you so much for your
service.” Tipping his hat, the captain left to return to
his duties.
Jonathan passed the captain as he returned
with his two roommates, Timothy and Brad.
“Okay, boys. We are going to wrap the body up
tightly in the sheet so people don’t know what’s
going on.”
“Here’s the stretcher. He’s all ready for you.”
Nora stood back as the three men transferred the
body over.
“When you get downstairs, make sure you
throw him into the fire, along with the wrappings.
We don’t want anything to spread.” Jonathan
instructed the men.
Hurrying to open the door for them, Nora stood
anything?”
“Nah. We got it, pretty nurse.”
“Nothing we can’t handle.” Brad grinned at her,
almost dropping his end of the stretcher.
Jonathan led the way through the corridors and
over to the crew staircase, staying ahead to redirect
anyone in their path.
“Even dead, this guy is super heavy. Wonder
what he ate for dinner?” Brad asked.
“A fat man from the feel of it,” Timothy
answered, laughing.
“Shhh. We are supposed to keep this quiet,
gentlemen.”
“Sorry, boss,” they whispered apologetically.
The door to the engine rooms kept the amount
of noise contained and partitioned away from the
passengers.
Concerned with how heavy it was and where
they should set it down, Brad and Timothy never
saw the body sit straight up until a hand landed on
Timothy’s thigh.
“Bloody hell.” Timothy screamed as the
infected man’s mouth latched onto his leg, its teeth
tearing out a chunk of flesh.
Brad tried grabbing it by the arms to pull him
away from Timothy, but the infected turned his
attention to him and bit into his neck, causing blood
to squirt rapidly out of his body.