Chapter 5 - A Pocket Full Of Posies

I brought them in to him and realized that the disease was getting to him even faster than it was getting at Jackson. He must have been ignoring the symptoms at first, so that he could continue to care for the boys. It seemed as though he missed the first symptoms, like the pain in the back, head, and limbs, and only noticed the buboes when they were huge. He had had the disease for a few days now; he probably got it the first time Josh was in his home. I let him rest, and went into my small room. I went into my bag again, and got out my papers. I documented my findings so far, about how the disease takes its course and how the people reacted to different treatments. The surgeon general needed those reports; I had to be sure to take close care of them. But it was late, once again, and time for me to get more sleep. I checked on the doctor one last time and then walked slowly back to my bed and struggled with my thought until sleep finally took me.






I, again, awoke to the rooster in the village. The first thing I did was to check on the doctor. He was doing even worse. I had no idea the disease could come this swiftly, it had literally knocked him off his feet the day before. I grabbed some food on my way out the door to the Cartwrights again. It was early this time, but I figured the house would be awake. As I walked, I could tell that the town was pretty much doomed. The smell of death and sickness wafted out of windows. The disease only took a few days to take over and ruin a small, tight village like this one.






I came upon the Cartwrights home and saw the animals still tied outside. But the smells of destruction didnt stop when I arrived at their door. I had a horrid feeling in my gut&and knocked on the door. This time Josh opened the door. His face was wet with tears and Anna was hanging on his pants leg. I could tell he was beginning to recover already. But when I looked down to him all the luster was gone in his eyes, the last bit had been diminished. He was crying again now that he saw me at the door. He opened it so that I could walk in without saying a word. Anna then ran to me, and I picked up the young, healthy girl. I heard the crying and sorrow as soon as I took a second step into the home. I carried Anna into the room that Josh brought me to. Their mother was there, and I saw Jackson on the bed. &Jackson had died that morning, about an hour before I arrived.






I know you did what you could, but I- I- she couldnt keep talking, she started bawling. I think I knew that that was coming, but I still couldnt imagine that he was actually gone. I also knew that Josh was going to be better, he had already started his recovery.






I cant tell you how sorry I am about Jackson, but I want you to know that Josh is getting better, and after a while, hes not going to get sick again, I promise you. She still said nothing, and I thought itd be best if I left and helped the doctor for a while. I put Anna down, and gave Josh a hug, telling him Id see him the next day. I left the house and quietly shut the door. I walked through the village totally oblivious to everything around me; I was sinking in my mind. I let Jackson go. But Josh was going to get better, no matter what. I had known that from the beginning. I was proof. Josh was my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather. Well, he was going to be. Which is why I had taken such a huge interest in this family.






I was so lost in my thoughts, I didnt realize I had already made it to the doctors house. I went inside and found him where Id found him before. He was reading Christinas journal again. He looked so sick, as if he was dead already. I turned and almost walking into Wright.






Watch where youre going, he said to me and he brushed by, bringing the doctor some more urine to drink. I didnt bother telling him how useless that it was, I walked right past and continued to my room. I wrote more for the surgeon general and then went to bed. A short day, and yet, a horrible one anyway. Jackson was gone. I had lost a child to the plague. Not even my child, but I still felt connected.













I didnt get any good sleep that night. I woke up before the sun rose and the smell of death reached into the house and crawled into me. It stung my mouth and made my eyes water. I didnt want to leave my room, but it wouldnt have made anything better to stay, the smell was unavoidable no matter where I was.






I wandered into the room where the doctor was. Wright had left the night before, after caring for the doctor some more. I saw the doctor, who was asleep again. He would most likely never leave the bed again, it was probably going to be where he died, never to be heard from again. Someone would find him, and bring him to one of those mass graves that would soon surround the village. All these people were most definitely doomed. There was the few that couldnt carry the disease, like Joshs mother and sister and I, and Wright, I suspected, as he had been around infected people for some time and hadnt gotten it yet.






Today was most likely going to be my last day here, I planned to leave the next day to bring my report back to the surgeon general of 2049. I took a walk to Joshs home, and knocked on the door, as it seemed I did every day now. His mother answered again. The door made a groaning noise as it was opened, and she invited me inside. I walked carefully through the house again, I now even knew where the bed was that held the remaining boy. I was expecting Anna to jump on my leg, as she did. I picked her up again. Such a nave child, she had not a worry in the world. I looked at her arm, at the scar from where I had given her the vaccine. It would go away soon enough, and the vaccine would only last her a few years. But the disease would leave, and life would eventually become more normal again for those struck by the Black Death. I tried to hand Anna back to her mother, but she held my neck, giggling, like it was all a game. I smiled and adjusted her weight so that I could see Josh. He had been asleep, but then awoke to his sisters angelic laughter. He saw me there and sat up in his bed. For being a boy with such an unimaginable sickness, he certainly had a joyful disposition.






Im feeling better now, he told me, looking up and smiling with his emerald eyes. I smiled back.






Thats very good, it means youre almost well again. His mother asked him if he wanted any food, and he asked her very politely for some bread. I sat down with Josh and Anna crawled off my lap and onto the bed, playing a game with her brothers blanket. We watched her play.






My dad gave me that blanket, he told me, when he was out working. Hes out working right now, and I bet hes going to bring me back even more brilliant things! I nodded, and replied, Im sure he will. I looked at the blanket. It was orange and maroon; it was beautiful, and warm. But this had brought death to this young boys brother. Small, insignificant fleas had been on this gift. The boy had hugged his father when he received it, and then he wrapped himself up in it. Such a wonderful childhood had now been scarred by the death of this childs older brother, and the horror of having the Plague.






I leaned over to Josh and gave him a hug. I then picked up Anna again, tickling her under the blanket.






I have to leave now Josh, I have to go back to my village, I told the young boy as I rose from the bed.






Why do you have to go? We really like you here.






I have many, many things to do back at home, and my family misses me.






You travel around for your work like my father does? I smiled at him.






Yes, I do. Bye Josh. Take care of Anna, she needs you. I handed him his baby sister, and turned to see their mother.






You have to leave now. She said more matter-of-factly than as a question.






Im afraid I do. But youre all going to be okay. I gave her a hug also and headed towards the door.






Goodbye, I said, waving at the family. As I walked out the door, I took one last look at Josh. Nearly all the luster had returned to his eyes. But they would never be as emerald as they had been; some of their shine died with his brother. But Jackson would never die in the hearts of him family. Nor in mine.






I walked along the street towards the doctors house, my eyes stinging again. For the second or third time, I almost walked into Wright.






Where are you going? he inquired of me.






Home, I answered, not looking up from the ground, its time for me to leave. He watched me walk away. I didnt look at him, but I could feel his eyes.






I stepped into the doctors home, and saw him still lying in his bed. Dead or asleep, I couldnt tell. But he seemed peaceful. I whispered, Goodbye doctor, thank you for your hospitality and caring. I nodded in his direction, as though he could see me.






I walked back onto the street, up the path towards where I had come from. I continued, looking at the ground, ignoring the foul smell of death and eerie silence that floated around the outside of the village. As I walked, thinking, I hummed&ring around the rosie&a pocket full of posies&ashes, ashes&we all fall down.

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