A New Order Read online

  “One day,” Dean repeated Frank’s sentiment and closed the wall.

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  Thump-thump.

  “I love you , El,” Frank said.

  Thump-thump

  “I will do this, I promise,” said Dean.

  Thump-thump.

  “I’ll be right here, kiddo right here when you come out of this.”

  Thump-Thump.

  “It’ll be okay,” Danny told her. “We’ll be okay.”

  “I know.”

  Beep.

  The long high pitch sound turned into an internal ringing in Ellen’s ears, just before she felt a wave of heat come over her body.

  It was hot. Too hot. It started with her earlobes, moved across her face, down her arms and then all over.

  She felt as if her skin were on fire.

  It hurt.

  There was so much pain in every joint of her body. More pain than Ellen had ever felt, and with it, she tried to scream.

  But the inhale she took to produce a cry, locked in her chest and Ellen couldn’t breathe.

  “Easy, Ellen, easy,” he said. “We got you.”

  She dropped to the ground.

  His voice was close. Johnny? Was it Johnny? She tried to call for him, but the lack of air caused her to bodily panic.

  “I know this is going to feel awkward. Relax. Work with me.”

  She shook her arms, her head. She felt the fingers press on her chin, opening her mouth.

  “Work with me. Let this in. We have to get it out of your lungs.”

  Ellen’s eyes widened as she felt a thin tube or something slip into her mouth and down her throat. Everything was blurry. She saw the dark hair, the outline of the face.

  Johnny.

  “Injection,” he called out.

  “I’m losing Danny Hoi!” someone shouted.

  “Don’t lose him. Do what you can,” he said.

  “I don’t have a pulse.”

  “Get, Joe. Joe, help him out,” he said.

  There was a momentum in the room that surged the energy. A rush.

  Ellen felt a strong pinch in her neck, then the tube slipped out quickly. It caused her to gasp and choke, but she was able to catch breaths in between.

  “I gotta pulse,” another voice shouted. “Danny’s back. Moving him now.”

  Ellen took shivering breaths, her body still ached horrendously and her skin burned.

  “You got this, slow breaths,” he said. “Breathe.”

  She shifted her eyes to him and it looked as if she were looking at him under murky water.

  “Better?” he asked. “We did, Ellen. We did. We cured the virus.”

  That was the last thing she heard. Her eyes rolled back and she passed out.

  There was chaos all around her in what she figured was the stasis room. Near panic is what she felt and not just from when she couldn’t breathe. There was so much chaos then when Ellen came to the second time, it was the quiet and peacefulness that brought her to consciousness.

  She slowly opened her eyes, her mouth was dry. It was bright and she turned her head to her left to see a pitcher of flowers. Beautiful flowers, purple and yellow. Next to it was a glass of water.

  She peered around. It looked like a hospital ward. The beds were old fashioned with rounded metal headboards.

  Her vision was still not what she needed, but she knew Mark was in the bed to her right. He was sitting up, reading something.

  Mark smiled at her and Ellen tried to respond but couldn’t. She still felt out of it.

  So thirsty.

  The water.

  She rolled toward the flowers, pulling herself up and reached for the glass. As she grabbed it, she saw Danny Hoi in the bed to her other side. His eyes closed, head slightly propped up. She sipped her water, letting it slip down her throat, then she took another sip to moistened her lips.

  “Danny,” she called out, setting down the glass. “Danny.”

  “He’s sedated,” the male voice said. The same voice when she came out of stasis.

  He pulled up a chair and sat down. He was in his thirties, dark hair. He looked familiar to her, but she didn’t know why.

  “Hi, Ellen,” he said.

  “Where … Where…” She cleared her throat. “Where am I?”

  “Bowman City.”

  “Bowman … City?” Ellen was confused.

  “Hospital, yes. Danny will be fine. All four of you are fine. No virus at all. It took a while, but we finally cured the virus.”

  “Who are you?” Ellen asked.

  “You don’t know me. You will. It’s very nice to finally meet you, Ellen. I’m your grandson,” he said, extending his hand. “Jack. Jack Slagel.”

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