Marked

The slow drip, drip, drip of her IV is what finally pulled her out of her sleep. Her body ached, each muscle tender and weak. It felt as though her entire body had been tossed down the side of a mountain, hitting each and every rock on the way down.

Her eyelids turned a pink, fleshy color as she adjusted to the hospital lights and her mouth was so dry it hurt to swallow. Circles of light danced across her vision until the room slowly began to materialize, as if looming out of a thick fog.

Once her eyes opened, there was a chip in the ceiling that Rachel fixated on. It felt like a miracle that she could see anything at all and she basked in the sights and sounds all around her with new admiration.

She tested her toes and fingers. Though she was happy to be alive, she felt broken and irreparable- like everything inside her had shattered.

Almost like Humpty Dumpty.

There a book of nursery rhymes she reserved only for special nights when Jed had been little and he was having trouble sleeping. Of course, she never sang the Humpty Dumpty song to him—it was too depressing and the point was to lift his spirits, not lower them—but she remembered the song with clarity.

About a guy who fell off a wall and couldn’t be put back together. Something about her felt that way now, like there was no way she could ever be whole again.

How am I alive? How was it possible that she was awake and not coughing up a lung or burning with a merciless fever? E-91 should have killed her within seventy-two hours.

When she tried to sit up, wires pulled at her arms where they were attached to her through IVs. Somehow, the white sheets—free of any blood—were one of the most beautiful things Rachel had ever seen in her life.

Flowers sat on the nightstand beside her bed. They were yellow roses--bright, cheery and as alive as she felt in that moment. She drew in a deep breath of air; it didn’t burn as much as she had expected it to.

How am I alive?

“Rachel!” The doors suddenly swung open and Simone came bounding through with Dr. Everest close behind her. Both of them wore masks and blue paper gowns over their clothes and shoes.

Simone came to a skittering halt by her bed and wrapped her arms around her best friend. It hurt a little, but happiness outweighed the pain.

“I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again,” She sniffled. “I’m so, so sorry I left.”

Simone pulled back and looked at Rachel with a stern expression. “What were you thinking keeping us out like that? If you had died—Oh my gosh if you would have died I would have never gotten to say goodbye.” She burst into another fit of tears and thwacked Rachel on the shoulder. “That was so selfish of you.”

“I— “Rachel tried to speak but her voice came out sounding like sand paper.

“You should have some water.” Dr. Everest poured a cup for her and helped bring it to her lips. Once the first drop of water touched her tongue, she felt like she couldn’t get enough. She drank water until her stomach ballooned uncomfortably and finally settled back onto her pillows with a sigh.

When she tried to speak again, it came out sounding more human. “I didn’t want you to get sick.”

“It doesn’t matter now, sweetie, I’m just so happy to see you.”

“What happened? How am I still here?”

“Abby approved a mission to the capital and they were able to smuggle a few antidotes out of the hospital. Everyone who received it has made a full recovery.”

“How many?”

“Thirteen, including you. The rest...it was too late for them.”

She turned to Simone expectantly. “Ramos is dead and so are a few other compound people. My family is okay. They’re all here and they’re all okay.” A pang of hurt raced through her chest for Ramos. He’d always been such a strong and motivating force that it was hard to imagine he no longer existed.

“It’s great that your family is okay, Simone, I’m so happy for you.” She hesitated before asking the next question. “Was my mom...I mean, was she...?”

Simone’s face twisted with compassion and she gave Rachel’s hand a small squeeze. “She wasn’t among the refugees, Ray. I’m so sorry.”

Rachel nodded. Another question emerged in her mind as she realized how easy it was for her to breathe again. Before, it had felt like she was drowning in her own blood and now it was all gone.

“Dr. Everest, the antidote- what is it? I don’t feel sick at all anymore.”

“It’s quite complicated to explain, Rachel. but mostly it is composed of monoclonal antibodies—those are antibodies that were made outside the body and then administered to provide immunity and to help fight off infection. It took a few days for the antibodies to fight the infection completely, but it’s worked marvelously so far.”

“Wait a minute—did you say a few days? How long have I been out for?”

“Six days.” They replied in unison.

“Wow.” It was so much to take in at once. “Who went to the city to get the antidote? I’d like to thank them for saving my life.”

She couldn’t be sure, but she thought Simone and Dr. Everest suddenly looked uncomfortable.

“There will be plenty of time for that later, Rachel. Right now we need to focus on getting you fully recovered, okay? I’m going to have a nurse come in and get your vitals and after that you can have a shower.”

She nodded her head. “That’d be nice, thank you.”

“I’ll be back to check on you later, then.”

“Thank you Dr. Everest—for everything—for not giving up on me and for adding my name to the list of people you’ve saved.”

His face softened and split into a tired smile. “It’s not me you need to thank, Rachel, but I am very glad that you are safe now.”

After he departed, Rachel turned to Simone. “Where are Juan and Hector?”

There it was again, the flash of discomfort in her eyes.

“What is it, Simone? What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing, Ray! I just think you’re trying to ask all the questions all at once when you should be relaxing. Like Dr. Everest said, there will be a time for everything.”

“I guess you’re right, I just sort of expected him to be here, you know? He must hate me for kicking him out while I was dying.”

“Trust me, he doesn’t hate you.” Simone replied. She brushed a strand of Rachel’s oily hair out of her face. “Look at you, honey, you’re a mess. Let me see if I can find a brush.”

A few moments later she came back with a comb and began the daunting task of untangling Rachel’s hair. “Chantel’s here?”

“Yes, she’s gotten so tall these past few weeks that I haven’t seen her. Thankfully she didn’t get sick and she’ll be allowed to join the others soon. Mom is still so confused but my dad seems to be taking it well. I think they’re just glad to be out of the woods, literally speaking.”

“I can’t wait to see them. Did the doctor say how long I had to stay quarantined after this?”

“He didn’t but we can ask him when he comes back.” Simone gazed at Rachel a little wistfully and soon her eyes were filled with tears again.

“Oh, Simone, don’t cry. I’m okay, we’re okay.” Rachel pulled her best friend into a hug and basked in the feeling of another human being near her. She had truly thought that the last human contact she would have was going to be a nurse checking her pulse as she died. “We’re okay.” She repeated.

“Look at me, I’ve turned into such a wimp. Remember when I was the strong one?”

They both laughed. “You’re still strong, Simone. You were just scared and that’s normal.”

Simone slapped her on the shoulder again and Rachel fought back the urge to cringe. Her body still felt bruised all over. “Don’t you ever do that to me again, you hear?”

A nurse entered the room then, cutting off their conversation. She balanced a basin with wash clothes, shampoo and a tooth brush against her hip.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, Miss Wilson.”

***

A while later, she lay on her bed alone, the quiet sounds of the air vents lulling her into peacefulness. Every time the doors would open, she longed to see Hector standing there and every time she would be disappointed. This time wasn’t any different.

The door to her room slipped open and a woman in a blue gown stepped through the threshold. The mask over her face made it difficult to see who it was until she spoke.

“Feeling better?” Yalina’s voice dripped with a special flavor of sarcasm.

“What are you doing here?”

Yalina waved her hand in the air. “Oh, I just came to check on you, see how you were enjoying your new chance at life, if you were a changed woman and all that.”

Rachel’s eyebrows furrowed with confusion. “Um...”

“Um? That’s all you have to say? People risked their lives so you could live and all you can say is ‘um’?”

Rachel wasn’t sure why Yalina seemed to be so angry with her.

“Do you want something or did you just come here to taunt me?”

Yalina shook her head back in forth with laughter but there was no amusement in her voice, only bitterness.

“You must feel over the moon right now—I mean, who gets that close to dying and survives to tell the tale? But you don’t deserve it, you don’t deserve any of it.”

“And who are you to decide who deserves to live or die?” Rachel said in a low voice. Whatever was going on with Yalina, it was making a feeling of dread settle into the pit of her stomach.

“Because I know—I know what you did.” Yalina strode closer, her eyes—just barely visible over her mask—glittered with anger. “Haven’t you questioned how you were able to continue on living your pathetic, little life? Huh, haven’t you?”

Rachel remained silent.

“Nothing to say? Well guess who risked their life to go get an antidote for you? Any guesses? Come on mountain girl, I know even you’re smart enough to figure this one out.”

Yalina stood a few feet from Rachel, her entire body quivering. There was only one reason why Yalina would be acting the way she was, and that reason was Hector.

“Hector...” The realization that he had gone to the capital to get the antidote caused panic to spread its dirty fingers across her chest until she felt as breathless as she had when she’d had the fever. “Where is he? Where’s Hector?”

Now Yalina was in her face, and Rachel fought back the urge to cry, dreading what she would say next. “I wonder what he would think if he found out that you let him die in your simulation while he risked everything so you could live? I wonder what he would think of you then?”

Rachel’s mouth worked to form words but only a strangled cry came out. Did that mean--had something happened to Hector while in the capital?

“Is he okay...he was—it was a simulation—I—”

“You didn’t know that!” Yalina shouted. Her hands gripped Rachel and shook her. “You thought it was real and still you let him die! He let himself be abandoned in the capital to save someone who would not have done the same for him!”

The yelling caused a nurse to come investigate and a sudden flurry of sound seemed to be lost to the ringing in Rachel’s ears. Guards tried to remove Yalina from the room while she yelled profanities at Rachel but she couldn’t register any of it.

In fact, she couldn’t feel anything at all. All she could do in that moment was imagine a foreign Hector--one dressed like a poacher--staring at her with cold, hard eyes. What have I done?