MILLIWAYS OOM PART ONE:
They were in effect, a world at war.
A war where the fracas of the past had dissolved into an us versus them story with the US being mankind in bold capital letters and the THEM being green and vibrant forests, bold and dark rivers and streams and animals without count and number. The problem was, the US-mankind in bold dark letters-had an edge and an upper hand. Specifically? Two hands and a few thumbs and a viral like way of reproducing. The Them were outrageous, the them were outraged, and the Them worked hard and fought and the battled continued to rage until-
They found a way to strike back.
-------------------
World Health Organization
Washington DC
"Thanks for coming back on such short notice Jeremy."
"I expected it to tell you the truth." He slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, "And I was more then happy to do so honestly. Gimme some fucking credit Mark, just because I live for my work doesn't mean that I'm a complete and total recluse."
"I'm sure your girlfriend is glad to hear that."
Jeremy Stone shot his friend a look, "Don't get smart with me." he rubbed his head and squeezed at his neck slightly, "How's the Weather?"
"Here or in Texas?"
Jeremy Stone reached for his back pack and unzipped it. Mark Hall found himself the unlikely recipient of the man's duffel bag as the opposing Doctor pulled out the file, "She's in Texas? Why's this say California?"
"Rush back earlier thinking you'd catch some sun while you rest?" Hall laughed, "No, it's a farm kid. The boss is thrilled you're agreeing to this by the way. He's become a real press hound and the idea that a World Health Organization worker is donating to a poor little farm kid."
"You should sign up. Easiest way to help people man."
Mark snorts, "No thank you." he paused, "No disrespect, but you were always the humanitarian."
Jeremy rubbed his neck again, prompting Mark to stare at him, "You all right?"
Truth be told, Jeremy didn't know. The last few weeks in El Salvador had been a haze of the common cold, "Getting over a cold." A cold that left a deep ache in his bones, chills in his chest, "It shouldn't be a problem."
"Nothing serious right?"
"Of course not."
---------------------------------
There are pictures in the small town paper. Little Katie King and her "savior", the shy doctor hiding his gaze behind a thick pair of glasses. It made a picture so pretty the head of the Atlanta CDC put the picture in the newsletter.
The newsletter.
And the website.
--------------------------------
The aches and the chills came first. The doctors assured her parents it was normal, Katie was perhaps experiencing some kind of side effect. Sometimes people had reactions. The fatigue was normal too but it subsided and in a few weeks she went home-along with the dormant retrovirus unwittingly traveled from El Salvador to Crawford Texas.
As they drove home, she waved weakly at the cattle, watching the winds blow, "Daddy, can we visit Excalibur when we go home?"
Her father scratched his chin, "...Your cow's pretty dangerous honey, I don't know if I want you goin' outside so much-"
"Please? She missed me. I know she did. I drew her a picture and I wanted her to see." The wind blew from the open front window and made her shiver, "I still feel a little sick too-"
"All the more reason not to visit the cow."
"Daddy-"
"...we'll see what Mommy says. How about that?"
----------------
Her chest hurt a little, running out to the barn. And even while a man in Atlanta was weakening a little girl was growing stronger as she pulled open the door and squeezed through the gap. Excalibur lay asleep, a large black and white lump. "Exie!"
She named the cow after her daddy's favorite toy up above the mantel place. Sometimes he made more of them, a sideways sort of business in addition to the farm, but he said fanboys bought them. And nerds. She didn't know what a nerd was, but if it let her keep Exie..
"Exie I missed you-" She reached for the cow and wrapped her arms around it's neck, "Exie, I-Exie?"
The cow stirred as something skittered under the straw. Outside the light was dimming, "...Is it a rat?"
She knew better then to mess with rats, but mommy always said they were more afraid of you then angry and the rat...the rat..."
"Shoo." She waved a hand at the hay, "Go away and leave me and Exie alone."
The hay stirred.
"Exie?" She backed up and reached for her, "Exie?..." She backed up a step just as something small and furry leapt for her.
-----------------------
Jim King was listening to the wind chimes blow across the deck as he blew a long lazy smoke trail across the heavens when he heard the screaming.
Katie came bursting out of the night holding her arm and shrieking in terror. Grabbing her wrist. Sobbing, she flung herself into his arms and whimpered, shaking her head back and forth. "Dad-Dad-Daddy-" She sniffled, "Daddy.."
"What is it baby? what?-" He put a hand to her wrist, "Katie?"
"Oh daddy! The bat Daddy! The bat BIT ME!"
A war where the fracas of the past had dissolved into an us versus them story with the US being mankind in bold capital letters and the THEM being green and vibrant forests, bold and dark rivers and streams and animals without count and number. The problem was, the US-mankind in bold dark letters-had an edge and an upper hand. Specifically? Two hands and a few thumbs and a viral like way of reproducing. The Them were outrageous, the them were outraged, and the Them worked hard and fought and the battled continued to rage until-
They found a way to strike back.
-------------------
World Health Organization
Washington DC
"Thanks for coming back on such short notice Jeremy."
"I expected it to tell you the truth." He slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, "And I was more then happy to do so honestly. Gimme some fucking credit Mark, just because I live for my work doesn't mean that I'm a complete and total recluse."
"I'm sure your girlfriend is glad to hear that."
Jeremy Stone shot his friend a look, "Don't get smart with me." he rubbed his head and squeezed at his neck slightly, "How's the Weather?"
"Here or in Texas?"
Jeremy Stone reached for his back pack and unzipped it. Mark Hall found himself the unlikely recipient of the man's duffel bag as the opposing Doctor pulled out the file, "She's in Texas? Why's this say California?"
"Rush back earlier thinking you'd catch some sun while you rest?" Hall laughed, "No, it's a farm kid. The boss is thrilled you're agreeing to this by the way. He's become a real press hound and the idea that a World Health Organization worker is donating to a poor little farm kid."
"You should sign up. Easiest way to help people man."
Mark snorts, "No thank you." he paused, "No disrespect, but you were always the humanitarian."
Jeremy rubbed his neck again, prompting Mark to stare at him, "You all right?"
Truth be told, Jeremy didn't know. The last few weeks in El Salvador had been a haze of the common cold, "Getting over a cold." A cold that left a deep ache in his bones, chills in his chest, "It shouldn't be a problem."
"Nothing serious right?"
"Of course not."
---------------------------------
There are pictures in the small town paper. Little Katie King and her "savior", the shy doctor hiding his gaze behind a thick pair of glasses. It made a picture so pretty the head of the Atlanta CDC put the picture in the newsletter.
The newsletter.
And the website.
--------------------------------
The aches and the chills came first. The doctors assured her parents it was normal, Katie was perhaps experiencing some kind of side effect. Sometimes people had reactions. The fatigue was normal too but it subsided and in a few weeks she went home-along with the dormant retrovirus unwittingly traveled from El Salvador to Crawford Texas.
As they drove home, she waved weakly at the cattle, watching the winds blow, "Daddy, can we visit Excalibur when we go home?"
Her father scratched his chin, "...Your cow's pretty dangerous honey, I don't know if I want you goin' outside so much-"
"Please? She missed me. I know she did. I drew her a picture and I wanted her to see." The wind blew from the open front window and made her shiver, "I still feel a little sick too-"
"All the more reason not to visit the cow."
"Daddy-"
"...we'll see what Mommy says. How about that?"
----------------
Her chest hurt a little, running out to the barn. And even while a man in Atlanta was weakening a little girl was growing stronger as she pulled open the door and squeezed through the gap. Excalibur lay asleep, a large black and white lump. "Exie!"
She named the cow after her daddy's favorite toy up above the mantel place. Sometimes he made more of them, a sideways sort of business in addition to the farm, but he said fanboys bought them. And nerds. She didn't know what a nerd was, but if it let her keep Exie..
"Exie I missed you-" She reached for the cow and wrapped her arms around it's neck, "Exie, I-Exie?"
The cow stirred as something skittered under the straw. Outside the light was dimming, "...Is it a rat?"
She knew better then to mess with rats, but mommy always said they were more afraid of you then angry and the rat...the rat..."
"Shoo." She waved a hand at the hay, "Go away and leave me and Exie alone."
The hay stirred.
"Exie?" She backed up and reached for her, "Exie?..." She backed up a step just as something small and furry leapt for her.
-----------------------
Jim King was listening to the wind chimes blow across the deck as he blew a long lazy smoke trail across the heavens when he heard the screaming.
Katie came bursting out of the night holding her arm and shrieking in terror. Grabbing her wrist. Sobbing, she flung herself into his arms and whimpered, shaking her head back and forth. "Dad-Dad-Daddy-" She sniffled, "Daddy.."
"What is it baby? what?-" He put a hand to her wrist, "Katie?"
"Oh daddy! The bat Daddy! The bat BIT ME!"