But the Children Survived (51 page)

Andrew knelt down next to Christie.  She didn't seem aware of him, so he touched her hand.  Her body was shaking and she was gasping for breath.  Andrew stood and helped her up off the floor.  She couldn't take her eyes off of Gerald’s body.  Andrew put his arm around her and gently guided her out of the lab. 

On the way to Christie's quarters, Andrew saw George coming towards the lab.  He watched as George looked into Gerald’s lab.  George's face indicated that he and Andrew needed to talk.  Andrew nodded his head as he took Christie into her quarters. 

George stood over Gerald and looked down at the bloody mess.  The whole lab seemed to be covered in spattered blood.  He noticed Jason standing at the lab door.

“What happened?”  George asked.  He was shocked by the carnage.

“Christie just flipped out when she saw that dude go after Mark.  She just kept hitting him.” 

George turned away from Gerald’s body to face Jason.

“Go downstairs, son.  Would you please ask Pat to come up here?”  Then George remembered Pat’s vomiting episodes.  “On second thought, don't.  Just let him be.” 

Jason left George standing next to Gerald’s body. 

“What a mess,” George said out loud. 

After George assessed the condition of the body and the lab, he began to think of way he and Andrew could dispose of the body.  No one would cry over Gerald’s death, so no one would care how they buried him.  They could build a pyre and send him to Valhalla, but that would be too good for him.  Putting him in an unmarked grave would be more appropriate.  Getting him through the hatchway, however, would be hell. 

George left the lab and went to the first hospital room.  He grabbed a sheet and went back to cover Gerald’s body.  George wished Simon were here.  He was strong, and would have been a great asset right now.  George left Gerald and walked over to Christie's quarters.  He knocked on the door and Andrew told him to come in. 

Christie was sitting on the bed.  Andrew was trying to get her out of her bloody clothes, but she wasn't helping him and he was having a really hard time.  George walked over and sat down next to her.  She was covered in human detritus.  It was hanging from her hair and her face, as well as her clothing.  Andrew had tears in his eyes. 

George put his arm around Christie and asked her if he could help her change her clothes.  She seemed unaware of George's presence until he said that.  She looked up and saw Andrew.  She felt so ashamed.  George asked Andrew to leave for a few moments. 

After Andrew had left, George gently helped Christie out of her clothes and helped her into the shower.  After he’d washed off the flesh and bones clinging to her hair and body, he dried her off and helped her into her nightgown.  The last thing he did before he tucked her in was to give her a sedative. 

Andrew was feeling numb.  When he walked into Gerald’s lab and saw Christie huddled next to the wall, he could feel her pain.  She was so utterly distraught.  She didn't deserve this, and it broke his heart.  When he brought her to her quarters, she just sat on the bed and wouldn't move.  He tried to soothe her with words, but they did no good.  It made Andrew feel completely impotent.  He was glad when George took over.  He was glad to get out of that room. 

When George left Christie's room, he saw Andrew standing in front of Gerald’s lab looking down at the body. 

“What the hell are we gonna do with him?”  Andrew asked. 

“I was wrapping my mind around that one too.  We have to get him outside.  Do you think the two of us could get him through that hole?”  George was mentally weighing and measuring Gerald. 

“Yeah, push and pull.  At least he has arms.” 

George bent over, rolled Gerald over, and picked up the corners of the sheet.  Andrew picked up the other corners.  They got him out of the lab and through the three chambers by starting and stopping while Andrew punched in the door codes until they reached the hatchway ladder.  They had to put him down while Andrew climbed the ladder to input the code that would open the hatchway.  When it was open, he came back down the ladder and once again picked up Gerald. 

They couldn't get the right grip on him and Andrew couldn't walk up the ladder backwards.  They decided to tie the sheet around his chest and then pull him from above.

Andrew pulled while George pushed until they got him above ground.  Then Andrew pulled Gerald's body behind the truck farthest from the school buses to hide it until morning when they could bury him.  He didn't want their guests seeing Gerald’s bloody sheet-draped body as they left the biosphere.

Andrew came down the ladder and saw George trying to clean up the blood they had dragged along the hallway.  He grabbed another sheet from the hospital room and wet it down.  He and George managed to get most of the blood off the floor.  The walls would be problem for another day.  In the meantime, they piled the dirty sheets by the hatchway ladder, cleaned themselves up, and rejoined the party downstairs.  Andrew peeked in on Christie before going downstairs; she was sleeping soundly. 

*****

Jason and Mark were waiting at the bottom of the stairs when George and Andrew arrived.  They looked at the two men and decided not to ask them what they had done with Gerald. 

Mark was still shaking from the experience.  George put his arm around Mark and led him to the cafeteria.  He took him to the back of the kitchen where he kept the good chocolate.  He gave Mark a big chunk and told the boy to go sit down at a table and eat every drop. 

Jason seemed lost.  The adults seemed to forget that he was only eighteen.  The things he’d seen in the last four weeks had changed him considerably.  But this, this was horrific. 

Jason didn't know what to do with his feelings.  Jenny came up to him and asked him if he was all right.  When she touched his arm, the tears began to roll down his cheek, and his embarrassment was overwhelming.  She put her arm around him and led him away from the others. 

They found a bench down the street and sat down.  He put his head on her shoulder and cried hard.  Jenny just kept rubbing his shoulder.  His pain was contagious.  Soon she, too, felt the tears welling in her eyes.  After a while, Jason stopped shaking and crying. 

Jason looked at Jenny as she wiped the tears away from his face.  He took her face in his hands and kissed her for a long time.  They then wrapped their arms around each other and stayed that way until Dani found them and told them it was time to go.

Dani asked Andrew where Christie had gone.  Andrew said she wasn't feeling well and had gone to bed.  Dani asked Andrew to give Christie her best and to tell her she would love to have her come to the school to help start a farm.  Andrew said he would relay the message and wished them all goodnight. 

Pat took them to the back hatchway and let them out.  Calvin drove them back to the Big Mart and promised Mindy he would visit them again soon. 

Chapter 64

When Calvin got back to the biosphere, he felt so good.  He’d never realized how much he loved being outside until he couldn't be.  He wandered back to the Town Square where Andrew, Pat, and George were sitting on a bench.  Andrew and George had just told Pat what had happened to Gerald.  Now they would have to tell the story again.

“So you guys managed to get his body out the hatch?”  Calvin asked.

“Yeah, we kind of hoisted him up with sheets.  He's out by one of the trucks.  We have to bury him first thing tomorrow because the kids are expecting to go outside.  They can never see that.” 

Andrew was just beginning to feel what had happened.  The numbness was fading, and the fact of Gerald’s murder was becoming a reality.  He hurt so for Christie.  What she must have held inside to have it explode that way. 

“Thanks for not asking me to help,” Pat was saying. 

“I thought about it, but then I remembered the vomiting,” George said.

“That was real thoughtful of you, George.”  Pat clapped George on the arm. Then he walked into the cafeteria and started cleaning up the debris left by the party guests.

*****

Christie woke up in the morning and opened her eyes.  She could see the photograph of Neil and Haley.  For a moment, it was just an ordinary day.  Then she suddenly remembered what she had done. 

The image of Gerald’s body loomed before her eyes.  It only made it worse to close them.  She got out of bed and felt dizzy. 

The sedative George had given her was wearing off, but there was still enough in her system to make her woozy.  She walked slowly to the bathroom and looked into the mirror.  George had done a good job.  There was nothing left in her hair to indicate that she had heinously murdered someone.

In this world, there wasn't a process of justice by which she could atone for her crime.  She would just have to live with it.  Gerald was despicable, but he was human.  Christie never would’ve believed herself capable of that kind of rage. 

She decided to get dressed even though it was the last thing she wanted to do.  Having the kids to care for might do her good, and they were waiting downstairs for her right now.

When she left her quarters, she was surprised to see how clean the hallway was.  She had expected to see some debris from the night before.  She’d been hesitant to come into the hallway but had made herself do it.  She was glad to see that the men had taken care of it. 

She averted her eyes when she walked past Gerald’s lab.  She’d never be able to look in there again.  She was going to ask the men if they minded her moving into the Wilmer residence.  She couldn't imagine them saying no, but she wanted to ask anyway.

When Christie got to the bottom of the stairs, Maria Elena ran over to her.  The girl was looking so much better than the last time Christie had seen her.  Maria hugged her and thanked her for all her help. 

Christie hugged her back and didn't want to let her go.  In another life, she would have adopted Maria Elena.  But here in the biosphere, she couldn't do that and hurt all the others who so craved parental attention.  She would have to satisfy herself by giving Maria Elena an extra hug now and then. 

After they parted, Christie walked into the cafeteria where breakfast had just been served.  She got in line and took some food.  When she sat down with Andrew and tried to eat, everything tasted like dirt. 

“That may be the shot George gave you,” Andrew said. 

But Christie knew it wasn't the shot.  She wondered if she would ever enjoy anything again.  How could she after what she had done?

George came out of the kitchen with his apron still on.  He sat down with Christie and Andrew and looked Christie in the eye.

“You will make peace with this someday, Christie.  It will happen.  You’re a good person driven to an act of violence.  It's not the first time that has ever happened, and it won't be the last.  We are animals, you know.”  George then got up and left them alone.

“Well, that was weird,” Andrew said. 

“He's just trying to help.  Maybe he's right, but I just don't feel like I'll ever get over this.” 

Andrew took her hand.  “If you'll let me, I'll help you.  You're not alone.” 

Christie looked at Andrew.  He looked so handsome, and she cared so much for him.  She had been afraid to care that much for anyone again after losing her family the way she had, and it didn't help that the whole country had died overnight.  What was certain in this world anymore?  Maybe Andrew was the only certain thing she would ever find.

“I'll let you help me,” she whispered.

She didn't smile because she was about to cry again.  She didn't want to put him through that so she held back the tears.  She tried to eat again and this time she could taste a little bit of the food. 

Christie was glad Andrew hadn't walked away after seeing what she’d done, and if he stayed she would be good to him.  She wouldn't push him away or make him feel unnecessary.  Andrew touched her face.

“You're beautiful, Christie.”  That did it.  She couldn't hold back the tears anymore. 

Chapter 65

Joe stood watching the bees.  He’d found a hive in bush some distance from the main compound.  He wanted to cultivate them so they could have fresh honey, but he didn’t know how.  He made a mental note to go to the library on his next trip to town.

Some of the biosphere kids had come to live at the school.  By the end of the summer, the insects had also arrived.  The insects had been distracted by the rotting flesh available to them on all the roads and residences of Pinellas County, but now they were turning their attention to the residents of St. Thomas.

Dani and Jenny set out to find every citronella candle they could.  They also had to find a good flea shampoo to help the suffering canines.  All in all, it was getting mighty uncomfortable to be outside. 

The buildings had window screens, but the mosquitoes still managed to follow the kids inside whenever the doors opened.  Joe went on a hunting expedition to find mosquito netting and came up with nothing.  The only thing they could do was cover the kids in citrus oil and hope for the best.  This growing problem prompted an urgent need to get the electricity turned on. 

The generators required gasoline and lasted only a short time.  They needed a permanent solution so they could use the air conditioning.  Joe went to the biosphere to see if they had any suggestions.  Maybe one of them was an electrician.

Joe climbed through the hatchway down the ladder and into the back room of the biosphere.  There was nobody tending the garden.  A week ago, the kids had harvested the field and the school had been given half of the crops.  Now the field was freshly planted so it looked flat and brown.  Joe walked past the field looking for Calvin or Christie.