Chief wasn’t prepared for the sight of his little girl. She lay in a bed at the end of the room. A transparent tent draped over her holding in the oxygen rich air that was being pumped into it. Her breathing was already becoming clouded; she had to work harder for every breath of air she drew. Because she was initially placed in isolation, there were no other beds in the room.

Chief crossed to the chair by her side. He longed to take her into his arms, to comfort he, and at the same time comfort himself, but didn’t want to disturb the tent that kept her alive.

Donna had stopped outside to discuss the child’s condition with the technicians and allow Chief a few moments with his daughter alone. After a respectful amount of time, she entered the room to give Chief his daughter's prognosis.

Donna noticed the moisture in his eyes when he glanced up. He looked like a proud man that had suddenly been humbled by the circumstances. She felt for him.

“She’s getting worse, Chief. Her vital signs are falling and her respiration is deteriorating. They’ve already arranged for an iron lung downstairs.”

“My god,” Chief sighed. He turned to his daughter. Shaking his head he asked, “Why’d they do this to her? She’s just a baby for Christ’s sake. What are they so afraid of?”

“They?”

“The people doing this to her. A cult.”

“A cult?” 

He nodded.

“Oh,” Donna said solemnly.

Chief looked at her until she felt the heat of his stare.

“That explains some things," Donna said.

“Like?”

“I always thought she was odd– Blanch. Deeply religious, but only when it suited her…”

“Go on.”

“She twisted the scriptures a lot. Quoting mostly the book of revelations, only...”

“Only?”

“She seemed to be on the wrong side.”

“Oh? Which side was she on?”

“The horsemen. She seemed to revel in the destruction of mankind. I mean, she never came outright and said so, but she quoted at the most inopportune times, and always without a shred of remorse or foreboding, she was almost giddy.”

“Giddy?”

“Like she wanted all that to happen– the locust, the fire, disease...not a nurse-like thing to hope for in my opinion. That’s like a police officer hoping for an increase in murder.”

“But she never came out and said it?”

“No– it was the look in her eyes when she said it. It gave me the creeps. I didn’t blame your daughter for not wanting her as a nurse.”

“Has any other patient complained?”

“No. She keeps things hidden. Sweet and pleasant middle-aged lady, most of the time.”

“She shared that side of herself with you. I wonder why.”

“I don’t know.”

“Was anyone else around when she misquoted the scriptures?”

“No. It was always an aside to me... like she was picking on me.”

Chief squinted. “Why?”

“I really don’t know.”

“Was there ever any incident?”

“No. Not that I can remember.”

“Did she sense you to be religious?”

“Oh, no. I haven’t graced the sight of a church since I was six and my sister left. I prayed like crazy for six months that she would come home. Nothing. Never been back.”

“So you think religion is a crock?”

“No. I think for those that believe, it’s right for them. Just not for me.”

“Then you feel Nurse Scholeman’s religion okay?”

“For her, maybe. But I do not believe she prayed to any god.”

“The Devil then?”

“I’m not certain. She... I don’t think she placed any importance on Renaissance views; both the concepts of God and the Devil in the New Testament are basically Christian themes. I don’t think they had a place in her beliefs.”

“Though she quoted the scriptures?”

“Yes. But it was the way she quoted them. She extracted what she wanted from them and twisted them into something ugly.”

“Only to you?”

“Yes.”

Chief nodded and glanced at his daughter. “She must have seen something in you that frightened her,” he said quietly. “And my daughter saw something else...” Chief looked up. “She likes you a great deal. She told me you made her feel safe. To me, that’s an endorsement.”

“I really like her too,” Donna said quietly, also looking at the child. “There’s something about her. She just makes you feel good to be around her. You know what I mean?”

Chief stared for an awfully long time, then nodded. “Yes, I do.”

“If there is any way I can be of help, let me know.”

“An Agent Moss of the FBI will be here in a couple of hours. You can make yourself available to him.”

“I will.”

Chief returned to his daughter. She hadn’t moved since he had entered the room. He had an eerie sense of déja-vu. He wondered if she was trapped again. Trapped in the Dead Place. Did she go inside to escape? This time it was worse than the autism. This time she was comatose. What next? Will he finally lose her altogether?

“I’ll leave you to be with her until Dr. Miller comes up.”

“Thank you,” Chief said and watched as Donna left the room. Then he turned back to Kelly. She looked so small lying under the protection of the tent. Her arms were outside of the blankets and their bones pulled sharply at the sallow skin that covered them. Dark circles stained the skin just below her eyes. Her hair was matted to a transparent brow. There was no movement below her eyelids.

Chief felt his heart sink with a heaviness. The same heaviness he felt tracking her and her would-be killer through the forest.

“Don’t let her die. Please don’t let our baby die.”

Chief glanced quickly around the room.“Reach her, Bob. Find a way. Or we’ll lose her.”

“Kate?” Chief asked the empty room.

“I’m here, darling. I never left you. I couldn’t.”

Chief glanced at the bed. Kelly lay motionless, eyes shut. Her breathing was becoming thicker.

“Kate,” Chief whispered. “How do I help her?”

“Find a way to reach her. She can’t fight like this, Bob. Reach her and bring her back,” the voice trailed. “I’m anchored to her, my darling. You’ll lose us both...”

Chief felt his face flush as a warm current raced through him and disappeared. “Jesus. How do I bring you back, pumpkin?” Chief thought hard, like his existence depended on it. 

“That’s it.” He found Donna in the hall talking to another nurse and motioned her over. “The guitar. Where is it?”

“Downstairs, in Dr. Miller’s office. He was holding it for her. Why?”

“Call him. Tell him to bring it up with him.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Just do it. Please.”

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