The Children's Ward Read Free Page B

more, she doubted that crying served any purpose except perhaps to make another person feel guilty.
    That didn’t explain Tessi, though. She looked past Tessi to where Russell slept peacefully. Neither she nor Russell had any cause to feel guilty; Russell had slept through Tessi’s arrival and Abigail had only said hello when the nurse introduced them.
    It was sad, watching her cry, but fascinating too. The tears appeared to follow the same path, one after the other. Tessi’s hair must have been quite wet by now, she thought.
    Gradually the tears stopped and her breathing slowed. Abigail waited until she was certain that Tessi was asleep before she allowed her own eyes to close.
    It had been a long morning. It was very hard to believe that such a short time ago she’d been at home in Baltimore. She knew that she should be homesick but she was not. The house, her room, her grandmother…
    Grandmother had put her in a taxi for the ride to the airport, claiming that she was not well enough to come along.
    “Remember your manners,” Grandmother said, her face stern. “Don’t be giving the doctors a bad time.”
    “I won’t,” Abigail said.
    “They’re going to an awful lot of trouble on your behalf…” The look on her face was clearly disapproving. “Don’t add to it.”
    Abigail had been relieved when the taxi drove away.
    Whether or not the doctors could make her better…she had gotten away.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Six
     
    In his dream, Russell ran.
    He could feel the muscles in his legs ache but he continued on, not wanting to stop. Not ever. Heart racing and lungs straining, he started up the slight incline at the west end of their property line, across the asphalt roadway, and beyond.
    There was no sound at all as he ran, not even the sound of his own breathing.
    He saw no one.
    Time seemed to pass quickly, as daylight faded and night came on, the moon lighting his way. The cooler air filled his lungs and cleared his head.
    He was lighter than the air itself as he ran over the countryside.
    Just as quickly, morning came, its pale light growing in intensity. Ahead, still distant, he could see a deserted beach, white sand shimmering in waves of heat.
    He could feel sweat dripping down his face stinging his eyes. His back had begun to ache.
    But it was not much farther to the water.
    He ran across the sand, struggling now for every step, the sand pulling at his legs, threatening to pitch him headlong down the beach. It burned the soles of his feet and now he could see, glinting in the sun, shards of glass and broken bottles with jagged edges.
    Clouds swept in from out at sea; black swirling clouds which blocked out the sun.
    The water.
    He had to reach the water. His legs did not want to work but he knew—had always known— he had to keep running.
    The clouds dropped down to the ground and he could no longer see where he was going.
    But now he could hear it, the sound of the surf crashing on the shore. It was straight ahead and coming closer with every agonizing step.
    Then…he was airborne, falling through the thick clouds which parted finally, and he saw that he had run off a cliff, and that below were the rocks.
    It was happening for a second time.
    He fell to the ground…
     
     

Seven
     
    “Joshua, wait up.” Simon Harrington, M.D., did not quicken his pace, relying on Joshua’s good nature which would require him to stop and wait for his elders.
    “It’s been a morning,” Joshua said as Simon came up beside him.
    “As always. Today’s the big day, isn’t it?”
    Joshua nodded. “Three of the kids are in already…”
    “I can guess which one isn’t.” He snorted. “If either of them had a lick of common sense, they’d leave Courtney behind when they get an uncontrollable urge to jet-set.”
    “Or they might attempt to control the urge and stay home with her,” Joshua suggested.
    “Not a chance.” He cast a sidelong glance at the younger man. “I understand Dr. Logan