The Magic Meadow Read Free Page B

people?”
    â€œI—I didn’t hear a thing except what I’ve told you. It was, well, a real quiet place. Honest, I didn’t know a place could be so quiet.”
    â€œThat’s strange. Didn’t you see any signs of people?”
    â€œI sure didn’t.”
    â€œBut, Brick, people are practically everywhere. You can’t go anywhere without seeing signs of them. Tin cans, bottles, old tires, trash …”
    He shook his head.
    â€œThere has to be something,” she insisted. “If you were ’way out in the country, there’d be other signs. Barns, sheds, fences—you just can’t get away from fences …”
    He started to shake his head again, then frowned instead. “I’m not sure, but maybe I did see something. It was just a—a sort of quick glimpse, so I don’t know what it was. I—I was so surprised at being there instead of here that I didn’t even think about it at the time. But—”
    â€œCan you remember what it was—what it looked like?”
    â€œI’ll try. Maybe—”
    Suddenly, before he could recall what he’d seen, he was interrupted by the door to the main corridor being thrust open. Miss Preedy, the night supervisor, entered the ward. She was a tall, severe woman who spoke sweetly, but Brick had learned that the sweetness was only a thin veneer over what seemed to be unbending metal.
    â€œWhat seems to be going on in here?” Miss Preedy demanded in her most sugary tone. “Having a little midnight party, are we?”
    â€œOh, somebody just cried out in his sleep and woke up the others,” Nurse Jackson said easily. “But everything’s all right now.”
    â€œI see. And what is the screen doing open? Haven’t I said it was to be kept closed at night? Rules are rules, Miss Jackson, and I expect them to be obeyed.” Miss Preedy always ignored the fact that Nurse Jackson was a widow.
    â€œYes, ma’am. But it had to be opened so I could check on things.”
    â€œWell, close it immediately,” Miss Preedy ordered. “I never approved of such an arrangement, but it couldn’t be helped in an old place like this. It’ll certainly be a relief when we finish moving to the new building. At least we can place the children around in some up-to-date wards, though one or two will have to be sent …”
    She shrugged and started out, but paused briefly to add over her shoulder, “And leave the door open, Miss Jackson. The ward doors should never be closed.”
    Brick was stunned. He’d heard that some of Belleview’s patients—he understood they were just the very old people—were being moved to a new place on the edge of the city. But no one had told him they’d all have to go, and that their group would be broken up. When that happened they might never see each other again.
    There was a stifled sob on his right, and he heard Lily Rose whimper, “Wha-what are we going to do if they s-separate us?”
    â€œNow, honey, don’t you worry about that,” Nurse Jackson said quickly. “They haven’t separated you yet, and if they ever try it, it’ll be over my dead body.”
    Her broad black face had become grimly stony. Defiantly leaving the screen open, she went over to the door and snapped out the lights, then peered searchingly into the corridor. Returning, she sat down again and said in a low voice, “Miss Preedy, she was just talking to hear herself talk. The truth is, they don’t really know what they’re going to do with you. If they’d decided anything, I’d have found out and told you, but they just don’t know. You see, there’s no place to put you. Somebody goofed on the new building and forgot to make space for you, and over at the Children’s Hospital they’re splitting at the seams. So you’ll have to stay here.”
    â€œBut—but isn’t