Chapter Sixteen

A new day

Darkness. A quiet beeping. I sat up, trying to discern my surroundings. I was in a bed. There was a dim red light across the room, over what looked like a bathroom. A sharp sting hit my arm when I tried to move my left. Stomach acid climbed into the back of my throat. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and lights blinded me. Motion controlled. Through squinted eyes, I could see an IV bag connected to my arm. I ripped it out and stumbled to the other side of the room, holding my mouth. I heaved into sink repeatedly. After a few minutes, I laid my head on my arms.

The door opened. I straightened up using my hands on the edges for support and looked upon a nurse.

"Oh, good! You're awake," she said. Her eyes trailed to my blood trickling down my forearm. "Oh, no. You shouldn't have removed that."

"What is in the IV?"

"Fluids. Come on, lay back down."

I wretched again and spat. "I have drug allergies. You can't tell me that a dog bite would make me sick like this."

She handed me a towel and took my arm. I wiped my face and let her lead me back over to the bed. She started fiddling with the IV.

"Go check my chart," I asserted. "You're not putting that in my arm again. Do you think I like vomiting?"

A vein popped out of her forehead. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but didn't. Instead, she forced a smile, walked out of the room, and nearly slammed the door shut.

I pulled myself onto the bed and leaned back. In the corner of my eye, I spotted a handwritten note on the bedside table. From the bed I saw the words"call me" and a string of digits over a little heart and "Ari."

A heated exchange permeated through the door. I couldn't make out the words, but whoever it was, was ripped a new one. The door flew open and a different nurse came in with a large glass of water and a small box. 

Her face scrunched up in displeasure. "Phew, it stinks in here. I apologize for the mix-up. I am the head nurse, Chantilly. You were given a dose of penicillin, even though your chart clearly indicates otherwise." Chantilly scowled at the sight of the first nurse when she came in with a bucket and a handful of cleaning supplies. "Hurry up and clean the sink out." She held out the box. "Antihistamine and something to settle your stomach. I'll bring some breakfast up and if you can keep the food down, we'll send you home."

"Thanks," I said and received both from her.

"What time is it?"

"A little after 5AM."

“5AM?”  I had slept the rest of the day and all night.

The other nurse worked hastily. Periodically, she stopped and gagged.

Chantilly took down the IV bag. "That is what happens when you do not follow the chart, Jamilee. You're lucky it wasn't worse." She turned back to me. "The people who brought you in were a handful."

The ice water soothed my burning throat. At first, the taste of vomit filled my mouth, but the more I drank, the flavor faded. "They were not a nuisance, were they?"

"No, they didn't want to leave. We had to practically throw them out so they didn't miss curfew."

I couldn't hide my smile. Jamilee finished cleaning and stormed out of the room.

"I'll be back in a few when the doctor makes his rounds. You lost a lot of blood from a punctured vein, but it's not serious."

I took another gulp of the ice water. "Thank you."

The doctor recommended I didn't work out for a couple weeks, but I figured a couple days would be enough. It was after 6AM when I left the hospital, so I decided to call Fran later in the morning when the kids would be up. Ari, on the other hand, was not going to get off the hook that easily. It would take almost an hour to make it home so I could change for work. Ugh, cargo security. How could I almost forget my new job?

I punched in the digits from the note and the familiar chirps rang in my ear. I was about to hang up and a click sounded, followed by a crash and grunts.

"Hello?" Ari's sleepy voice said.

"Good morning. Everything OK over there?"

His voice rang out with sudden clarity. "Lily? Holy cow, are you still in the hospital?"

"No, they discharged me a little while ago. I'm on the way home."

A loud breath rattled the speaker. "Good. What are you doing today?"

"Work," I said with a groan.

"Oh. Well, I'm going to meet my roommates at the train station this evening."

"That is cool, have some fun before the rest of your training starts."

"Are you sure? I feel like we got cut short yesterday."

"Yeah. Just be careful hanging out the SIS agents. Or any of the Peacekeeper hangouts. They like to hold, what they call, initiation rituals. Which mostly consist of getting the greenhorns drunk."

"Did they do that to you?"

"They tried. I drank some Anxo Ale and it boomeranged."

He yawned. "Yuck. Well, don't worry about it. They're not going to persuade me to drink that."

"I'll let you go back to sleep. Sorry for waking you up."

"No, I'm glad you called. I've got to figure out how to save your number now."

"You should save it under 'Ellie' instead of 'Lily'."

"That's a little extreme."

"I don't think so. I just don't want to worry about you getting into trouble too."

He huffed. "Yeah. I think you're just being paranoid."

"Please?"

"I will. I'll call you later tonight or maybe tomorrow."

"I look forward to it. Good-bye."

"Good-bye."

I wished I felt better about him going out. I knew what the peer pressure is like, wanting to fit in a new place. I still had plenty of time before I got home, so I called Fran in order to talk to Blake and Katelyn and let them know I would be fine.

***

The warehouse office was empty. I was the only Peacekeeper to show up on time. Great, this is what I had to look forward to.

The first train of the day arrived at eight o'clock. A large crew of workers in shabby overalls poured out of the warehouse like ants. As soon as the train stopped, the forklifts began moving the merchandise. I probably could have watched them like a supervisor, but instead, I rolled up my sleeves and helped break down pallets.

A young man who looked around my age leaned over. "You don't need to help. The others don't usually show up until almost ten when the cargo is unloaded," he said in a low voice.

"I'm not like the others. I'm not afraid to get dirty and work," I whispered back.

The look on his face was priceless. He didn't say anything else the rest of the time. We got into a rhythm moving boxes down a line into the warehouse. After a half an hour, I had to take my jacket off. Dirt fell from the boxes and some stunk like manure.

Sure enough, right before ten, three other Peacekeepers showed up. The Captain took some paperwork from the engineer and the three went into the office.

"Aren't you going in there too?" one of the men asked with a deep southern drawl.

"Once we are done," I answered.

Shock washed over his face, but it disappeared and a queer little smile took hold. "I think we're going to like having you work here."

I laughed. "I appreciate your honesty."

"Shipment's kinda small."

"Because it is winter?"

"Nah, generally receive more from the south this time of year. Rumors are strange insects fly in and wipe out the whole crop."

I clenched my jaw. "I hadn't heard that." I bet the Church members won't go hungry.

"Not surprised. Not something we like to talk about."

I glanced toward the office. "Still, Darnell should have mentioned it," I said under my breath.

"Darnell? Barkeep Darnell?"

"Yeah. Riverside Inn."

"Well, as God as my witness. You're the girl Darnell talks about. Must've stirred up some trouble to end up here."

"Yeah, I guess that story hasn't made it too far then."

"Nice to meet ya, missy. I go by Nate." He stuck out a large grubby paw.

I smiled and shook his hand. "Lily."

"Well, Lily. Let's finish so we can get back into the warmth."

The boxes were stacked and accounted for. I took the rest of the invoices into the office, trying not to smudge them with my dirty black hands.

The office heat quickly thawed my face and fingers. I found myself next to a high counter. I pushed up against the gate but it shook and clanked against the lock. The Captain hopped up.

"Are you Andrews?" he asked.

"Yes, that is me."

"We issue coveralls so you don't soil your uniform."

The other two came up behind him. The bald chubby one threw some blue clothing at me. The other, whose nose resembled a bird beak, snatched the papers from my hand.

"That would have been good to know a couple hours ago."

The other two squinted their eyes at me.

"Well now you do," the Captain said. He threw some keys onto the counter. "This is your set. Don't lose them. Take one of those clipboards and make the rounds through the warehouses. Learn the lay of the land."

"How am I supposed to know what to do?"

"The papers should be self-explanatory. It is my understanding that you're smart." The Captain went back and sat at the round table.

The bald one hissed. "Don't think you can run your mouth around here. This ain't headquarters."

I gritted my teeth. There was no telling who they talked to. I wanted to give them a piece of my mind. I sighed. "My apologies if I sounded irritated. Must be the cold. I'll get started right away. Is there a restroom?"

The crow-face pointed to the back of the building. "Go 'round outside; key's in that ring."

"Thanks."

That was what I had sunken down to, giving old crotchety men the feeling of superiority.

Somehow the bathroom was colder than outside. I jogged from building to building to keep my body temperature up. I didn't even stop for lunch. I had lost my appetite.

The last building was almost nestled in the woods. Branches scratched the roof and metal siding. Every clunk and crash had me on edge. I peeked in some boxes and found pharmaceuticals but I did not know what they were for. I presumed it was due to the rampant sickness.

After my tour was complete, I headed back to the office. The gate was not locked that time. I went in and deciphered the paper color codes.

My new coworkers still surrounded the same table, but a bottle of booze and several beer bottles were scattered amongst a card game.

"Man, the pick orders are due tomorrow," the bald one said.

"There's plenty of time, Clyde. At least you don't have to do the manifest for the export."

"Why don't I do it for you?" I suggested, hoping that they would leave.

"Why would you do that for us?"

"I don't have any family to go home to. I'm sure y'all do. This way I can learn."

"See, Hank, she ain't so bad."

"Can it, Clyde. She can hear you."

Clyde staggered to his feet and almost stumbled to the filing cabinets. He pulled out several folders and set them on top. "Well, you heard the Lieutenant, Hank. I'm going home to my missus." After a quick salute, he jetted out the door.

"Right behind ya, buddy," Hank said.

"You can squat in the office to the left," the Captain said, throwing a thumb in that direction. "Some orders came in for you today. They're on the desk in there. I think this will work out nicely, Andrews." He slapped me on the shoulder and accompanied his subordinates.

The office was small, barely larger than a closet. Nothing like the spacious office I once had in headquarters. With careful maneuvering, I moved the desk to face the door and it did not leave me much room to wiggle behind the desk or put a chair in front. I welcomed the quiet. 

The paperwork was easy, I didn't understand what they had to complain about. As I sorted the papers into the proper folders, I saw the orders the Captain spoke of. I had to accompany a train to Philadelphia, check the cargo, and ensure safe and timely arrival back. I wondered if that was normal. I thought back to the Chief telling me about possible robberies. I assumed my presence on the train could thwart a train boarding. It was not like I could just ask the Chief anymore. And I was not looking forward to the next weeks working there before the trip. Hopefully, a visit to the orphanage could cheer me up.