cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第33章

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　where　people　might　see。'
　'Right。　We　sure　as　hell　don't　need　a　panic。'　He　paused；　his　voice　softening　a　little。　'Are　you　all　right？'
　'I　sure　hope　so。'　I　felt　tears　in　my　eyes；　my　hands　trembling。
　'I　want　you　to　calm　down；　try　to　relax　now　and　stop　worrying。　We'll　get　you　taken　care　of；'　he　said　as　my　phone　went　dead。
　It　had　always　been　a　theoretical　possibility　that　after　all　the　murder　and　madness　I　had　seen　in　my　career；　it　would　be　a　disease　that　quietly　killed　me　in　the　end。　I　never　knew　what　I　was　exposing　myself　to　when　I　opened　a　body　and　handled　its　blood　and　breathed　the　air。　I　was　careful　about　cuts　and　needle　sticks；　but　there　was　more　to　worry　about　than　hepatitis　and　HIV。　New　viruses　were　discovered　all　the　time；　and　I　often　wondered　if　they　would　one　day　rule；　at　last　winning　a　war　with　us　that　began　with　time。
　For　a　while；　I　sat　in　the　kitchen　listening　to　the　clock　tick…tock　while　the　light　changed　beyond　the　window　as　the　day　fled。　I　was　in　the　throes　of　a　full…blown　anxiety　attack　when　Crockett's　peculiar　voice　suddenly　hailed　me　from　outside。
　'Ma'am？　Ma'am？'
　When　I　went　to　the　porch　and　looked　out　the　door；　I　saw　on　the　top　step　a　small　brown　paper　bag　and　a　drink　with　a　lid　and　a　straw。　I　carried　them　in　as　Crockett　climbed　back　inside　his　truck。　He　had　gone　off　long　enough　to　bring　me　supper；　which　wasn't　smart；　but　kind。　I　waved　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　guardian　angel；　and　felt　a　little　better。　I　sat　on　the　glider；　rocking　back　and　forth；　and　sipping　sweetened　iced　tea　from　the　Fisherman's　Corner。　The　sandwich　was　fried　flounder　on　white　bread；　with　fried　scallops　on　the　side。　I　didn't　think　I'd　ever　tasted　anything　so　fresh　and　fine。
　I　rocked　and　sipped　tea；　watching　the　street　through　the　rusting　screen　as　the　sun　slid　down　the　church　steeple　in　a　shimmering　ball　of　red；　and　geese　were　black　V's　flying　overhead。　Crockett　turned　his　headlights　on　as　windows　lit　up　in　homes；　and　two　girls　on　bicycles　pedaled　quickly　past；　their　faces　turned　toward　me　as　they　flew。　I　was　certain　they　knew。　The　whole　island　did。　Word　had　spread　about　doctors　and　the　Coast　Guard　arriving　because　of　what　was　in　the　Pruitt　bed。
　Going　back　inside；　I　put　on　fresh　gloves；　slipped　the　mask　back　over　my　mouth　and　nose　and　returned　to　the　kitchen　to　see　what　I　might　find　in　the　garbage。　The　plastic　can　was　lined　with　a　paper　bag　and　tucked　under　the　sink。　I　sat　on　the　floor；　sifting　through　it　one　item　at　a　time　to　see　if　I　could　get　any　sense　at　all　of　how　long　Pruitt　had　been　sick。　Clearly；　she　had　not　emptied　her　trash　for　a　while。　Empty　cans　and　frozen　food　wrappers　were　dry　and　crusty；　peelings　of　raw　turnips　and　carrots　wizened　and　hard　like　Naugahyde。
　I　wandered　through　every　room　in　her　house；　rooting　through　every　wastepaper　basket　I　could　find。　But　it　was　the　one　in　her　living　room　that　was　the　saddest。　In　it　were　several　handwritten　recipes　on　strips　of　paper；　for　Easy　Flounder；　Crab　Cakes　and　Lila's　Clam　Stew。　She　had　made　mistakes；　scratched　through　words　on　each　one；　which　was　why；　I　supposed；　she　had　pitched　them。　In　the　bottom　of　the　can　was　a　small　cardboard　tube　for　a　manufacturer's　sample　she　had　gotten　in　the　mail。
　Getting　a　flashlight　out　of　my　bag；　I　went　outside　and　stood　on　the　steps；　waiting　until　Crockett　got　out　of　his　truck。
　'There's　going　to　be　a　lot　of　motion　here　soon；'　I　said。
　He　stared　at　me　as　if　I　might　be　mad；　and　in　lighted　windows　I　could　see　the　faces　of　people　peering　out。　I　went　down　the　steps；　to　the　fence　at　the　edge　of　the　yard；　around　to　the　front　of　it　and　began　shining　the　flashlight　inside　the　cubbyholes　where　Pruitt　had　sold　her　recipes。　Crockett　moved　back。
　'I'm　trying　to　see　if　I　can　get　any　idea　how　long　she's　been　sick；'　I　said　to　him。
　There　were　plenty　of　recipes　in　the　slots；　and　only　three　quarters　in　the　wooden　money　box。
　'When　did　the　last　ferry　boat　e　here　with　tourists？'　I　shone　the　light　into　another　cubbyhole；　finding　maybe　half　a　dozen　recipes　for　Lila's　Easy　Soft…Shell　Crabs。
　'In　a　week　ago。　Never　nothing　since　weeks；'　he　said。
　'Do　the　neighbors　buy　her　recipes？'　I　asked。
　He　frowned　as　if　this　were　an　odd　thing　to　ask。　'They　already　got　theirs。'
　Now　people　had　e　out　on　their　porches；　slipping　quietly　into　the　dark　shadows　of　their　yards　to　watch　this　wild　woman　in　surgical　gown；　hair　cover　and　gloves　shining　a　flashlight　in　their　neighbor's　cubbyholes　and　talking　to　their　chief。
　'There's　going　to　be　a　lot　of　motion　here　soon；'　I　repeated　to　him。　'The　Army's　sending　in　a　medical　team　any　minute；　and　we're　going　to　need　you　to　make　sure　people　stay　calm　and　remain　in　their　homes。　What　I　want　you　to　do　right　now　is　go　get　the　Coast　Guard；　tell　them　they're　going　to　need　to　help　you；　okay？'
　Davy　Crockett　drove　off　so　fast；　his　tires　spun。
　
　
　9
　
　THEY　DESCENDED　LOUDLY　from　the　moonlit　night　at　almost　nine　P。M。　The　Army　Blackhawk　thundered　over　the　Methodist　church；　whipping　trees　in　its　terrible　turbulence　of　flying　blades　as　a　powerful　light　probed　for　a　place　to　land。　I　watched　it　settle　like　a　bird　in　a　yard　next　door　as　hundreds　of　awed　Tangiermen　spilled　out　onto　the　streets。
　From　the　porch；　I　peered　out　the　screen；　watching　the　medical　evacuation　team　climb　out　of　the　helicopter　as　children　hid　behind　parents；　silently　staring。　The　five　scientists　from　USAMRIID　and　CDC　did　not　look　of　this　planet　in　their　irtflated　orange　plastic　suits　and　hoods；　and　battery…operated　air　packs。　They　walked　along　the　road；　carrying　a　litter　shrouded　in　a　plastic　bubble。
　'Thank　God　you're　here；'　I　said　to　them　when　they　got　to　me。
　Their　feet　made　a　slipping　plastic　sound　on　the　porch's　wooden　floor；　and　they　did　not　bother　to　introduce　themselves　as　the　only　woman　on　the　team　handed　me　a　folded　orange　suit。
　'It's　probably　a　little　late；'　I　said。
　'It　can't　hurt。'　Her　eyes　met　mine；　and　she　didn't　look　much　older　than　Lucy。　'Go　ahead　and　put　it　on。'
　It　had　the　consistency　of　a　shower　liner；　and　I　sat　on　the　glider　and　pulled　it　over　my　shoes　and　clothes。　The　hood　was　transparent　with　a　bib　I　tied　securely　around　my　chest。　I　turned　on　the　pack　at　the　back　of　my　waist。
　'She's　upstairs；'　I　said　over　the　noise　of　air　rushing　in　my　ears。
　I　led　the　way　and　they　carried　up　the　litter。　For　a　moment；　they　were　silent　when　they　saw　what　was　on　the　bed。
　A　scientist　said；　'Jesus。　I've　never　seen　anything　like　that。'
　Everyone　started　talking　fast。
　'Wrap　her　up　in　the　sheets。'
　'Pouched　and　sealed。'
　'Everything　on　the　bed；　linens；　gotta　go　in　the　autoclave。'
　'Shit。　What　do　we　do？　Burn　the　house？'
　I　went　into　the　bathroom　and　collected　towels　off　the　floor　while　they　lifted　her　shrouded　body。　She　was　slippery　and　uncooperative　as　they　struggled　to　get　her　from　the　bed　inside　the　portable　isolator　designed　with　the　living　in　mind。　They　sealed　plastic　flaps；　and　the　sight　of　a　pouched　body　inside　what　looked　like　an　oxygen　tent　was　jolting；　even　to　me。　They　lifted　the　litter　by　either　end　and　we　made　our　way　back　down　the　stairs　and　out　onto　the　street。
　'What　about　after　we　leave？'　I　asked。
　'Three　of　us　will　stay；'　one　of　them　replied。　'We　got　another　chopper　ing　in　tomorrow。'
　We　were　intercepted　by　another　suited　scientist　carrying　a　metal　canister　not　so　different　from　what　exterminators　used。　He　decontaminated　us　and　the　litter；　spraying　a　chemical　while　people　continued　to　gather　and　stare。　The　Coast　Guard　was　by　Crockett's　truck；　Crockett　and　Martinez　talking　to　each　other。　I　went　to　speak　to　them；　and　they　were　clearly　put　off　by　my　protective　clothing；　and　not　so　subtly　stepped　away。
　'This　house　has　got　to　be　sealed；'　I　said　to　Crockett。　'Until　we　know　with　certainty　what　we're　dealing　with　here；　no　one　goes　in　or　near　it。'
　He　had　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　jacket　and　was　blinking　a　lot。
　'I　need　to　be　notified　immediately　if　anyone　else　here　gets　sick；'　I　said　to　him。
　'This　time　of　year　they　have　sickness；'　he　said。　'They　get　the　bug。　Some　take　the　cold。'
　'If　they　get　a　fever；　backache；　break　out　in　a　rash；'　I　said　to　him；　'call　me　or　my　office　right　away。　These　people　are　here　to　help　you。'　I　pointed　to　the　team。
　The　expression　on　his　face　made　it　very　cle