Chapter 19
Frank pulled onto the long driveway leading to the old lumber mill. It amazed him how differently it looked from his first time there. Several FEMA trailers filled the grounds with children playing on the playground, consisting of old equipment brought in from the personnel housing on one of the many closed military bases around the country.
Wondering what was ahead; Frank pulled up next to his office and parked. Before getting out, he sat a few moments, going over the day’s events in his mind. He knew that Chuck was within his rights to protect his property, but he also knew that Chuck was lucky to be alive. For had things gone differently, it could have just as easily been Chuck hauled off to the morgue.
“Well, I guess there’s no sense in putting this off any longer,” Frank groaned as he opened the door and stepped outside.
“Hey, Frank, is it true?” Tyler Jemison, one of the other ICE Officers working at the site asked as he walked up to the suburban.
“Huh, is what true?” Frank hoped this had nothing to do with the shooting, but he knew better. News traveled fast in a small town.
Tyler looked at Frank, unsure as to why he would respond so. “The shooting; is it true that three of the residents from here were caught poaching, and one of them got shot and killed?”
Frank did not want to discuss this outside so anyone could hear. “Come on, let’s go in my office, and talk there.”
Tyler gave Frank a wry look but said nothing as he followed him inside.
The sound of boots echoed off the walls of the hallway as Silas walked toward the ICU waiting area. He kept going over the events at Chuck’s place earlier, wondering what everyone was facing once the media got a hold of the story.
Damn it, we don’t need this now! The words screamed in his mind. He knew once the media learned of the shooting, and those involved, things would never be the same in Sandley. Silas understood the effect an overzealous, agenda driven media had on a story. He had watched in horror as they took a simple event and spun it into something beyond comprehension.
He came out of his thoughts by a soft voice from behind him.
“Silas, wait for me.”
He turned to see the tear-stained face of Jen walking toward him.
“Hi babe,” his voice quivered with emotion. He stopped and waited for her to join him.
“Oh, Silas, it’s horrible. I can’t believe it. Shelby was fine the other day and now this. I just don’t understand.”
Silas took her in his arms and held her tightly. “I don’t either, but I think I know how she got it.” Silas’ jaw clenched as he fought to control his anger.
Jen lifted her face to look at Silas, “I do too. A couple of those children from the mill were sick, but none of them ended up in the hospital.”
Silas wished he knew what to say to make Jen feel better, but he was at a loss himself. “Come on; let’s go see how she’s doing.”
“Jen, Silas, it’s good to see you.” Craig sat on one of the small sofa’s in the waiting room, with Shelia resting her head on his lap.
Silas and Jen quietly walked over to the chairs across from the sofa and sat, each wondering if there were any new developments.
They each sat quietly, unsure of what to say until Silas decided to break the silence. “How is she doing?”
Craig wiped a tear from his eye before answering. “She’s the same. The doctor is concerned though because she doesn’t seem to be responding to any form of stimulus.”
Silas and Jen exchanged worried looks. “What do you mean she’s not responding to stimulus?”
Craig looked down at Shelia and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. “She can’t seem to move her legs, and the doctor is worried whatever this thing is might leave her paralyzed.”
“Oh, no, it can’t be true, poor Shelby.” Jen felt her heart skip a beat at the idea of Shelby going through her life paralyzed.
Silas shook his head, unsure if he had heard correctly. “I don’t understand. How can a virus do that?”
Craig looked at Silas, the anguish clearly showing on his face. “Like I said earlier the doctor called it Enterovirus D68 or EV-D68. He said there are reports of thousands of cases in the last few months all around the country. Children are in intensive care units with acute respiratory distress, and some are even experiencing paralysis like Shelby. He said there doesn’t appear to be any end in sight to this extremely rare outbreak.”
“I don’t understand. If it causes respiratory distress why the fear of paralysis?” Jen asked.
“I didn’t understand most of what he said, but it seems to cause lesions on the spinal cord, which can lead to paralysis.” Craig glanced down at Sheila when she mumbled and shifted on the sofa. He worried how all of this would affect her health as she was still weak from her chemo treatments.
Silas tried to calm his emotions, but the memories of everything that had happened the last few months kept flooding into his mind. No one could have ever expected the changes the residents of Sandley had endured since they learned the window factory was reopening.
Silas lowered his head and closed his eyes then he said a silent prayer for what he knew was next.
Frank sat quietly at his desk, looking out of the window. He was finished making the necessary telephone calls and had filled out the forms regarding the incident at Chuck Wilson’s place. He knew this was not going to end well for Chuck, regardless of the fact that the three young men were trespassing and had attacked Chuck when he caught them.
“How have we come to this as a country?” Frank said to the empty room.
His supervisor had told him to prepare as the media would more than likely make an issue out of the death of the young man. He said to do his best to keep the other workers under control, and not allow this to turn into a media circus.
Frank knew it was an impossible request, as the media would take the story and twist it to fit the current agenda. Frank turned around to face his desk again when he heard a knock on his office door. “Come in.”
The door opened and in stepped Tyler Jemison. “Do you have a moment, Frank?”
Frank nodded without saying a word letting him know to come in and sit so they could talk.
Tyler could see the worry clearly in Frank’s eyes, and it concerned him to see Frank so troubled.
“Hey, I want you to know there’s grumbling amongst a few of the people in town. There’s talk of a dangerous sickness being brought here. I guess there are a couple of local children in the hospital right now with a strange virus that appeared in the States about the same time these people started coming over the border. Do you think that’s possible?” Tyler rubbed his hands together nervously.
Frank sat a moment, unsure of how to answer. He had heard of children across the country coming down with the strange virus, and honestly, he worried about his own children. In all his years of working for the federal government, not once did he believe things would get so out of control.
“Frank, why did the fools in DC let things get to this point?” Tyler asked.
Frank looked at Tyler and chuckled. “Fools, you got that right. I wish I knew how to answer you, but I don’t. I always believed it was our duty to protect the border, and in turn, protect the American people. I must confess since this damn thing began, I’ve seen things that I will never be able to cleanse from my mind. We are being sold down the river as a country, and guys like us are just as guilty. Every day when I wake up, I look in the mirror, and the man I see looking back at me is a stranger. I used to believe in honor and service to my fellow citizens. However, now the man I see looking back at me is a traitor to everything I once believed.”
“That’s not true, Frank. You’re the most honorable man I know. I’m lucky to…”
Frank interrupted Tyler before he could finish. “I don’t feel honorable. In fact, I feel as though I’m letting my children down. How can I look them in the eyes, knowing
the future this is creating for them? How can I tell them that I wasn’t able to protect them from an invasion? How can I ask forgiveness for allowing the corruption of our laws for political reasons? Tyler, we’re aiding and abetting the destruction of everything we both swore to protect.”
The silence in the room was stifling, as both men contemplated the gravity of their words. Each knew they were helpless to change what was happening, as the powerful lobbyists and politicians were in control of America’s future. They had set the agenda and had been for many years. For this reason, it would take something drastic to wake up the American people for them to push back, and regain control of their lives and destinies.
Frank gathered the scattered paperwork and put it in the metal basket sitting on the corner of his desk. “It’s late and I’m tired. How about we call it a day? We’ll have a meeting with the people tomorrow, and hopefully, clear up a few things. I just don’t feel up to any more crap today.”
Tyler was not sure if it was a good idea to put things off, but he nodded his head and stood to leave.
“I’ll be in early so we can discuss what we are going to do about this situation. How about around 6 o’clock, I’ll even bring some donuts,” Frank forced a smile.
“Sounds good, I’ll see you at 6 o’clock then.”
Both men walked outside and looked at the people going about their evening activities, each wondering what tomorrow would bring.
Silas and Jen left the hospital wondering how things were ever going to be the same in town. While they were there, another child had arrived with the same symptoms as Shelby.
“Silas, what if she doesn’t get any better? She could be paralyzed for the rest of her life. I just can’t believe this is all happening.” The entire time they sat with Craig and Sheila, Jen had wondered how she would feel if it were her daughter lying in that ICU bed with all the tubes and wires attached to her tiny body.
“I don’t know, but I do know we need to keep praying for her,” his voice cracked with emotion.
Jen looked at Silas and noticed a tear escape from the corner of his eye and flow down his cheek. In all the years she had known him, not once had she seen him shed a tear until today. Even when they had received the news they would never be parents, he had remained strong for her.
She reached over and placed her hand on his thigh, this bringing him out of the dark place his mind had wandered. “I love you, Silas.”
He glanced in her direction and smiled. “I love you too. How about we stop at the burger joint and get some takeout? It’s getting late, and there’s no sense in you having to cook after today.”
“That’s an excellent idea. I’m tired, and I didn’t take anything out of the freezer earlier.”
Silas turned the car toward their favorite burger joint. “Hamburgers it is then.”