Red Rain

By Walter G. Esselman

“Red sky at night, Sailor’s delight, red sky in the morn, sailor’s warning.”

“What was that?” asked Deputy Ellie Finch as she blinked her eyes.  She had almost fallen asleep.  Behind prison bars, the Saracen looked from the window to her.  He was Middle Eastern man of average height and a kind smile.

“Sorry,” said the Saracen.  “I was just talking to myself.  The red sky this morning looks ominous.”

Ellie leaned back in her chair and looked over at her shoulder at the red sky outside the front window of the sherriff’s office.    

“Doesn’t that mean we’re getting rain?” asked Ellie.

“I think so,” said the Saracen.  “But I’m not much of a weather guy.  Now Pool on the other hand.”

“Isn’t that what got you in trouble in the first place,” said Ellie.

“I didn’t start anything,” said the Saracen putting his hands up in surrender.  

“They said you were hustling them,” said Ellie.  

“I was playing on the only pool table in town.  I know, because I had to look hard to find it,” said the Saracen.  “They wanted to play so I recommended we take turns playing as long as no money exchanged hands.”

“So they wanted to bet,” said Ellie.

“Chump change at first,” said the Saracen.  “But every time I warned them that I was going to beat their pants off.”

“Which you did,” said Ellie.

“Hustling involves tricking the people you’re playing that you’re not as good a player as you are,” said the Saracen.  “I told them up front.”

“Then the stakes got big,” said Ellie.

“Kid wanted to bet his car!” laughed the Saracen. 

“When did you know they were minors?” asked Ellie.

“Wondered about that right away,” said the Saracen.  “But they were drinking a big pitcher of beer in the local watering hole.  Figured they might have looked young for their age until that kid, what’s his name…Hunter, started talking about his car.  He mentioned his sixteenth birthday last year.”

“What did you do then?” asked Ellie.

“Offered to give them back their money and things got heated,” said the Saracen.

“Wait?  You offered to give their money back?” asked Ellie.

“Sure,” said the Saracen.  “And I never laid a finger on any of them.”

“There’s that son of a bitch!” snarled a voice from the door as two men walked in.  A tall pale man stalked past Sheriff Tucker toward the cell door grabbed it and shook it hard like a Rottweiler.  “Do you know what you’ve done?  Do you?”

“Morris,” said the sheriff but it was limp warning.

“Sir, I…,” started the Saracen.

“Shut up,” spat the tale pale man, Morris.  “As we speak, a helicopter is flying in from U of M hospital to take him there.  They are hoping, praying that they’ll be able to repair his hand.”

“Didn’t he just punch a wall?” asked the Saracen.

“Don’t you dare speak,” spat Morris.

“That boy Hunter, who tried to punch you, is the star quarterback,” explained Ellie to the Saracen.

“And the first game is next week,” growled Morris.  “There’s supposed to be a talent scout there and everything.”

“Now Morris,” said the sheriff gently and Morris turned to look at him.  “We don’t know if it’s going to be a problem yet.”

“Already a problem for him,” said Morris jerking his thumb at the Saracen.  “I want him up on charges.”

“Well, that’s possible,” said the sheriff.

“What can we charge him with?” asked Ellie in a defensive mode.  “Everyone takes side bets at that pool table.  And he offered to give the money back.”

“That’s a lie,” said Morris.

“He just told me…,” started Ellie when the Saracen interrupted.

“What’s wrong with the rain?” asked the Saracen.  He went to the bars and pointed to the front window.  Morris saw the Saracen stop several feet from him and jumped.

“He tried to assault me!” cried Morris.

“No I didn’t,” said the Saracen.  “And why is the rain red?” 

The sheriff just gave him a look.  “We don’t have time for games.”

Ellie saw the look of confusion on the Saracen’s face and looked out the window.  Rain was dropping outside but it was a dark red.  Mrs. Gunderson ran across the street waving her arms wildly.  She disappeared around the corner.

“Sheriff?” said Ellie.

“Not you too,” said the sheriff.

“Tucker!” cried Ellie as the door burst open.  Rage Boggs came screaming into the room.  Sheriff Tucker reached for him as Boggs collapsed.  Boggs’ face was bright red and scaly.  His fingers, similarly colored, were curled as if they held a ball.  

“Ragey!  What the hell happened to you?” cried out Tucker as he knelt next to the man.  “Did you get burned?”

But Boggs just made a sad keening noise.  Mini-seizures shook Boggs and then he went still.

“Is he…?” asked Morris.

“He’s breathing,” said Sheriff Tucker as he moved Boggs’ arms to be more comfortable.

“Careful,” said the Saracen.

“What do you know?” asked the sheriff.

“I’m a...I’ve had some medical training,” said the Saracen.  “Please let me out.  I can help.”

“Well…,” started the sheriff.

“No!” snarled Morris.  “He stays in there!”

“Okay,” said Tucker reluctantly.  “You’re the judge.”

“Wait…?” started the Saracen when there is a cry outside.

Sheriff Tucker stood quickly and went to the door.  He turned to Ellie.

“You!  Call 911 and get an ambulance down here quick!” said Tucker.

“I’m coming with you,” said Morris.

The sheriff shrugged.  “It’s a free country.”

“I’d like to argue that point,” said the Saracen pleasantly but Tucker and Judge Morris left the sheriff’s office.

“Damn it!” cried Ellie.

“What’s wrong?” asked the Saracen.

“No one’s answering at the hospital,” said Ellie as she snarled at her cellphone.

“Which way is the hospital?” asked the Saracen with a sinking feeling.

Ellie pointed East.

“That’s the direction the storm came from,” said the Saracen.  “I’m thinking we need to get out of here.”

“We’re supposed to stay put,” said Ellie but she did not sound convinced.  She walked closer to him but still stayed out of arm’s reach, which he noted with approval.

“I know,” said the Saracen.  “But I have a bad feeling.”

“You want me to counterdict the orders of the sheriff because you…,” started Ellie when she saw the Saracen’s eyes go wide.  As he called out a warning, she turned and saw Boggs standing right behind her.  

The red scaly sores on his face had broken.  Out of each sore was a stem with fronds on the end that move slightly.  Boggs’ eyes were crusted shut but she could sense that he saw her.

“My feeling’s getting worse,” whispered the Saracen.

“I know that feeling,” replied Ellie.  “Maybe if I…”

Ellie tried to move when Boggs sprang at her.  Boggs grabbed her shoulders and slammed her against the bars.  He moved closer as if to rub his face against hers.

The Saracen’s boot shot over Ellie’s shoulder.  The boot caught Boggs under the chin snapping his head back.  Ellie looked back to see the Saracen hanging halfway up the bars.  She jumped back as he lowered himself down.  She glanced at Boggs but he appeared to be down for the count.

“I’m the safest person in this town,” said the Saracen.  “Until I die of thirst of course.”  The Saracen looked at the suspicious water in the old jail toilet.  “Or dysentery.”

Ellie looked at him for a long moment.  Then she stepped forward.  She unlocked the cell door and stepped back.  The Saracen, not making any sudden movements, went to the coat rack where his coat and backpack were.  Putting these on, he pulled two pieces of metal from a pocket in his back pack.  Ellie eyed him wearily.

“What’s that?” asked Ellie.

The Saracen put the two halves together to make a pool cue.  He leaned over an imaginary pool table.

“Eight ball, corner pocket,” grinned the Saracen.  As he straightened up, he looked over at Boggs.  “While you’re getting ready…”

The Saracen walked over to Boggs, kneeling with his metal pool cue held in one hand.

“Careful,” said Ellie as she put on the gun belt hanging behind the desk.  The Saracen said nothing as he looked over Boggs.  The fronds that had sprouted out of Bogg’s face waved gently.  He put his hand out over Bogg’s face and the fronds all pointed at it.  Suddenly, Boggs’ snapped at his hand.  “Watch it!”

The Saracen rapped Boggs on the skull with his pool cue.  Boggs’ head smacked harshly against the floor and it went still.

“Fascinating!” said Saracen as he stood up.

“He’s …something’s really wrong with him and all you can say is ‘Fascinating’” cried Ellie.

“It fit pretty good,” shrugged the Saracen.  “You ready?”

Ellie looked out the window uncertainly.  The red raindrops had created growths like moss that had covered the streets and cars.  Now the red moss was starting to grow bulbous as if ready to burst.  She did not see anyone moving on the street.

“But where?” asked Ellie.

“Let’s head for the hospital,” said the Saracen.  

“Why there?” asked Ellie.

“The judge said that he had a helicopter coming in from U&M for his son,” said the Saracen.  “Maybe they’ll let us hitch a ride.  Or if we find a car not covered in goo in the meantime, we use that.”

“Sounds good,” said Ellie trying to hide her nervousness.  He looked at her and smiled.

“We’re going to be okay,” said the Saracen.

“Aren’t you nervous?” asked Ellie.

“Scared shitless,” said the Saracen as he turned and walked out the door.

The moss had not reached the edge of the building.  Staying on the clean sidewalk, the Saracen moved out of the door and Ellie followed.  Reaching forward with his toe, the Saracen prodded the growths with his toe.  When they did not burst, he carefully walked out onto the red part of the sidewalk.

“Seems safe,” he said cautiously.  He walked back on to the clean part.  “Where’s the hospital again?”

“That way,” said Ellie pointing east.  They turned that way and walked to the end of the block.  Looking up and down the street, he spotted something interesting.

“Oooh, hardware store!” said the Saracen and Ellie gave him a Look.  He responded indignantly. “It’s not for browsing.  I was thinking we should grab any gloves we can and masks, just in case.”

“Oh, sorry,” said Ellie.

The Saracen moved carefully again on the red growths to cross the street.

“Of course if I find something cool,” he grinned.

As Ellie began to say something derogatory of the male species, there was a roar and someone ran up to the Saracen from behind a car.  He sidestepped and Judge Morris smacked into the wall.  Crumpling, he slid to the clean sidewalk.  As one of his legs slid out toward the red growths, the Saracen put his boot in the way and stopped it.

“You bastard,” moaned the judge.  The Saracen looked down and just recognized the man.

“Judge?” asked the Saracen.  “Why are you attacking me?”

“What is your role is all this?” asked the judge.

“My role?” asked the Saracen.  “My role is to survive the day.  As for the rest of this…”  He waved at the red growths.  “I got nothing.”

“Then you didn’t do this?” asked Judge Morris.

“How?” asked the Saracen.  “How could I?”

“He’s been in plain sight or locked up since last evening,” said Ellie gently.

Morris had no answer for that.

“Right,” said the Saracen.  “Now the deputy and I are heading for the hospital to see if that helicopter coming for your son can take us too.”

“Or find a car not covered in red,” said Ellie.

“You coming?” asked the Saracen as he walked away from the judge and across the street toward the hardware store.  He saw Ellie at his side and kept going.  They stopped at the door and tensed as it automatically swished open.  But nothing came out. 

Slowly, they moved into the store.

“Where to?” asked Ellie.

“We should get some gloves and masks first,” suggested the Saracen.  Ellie looked back out the closed glass doors.

“Do you think those things are plants?” asked Ellie.

“They look like it,” said the Saracen.

“I have a thought,” said Ellie and she darted off.

The Saracen watched her go and then smiled.  He moved down the aisles and finally found the gloves and masks.  He whirled around feeling someone behind him.  The butt end of the cue pushed under the judge’s chin who looked surprised and then angry.  Morris stepped back.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked the judge.

“Best not to sneak up on people,” said the Saracen.

“You didn’t answer my question,” said the judge and the Saracen held up a packet of masks.

“Do you know if any of that out there is airborne?” asked the Saracen.

“No,” said the judge.

“Right,” said the Saracen.  “So we better wear some masks.  Goggles and gloves would not be amiss.”

A hiss came from around a corner.

“Oh crap,” said the Saracen.  

The Sheriff Tucker, now completely infected, ran around the corner toward them.  The Saracen went in low, ducked a sweeping arm and hit the sheriff across the knees with his cue.  The lawman went down hard.  The Saracen put his boot in the middle of Tucker’s back holding him down.  But the sheriff was bucking hard at him.  The Saracen raised his metal cue ready to strike.

“Wait!” cried the Judge.

“What?” asked the Saracen in exasperation.

“You can’t just hit him like that,” said Judge Morris.

“What do you recommend I do?  Lock him up?” asked the Saracen.  “We don’t have time to take him back?”

Sheriff Tucker started to try and roll over.  The Saracen slammed his boot on Tucker’s back which stunned him for a moment.  It also broke open the scabbed crusts on his back which oozed a white substance.  

“Stop that!” demanded Morris.

“He’s really sick and we don’t have time for this,” said the Saracen raising his metal cue again.  

The judge leapt forward and pushed the Saracen off of Tucker.  

“Now we’re going to deal with this like sensible...,” started Morris when Tucker grabbed his leg.  Sheriff Tucker bit down hard on the judge’s ankle who gave a high-pitched scream.  Unbalanced, Morris fell back to the floor.

The Saracen shot forward and hit Tucker hard against the back of the head.  But the head caved, breaking like an egg, and the Saracen almost pitched forward.  The sheriff twitched for a moment and then went still.

“What...what have you done?” cried Morris.

The Saracen put his boot to Tucker’s neck and pulled the metal pool cue from his head.  He took several steps back.

“You killed him,” accused Morris.  

“He bit you!” replied the Saracen.  “Something’s really wrong.”

“Outside of murder?  And you disfiguring my kid?” asked Morris sarcast.  “I can’t see what it could be?”

Suddenly the right foot twitched making the Saracen jump back.

“It just a little twitch after death,” sneered Morris.

“Maybe,” said the Saracen as he raised his pool cue.  “How’s the bite?”

“Don’t pretend to care about me,” said Morris.

“I care about getting us all out of here in one piece,” said the Saracen.

“Except my friend h...,” started Morris when they both turned to looked at Tucker’s body.  Out of the broken skull, little fronds, like a plant, were creeping through the hole.  Tucker’s whole left arm twitched.

“We gotta get out of here,” said the Saracen.  He circled Tucker and grabbed Morris under the arm hauling him up.  

“Let go,” said Morris but when he tried to stand on his hurt leg, he almost fell.  The Saracen managed to right him up.  “It feels like my leg has gone numb.”

“Good thing we’re heading for the hospital,” said the Saracen as he propelled Morris deeper into the store.  He pushed the judge against a display of fertilizer and held him there.

“What are you doing?” asked Morris.  The Saracen tore open the bag of masks with his teeth and pushed it toward the judge.  “Take one.  Put it on.”

“I don’t have to take orders from you,” said Morris with a hard voice.

“Common mold can aggravate allergies,” siad the Saracen.  “It would make my daughter miserable and that’s just everyday mold.  Imagine what’s in the air now?”

Morris grudgingly took a mask and put it on.  Leaning his cue against the fertilizer, the Saracen put his on and then grabbed something to Morris’ left.  The Saracen put on an MSA Safety Works mask with a clear faceplate.  He grinned at the judge.

“Sneeze guard,” said the Saracen.

Before Morris could say something rude, there was a low noise to their right.  Both men slowly looked over and saw Tucker standing, ready to charge.  

“Can you move on your own?” asked the Saracen.

“No,” said Morris.

“Oh crap,” said the Saracen.

Tucker charged at them and the Saracen grabbed his pool cue while trying to hold up the judge.

As the sheriff crossed an aisle, a stream of liquid shot out and hit Tucker in the head.  Screeching in pain, the sheriff twisted and collapsed to the ground clutching at his head.  Around the corner, Deputy Ellie walked out and leveled the wand nozzle to a Chapin 61900 backpack sprayer.  She hit the sheriff with another spray who stopped went silent and just shuddered.

“Tucker?” choaked the judge.

Ellie saw the blood trail from the judge’s foot.

“What happened to the judge?” asked Ellie.

“The sheriff bit him,” replied the Saracen.

“Huh?  Not surprised,” said Ellie.  “He tried to take a bite out of my butt once or twice, and that was before he was sick.”

Ellie turned to the Saracen and held up the wand for the sprayer.

“Weed killer?” asked the Saracen.

“Figured if they were plants...,” said Ellie.

There was crash from the front as something was knocked over.  

“Time to go,” said the Saracen.

“Where to?” asked Ellie as she took a mask and put it on. 

“Try the back door and look for a car that runs,” said the Saracen.

“There’s a gas station with a garage nearby,” said Ellie.

“Lead the way,” said the Saracen.

As Ellie went in front, the Saracen half-carried the judge.  Pushing open the back door, Ellie lead them over to the gas station crunching the red, crusty ground beneath their feet.  The garage doors were both down.  Even under the awning, the cars by the gas pump had been sprayed by the red rain.  Mossy growths began to spread over their metal forms.  

“The hospital is just five miles East,” said Ellie.  “Let’s hope there's a vehicle rearing to go.”

Slipping into the convenience store part of the gas station, Ellie moved the wand in a careful sweep but the place was empty.  Moving into the garage, they found one car untouched.

“Why was it in here?” asked the Saracen as he maneuvered the judge to lean against the car.  As Ellie went to look for keys, the Saracen lifted up Morris’ lolling head.  “Judge?  You still in there?”

A trail of drool came from the judge.

“Got keys!” cried Ellie.  “We’re in luck.  It was just in for an oil change.”

“I’m going to sit in back with the judge,” said the Saracen.  “He’s in a bad way.”

As Ellie raised the garage door, the Saracen gently put the judge in the back seat of the Volvo.  Climbing into the back after Morris, the Saracen crouched behind the passenger seat.  Taking off her backpack sprayer, Ellie got in and reversed the car out into the street.  There was a nasty crunching noise as they drove over the red growths.  They drove toward the hospital.

“How is he?” asked Ellie.

“Not good,” said the Saracen.  “He seems to have a fever yet he’s ice cold.”

“That’s weird,” said Ellie.

“Not completely unknown,” said the Saracen.  “But usually in cases where a person has heatstroke or pneumonia.  Pulse is also thready but he’s breathing fine.”

“Hospital’s coming up,” said Ellie.

“Head for the emergency room,” said the Saracen.  “He’s going to need it.”

Ellie pulled underneath the overhang to the emergency room.  She jumped out of the car and put back on her backpack sprayer.  Ellie moved into the emergency room sweeping the place for any signs of life, violent or otherwise.  Satisfied that it was safe, she fetched a guerney and brought it over to the car.

“Clear,” she said.

The Saracen carefully took out Morris and settled him onto the guerney and they wheeled him into the emergency room.  The deputy was surprised at how fast the Saracen moved.  In a moment, the man had surgical gloves on and was carefully cutting the judge’s sock.  There was a wet, sticky noise as the Saracen pulled away the fabric from the wound.  A reddish tinge haloed the bite.  Little tendrils spread out from the initial bite.  The Saracen started to clean the wound.

“Can you check his heart rate?” asked the Saracen.

“Fast, I’d say 200 beats per minute,” said Ellie.  “Do you want me to check his blood pressure doctor?”

“If you can,” said the Saracen.  He kept working as Ellie pulled over the blood pressure monitor.

Finally she spoke up.  “120 over 190.  Way too high.”

“What is wrong with him?” muttered the Saracen to himself.  “We need to slow him down.”

Judge Morris suddenly sat bolt upright.  His face a wretched mask of pain.  And then he gave a little sigh and collapsed backward.

“No pulse,” cried Ellie.

“Damn it,” snarled the Saracen as he began to perform CPR.  Despite their efforts, they eventually had to step back.  Stripping off his gloves, he walked further into the emergency room until he found a seat.  He sat down heavily looking at the floor.  Ellie followed after a moment and set his metal pool cue next to him as she sat down.  “Thanks.”

“You did all you could,” said Ellie.

“Did I?” asked the Saracen.

“I don’t know what else we could have done,” said Ellie.

“I don’t either, but it still frustrates me,” said the Saracen.

“We better get going,” said Ellie.  “The helipad is a few floors up.”

The Saracen shook himself like a dog shaking off water droplets.  Refocusing, he stood and grabbed his cue.

“And maybe we can see if anyone else made it through this,” said the Saracen.

But the hospital seemed deserted.  It looked like people had left in a hurry.  Moving up the stairs, they headed for the top floor.

“You did great back there in the ER,” said the Saracen.

“Thanks, my aunt who raised me was a nurse,” said Ellie.  “She insisted I know some of the basics of first aid.  Actually, I’m going for my EMT test next year because of her.  But you on the other hand...”

“What about me?” asked the Saracen.

“Who are you?” asked Ellie and she stopped.  The Saracen took a few more stairs and then noticed that she was not moving.

“We need to go,” insisted the Saracen.

“But who am I going with?” asked Ellie.

“Does that matter?” asked the Saracen.  “Right now especially?”

“Surprising yes,” said Ellie.  “You told me your name was Bob Saracen, which it isn’t...”

“How do you know?” asked the Saracen and Ellie just gave him a Look.  He shrugged.  “Okay, fine.  What else do you have?”

“The word Saracen is an Islamic knight from the middle ages,” said Ellie.  He looked surprised and she shrugged.  “I googled it.”

“Still reaching,” said the Saracen.

“And for a pool hustler...,” started Ellie.

“I wasn’t hustling those kids,” insisted the Saracen.

“Potato, potah-to,” said Ellie.  “For a pool hustler you’re awfully comfortable in an ER.”

“I interned in one?” suggested the Saracen.

“When I called you doctor,” said Ellie.  “You didn’t even blink.  Who are you?”

The Saracen started to say something and then he stopped.

“I killed myself,” said the Saracen.

“Wait, what?” asked Ellie.

“A long time ago,” said the Saracen.  “I was someone else.  Then I lost...” He closed his eyes for a moment.  “There was a car accident.  Just an accident.  No one’s fault.  But I had been driving.  And then I found myself a month later tearing down that same stretch of road with no intention of stopping without the help of a tree.”

“What happened?” asked Ellie in a whisper.

“I had a moment of clarity,” said the Saracen.  “I drifted to the side of the road.  I took what I had in the car and started walking.”

“A metal pool cue?” asked Ellie unbelieving.

“A birthday present from my wife,” said the Saracen.  “I had planned to go play pool with my brother.  Maybe it was that that triggered my decision to drive very fast.  And now I’m here and there is a boy who might need our help upstairs.”

The Saracen turned and walked up the stairs.  After a moment, Ellie followed trying to process the information she had just heard.  She did not register the sound of a door opening below.

“I think I heard the sheriff say that Hunter’s room was at the top,” said Ellie finally.

“Good,” said the Saracen.  “We can grab him and go.  Hopefully that helicopter is still coming in.”

The Saracen moved slowly through the stair door.  The upper floor was eerily quiet.  Hefting his metal cue, he walked toward the nurse’s station.  He moved behind it and quickly found Hunter’s room.

“This way,” said the Saracen.

“If he’s still here,” said Ellie with a worried tone.

They passed by the ramp leading to the helipad.

The Saracen stepped down to room 5.  The young man, despite being as large as a house, jumped when he saw the Saracen.

“Hey!” cried Hunter.  “Don’t hit me!”

“What?” asked the Saracen but Ellie put her fingers on his metal cue.

“It might have something to do with this,” she said and the Saracen lowered the cue with an embarrassed smile.  

“Sorry,” said the Saracen.

“Deputy?” asked Hunter to Ellie in confusion.  The young man looked from the Saracen to the deputy.

“He’s okay,” said Ellie.  “Now Hunter, we need to get out of here.” 

“The nurse said she was coming back to help me in the copter,” said Hunter.  

“Something is happening out there,” said Ellie.  “I don’t know exactly what but people are getting infected by something in the rain.”

“Have you seen my Dad?” asked Hunter.

“He...,” started Ellie and she lost her words.

“Your father developed a bad infection,” said the Saracen in a soft doctor voice.  “It spread too quickly for us to stop.  He did not make it.  I’m sorry.”

“But...but I just saw him this morning,” said Hunter in shock.

“I know,” said the Saracen and he began to say more when they heard a noise down the hall.  The Saracen slid carefully out of the door but there was no one there.  He spoke again in a hushed whisper.  “But now we need to stay away from the red whatever it is and go!”

“Come on,” said Ellie as she took Hunter’s upper arm and lead him out of the room.

The stair door burst open.  People, now deformed by red rain, flooded into the hall.  The ramp to the helipad was between the creatures and them.  

“Hurry!  Move!” cried the Saracen.  They ran toward the maimed people.  Hunter started to cry out.  Reaching the ramp up to the helipad, Ellie pushed Hunter towards the Saracen.

“Take him!” she called out and leveled the nozzle for the weedkiller.  The Saracen half-dragged Hunter toward the door as Ellie fired.  The first couple of rows fell back writhing in agony.  Ellie started backing up the ramp until the stream ran out.  “Crap!”

Ellie ran up the ramp shedding the backpack with more of the infected after her, but the Saracen was waiting.  As the first of the creatures reached them, he kicked one of the infected in the chest rocketing him back.  The man collided into others causing a domino effect as the infected tumbled down the ramp.

Ellie took Hunter and they burst out onto the helipad which was covered in red moss.  Hunter slid to a halt.

“What the...,” started Hunter.

“Keep moving,” said the Saracen who came up behind him.  Nudging the young man out of the doorway, the Saracen turned.   

Slamming the doors shut,  the Saracen looked for something to bar the doors with but there was nothing.  He put his back into it.  The infected hit the door and he barely held it.  

“We might need a plan B,” said the Saracen.  “I don’t know how long these doors will...

“Wait!” said Ellie.

“What?” asked the Saracen but she put her finger to her lips.  He stopped long enough to hear it.  The soft whirring of chopper blades and he grinned.  But there was another big push against the door.  His feet slid a little in the gravel.  He scrambled to redo his footing.  The huge young man, Hunter, hit the door and it slammed shut.  While the door shuddered, it did not move.  “Thanks kid.”

“Sorry about the trouble,” said Hunter.

The Saracen nodded his chin at the red moss.  “What?  This isn’t your fault.”

“No, I mean last night,” said Hunter.

“Oh, just a misunderstanding,” said the Saracen.  “What’s important now is to get you on the choppe...” He saw Hunter looking through the glass.  “What?”

“It’s my Dad,” said Hunter with an angry look.  “He’s in there!”  Hunter grabbed at the door.  “Let me through!”

Ellie ran forward.  “Stop.”

Hunter pulled at the door handle and the Saracen’s toes dragged in the gravel.  Ellie hit Hunter’s bandaged hand and the young man yelped.  The Saracen slammed the door back shut.  Hunter glared at the deputy.

“What the hell did you do that for?” demanded Hunter.  He was nursing his bandaged hand.

“I’m trying to save your life!” replied Ellie.

“By keeping me from my father?”

“By keeping you from whatever is in there!” said Ellie.  “Did you look at him?”

“Duh, I saw him through the window.”

“No, I mean really look at him.”

Hunter looks uncertainly at the door and then back at Ellie.

“Go on,” she said softly.

Hesitantly, Hunter moved to the door and looked through the little window.  Down the stairs, he saw Judge Morris, or at least the man who used to be him.  

“What...what’s wrong with him?” asked Hunter.

“I...I don’t know,” said the Saracen.  “Your Dad was bit by the sheriff only an hour ago.”

“You’re kidding,” said Hunter but the Saracen looked at him in all seriousness.

“It appears to be plant based,” said the Saracen.  “It does not react well to weed killer.  “Now put your back into this bloody door, because I could use some real help here!”

Hunter straightened a little in surprise.  Then he put his back to the door.  They stayed shut then and the Saracen sighed in relief.  He pulled out the bag of face masks from his pocket.  The helicopter was closing in.    

“Oh, I almost forgot,” said the Saracen as he handed the young man a mask.  “Put this on.  I don’t want you breathing any of this crap.”

Hunter put in on without a word.  The helicopter came over kicking up red moss all over but it did not land.

“What’s wrong?” asked Ellie.

“They’re freaked out about the moss,” said the Saracen.  “Hunter, hold the door.”

The Saracen stepped away from the door and waved to the pilot.  Then he mined for the pilot to give them a phone.  The pilot and co-pilot spoke for a moment and then a bag dropped out of the side.  The Saracen fished a walkie-talkie from the bag.

“What the hell is going on down on there?” asked the pilot.

“What’s your name?” asked the Saracen.

“Wilson,” said the pilot.  The Saracen lifted up his plexiglass visor and mask to show his face.  The white mask was now pinkish in color.

“I am Doctor Samuel Siddig of John Hopkins,” said the Saracen.  “There is a vast plant contagion down here. Our lives are in great danger.  Don’t land but rather drop a rope and we’ll climb up.”

“But are you...?” started the pilot, Wilson.  He and pilot looked nervously at the Middle Eastern man

“Infected?” said the Saracen to steer the conversation back to the pertinent points.  He took on an authoritative voice that, while not loud, was very strong.  It was the voice he used in the operating room.  “None of us have been infected as long as that door holds.  But it will not hold forever.  At the very least take the boy and the deputy.”

While Hunter was raising his eyes at being called a boy, it was Ellie who strode forward.  

“No,” said Ellie to the Saracen.  She took the walkie-talkie out of his hand.  “Wilson isn’t it?  This man did not have to save me but he did.  He got me here and has tried to save everyone else along the way.  Now drop that Goddamn rope!”

The Saracen looked at her in surprise.

“What?” she replied, a trifle embarrassed.

****

The Saracen looked out of the helicopter window as they rose up.  Absently he took apart his metal pool cue as the infected milled about on the helicopter pad.

“What the hell happened down there?” asked Wilson.

“A bad storm came through town,” replied the Saracen.