My Security Blanket
Author's Note:
This is a tale of a calamity that hit a family at their home. It centers on a
self-made blanket.
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2120hr
I crawled my way
in the dark to the window and looked out. I know it's hopeless but I am holding
onto a thread of hope that help would come. It has been like three hours now
and we are still stuck here. I am sure there would be some rescue parties by now
but I don't see any at all. It is all dark outside and in some places, I can
see the raging fires as they engulf some of the other houses. I moved back to
the spot where I left Laurie with the only remaining item which we hold dear;
the collage blanket. It was her's from her childhood and probably the only
thing keeping her sane from this insanity that befell us.
Six hours ago
1500hr
I stepped out of the
car and ran for the house in the rainstorm. It has not stopped raining since
this morning and we were worried about the nearby river burst its banks again.
The last time it did that, the whole area was flooded and we lost a lot of our
personal belongings. But the flood then subsided very rapidly and we were about
to rebuild our life again. Butt his time, I am not sure as both of us are out
of work and the baby requires medical care. Laurie is doing some part-time to
manage the expenses but we are behind on the mortgage and other commitments.
She would not speak of asking from her parents and neither would myself. But
Nancy, our love child is begging to be relieved of her pain and that is what
tugging our hearts now.
"Laurie, I am
back. I got the medicine she needs. Doctor Maggie was kind to dispense it to me
without the Hospital's knowledge." I passed Laurie the extra bottle of
medicine for our baby. She is relieved as she thought with the road closure and
oncoming rains, we would be stuck without the medicine for Nancy. We used to
have a spare bottle but times are tight now. Doctor Maggie, her doctor, and a friend
have been extending to us some of her services on a personal basis.
Laurie took the
bottle and moved back upstairs to the kid's room. I checked the downstairs door
and made sure everything is lock and proper. We have moved the essentials
upstairs but there is something which we cannot move at all. I hope our
Insurance Premium covers those items. On my way back, I saw the river levels,
and it's not inviting at all. The authorities had come for us to evacuate but
we could do so. Nancy needs her machine and without that, she is going to
suffer badly. I told the authorities we would take our chance with the oncoming
flood if it happens. I then remembered the generator set which we bought sometime
back. I hand-carried it upstairs and later the barrel of diesel for it. Its to
be plugged in case of power failure.
Just as I thought
of it, the power was shut off at the main.
"Mac!"
It's Laurie panicking on the power shut off. I ran up the stairs and start the
generator set. It would be able to power up the machines keeping our daughter
alive. The set would run for at least eight hours and I hoped by then we would
be relieved.
1812hr
The water level
has reached our doorstep and the evacuation has started. I got the knock on my
door and I answered the officer. I told him of my situation and he replied that
he would come back to me in an hour. But there was little he could do as our
daughter's life depends on the machine now.
"Mac, do you
think Doctor Maggie could do more?" I shook my head as if I were to move
Nancy, it would be a major job. But now it's too late. More to it, I cannot
afford the cost of doing it. Medical expenses have been a drain on our funds including
the reserves. "Please call Doctor Maggie."
I tried but no
reply. Now we can only wait as the dusk steps in.
1909hr
Laurie took her
old blanket from the cupboard to wrapped around her shoulder. I just completed
my check on the flood level and it's about two feet high at the lower level. I
snuggle up to Laurie and held her in my arms while she looked at our daughter
on the bed with the machine keeping her alive.
"Do you think
we made the right decision? I don't know who long I can sustain at this."
Laurie held onto me as I have no answer to her question. To me, there was no
right or wrong decision; but a decision was made to bring Nancy home. She can't
be helped much at the hospital and we should move her back home. But maybe a
miracle may come one day and she could be saved. But we are still praying and
the current situation does not help at all.
It's getting dark
and Laurie is holding onto me ever tightly. She tells me that this blanket was
what she used to hold onto during those cold nights when she was alone. She
would hide beneath it from the boogie man or the vampire that comes nightly to
her room. She did one extra blanket for Nancy as she said each of them should
have one. But her's would be shared with me for she needs my warmth in it.
2024hr
"Mac, her
vital signs are dropping. Can you call Doctor Maggie?" I picked up the
portable but there are no signals. I rushed out of the room and to the stairs.
The flood water is almost midway through the stairs and it's still raining
outside. I walked down and find my half immersed in the dark water. It's also cold
and I had to climb back up again.
"Mac, she is
slipping away. Oh, God. Please help her." I rushed back to Laurie and held
her as we both watched the machine blimping away. It's not a good sign but if
it would be fast, I am thankful she did not suffer as we do.
"Malcolm Kinsey!"
I see the light shining on the window and then the voice. I ran over to the
window and opened it. It's a small boat with some officers on both. I recognized
one of them. It's Doctor Maggie. "Mac, we need to come in and get Nancy.
Can you open your balcony door?"
I did and the
Medical Team climbed in through the balcony door. They treated Nancy with some
medicine and said that they are moving her back to the Hospital. They found a
donor for her ailment. She could be saved.
2145hr
It's being an hour
now since they took Nancy and we are still waiting for her news. The boat was
too small for all of us and we stayed back. The only thing keeping us warm was
the blanket. Laurie is holding onto Nancy's one as she felt she needed
something of Nancy to hold on to. We have been praying for the safe recovery of
our daughter since she was taken to the hospital by Doctor Maggie.
I got up and
walked out of the room. I was surprised to find the water is receding and it
may soon be over for us. I was joined by Laurie at the stairs and we sat there
to watch the water recede.
The Next Day
1012hr
We were both sitting
on the grass field looking down at our home which is now visible above the water
levels. The level now is about six inches and still receding. We climbed up
here to the small hill at the back of our house at about 0800hr and have been
sitting here since then. The morning sun basked in our face was refreshing
after one day of dark skies.
"Malcolm
Kinsey?" I looked at the officer who was standing there. "There is a
call from Doctor Maggie. Your daughter Nancy is fine. They just completed the
transplant and she would be fine."
"Mac, I think
it's time Nancy gets her blanket as she is going to need it for her night
sleep." I nodded and took the blanket from Laurie's hand.
"Nancy needs
also her warmth in the blanket which we can only give. Shall we walk there to
see her now?"
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