“How come it lasted so long? Why wasn’t it nipped in the bud?”
“Well, there were different stages of the infection. As I told you, Mary-Anne didn’t know she was infected, but she gave the infection to Jennifer-Dawn whos body metabolized the infection completely, but not for a few weeks. If she infected anyone else—which she did—their time before they turned varied on each individual. But, the ones that were out feeding on people were the ones that were passing the infection quickly. Katrina, you told him about the café?”
She nodded. “As much as he needed to know, but he’s going to speak with Mary-Jo and Gary day after tomorrow.”
“Okay good. Well, that’s a case of quick transformation. If everyone turned as quickly as they did in the café, then maybe, yes we could have controlled it better because everyone would be visibly infected all at once.” The Doctor nodded as if to end his speech.
“Okay, next question: What was the hardest part of this for you personally?”
“That’s a rhetorical question Christopher.” Chris wished he would stop calling him that. “I had to deal with people dying all around me and you might understand that me, being a Doctor, it is my profession and passion to help people and do everything in my power to keep them alive. Not only was I not helping them, I was practically killing them with my hands.” He looked over at a picture he had on the corner of his desk by Katrina. He picked it up as gently as you’d lift a dying flower. “This was my daughter Karen. She was the same age as Jennifer-dawn. Jennifer-Dawn infected her and a few others at school and Karen died shortly after Jennifer-Dawn.”
“I’m sorry.” Chris could tell the Doctor was upset and would most likely not want to talk about this anymore but he had one more question: “If you don’t mind me asking: what do you do with the bodies?”
Doctor Stevensen’s head shot up at Chris as if he forgot there were people in his office. Chris jumped a little. “Oh, Um, I have a morgue in the building behind this one, where we burned the bodies. That was safest because of the infection. Do you mind if we end this now? I’m a very busy man as I’m the only Doctor in town.”
As if Chris had a choice: before he knew it, Doctor Stevensen was behind him opening the door.
“Oh, okay, well thank you for your time Doctor. I’m sorry if I caused you any grief. “
The Doctor shook his head at the ground. “No, it’s fine.”
“Ya’ll have a great day.” Lucy said with a smile. “Oh, I forgot: Katrina, are you and your friend comin’ to the party tonight at Stumps? They’re havin’ a big welcome back for y’all that were gone for so long.”
Katrina wasn’t surprised that she hadn’t heard about this. “I don’t know maybe. Who’s going?” As if that matters she thought.
“Oh, I think like most of the town. I know a lot of people said they’d come but you know how people are funny around here. But I’ll be there.” She directed the last part to Chris.
“Um, maybe. We’ll see what we’re up to. Maybe we’ll see ya.”
“That would be great!” She smiled.
Chris waved and was half-way out the door when Doctor Stevensen called: “Uh, Katrina can I speak with you a minute?”
Chris could see the Doctor’s eyes directing him out the door. “I’ll meet you outside.” he said to Katrina as he shut the door behind him.
Katrina waited until the door clicked in place. “Yes Doctor?”
“I just wanted to see how your treatment went in Colorado? I assume you’re not cured?”
“No, it’s not cured. It’s the same but it’s being kept under control. I take a shot everyday twice a day. I can’t infect anyone else, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Oh, I’m not worried.” He smiled at her. “And did you bring the extra back for…you know.”
“Yes of course! Plus I have to go back in two years for my check-up, I’ll get more then.”
“Great, that’s amazing. Let me know how it goes!”
“I will, of course.”
The Doctor gave Katrina a proper hug as they said their good-byes. Katrina waved at Lucy on her way out.
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