Free Summer Shorts-Four Short Stories by Jan Miller Page A

one of us. You will awake with
the new knowledge and see the world in a new light. Now you serve
the Master."
     
     
    ******
     
    When Terri awoke, she staggered to the sounds coming
from the bathroom. Her friend Bess was giving Libby a bath. Sykes
lied beside the tub and looked up when Terri entered the room.
"Nice nap?" Terri shook her head. She washed her face, dried it,
and then asked Bess "Bath time?" Bess shrugged and nodded towards
Libby. "Someone's not feeling too good. Maybe she misses
Daddy?"
    Libby protested "Mommy, I don't feel good."
Bess added "She's a little warm, so I thought a warm bath might
make her feel better." Terri blurted out "Oh Christ, Bess. You
don't give a kid with a fever a bath unless it's…" Terri was
feeling Libby's forehead as she spoke. "She is hot. Did you take
her temperature?" Bess shook her head. "Didn't know where you kept
the thermometer." Terri fished in the medicine cabinet, retrieved
the thermometer, and then lifted Libby out of the tub. She placed
the thermometer in the child's mouth, and then toweled her dry. She
removed the thermometer and looked at it. Alarmed, she cried "It's
a hundred and four. I have to call the doctor."
    Terri handed Libby to Bess, and then went to
the kitchen to use the phone so Libby wouldn't hear the
conversation. The pediatrician urged her to take Libby to the
Emergency Room right away. Terri dashed back to the bathroom, then
froze at the door way. Libby was lying on the floor convulsing.
Bess was backed into the corner behind the door, trembling and
crying. Sykes stood between them both and Libby…snarling with teeth
fully bared. Each time Bess tried to move, Sykes lunged at her,
growling and barking. Terri tried to reach the child too and
received the same treatment from Sykes. Terri ran back to the
kitchen and dialed 911.
    A young policeman arrived in a few moments.
Terri led him to the bathroom. Sykes barked loudly at the officer
and continued to block access to Libby. The policeman stepped back
into the living room, followed by a nearly hysterical Terri. The
officer pressed the call button, and stated that he needed an
animal control officer immediately. He listened to the response,
then added "No, this is a life or death situation with a very sick
child involved." Terri ran back to the door of the bathroom.
    The officer stood by her side and whispered
"The dog knows she's sick. It thinks its protecting her. It thinks
we're the ones hurting her." Terri shrieked " You don't
understand! It's the dog that's killing her. Shoot it. Shoot it
right now! " The officer tried to calm her down, pleading "Ma'am
Animal Control will be her soon. We just have to give them time…"
Terri pointed to Libby, still in convulsions, and she screamed "We
don't have time, God Damn It!" She jerked the nine millimeter
automatic from the officer's holster, flicked off the safety, and
fired three shots into Sykes…killing him.
    With lights flashing and sirens yelping, the
officer raced his cruiser through the dark streets. Terri and Bess
held onto Libby in the back of the cruiser. Screeching into the
emergency room drive way, the officer took the child as the two
women ran ahead opening doors and screaming for help. Upon
examination by the attending physician, Libby was rushed to an
isolation room. Spinal meningitis was the initial diagnosis.
    Terri sat alone silently in the waiting room,
staring at the floor. Bess appeared with her cell phone in hand. "I
can't get a hold of Craig. He's not answering his phone". "Try the
slut's phone. I'm sure they're together." Terri snapped in reply.
Bess tried dialing Edon's phone but only reached her voicemail. She
dropped down onto the chair next to Terri. "I'll find him, honey.
I'll just keep trying."
    Terri shook her head. "She's behind this…and
Craig is with her…I know it!"
     
    ******
     
    Edon had left explicit instructions that they were
not to be disturbed and that Craig was not to receive any phone
calls until the show was