Planetfurry BBS

[Alexi]

Well, here's chapter 2. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have writting it so far. Ch.3 is with the proofreader and four is being typed.

Thanx.

Alex.

p.s.

Still working on a better title.

Chapter 2. The sometimes of bad things.

Frank woke to a cough and a cry for “Mommy!” He was out of his bed and down the hall to the guest bedroom in a flash. Even without lights, Frank’s eyes clearly made out Molly sitting upright in the bed. Her voice was raspy and when she coughed, it was deep and harsh.

“Honey, it’s Frank. What’s wrong, Sweetie?”

“Mr. Frank, I don’t feel good.” She leaned against him as she coughed again.

He placed his paw to her head. “Blessed be, Sug. You’re burning up.” He reached over and tapped the switch on the lamp. When nothing happened, he stood and went to the wall switch. Two flicks later, he cursed under his breath and looked down the hall towards the living room. The small display on his cordless phone was dark. “Of all the blasted luck…I guess the storm downed a power line again.” He went down the hall to the master bathroom, and came back with a flashlight and thermometer. “Here, place this under your tongue for minute, okay?” Molly nodded and accepted the thermometer while Frank went back into the hall to check the circuit breaker. When he came back, he took the thermometer from Molly’s mouth and pulled her beside him as he leveled the flashlight on the reading. “A hundred and two point four. Well, that settled that now didn’t it?” He stood up and headed back into the hall all but jogging.

***

Molly watched Frank disappear back into the hallway. Without the flashlight, the room plunged back into an inky blackness. Having no night vision, she could faintly see the outline of the window across the room but nothing else. Her little ears however were not hindered in the slightest by the darkness and she listened as Frank moved about the kitchen and living room, opening doors and grabbing what sounded like keys and several things made of noisy materials.

She heard him start back down the hallway to her long before the light caught her eyes. He came in and sat down next to her on the bed. “What’s going on, Mr. Frank?” she asked in a tired and horse little voice.

“I’m taking you in town to the hospital, Honey. That fever’s just a little too high for me to take care of.” She whimpered before a cough wracked her body.

“I’m scared! I want my Mommy!” Frank petted her head gently for a second. “I know Honey Bun, but until your folks get a hold of me, I’m going to do my best to take care of you okay?” She hugged his side as he slipped her boots on her feet and slid her coat around her. She put her arms in the sleeves as he zipped her up and then gathered her up in his arms. He carried her into the living room and paused at the door. She couldn’t see exactly what he was doing but she heard him slide something cloth on his head and pick up something else off of the table beside them. A soft electronic jingle told her it was probably a little phone like her Daddy carried around. The door opened and out they went.

The wind hit Frank like a slap. It was cold, bitterly cold. It howled slightly as he stepped off the porch and crunched his way through the deep, piled snow towards his jeep. The weatherman was an idiot! The storm was approaching white out conditions and though the wind wasn’t bad, it was just strong enough to turn the heavy downfall into a swirling snow globe from hell. Thinking words that would offend even hardened sailors, Frank simply shook his head. “I just can’t BUY a break today.” He hopped into the driver’s seat and slid Molly carefully into the passengers’ seat. Once she was secured, he jerked the door closed and turned the key. Three tries and the old V-8 came to life. Throwing it in reverse, Frank tapped both the headlights as well as the floods, then, started down the long white streak that normally was his driveway. “Good thing I put the chains on huh?” he said nonchalantly trying to keep Molly from being any more nervous than she was already.

With as much care as he could manage while driving down the steep driveway in almost three feet of snow, Frank pulled out on the road and whispered a prayer to his ancestors that the plows where still out and the road wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Still he couldn’t see more than a dozen feet out from his hood. He shifted gears and headed towards town as fast as he dared. More than once the jeep lost its traction on the icy road and Frank would have to twist and shift to regain control. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the orange sodium glow of Middleton’s street lights tinted the thick, hazy darkness ahead of them a warm tangerine.

Once in town, the roads were still slick but far more open, and Frank was able to quickly navigate his way to the county hospital. As he pulled into the parking lot, Frank glanced over at Molly. She was shivering slightly and coughed in deep congested spasms. He was sure he could hear her wheeze when she breathed. Reaching over, he unbuckled her and bundled her close to him and headed for the emergency door at a jog.

***

The night shift nurse yawned and shook her head slightly. It’d been a long, slow shift. She was setting back at the desk once more and watching the clock tick off hour number sixteen. By the look of things outside, she was going to skip going to her house and just sleep in the break room again. She glanced up as the automated door slide back and let in a blast of near arctic air. Sleepiness left the black tabby as she shivered hard. A moment later the doors closed again and a ferret walked over carrying a small child close to his chest.

“May I help you?” she asked as he reached the desk.

“Yeah, I need to admit her.” He lowered his muzzle to indicate the girl. “A hundred and two point four temperature, shakes and a wheezing cough.” The girl emphasized this by doubling up in a fit of coughing. The nurse nodded and reached for the standard forms. As she set the clip board down, the ferret continued. “Call Doctor Hastrider and let him know that I brought her in. He saw her earlier.” She nodded and looked at the roster board.

“I think Dr. Hastrider went home a while ago, Sir.” She paged the duty staff to report to the emergency desk. The ferret mumbled something unintelligible but the nurse assumed was an explicative or two. She watched as he filled out the forms with one hand while cradling the girl, whom she could now identify as a rabbit, with the other. He signed the last sheet just as a young collie in a doctor’s lab coat came walking around.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Albright, what brings you in on a night like tonight?” he asked in a nice chipper voice.

The ferret slid the girl’s hood back. “Her.”

Dr. Albright looked down at the little rabbit. “Goodness. Well, come with me, and we’ll see what we can do for the little darling.” He turned and motioned them back through the double doors that lead to triage.

***

Molly sat on the exam table with her legs dangling over the side. She watched as the doctor placed the stethoscope to her chest. She took as deep of a breath as she could but coughed hard as she exhaled. She was tired, she hurt, and she really wanted her Mommy and Daddy. She felt Frank’s hand come to rest on her back. She looked at him as he rubbed it gently. He smiled and told her it was okay. Originally, the nurse had said that he wasn’t allowed back in the exam room but Molly pleaded and begged and finally, the nice doctor said that it was okay. She took another breath and managed to exhale okay but she felt so weak. She just wanted to curl up. Finally, after several more tests and a wait that felt like forever to Molly, the doctor came back into the room and looked at Frank.

“Mr. Pulaski, we’re going to admit Molly so we can try and get her fever under control.” He turned to her. “Molly, Nurse Claybourn is going to take you up to a room in a moment so we can start making you all better, okay.”

She looked at Mr. Frank with pleading, scared eyes. “It’s okay, Sugar. I’ll be up right behind you okay?” She nodded. “I’m just going to call over to the sheriff and let him know to send your parents here and not out to my house.” This made Molly smile and she watched as the doctor and Mr. Frank left the room.

Once the door closed, Frank looked at the doctor. “Alright, how is she?”

The doctor looked at him, he was not smiling now. “She’s lucky she doesn’t have pneumonia. You brought her in just in time. Left untreated, she’d be in serious trouble. We’ll know more in the morning, but judging from what you told me about how you found her, she's lucky to even be here.” He adjusted his collar a little as Frank turned and looked back down the hall. He could see Molly on a gurney, being wheeled around the corner by a young squirrel. “You’re a regular guardian angel, Mr. Pulaski.” Frank snorted at the term.

“I’m no angel doc.”

“Oh really? You bring a young girl to the hospital you don’t even know and then pick up the tab? Sounds like an application for sainthood.” Frank looked back at him, his eyes just hinting at steel cold.

“Sounds to me, like I was just raised right.” He turned and walked out towards the front door.

The collie just stood there, dumbstruck. “What in the hell?”

The senior nurse, an older Siamese with smoke colored tips walked up beside him with a wry grin on her face. “That, my dear intern, was Francis Pulaski. He’s either the nicest, most polite fur you’ll meet around these parts...” She patted his shoulder. “or the meanest, son of a bitch you’ll ever cross.” She watched as the young doctor raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak. “He’s a vet with a lot of bad memories, but he’s good people. That’s all you really need to know.” She patted his shoulder once more then continued on down the hall with a bemused grin on her lips.

***

Frank walked back into the cold and over to the enclosed gazebo set aside for smoking. He lit up a cigarette and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed the sheriff’s office and listened as the night clerk answered. It was a younger female voice this time that he did not recognize.

“Sheriff’s office, how can I help you?” Exhaling, Frank rubbed the bridge of his muzzle.

“This is Frank Pulaski. I’m the one who reported finding a lost girl earlier.” The dispatcher chirped back. “Oh, hi Mr. Pulaski. Yeah, I know about her. How’s she holding up, all things considered?”

“She’s pretty sick right now. Any news on her parents? The power’s out over at my place so I don’t know if he tried to call or not.” He took another draw and listened to the sound of shuffling paper through the ear piece.

“Sergeant Parker left a couple notes about the case, but I’m still trying to figure out where the devil he filed the blasted things.” Frank sighed. Good old Parker was about as organized as a tornado. He chuckled to himself for a moment. “Just make a note that the girl started running a high fever, so I drove her over to county. They’re keeping her overnight.”

“Sure thing Mr. Pulaski, I’ll pass it on.” She told him. When frank had hung up, she slowly started rifling through the mound of sticky notes on the desk packed tight with Sergeant Parker’s flowing script. About twenty minutes later, she found the note she was looking for. “Aw SHIT!”

Molly was lying in the hospital bed when Frank walked in. She had an I.V. hooked up to her and a small monitor clip on her finger. She looked very unhappy until she saw him.

“Hi Mr. Frank,” She said in a tired but relieved little voice. “Where’d you go?”

“I called Sheriff Mercer’s office and told one of his officers that you where here now and that I would be staying with you until your folks come and get you.” He said as he pulled a chair up beside her bed.

Molly’s tired little eyes lit up. “Really? Did they wake up Mommy and Daddy?”

Frank squeezed her paw. “The lady I spoke to wasn’t sure.” He held up his cell phone. “I’m sure Darrell will call once he knows something.” He tried to smile his warmest smile but the cold fear lurking in his mind told him something was very wrong with the whole situation.

Molly yawned wide and looked at him. “Mr. Frank, will you stay here with me? I’m scared.”

Frank leaned forward and kissed the little rabbit on her fuzzy little forehead. “Of course I will, Honey Bunny.” He watched as she closed her eyes and cuddled his hand like a stuffed toy. Molly was asleep seconds later. Frank watched her and couldn’t help but smile at her. ~You’re going soft in your old age, Creeper. ~ He thought to himself. With a slight shake of his head, he forced himself away from that path and that name. ~I need to focus on the task at hand, and that’s keeping this girl safe until her folks pick her up. ~ He laid his free arm over the bedrail and brought his chin to rest on it.

~You already know they won’t though, don’t you…Creeper? ~ Frank opened his eyes and muttered darkly at the voice only he could here. “Shut up.” He looked back at Molly’s sleeping form and let out a long, slow sigh.

The night nurse walked through ten minutes later and found him. Frank was asleep in the chair, with his head lulled on his arm and Molly still clutching the other. She shook her head and went on about her rounds.

Frank woke hours later. Sunlight tinted the window from pitch black to a deep gray. He glanced down at Molly and was relieved to hear her breathing was quiet. Her skin was still very hot beneath her fur, but it was cooler than when he had brought her in. Her free arm lay limply beside her so Frank had no problem retrieving his arm. He stood up and wandered out of the room. He walked down to the vending machines, kneading one shoulder in an attempt to work out a knot. As he popped his neck, he noticed Doctor Hastrider walking towards him.

“Stayed the whole night didn’t you?” The old Raccoon asked.

Frank nodded and popped his neck in the opposite direction. “I had to. Couldn’t just leave the little darling here by her lonesome, could I?”

Doc placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Well, I’m here now and I’ll look after her okay?”

“You sure? I can stay as long as I need too.”

Doc laughed quietly. “No Frank, you’ve done more than enough for the young lady. We can handle it from here.”

Frank turned and faced him. “Any news on her folks?”

The Raccoon shook his head. “Not that I was made aware of, although I just came on shift. If anything comes up, I’ll let you know.” Frank nodded and headed for the elevator.

Part of him felt good for having helped Molly, but a small part of him, deep inside wanted him to hang back. It whispered and made his fur stand up on his neck. It was the paranoid little voice that warned him when a mission was going wrong back in his military days. It was rarely wrong. With little else he could do, Frank stepped outside, climbed back into his jeep and started the engine.

***

Frank stepped through the door and waved at the waitress behind the counter. The tabby waved back before returning to ringing up the customer at the register. He walked over to the counter and slid onto a stool. “Only you’d be open in weather like this, Kell.” He said as he sat down at the counter.

The waitress was a heavy set, older, tawny colored tabby with gray in her muzzle. She looked at him from behind the soda machine. “Had nothing else better to do, Hon. Figured I might as well stay open all night. Can’t very well drive home in that garbage.” With that, she pointed a claw at the heavily frosted window. “What’ll you have?”

Frank smiled a little and ordered his usual. Kell smiled and barked his order back into the kitchen. She delivered the drinks and returned to her stool behind the counter and sat down near Frank. He sipped his coffee and awaited his food. Occasionally, he would fall into a nearby conversation, usually about the snow or the hope for the local boys’ basketball teams chances this year.

Kell asked about him as she set his breakfast in front of him. “I’m getting by.” He told her as he picked up a forkful of eggs.

“Candi stopped in the other day. She asked how you was doing.”

Frank’s humor disappeared as he chewed, not even acknowledging that she had spoken. He was saved further inquiry into that mistake as the door bell chimed again and a cold gust of air signaled someone coming into the diner. Frank ate quietly after that, paid his bill and headed back to the Jeep. His sullen mood stayed with him all the way back to his house.

~Really screwed that one away huh, Creeper? ~ His inner voice asked. Frank sighed and tried to force the memory from his mind but he could already see his last major mistake replaying in his head.

***

“Frank, what’s wrong, Sweetheart? You’re scarring me here.” He’d asked. Concern written so plain on her face it might as well have been dyed into her pretty brown fur. Frank hadn’t seen it. He was terrified on the inside, but all that made it to the surface was raw anger. His tail was swishing back and forth in short, quick flicks.

“Candi, pack your bags and get out.” He growled.

“Baby?”

“I said, 'get out!' Get your things and get away from me. Get as far as you can from me and do it now!” He could still see the tears forming in her eyes as his words started to sink in.

“Honey, it was an acci…” She never finished what she was saying.

“Do it!”

***

Frank slammed the door to his jeep and waded across the drifts in his yard to the porch. He could still remember the sight of her, walking across the yard to her car. Tears flowing down her face. The look of utter rejection in her eyes. He’d regretted that decision for the past year and a half, but he still felt that it was something he’d had to do. For her sake more than his. He knew why he’d told her to leave, but that didn’t help him like it anymore.

The power was still out, but Frank didn’t care. His eyes could see quite well in the gloom. It was just after dawn anyway, so what little sunlight managed to pierce this storm would be enough for him to see. He went to the back porch and brought in some more kindling and a decent sized hickory log. A few moments later, he had a good fire going and headed off down the hallway to the stairway.

He flicked the flash light that he’d used earlier that morning to navigate the complete darkness of the stairwell, and headed to the downstairs den. The large windows helped dispel the dark, but Frank’s workshop had no windows so he kept the light with him. He grabbed the rifle stock he’d been working on yesterday and the pouch of scribes beside it and went back up to his hearth. He sat on the warm stone and spent the next several hours focusing on nothing but the delicate criss-cross pattern he was carving into the richly colored wood. The world outside slowly grayed and he absently noted dawn had probably turned to morning. He glanced down at his wrist. It was now 10:30. He looked back at the stock and examined his work.

His cell phone suddenly chirped loudly. Setting the stock down, he walked over to his coat and pulled it from the waist pocket. Its chirp was positively earsplitting to Frank. He growled at it as he opened it and placed it to his ear. “Hello.” He said irritably.

“Dammed if you ain’t the hardest son of a bitch to get a hold of.” Darrell Mercer’s voice came through the ear piece. “We’ve been calling your place since last night.” Frank raised an eyebrow out of curiosity.

“Power’s out. Went out sometime last night. Why didn’t you just call my cell phone sooner?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you had a cell phone? If you hadn’t called here last night to tell us you where at the hospital, I still wouldn’t have the number.” Frank rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Sorry, I don’t really use it enough to remember I got the blasted thing myself most days. Expensive as hell too. What’d you need?”

Sheriff Mercer sighed into the phone. It was several seconds before he continued talking. “It’s about the girl, Frank.”

“Molly? Did you finally get a hold of her parents?” He leaned against the armrest of the recliner behind him.

Darrell’s tone was already confirming his fears about things being very bad. “Yeah, we found her folks.” He paused and Frank could feel his unease through the phone.

“Darrell, what’s wrong?” Frank spared his friend by cutting straight to the meat of the matter.

“Frank, Molly’s parents are dead.”

“What?” Frank was dumbstruck.

“Rick called last night around 8:30. His boys went out to the Bloom’s place. They found both of them in their bed.” Frank sat down heavily on the recliner’s arm. After a few seconds, he managed to blurt out. “What happened?”

“It’s not official yet, but it looks like carbon monoxide poisoning. We’ll know more when the autopsy’s done. We tried forever last night. I finally had Parker leave a note with the next shift to notify me the moment we got a hold of you but it got lost somewhere until early this morning.”

Frank sat up and walked over to the fireplace. He picked up the poker and shifted the log over on its side sending a small shower of sparks up the chimney. “Anybody told Molly yet?” He didn’t want to ask but part of him had to know.

It was an eternity before Darrell answered. “Yeah, I spoke with Doctor Hastrider about an hour ago and told him what was up. He said he’d take care of it. If anyone can break it to her gently, it’ll be him.” Darrell let out a long, slow sigh. “I hate this part.”

Frank had grown up with Mercer and knew that the Doberman wasn’t taking it well. He slid the doors closed on his fireplace and walked back over to the closet. “Thanks for telling me Darrell.”

“I figured you deserved to know. Without you, this’d been a whole heap worse. Thanks Frank.”

“Yeah, I’ll talk at you later.” Frank hit the end button and picked his coat off the rack. He zipped it up and walked out his door to the jeep once more. He fired up the third cigarette of the day as he backed up and started down the driveway.

***

Rabbi Tuckman stroked Molly’s head gently. He watched a nurse check her chart and take her temperature. She was doing far better physically than she had been when he had first arrived that morning. Her fever had broken, and she wasn’t coughing accept every so oft. His concern was for her spiritual health. She had taken the news very hard which was why he was there. She had cried and wailed and begged him to make it better. All he could do was hold her while she fell apart. In the end, she succumb to exhaustion and now lay beside him, curled close to his side, fast asleep. ~That this should have to happen to one so young. ~ He thought. With a slight sigh he looked back down at the girl. “Sleep, I will help you when you need me.”

With some hesitation, Rabbi Tuckman stood and walked from the room. Once in the hall, he took his glasses off and wiped them with a handkerchief. He nodded to the Raccoon standing not far away.

“How is her fever?” He asked.

Doctor Hastrider took a deep breath before answering him.

“The fever has abated for the most part. Her temperature is still slightly elevated, and she’s fairly congested, but I don’t see any reason to keep her overnight again.” He looked the Rabbi in the eyes. “That’s not the problem though.” Rabbi Tuckman nodded in agreement.

“She is at a very critical stage. If she doesn’t have the support of her family and her community, she will close herself off and wall up her grief.” He said placing his glasses back in front of his eyes. The Raccoon nodded.

“She’s only eight years old and having to deal with so much.” Doctor Hastrider shook his head and didn’t say anymore. Walking beside him, Rabbi Tuckman placed his hand on his shoulder. “At least she is still here. If not for you and your staff, we would be mourning the loss of three today, not two. Doc smiled at the young border collie. “Not me Rabbi, I just treated her. If you want someone to thank, thank the man who found her.”

“I would like to meet with him. If for nothing else, to thank him for what he did. I have met very few people who display such kindness or generosity to a total stranger.”

“That’s Frank for you. He’s one of the nicest furs I know, not that you can tell it.” He watched the Rabbi raise one of his eyebrows at this. “Frank’s a veteran.” He continued. “I won’t go in to what all he’s done because he’s never told it all but, from what I do know he was in Desert Storm and that he saw a lot of action afterword but somewhere else. He keeps to himself mostly. Doesn’t say much but he’s good people.” He glanced over Rabbi Tuckman’s shoulder. “As a matter of fact, you can see for yourself.” He pointed back up the hallway. Joseph Tuckman turned around and saw a middle-aged fur walking down the hall towards them.

The stranger was about the same height as himself, the rabbi thought, but lean. His fur was a tawny color but faded to white on his neck and face, accept for a black mask shape that surrounded his eyes. He wore old Blue jeans and work boots along with a Flannel shirt under a very thick camouflage coat. His head fur was long, with braids that came from behind each ear and rested down over his shoulders. He had a subdued look; both in his posture and his walk, but what caught Rabbi Tuckman off guard were his eyes. They pierced everything, watching, almost searching. As he approached them, Joseph felt as if this fur was looking right through him. It was somewhat unnerving.

“Rabbi, this is Frank Pulaski. Frank, this is Rabbi Joseph Tuckman.” Doc said as Frank walked up to them. Joseph shook Frank’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet Molly’s Samaritan. I wish I could thank you enough for what you’ve done.” Frank smiled faintly.

“Just doing what was right, Rabbi.” He looked over to Doc. “How’s she doing?” He listened the old raccoon repeated her progress. He nodded. “How’d she take the news?” This time Rabbi Tuckman spoke up. “She took it as well as one could expect, but the real job of mourning her lose still lies ahead of her.” Frank didn’t say anything for a moment, then looked up at them both. “It okay if I see her?” Doc nodded and Frank turned towards the room Molly was in.

Frank looked down at Molly’s sleeping form. The I.V. and monitor clip where gone, and she wasn’t nearly as warm as when he’d brought her in. He absently stroked her hair and pulled the blanket up a little. With one last glance, he turned to leave.

“Mr. Frank?” The quiet, sleepy voice froze him in his tracks. He turned back and looked down. Molly’s eyes where half open. She lifted her head slightly and reached a small paw at him. Frank reached down and helped her to sit up. “Hey, Honey Bunny.” He smiled. She looked at him for the longest time with eyes that he thought where far too sad for a little girl to possess. Finally, she shuttered and spoke again as she looked down. “M,Mr. Frank, Mommy and Daddy…” She fell silent but Frank saved her from continuing. “I heard, Honey. I heard.”

That was all that was needed. Molly’s last defense fell. She gripped his shirt tightly in her paws as she buried her face to hide the tears. Frank reached out and held her as she pressed herself against him crying. He rubbed her back lightly and whispered to her. “It’s okay, Honey. You just cry as much as you need. Cry it all out; I’ve got you.”

Rabbi Tuckman heard Molly crying again and quickly made his way to her door. He stopped short as he watched and listened to Frank as he comforted her. After a few minutes, he heard something that caught his attention.

“Mister Frank?”

“Yeah sweetheart?”

“Please don’t leave me. I’m scared.”

“Sure thing Molly. I’ll stay right here.” Frank slid his coat off and set it beside the bed then put them back around Molly. “I’ll stay as long as you need.”

[RunningCat]

So last night I read the story and while I kind of figured the outcome of Molly's parents it kind of hit me hard when I read it. I was in tears and I have to say that is sign of REALLY good writer. I look forward to what ever is next.

By the way I am just a little curious as to why a Rabbi? Just a thought curiosity. I look forward to the next chapter.

[Nicolai Borovskaya]

It's looking good, Alexi. I did spot a few places where the spell checker gave you the wrong word, but overall it's well done.

Drop me an email or PM if you'd like me to assist.

I'm looking forward to the continuation.

[Alexi]

[Teric]

[D.F. Thompson]

You actually made my eyes get misty. Very well written, keep up the good work.

[Alexi]

Nicolai: Thanks man. I'm having a lot of fun writing it when I don't "word" myself into a corner. I know how I want the story to go, I have it all in my head. But, sometimes I can't figure out exactly how to word it all right. That's Ch. 3's problem. I'm not happy with the flow of the wording. But this is why my friend Scott is editing. He's a lot better at this as he was a freelance speech writer in college (Still is when he gets a chance.) He knows how to help me keep the pace and flow that I want.

Teric: Again, I think I am going to enlist a post-edit final reader. This "might" curtail a lot of those errors. Although, to a psychological extent, scarring might have been a good choice. Candice will make an appearance later in the story.

I was worried that I telegraphed the CO thing a little too far out. You are right about her luck though. The tree branch in through the window vented a lot of the gas.

I'm glad people seem to like the pace I was setting. I sometimes tend to get a little to detail oriented. I have done a lot of "beta" copy editing even before I send it off to Scott. I sleep on what I've written and then go back and start at the top. If I can't follow it after a nights sleep, the pace and flow is wrong. This has helped a lot.

D.F. Thompson: I'm humbled that I have had this kind of a reaction to it. I've never had my work effect people before. At least not in a way beyond nausea. (I'm not joking. My first ever foray into writing actually got remarks that made me never want to write again.) I'm glad you all enjoy things so far. i will try to not disappoint.

BTW, if there are any readers of this who are of the Jewish faith, please let me know if I make any errors in that regards. I have done a lot of research but it never hurts to have an expert opinion.

[Alexi]

I've had one guy email me already.

Several people called it on CO poisoning. I wasn't trying to hide it but, I wasn't too sure if I had made it too vague or not. Guess I didn't

Ch. 3 is in the edits now.