As The Yellow Storm Approaches

Sadie Handler

August 16, 1793

I was looking in the scrolls of all of the newspapers recorded and all of the people recorded. I had special access to this place, because Jared and Jensen both work here, and they told their boss I was coming in.

I knew what the man looked like, and I could estimate his age with that, but that was about all I had to figure him out. I didn't know his age, address, or anything that could be the most vital information I could use. I sighed as I looked through every man's file in the building.

"EUREKA!" I shouted, and pulled out a file, waving it in the air a bit, indicating I found it. The people around me stared at me as if I were crazy, and I became flustered quickly. "Sorry," I whispered, and put the box back in its place, lid in all.

The woman who was helping me look-her name was Ferah ran up to me and looked at the file. She was a nurse at the local hospital, so she knew what he looked like too. Her boss had sent her to look for his file, because he was the man's doctor. "Did you find it?" She asked, looking through.

I nodded, a goofy smile tugging on my lips. "I think that's him."

She squealed and hugged me tightly, the file flapping wildly behind me. "It is! It is! Thank you so much, Sade! How can I repay you?"

I shrugged. "Let me go there with you, maybe?"

Ferah looked unsure, but she nodded warily. "Yeah... Doctor Cal will be fine with that, I'm sure..."

I smiled giddily, and grabbed the file back. "So his name is Xavier Swan. He is 31 and married with 6 kids."

Ferah whistled and rocked back on her heels. "Man. That's a lot of kids."

I nodded. "I'm sure his family is worried sick about him. It says here that he worked at the wheat mill. How did he even have enough money to take care of then all?"

Ferah shook her head. "It must've been hard, but maybe his wife worked?"

I shook my head and shrugged. "Whatever it was must've been a real struggle, any way."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When we got to the hospital Ferah had me put on a mask and gloves. It felt weird, but I knew it was for my safety. She then led me to the man's room. "Hello, sir. I've got a surprise for you." She said this quietly, but as if she were talking to a small child.

His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled. He waved his hand shakily, and we walked to him. We gave him the file, which he fumbled with trying to open, and had to bring it very close to his face to read. "M-My family... I remember them now... I need th-" he stopped and began coughing up a storm. The file fell out of his hands, and he brought them to his face, and they were soon splattered with red liquid.

Ferah panicked, and brought the doctor in the room. The doctor brought a napkin, and the man held it to his face, getting his blood all over it. The doctor turned to us and leaned in a bit closer. "His condition is getting much worse. Soon enough, it is going to be critical. Though, I am afraid it had already reached that point.

Ferah sighed and shook her head, then wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "We have a lot more patients coming in with the symptoms, now. This thing is spreading like a wild fire. We need to isolate them."

The doctor nodded, and started talking medical nonsense. All the while, I wondered to Xavier's bed, and looked him up and down. "Does it hurt?" I asked him, seeing he was done coughing and now wiping the blood away.

He looked up at me, stunned. "Yes... Well, sort of. Only at certain times or when I do certain things does it hurt. Are you interested?"

I shrugged and blushed. Mother would have scolded me for being so nosey, but I just couldn't help it. "Sorry. But, yes... I have always wanted to be a doctor. But of course, women can only be nurses. It's ridiculous, but I can't help it."

He shook his head, and put his hand up. "It's fine. And I can understand. There are some things that a woman can do and men cannot that I wish I could do. But one of day I am sure we can achieve something like this. Yes?"

I nodded my head. Xavier had a very suave voice, that was coaxed and smooth. Almost as if he had been raised in the lap of luxury, rather than poverty. "Maybe the scholars of our future will, yeah..."

Xavier seemed to cower away from the ending conversation, as if he were afraid of the awkwardness it might bring. I sucked in a sharp breath, determined to help Xavier feel comfortable. "So your family... How did they react?"

Xavier took a moment to realize just what I was asking, but when he did he looked back up to me, and blinked rapidly. "I don't quite remember, but I believe my wife was scared out of her bloomers."

I nodded, a small, sympathetic snicker coming from my lips. "Well I would be, too. Who wouldn't, really?"

He smiled, which made me happy that I could make him happy. "You know, I have a son just around your age... He has very similar views to yours. If you could bring him to me I could surely introduce you two."

My smile became more of a nervous smile and I blushed. "Well that'd be great, sir, but I'm nothing, really."

Xavier shook his head and held out his hand. I walked closer to him, and put my still gloved hand in his. He covered it with his other hand, and looked me in the eyes. "Now, Sadie."

I stopped him by interrupting. "How do you know my name?" I asked skeptically.

His eyes fooled with confusion, then realization. "I knew your mother... We were... Good friends..."

I knew there was more for him to tell me, but I didn't pry. I just let him continue. He had been having it hard enough for the past week, I'm sure.

"You are a very beautiful, bright, and talented young girl. Amt man should be proud to have your hand in marriage. Don't you ever say so otherwise, or I might just have to hit you in the mouth. Though, I never actually would." He kissed my hands softly, and looked back up at my red face. "And you know what? You can marry whoever you may please. I won't rush you."

I nodded, and smiled at him. "Thank you, sir. Thank you so much."

And with that, Ferah pulled me away.