Throwaway People

Changing the Future

Jim had gone into the bathroom and was placing a wet towel on Patty's forehead.

Key brought the ice. Giving the bowel to Jim.

Jim seemed distracted with trying to cool Patty's core temperature down. Key left the bedroom and went down the stairs. She found Patty's phone in her purse. Key found Bobbi's number on the phone and called. After telling Bobbi how to get to the camp, Key ran back upstairs to help Jim.

Outside Key heard the dog howling. No, it was the Coyote. Key remembered the picture in the giant book. It sounded as though the Coyote was telling her that things were going to be different. Key remembered the bodies. She hoped that was true.

"Check the cupboards and see if you can find some sage or cream of tartar." Jim said.

Palm Springs, Reggie's House: 8:32

Bobbi was just preparing to leave Reggie's place when Key called her. Patty was sick, she got hold of some bad crack or something. That was what him got from Key. Bobbi got the directions and convinced Reggie to at least drive him to the camp. They drove down Jackson and Key opened the gate for them.

Parking in the aging parking lot Reggie and Bobbi followed Key into their camp.

"Jim, Bobbi brought some help." Key announced as they entered the apartment on the upper story.

They found Jim still trying to cool Patty down. Reggie did a quick examination.

"You are doing the right thing." Reggie told Jim. "I think I've got something that will work."

Reggie took an epipen and injected the contents into a vein in Patty's thigh. "It's a opiate neutralizer. They've got an heroin strong enough to put down an elephant out there. Patty must have touched it. That is all it takes. This will help, I think she might actually live."

It was four in the morning when Reggie left. Bobbi crashed on Patty's old bed in Keyote's room. Jim was asleep beside Patty in the master bedroom. Reggie had offered to take the couch and stay, but everyone was sure that the worse was over and Bobbi promised to call Reggie if Patty took a turn for the worse.

As Bobbi settled down to go to sleep Key told Bobbi an incredible story. As fantastic as it seemed the story made sense. Key had the presence of mind to call Bobbi and ask for help. What Key wouldn't have known was that Bobbi would bring Reggie. Without Reggie and Bobbi's help Patty would have died.

Greenacres, November 29: 8:10 AM

It was the first time that Key could remember that she was awake before the adults. Bobbi lay curled up in what had been Patty's bed. As Key lay in her own bed she thought about how they had all screwed up yesterday.

Patty had taken taken drugs. Jim had attacked them both. Key had said terrible things. Patty had told Key what she was like on crack. Was that why Jim had thrown Patty to the ground? Key had been angry and hit Patty. Patty had hit her. Was that why Jim had knocked their heads together? Key had been so angry that she wasn't able to think straight. She had hated Patty for taking drugs, Jim for attacking them both. Out of the three of them, Jim seemed the least at fault.

Key finally got up and went into the kitchen. She began preparing coffee. Rummaging through the cabinets Key found the cans of corn beef hash that Jim was fond of. The bread wasn't moldy so Key toasted some in the oven.