When Stars Intertwine

Chapter 8

Three weeks after getting the sick girl from Hawkins plantation, Harry entered a small back door that lead into a dark hallway. It made a turn to the left where four doors stood, each leading to a separate room. Very odd design in the house. It looked like he was walking into a dungeon. The rooms were used as servants bedrooms for the previous owner of the plantation. He then entered the last door to the left of the dark hallway, the patients room. It was a nice clean spacious room with a single bed, side table, a cabinet next to the back door, a small wardrobe at the foot of the bed and some withered flowers in a vase on a table below a small window. She was laying in bed weakly with her eyes open.

"Good evening," he greeted not expecting an answer as always.

He walked to the medicine cabinet and took a small labelled black bottle and poured some of its liquid content in a small silver medicine cup. He walked to her bedside and propped her head up, balancing it carefully on his arm. He placed the cup on her mouth, she drunk it with a slight frown.

"I know it tastes bad," he said ruefully, "but it's helping you, you look better today, you seem to get better every day," he said putting her head back on the pillow.

After treating her for three weeks he had established that she suffered from heat stroke and malnutrition.

"Let me tell you a secret. You are my favorited patient," he said putting the medicine back in the cabinet.

"You know why? ....because you listen to me unlike other patients. When I ask you not to do something, you don't. If I give you some awful tasting medicine, you drink it without complaining," he said even when he knew she was too weak to deny anything he brought upon her.

He sounded frustrated, Anna could tell there was something wrong. She could hear everything but couldn't get herself to talk or move by herself. She was stuck in her own body, weak and aching everywhere. Her lips felt so heavy, she had attempted to speak several times but couldn't. She had panicked the first time she was conscious and felt her new surroundings. She believed someone was going to cut her open for some an unorthodox experiment. It was until a woman who introduced herself as Christine assured her that the doctor tending to her meant no harm. Christine a middle aged slave must have known that even though the patient couldn't move or speak, deep down she could understand what was going on and was probably scared. She explained to her how she got to where she was now and how the doctor was still trying to save her. At the time Anna could hear but couldn't even open her eyes, and now she could, she was making progress and was glad that the doctor was noticing. She had prayed every day for him not to give up on her.

Harry dragged a chair next to her bed and sat down.

"I don't know how they expect to heal when they can't follow simple instructions." He shook his head disapprovingly, "one of the patients even had the nerve to ask me about my qualifications."

Anna tried to move her head so she could see his face but couldn't. She was tired of staring at the stupid roof anyway. If only she could talk or move her body. What happened to my body was the question she asked herself every day.

Harry looked at her for a moment. She looked better. Her eyes looked alert. Not glazed or blank like before. He got up and moved her on her side facing him. He placed a few pillows behind her for balance, the whole time gentle and careful.

"You must be tired of staring at the boring roof, aren't You?" He asked sitting back in his chair as if reading her mind.

"You know, when I took you from Hawkins plantation, I didn't think you'd live this long. But miraculously you did.... You have a strong soul.... You are a warrior.... a survivor." He shrugged and said, "I may have done some things to heal you, but it's your strong will to live that's keeping you alive."
He sighed and remained quiet for a moment. "It might take a while, but you will be okay. If you don't give up on me. Besides," he lowered his voice to a whisper, "I think Christine has become very fond of you, it would break her heart if you gave up, mine too, you deserve to live, and it would make me feel like a bad doctor if you didn't."