Barley Marble

Back in the office, Ray began to have phone problems. He had used the office phone to call Linda's mother but had only gotten voice mail. He left a message that conveyed concern for Linda without mentioning that she was now speaking in forked tongues and was taped to a chair. He then tried phoning the health department on the office phone, but when he put the receiver to his ear he got a strange buzz. He hung up, tried again and heard the buzz again, repeating this action several times.

He then did what most of us would unconsciously do, he stared at the phone as if he wanted it to explain why it was buzzing. It was all he could really think to do as he couldn't call someone to explain to them that he had a phone buzz...unless...he "used his cell phone" thought Ray. This was a leap of logic that caused Ray to break a longstanding habit of using the office phone in the office. He dug out his phone and dialed the health department with similar results as the call couldn't be completed. He thought, "Maybe it's just the health department number that is getting the buzz." He tried other numbers, his own mom, a couple of friends, and eventually gave up, the phones were down he decided.

He pushed his chair back from the desk and set himself to thinking. Summing up the situation he realized things were out of control. The restaurant was closed, people going crazy, and he couldn't do what he was good at, working the phones for solutions. He purposely ignored the emerging ache in his gut. "It isn't severe and it could just be tension," he had quickly thought earlier while playing with the phones. He decided to leave the office and let the others know about the phones, although he guessed they might already know about cell phones.

Eugene saw Ray coming, "Our phones aren't working except for Gena's. I'm not sure who her service provider is, but it's not mine." Ray jumped right in, "Same in the office and my phone. We need to borrow her phone and call the health department." They both turned to see Gena begin a conversation with someone and they then both half-listened in on the call. Gena was speaking to a voice mail, leaving a message. As she punched the end button Eugene spoke up, "Can we borrow your phone for a minute, yours is apparently the only one working."

Ray grasped the phone as Gena extended it to him and quickly made the call, the number now memorized by Ray. He got through, Eugene could tell by Ray's expression of half-hope and half-surprise. Ray started right in on explaining the situation and then listened. Ray didn't get much of a speaking role, just plenty of "but"s and "uh-huh"s. He punched the end button and turned to the group.

"They aren't coming. They are swamped. This plague is all over the place. Not just in the city, but all over the country, the world. This is absolutely serious. They don't know what is causing it, but the symptoms are the same. Cramps, crazy and..." Ray tailed off but he had to say it, "...and death."

Ray began to add opinion to his information. "The phones are down because people can't function normally. Just like we had to shut down, businesses all over are literally 'going out of business.' People are dieing now."

The place was quiet and everyone was in their own personal form of shock, different for each as Eugene was staring holes into the floor, and Sonia the waitress was visually shaking. Even Linda was quiet thought Ray and then he went over to her. She wasn't even moving. Ray didn't want to listen to his inner pop of an idea, but he did. He thought she would be dead and took her pulse at her wrist to prove that idea. He was right, no pulse. "I think Linda has passed" he passively announced to the group.

Eugene, as did most of the others, approached Linda slumped beside Ray. He tried her caratoid artery for a pulse, expecting none. Silently he changed his actions to perform his new task, he began to take off the duct tape. Ray followed the same actions, "What should we do with her?" Eugene said, "We'll lay her in the booth in section three for now, cover her with a table clothe."

"Was this the end of the process?" thought Eugene as he and Ray moved Linda, "We unwrap the restrained after they die?" He thought longer, "How many in this room will end up being duct taped to a chair to die? Would a hospital be able to administer a drug to alleviate the cramps, reduce the insanity and ease the person into death?" Eugene finished his thoughts with a final question, "And can they discover a cause and cure very soon?"

He then wondered aloud, "Should we all go to the hospital?" Then within his mind, "Like going to a hospital that's going nuts would do any good." He then wondered, as most everyone in the world might also be wondering, "When am I going to get the cramps? Will I get it?"

Ray knew the answers to Eugene's inner questions. Ray knew he was getting sick. His stomach was beginning to have short searing pain waves. It made him want to bend over, but he kept his upright stance to mask his knowledge of his condition. He imagined he was copying what Linda did, hiding his symptoms.

As the partners finished covering Linda, they were silent in thought. Gena had followed them over and began a prayer. It was a home-made prayer, but was moving in the expression of respect and love they all had for their co-worker. Linda had been more than a worker, she was a friend and nearly a family member, who was part of this group that had been together for more than a decade. Under normal conditions Linda would not to be forgotten easily for those who knew her, but this plague might not leave anyone to remember Linda.

Within this air of sadness, Ray had decided to admit his stomach pain to the group. He was waiting for a breaking of the mood. Everyone was gathering around a center table, some sitting down and others uneasily shifting on their feet.