Life Blood---XXIII---Page No 79

"Right now diet is crucial, so I've had Marcelina prepare you a
healthy broth of soy extract and buckwheat and rainforest herbs
that—"

"What kind of rainforest herbs exactly?" I was starving, but no way in hell—

"Medicinal ones. Part of your program of wholeness." He
turned, with that faraway look of his, and opened the window
slats. Beyond them I could see foliage, now alive with flocks of
multicolored birds. The forest was in full cry. "You know, so many
drugs are waiting to be discovered up here." He was gazing out.
"Beyond this window is a giant pharmacy, but if it goes like the
rest of the Peten, it'll soon be bulldozed to make way for more
cattle ranches."

He came back and picked up the syringe. That was when I

noticed it didn't seem to be entirely empty. It appeared to contain traces of a yellow substance, though maybe I was imagining. . .
        "Look, about the blood test. I don't think—"

"Consider it a free medical screening." He firmly gripped my
arm as he plunged the needle into a vein. Seconds later he was
capping off the syringe, red with my blood. "I'm running a batch of
tests this afternoon, so one more sample won't make any
difference."

While he swabbed my arm with alcohol, I looked down again at the bowl of broth he'd brought. Forget about it. I'd find
something in the kitchen later.

"I want to go down and see Sarah." Get started immediately.
Push and maybe I could catch him off guard. "I'm very worried
about her."

"Of course." He nodded. "Whenever you wish." "I was thinking, as soon as possible."

"Then I'll send Marcelina to take you, the minute she's

finished downstairs. But I assumed you might want to at least unpack first."

With that he disappeared as quietly as he'd come.

I walked over and stared out at the birds flitting past the
slatted window, feeling my hopes go up. The colors and the
freedom. I wanted to be one of them, to take Sarah and just fly
away. . .

Then, feeling vaguely drowsy, I settled myself down on the

edge of the bed. The next thing I knew, though, the chaotic music
of the birds had begun to sound amplified as though they were

swirling down a long, echoing hallway. In spite of myself, I felt my consciousness begin to drift.

Shit, that needle he just slammed into my arm. It wasn't to

take blood you idiot. You suspected that, but he was too fast. Shit. Shit. Shit. Don't let him do it. Stay awake.

But now the tunnel was growing. I pulled myself up and

staggered in slow motion to the door and tried it, but it seemed to be locked. I couldn't really tell, though, because the tunnel was swallowing me.

No! I banged my head against the door, hoping the pain
would bring me back, but the room just swirled even more.
        The tunnel. Now it was all around me, shadowy and dim. I
thought I glimpsed Sarah at the end of it, wearing a white shift,
beckoning me, but when I reached out for her, to take us away, all I could touch was empty mist.