Tommy Nightmare(29)

Jenny thought those were among the scariest words she’d ever heard. I’m from the Centers for Disease Control and I’m looking for Jenny Morton.

“You must be her,” the lady continued. “You look just like the picture.”

“Okay,” Jenny said. “What’s going on?”

“Did you get a flyer like this?” Dr. Reynard held up the flyer ordering medical screening for everyone.

“Maybe,” Jenny said. “I don’t know.”

“Things have been crazy,” Seth said. “Nobody knows what’s going on.”

“Unfortunately,” Dr. Reynard said. “We can’t leave town and let things get back to normal until we’ve screened everyone. That’s not my choice. I just have to do my job.”

“Where do we need to go?” Seth asked. “When?”

“Actually…” Dr. Reynard thumped the black medical bag in her hand. “We can do it right here. It’s very simple.”

Jenny stared at the bag. She was scared to think what they might discover about her. And kind of curious, too. She hadn’t been examined by a doctor since she was born, and that had led to tragedy.

“Wait,” Seth said. “You can’t just show up at Jenny’s house and force her to do this.”

“Yes, we can.” The Homeland Security officer reached for his belt, either for a Taser or a gun.

“I can handle this,” Dr. Reynard told him.

“We have lawyers,” Seth said. “We’ll fight you.”

The Homeland Security officer looked at Jenny’s crumbling old house and smirked.

“This is considered a state of national emergency,” the Homeland Security officer said. “You will follow orders.”

“Look, I’ll do it,” Jenny said. “Don’t worry about it, Seth. It’s fine with me.”

Jenny and Seth went inside, and the Homeland Security officer followed. He let the screen door bang shut behind him, so the doctor had to switch her medical bag to the other hand and open it herself. “Thanks,” she muttered.

The uniformed officer stood just inside the door, hands at his belt, spine straight.

“What do we need to do?” Jenny asked the two strangers in her living room.

“We’re actually in a pinch,” Dr. Reynard said. “I’m supposed to be getting some mobile lab units in tomorrow, so we can test people at their homes. But we don’t have them yet.”

“So why not wait until tomorrow?” Seth asked.

“Seth,” Jenny said.

“Because we want to get out of this town as much you want us gone,” Dr. Reynard said. “Is there a table where we can sit?”

Jenny led her into the kitchen. “I’m sorry it’s messy,” Jenny said. “We weren’t expecting doctors.”

Dr. Reynard laid the medical bag on the table and sat down across from Jenny. Jenny let out a small sigh of relief when the doctor strapped on a pair of rubber gloves. No skin on skin contact.

“Let’s start with a quick blood pressure check.” Dr. Reynard strapped a cuff over Jenny’s arm.

Jenny kept herself frozen in place. She didn’t want to accidentally bump against the doctor when she was leaning so close.

“Just relax your arm,” Dr. Reynard said. She squeezed a bulb to pump up the cuff with air. “Have you had any unusual medical conditions recently, Jenny?”

“Like what?” Jenny asked. The question made her very nervous.

“Oh, anything,” Dr. Reynard said. “Like sores, blisters…any strange growths or rashes…anything like that?”

“No.” Jenny’s voice was too small to hear, so she made herself say it again. “No.”

“Blood pressure looks fine.” Dr. Reynard clicked a button, and all the air hissed out of the inflatable cuff.

Jenny stiffened again when the doctor pulled out a penlight to inspect Jenny’s eyes, ears, and throat. Though the lady wore gloves, it still made Jenny nervous to have her fingers so close.

“Any special medical conditions?” Dr. Reynard asked.

“No,” Jenny said.

“You aren’t taking any prescription medicine? Or pregnant?”

“No.”

Jenny kept her hands folded in her lap. She wore light blue cotton gloves today. She never left the house with her hands bare.

“This is weird,” Seth said. “You’re just going to do this in somebody’s kitchen? That doesn’t seem very, what do they call it, sanitary.”

“You got a problem?” the Homeland Security officer said.

“I’ve worked in worse conditions,” Dr. Reynard said. “I’ve been in places where they’ve never seen running water.” The doctor removed a Q-tip from a case in her bag. “Now just a couple of quick samples, and we’ll be done. Can you open your mouth for me, Jenny?”