Night of the Purple Moon (18 page)

“Unforeseen consequences,” Kevin said. “The same thing happened with the space dust. Pollution destroyed the atmosphere, allowing the space dust to enter.”

Abby reached for the walkie-talkie. “You’re probably right,” she said.

“Our friendship was an unforeseen consequence of the space dust, too,” Kevin said. “If it weren’t for the comet, we would never have met.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “We were neighbors. On a tiny island.”

“You thought I was weird.”

“A little bit,” she admitted with a shrug.

“A lot!” he smiled. It was his first real smile in weeks.

Abby placed the walkie-talkie on the floor and curled her fingers in his. She tried to hide her shock. How much longer could he survive with such a high fever? “Kevin, on the jetty …when you gave me the ruby bracelet… did you want to kiss me?”

He fidgeted and mumbled something and lowered his eyes. She thought she detected a nod. “I was afraid,” he said.

Kevin was as shy and nerdy as the day they had met, and now he had no place to run. And when he finally raised his eyes to her, he didn’t seem like he wanted to, either.

At last their lips touched.

Within the hour, with Emily and Abby at Kevin’s side, Cat announced the latest death with a mournful cry.

Twenty-seven kids, the entire population of Castine Island, assembled in the mansion living room to hear exactly where and when the antibiotic would be available. On the radio the message from the CDC repeated in a loop. “At twelve o’clock noon, Eastern Standard Time, the antibiotic distribution schedule will be announced.”

The mood in the room was festive. A little more than a year after the night of the purple moon, the kids were about to learn which cities would receive the antibiotic in phases over the next three months. The plan was for Eddie and Jordan to sail to the city, or to the closest port, in Jordan’s skiff. The boys would get enough pills for everyone on the island. The future for the survivors was still uncertain, but at least after taking the pills they would no longer have to worry about space germs.

Abby forced a smile to blend in. She would soon learn if she would be able to celebrate her fourteenth birthday in two months. She sat alone in the corner, gripping the arm of the chair to keep from slumping. Earlier in the day her temperature had been one hundred and two degrees. It felt higher now, her cheeks on fire. She also had a terrible itch between her shoulder blades, a sign the rash was about to appear.

Abby sensed someone staring at her. She scanned the room and saw it was Toby Jones. Toby held her gaze briefly before turning away.

Grinning, Toucan charged across the room, ready to jump into Abby’s lap.

She weakly held up her hands. “Not now, Touk.”

Keeping Toucan in the dark was proving to be Abby’s greatest challenge.

Toucan stopped abruptly, disappointed, but she quickly recovered and raced after Danny.

Abby had kept her illness a complete secret until only recently. It was too frightening to suffer alone, and she had to tell someone. She had confided in Toby because she thought it would help him feel part of the group, knowing such personal information. She also trusted Toby. He had promised that he wouldn’t say anything.

The CDC announcement started at noon. The robotic voice babbled on for ten minutes about scientific methodologies, something that would have interested Kevin. Sadly, this moment had come too late for him.

“A single dose of the antibiotic has the power to counteract the germ,” the robot said, finally getting to the important part. “Packets of fifty pills will be passed out. To maintain order, we encourage you to send one representative from your group.”

Abby sucked in her breath. So far so good. The boys could acquire more than enough pills for everyone on the island.

“The distribution schedule is as follows: Phase I on May 1, Phase II on June 1, and Phase III on July 1.”

She made a quick calculation. The first of May was in eight days. She needed Portland to be a Phase I destination. Portland International Airport bordered the harbor and was a day’s sail in Jordan’s skiff. Eddie and Jordan should be able to return to the island with the pills on the night of May 1 or the next day. She’d will herself to stay alive until then.

“These are the Phase I cities in alphabetical order: Albany, New York; Anchorage, Alaska; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Bethesda, Maryland; Baltimore, Maryland; Birmingham, Alabama; Boise, Idaho; Boston, Massachusetts …”

Cheers drowned out the broadcast. Good news for the group, but not for Abby. It would take Jordan and Eddie at least a week to sail to Boston. Without any major setbacks, the boys would return to the island around May 6th. Abby couldn’t hold on that long.

A chorus of “shhhs” from the older kids quieted everyone.

“Portland,” Abby whispered to herself over and over.

“Honolulu, Hawaii; Hartford, Connecticut; Helena, Montana; Hot Springs, Arkansas; Irving, California …”

Abby clenched her jaw. The room started spinning.

“Palm Beach, Florida, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland…”

The kids once more erupted with shouts as they jumped up and down and hugged. Toucan ran toward Abby, and this time she wrapped her arms around her sister and squeezed. Tears of relief washed down her feverish cheeks.

“Hold on!” Jimmy shouted. He had a small radio pressed to his ear. “They said Portland, Oregon.”

The children quieted as the robotic voice began listing Phase II cities. Jimmy had heard correctly. Portland Maine was not a Phase I destination but rather a Phase II city, distributing the antibiotic six weeks from now.

Abby barely heard the celebrations. She tried to focus on the only good news: Jordan would survive and be able to raise Toucan.

Jordan worried that his tired legs might crumple beneath him and he used the wall to steady himself. Unable to keep liquids and food down for the past two days, he was growing weaker by the hour. He squinted at the blur of kids jumping up and down and giving each other high fives, wishing that he could share their joy.

The CDC news had struck him like a hammer. If only Portland had been a Phase I city. His lower lip quivered, and he feared he might burst into tears. Crying would look suspicious while everyone else was celebrating.

Eddie pushed through the crowd. “Jordie, you ready to sail tomorrow?” Eddie’s attempt to sound upbeat revealed his anxiety all the more.

Eddie was the only person privy to Jordan’s deadly secret. Both boys had thought that if the others knew that Jordan was dying from space germs, they would never want him to make the journey to get the antibiotics.

“Catch you later,” Jordan said to his friend and headed toward the stairs.

In the privacy of his bedroom, Jordan lifted his shirt, turned, and winced from the sight in the mirror. The rash between his shoulder blades, which he had first noticed the day before, was now oozing pus. He lowered his t-shirt and nearly blacked out. It felt like sharp nails were making deep furrows from his neck to the base of his spine.

Should he go with Eddie? Was that the right thing to do for himself and for the community? Jordan jumped when Cat rubbed up against his leg.

He sat on his bed to consider his options. Going to Boston gave him his only chance of survival. Even when ill, Jordan was still the best sailor on the island. By taking the antibiotic on May 1, he might live.

But the slightest delay and he’d likely die before ever reaching Boston. And that would put Eddie at risk. Eddie needed a strong, healthy sailing partner to increase the odds of success.

No matter how much Jordan thought about it, he always came to the same conclusion. He should not go. To save the people he loved most, he must sacrifice his own life.

Right now was a good time to get all the crying out of his system before he announced that to the others.

That evening the kids settled down to council, still buzzing from the news they had received earlier in the day. Emily was running tonight’s meeting, and, after speaking to both Toby and Eddie, she felt an urgency to put their plan in motion.

Jordan waved his hand weakly. “I have something to say.”

It broke Emily’s heart to see the boy she loved so gaunt and frail, but she signaled him to wait.

“We’re skipping the usual agenda,” she began. “As you know, the antibiotic will be available in Boston on May first and then on June first in Portland. That’s good news for most of us.” Emily made eye contact with Abby and then Jordan. Each Leigh squirmed in their seats before looking away. “I have a proposal,” she continued. “Tomorrow morning, Abby and Jordan should sail together to Boston.”

“What?” Jordan blurted. “No way!” He stood, wobbled, and sat back down. “Tim should take my place. He should go with Eddie. That’s what I was going to say.” He paused a moment, then added: “Why do you want Abby to go?”

“She’s sick,” Emily said, “just like you.”

Jordan grilled Eddie with a hard stare. “You told her?”

“Emily already knew,” Eddie replied.

Jordan narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. “Abby,” he finally said, “you’re sick?”

“I’m fine,” Abby said.

Toby stood. “You’re not fine. Abby, I’m sorry I broke my promise, but I told Emily and Eddie about your condition for a good reason.”

“Jordan,” Abby said. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Look who’s talking!”

Emily held up the red card. “We’re taking a vote,” she said. “Who wants Abby and Jordan to go together?”

“Wait,” Abby said. “What if we don’t make it back? You’ll have no way to reach Portland.”

“Your brother knows the answer,” Eddie told her.

Jordan cocked his head. “I do?”

“Ben and Gabby thought they came here in a row boat,” Eddie said. “It’s not a row boat. It’s a sailing skiff. I’ve already found a spare mast and rigged the boat. If you and Abby don’t make it back, Tim and I will sail their boat to Portland on June first.”

Abby stood and slowly made her way to Jordan. “It’s our only chance.”

He looked down, slowly shaking his head, brooding. Emily wanted to hold on to Jordan and never let him go, but she was also ready to grab his ear and march him to the boat. He might be stubborn, but he had not yet seen how determined she could be.

Jordan looked up at his big sister. “No bossing me around, okay?”

Emily knew the Leigh’s journey had just begun.

Touk,

By the time Emily reads this to you, Jordan and I will be sailing toward the mainland. We wanted to get an early start and save all our energy for the long trip.

I wish I could tell you for certain that both of us will make it back. But I have to be honest. We’re sick and time is running short. But we will do everything we can!

Please listen to Emily.

Jordan and I love you. (We kissed you on the head while you were asleep).

Remember you are a Leigh, and Leighs never give up!!!

Lisette, you are the greatest sister ever.

Love Abby and Jordan

At midmorning Abby pushed the tiller forward to stop the boat’s progress. The sail flapped in a steady breeze from the north, and the bow split the waves head on. A lone seagull circled overhead. Several miles away, Castine Island rose like the hump of a whale.

Abby shivered and tugged her wool cap over her ears. The warm, shimmering sun did little to ward off her feverish chills. Jordan was leaning against the mast, a ghost of his former self. His eyes had remained closed ever since they had sailed past the tip of the jetty hours ago

Abby applied sunscreen to her face and then wormed her way to the bow and did the same for Jordan who grunted but otherwise didn’t stir.

There was not much room to move about the tiny skiff. They had a two-week supply of fresh water and crackers, as well as oars, walkie-talkies, flares, clothing, flashlights, and sleeping bags. In case they had to beach the boat and drive to Boston, they had packed a fully charged car battery and a five-gallon can of gasoline. It amazed her they were still afloat.

She hauled in the mainsheet, pulled back on the tiller, and resumed heading due west. She consulted the compass and made a slight correction to their course. Underway again, Abby felt better knowing that every second they were moving closer to the pills that would kill the deadly germs. They had to be in Boston seven days from now, first in line to receive the antibiotic.

Doubt crept into her mind. Should they have awoken Toucan and hugged her and said goodbye, perhaps their final goodbye? There was no right answer. She would have to live the decision that she and Jordan had made jointly. They needed to focus all their energy on the marathon trip ahead of them. Emotions would drain them, cloud their thinking. To increase their odds of making it back, they had to put Toucan and all loved ones out of their minds.

By noon the swells had grown in size and frequency. The bow rose and fell in what seemed like never-ending thuds, jarring her brain. Puffs of salty mist irritated her eyes and stung her dry, cracked lips.

A sudden, strong gust of wind, along with the push of waves, heeled the boat so high on its edge that water sloshed over the gunwale. In a panic, Abby let go of the mainsheet. The boat rocked back, and they almost capsized on the port side. Jordan grimaced and shouted something but remained asleep.

Realizing they were dangerously overloaded, Abby eyed potential objects to throw overboard. She nudged Jordan’s foot, wanting his opinion, but he tucked himself into a ball.

Abby decided to jettison the car battery and the can of gasoline. They were making good progress and there was no reason to think they wouldn’t be able to sail all the way to Boston. When she tried to pick up the battery, her weakness shocked her. It seemed to weigh more than she did. She summoned all her energy and finally hefted it overboard. The boat immediately gained buoyancy. Her muscles trembled, but now was not the time to rest. She heaved the five-gallon can of gasoline overboard next.