Page 49 of Into the Mist

“Well, I was going to change the dressing on Marge’s leg. That break is pretty nasty.”

“I’ll do that, Doc,” said Gemma. “You’re gonna want to hear what they have to say.”

“You’re certainly capable of changing Marge’s dressing,” Hilary told Gemma. Her gaze went back to Mercury. “And I’m becoming intrigued.”

“Well then, let’s go to my office,” said Stella.

Stella led the way. Hilary, Mercury, and Imani followed. Karen stayed to assist Gemma, and Jenny was still working with Tyler. They made their way to the rear part of the kitchen. Stella turned on the two floor lamps to illuminate the rear counter on which sat the potatoes Mercury’s blood had spattered the night before. The sprouts had continued to grow and were now easily showing six inches of vibrant green. Beside them were a spotless potato, a carrot missing its green top, a golden beet also minus any greenery, a big red tomato, and a pile of dried lima beans. A chef’s knife rested beside the line of vegetables. The group stopped in front of the table.

Hilary looked from the vegetables to the three women. “Now I am entirely intrigued.”

“Tell her,” Stella said to Mercury.

“Oh, okay. Well, Dr. Hilary, this is going to sound crazy, but we’ve discovered that our blood can make things grow. Some of our blood, that is. We can’t all do it. I can. And so can Stella, Imani, and Gemma—but not Jenny or Karen.”

She paused and Stella continued to explain. “Last night Mercury accidentally cut her finger. Some of her blood got on a bag of potatoes. The potatoes she bled on started to sprout—right away. She tried it again. Same thing happened. Then last night all of us tried it, which is how we know whose blood has the ability and whose doesn’t.”

Mercury lifted the finger she’d sliced into to show the doctor. “See this tiny pink line?”

Speechless, Hilary nodded.

“Last night it was a cut that bled. A lot. It might’ve even needed stitches. I can’t tell you for sure because it healed too fast for me to worry about it.”

“May I?” Hilary held out her hand.

“Sure.” Mercury let the doc examine her finger.

“This is healed. Almost completely,” said Dr. Hilary.

“Ours too.” Imani said. She and Stella showed the doctor their fingers, which looked like Mercury’s.

“Where were you when the bombs went off?” asked Stella.

“I was just through there,” Hilary pointed back at the dining room. “Outside on the patio, enjoying a cup of tea and some scones.”

“Did you see the green fog?” Mercury asked.

Hilary nodded. “Yes, it swept over everything out there not long before the first earthquake. I remember vividly that I thought I was on fire because my skin burned. Then I believe I lost consciousness, but not for long. I woke in time to run inside. I was in the foyer.”

“All of us whose blood made the potatoes sprout felt something when the fog hit us,” explained Imani. “And we also lost consciousness.”

“Jenny and Karen didn’t, or at least they didn’t remember it happening to them, and their blood also didn’t do anything to the spuds,” said Stella.

Hilary turned to Mercury and held out her hand. “Cut me.”

Without hesitation, Mercury took the knife and pressed it to Hilary’s thumb. The doctor squeezed until blood welled. “Should I start with the potato?”

“Might as well. I brought out the other vegetables so we could see if it’sjustpotatoes,” said Stella.

Hilary nodded and wiped scarlet on the potato. Then she shrugged and said, “While I’m bleeding, I might as well spread it around.” She squeezed her thumb several more times so that it bled freely, then dripped blood on each of the other vegetables. When she was done, Stella handed her a piece of gauze.

“I’d give you a Band-Aid, but I have a feeling you’re not going to need it,” said Stella.

“How long does it take?” asked Hilary as she stared at the vegetables.

“It was pretty fast last night,” said Mercury. “It should only take a few—”

“Hey, Doc? Ladies? You in here?” Tyler’s voice drifted from the front of the kitchen.