Page 52 of Once Bitten, Twice Mine

Caroline turned to see a tall, well-dressed man standing in the doorway. He had a willowy frame that was obscured by a dark overcoat. His wavy brown hair was a little longer than the current style, with an errant curl flopped over his left eye. Beside him was a woman his height whose brown hair was pulled into a loose bun at her nape and glowed red in the light. She wore a black dress with a white apron over it that was clean, but had clearly seen some use. She scowled while the man beside her looked on with a small smile.

“Gardner, I’ve never been so happy to see you in my life,” Dr. Murnau said, his lips turning up slightly before he crossed the room and violently shook the new man’s hand.

It was the first time Caroline had ever seen the doctor smile, and she found the expression unnatural.

“Your letter sounded urgent, so my research assistant and I didn’t want to waste a moment.”

“I hope I didn’t pull you away from anything important.”

“Nothing that couldn’t be paused. You actually caught us at a great time because we just returned from abroad.”

“Have you returned to teaching?”

“No,” he said, ducking his head, but she could see his cheeks redden. “I think the only person I’ll be teaching for a long while is my research assistant.”

“It’s a shame for medicine on the whole, but a boon to your assistant.”

“Perhaps.” The man shifted in place uncomfortably before the woman elbowed him. “Oh yes, please pardon my manners. This is my research assistant, Mrs. Jane Montgomery.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Montgomery. I am glad to have more hands to help.” Dr. Murnau turned to her and motioned for her to join them at the door. “I am Dr. Murnau, the only practicing physician in the area, and this is Miss Blythe, one of my volunteers.”

“It’s nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Blythe; I only wish it was under better circumstances. I’m Dr. Gardner. I went to medical school with Dr. Murnau.”

“He’s being modest. He was the youngest student in our class and taught there for several years while he conducted research. For the past few years, he’s been studying infectious diseases, never afraid to get right to the frontlines of an epidemic.”

“You’re making me sound far greater than I am.”

“The moment this illness presented itself, I knew I needed to bring you in.”

“Do you need our help with a diagnosis?” Mrs. Montgomery asked.

“No, I have a diagnosis. What I need is for you to disprove it.”

Dr. Gardner frowned. “Do you think it might be plague? It pops up occasionally in remote villages, and while it can sometimes be difficult to treat, it has never been as deadly as it was in the fourteenth century.”

“If I told you my diagnosis, even with Miss Blythe here as witness, I fear you would laugh at me. No, it is for the best if I show you.”

“What if we disagree with your findings?” Mrs. Montgomery asked, arching an eyebrow.

“I hope you do. I hope you have a rational explanation for what we’ve been dealing with. The only thing I ask in return is that you open your mind to what I’m about to show you.”

“Then, please lead the way, old friend,” said Dr. Gardner.

Dr. Murnau led them back to the main ward. The shades were drawn, and their four sets of footsteps echoed through the room. The patients were mostly silent, except for the occasional rattling breath that told her they were still alive.

“This is the patient I’ve had here longest; he’s been here for three days, but was sick at home for one additional day before coming here.”

“Four days.” Dr. Gardner’s eyebrows shot up. “What’s the sickness like?”

“Anemia, lethargy, a decreased temperature, and an absence of an appetite. They sleep most of the day away, but this is the most curious of all the symptoms.” Dr. Murnau walked to the curtains and threw them open, letting a beam of sunlight fill the room. The light shocked Caroline; she threw up a hand to block her eyes at the sudden intrusion.

However, Caroline wasn’t the only one disturbed by the sudden sunshine. The young man they crowded around violently seized, his eyes opening as he let out a piercing shriek. It was an awful sound that made her soul cringe. She wanted to run from this room and not stop until she had as much distance as possible from that awful, awful sound.

What kept her frozen was the smoke that came from his skin. She had never seen anything like it in her life and prayed she never would again. It was like the man was being burned alive, yet there were no flames. The smoke seemed to be coming from him.

“Tristan,” Mrs. Montgomery said, “Have you ever seen anything like this?”

“I have not.” Dr. Gardner looked at Dr. Murnau. “What do you think this is?”