The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments) (34 page)

Rickie lit it for her. “He’s locking the door.”

Cal, still holding the rifle, tossed the Molotov. She re-aimed. “Let’s go, Jake.”

Jake looked up to Cal and then began to head back. On his third running step, he heard the loud, long, angry growling bark and before he knew what happened, a wolf leaped bravely though the flames. He held up his arm in his defense, only to have it snatched and gripped in the beast’s jaws.

“Oh, my God,” Cal yelled and clicked back the hammer on the rifle. The animal was so close to Jake. Trying to aim, her heart dropped when another beast lunged through the flames. Lifting her rifle slightly, she caught that wolf midair and then returned her aim to the one that had Jake. She knew what she had to do.

With his free hand he struggled for the neck of the wolf, trying to grasp it, trying to break it, all while fighting not to be pummeled. The warm rotten breath of the wolf along with spraying saliva hit him in the face as he tried to move his head away. He felt the teeth sink into his skin and Jake’s jaws clenched in pain. It was a struggle he wasn’t prepared for. Then in one split second it was over. The jaws of the wolf released when, with a ringing through gunshot, the head of the beast exploded before his eyes, showering Jake with his blood.

An instantaneous rush of excitement filled Jake, as his adrenaline pumped and he harshly ran his hand down his face swiping off the blood so he could open his eyes. “Cal! Yes!” he called out with enthusiasm, seeing her climb down the rope, drop to her knees, and then pick herself up and race right to him.

“Oh my God, Jake, are you all right?” She jumped in his arms.

Jake took a second to touch her face and smile at her. Cal’s feet nearly dragged as he carried her with him, running to the main building. “Unbelievable!” He slammed the door as they ran inside. “Did you guys see that?”

“Jake.” Cal tried to see his arm. “We have to get this . . .”

“I know, I know.” Jake turned to everyone who stood, out of breath, and stunned. “I’ll be back.” Clutching Cal’s arm, he ran with her to their room.

“Jake.” Cal immediately followed him into the bathroom. He was turning on the water. “Let me see your arm.”

“It’ll be fine.” He submerged it under the hot water and immediately began scrubbing fiercely with the bar of soap. “It will be just fine, thanks to you. God, Cal. Unbelievable marksmanship, I
knew
there was a reason I loved you.” He scrubbed his arm harder and then looked at his wound. “It looks good.” Shaking off the excess water, Jake grabbed a towel. “I’ll tell you what.” He reached behind her neck, pulled her to him and kissed her with a smack. “Excellent.”

Cal smacked her lips, crinkling up her face. “Oh, Jake.” She wiped her hand across her mouth. “It’s wolf blood.”

“Sorry.” Jake splashed his face with water. “I forgot. Do you mind if I jump in the shower?”

“No.” Cal held up her hand as he stepped to her. “Not at all, please do.”

“Thanks.” Jake reached in and turned on the water. “I have to do something first.” He ran into his room and came back out with a syringe in his mouth. He uncapped it with his teeth.

“What is that?” Cal asked.

“Rabies vaccine, I told you I came prepared.” He plunged the needle into his upper arm.

Cal winced. “Jake. How can you just stick yourself like that?”

“And this is coming from a woman who did what you did?” Jake took off his shirt. “I’m proud of you.” He spoke upbeat and fast. “What you did took a lot of guts. A lot of guts.” He dropped his pants to the floor stepping out of them. “Do you realize how close that wolf was to me? You did realize that, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. What choice did I have?” She watched him stand totally naked in front of her and slide the shower door open. “The wolf had you. I figured, either way, if I missed the wolf, you were a goner. So I shot. . . .Why don’t I wait until you’re done?”

“No, I’m talking to you. Stay in here.” Jake spoke loudly through the running water. “We got a lot of supplies out of there, Cal. With proper rationing we can make it the next three months, even with The Howling gang hanging out there. Though between you and I, we can take care of the problem, or start to at least. We can make it a game. Go up to the roof every morning. What do you think?”

“Sure.” Cal had less the enthusiasm that Jake did. She leaned against the sink, arms folded.

“How about this, to pull them from the hill, we can get Rickie to open the door and stand there until they charge.”

“Jake, that’s terrible.”

“It would work.” Jake scoured his head, letting the chucks of wolf remains fall through the drain. “Only one mistake you made. You came off the roof. For your safety, you should have stayed there.”

Cal immediately slid the door open. “I came off the roof because I was worried about you. Christ, you scared me. What were you thinking? You were safe. You ran back out to lock the door? When in the world did wolves learn to turn door knobs? You scared the hell out of me Jake!”

Jake rinsed the soap from his eyes. “Are you done?”

“Yes.”

“Well, can you shut the door, please? You’re letting in cold air.”

Cal did shut the door—with a slam.

Jake, really not paying attention that she slammed the door for a reason, continued with his shower.

“Cal.” Wearing a towel, Jake came out of the bathroom and looked at Cal who sat on the bed. “I was thinking about what you said.” He shut and locked the bathroom door. “If the wolves hit against the door enough, wouldn’t it have been better and safer if the door was secured? Also, I think we should secure these windows, too, after what . . .”

“Jake!” Cal stood up. “I told you I was worried. You worried me. Didn’t you hear that part?”

“Yes, I did. Cal, that just goes with the territory. In fact, now you know how
I
felt when you
died
on me. But that’s beside the point . . . don’t lessen what you did by being mad at me. OK?”

“I’m just concerned, Jake. I’m sorry I bitched at you.”

Jake walked over and sat next to her on the bed. “I guess that’s just part of being a couple. We are a couple, right?”

“Jake, we broke up for two weeks. We had to start all over again.”

“No, we did not.” Jake rested his hand over hers. “Thank you for what you did. In the words of someone I think very highly of . . . I put my faith in you and you didn’t let me down.” He brought his lips closer to hers. “Of course when you do shit like that, you excite me like you don’t believe.” He kissed her.

“Jake . . .” she said as she felt herself being pulled down. “Not now . . . Jake . . . this isn’t a good time . . . Jake.” She was flat on her back as he buried his lips in her neck. “There are wolves outside.” She heard him growl softly in her ear. Knowing she was defeated, Cal gave in and stopped fighting. “Tell me Jake, is Rambo your equivalent to a porno film?”

Jake didn’t answer, he just removed his towel.

Stan zipped his jacket up as he emerged from the research center wanting nothing more than to just go home. Not much had bothered Stan through the whole experiment. Not much at all. But he knew, as he headed to his tiny blue compact car, that when he returned for his shift the next evening, things would be a lot different.

Of all the participants, Stan knew who he expected to be the surviving victim of the wolf bite. In his mind it wasn’t Jake.

Jake had his size and strength in his favor for the obstacle he was about to go up against. Stan knew that, but sadly Stan also knew that Jake planned ahead. And what he was about to face Jake could not have been planned for nor ever expected. All the observers had favorites and Jake was Stan’s. He went home that evening truly bothered by the thought of what he would see when he came back the next day.

His eyes felt extremely heavy when he opened them and lifted his head over Cal’s shoulder to see the clock. Finding it hard to believe he slept that late, Jake slid his hand up Cal’s leg and softly placed his lips to her cheek. His throat felt thick. He cleared it. “Cal . . .” Jake’s voice was raspy. He cleared his throat again. “Cal, come on, get up.” He kissed her one more time as he lifted the covers from his body only. “Cal?” He waited for her signature grunt and knew by that sound she would get up. Swinging his legs over the bed, he planted his feet on the cold floor. As he stood, he felt as if all of his blood rushed to his head. The room moved out of focus. Jake leaned down and put one hand on the bed. He rubbed his eyes, caught his balance and then moved to the bathroom.

Flicking the light on in the bathroom was the wakeup call for the headache that slumbered in Jake’s head. Piercing pain pressed against his eyes causing him to grip the edge of the sink.
 
Jake turned on the faucet and began to splash his face. He moved through his normal morning routine, but very slowly.

“All yours,” Jake said to Cal as he walked from the bathroom. She stumbled from the half sleep state she was in, flicking on the already prepared coffee pot and then made her way into the bathroom. Her hair was all over the place. Jake looked around for the clothes that he had taken out the night before. He rubbed his arms as he searched Cal’s dresser. Finally seeing them, he reached down to retrieve them but they seemed to turn into a blur. “Fuck,” he whispered, rubbing his eyes once more.

He could barely move. His legs felt so heavy; it was if they weren’t a part of his body.
It has to be lack of exercise,
Jake thought as he began to get dressed, planning in his mind what he could do to remedy that.

Cal never said anything when she first woke up. Moving from the bathroom to the coffee pot was her normal routine. Next came pouring herself a cup, smelling it and then sipping it. “You want coffee?” she asked.

“Uh . . . please.”

Cal grabbed his mug, filled it with coffee and handed it to him. “Morning,” she said reaching up and kissing him. “How’s your arm?”

“It feels fine.” Jake sniffled and sipped the coffee. “This is cold.”

“No it’s not. Let me see.” She peered at his arm. “It does look good. It’s not even red.”

“No . . .” Jake cleared his throat again, looking down at his arm. “It’s not. Cal, are you cold?”

“Nope.” She set down her coffee and grabbed her shoes. “Is it my turn or your turn for the shotgun?”

“Um . . .” Jake set his mug down and turned to Cal. She went out of focus. His blinking was pronounced as he looked at her. “Yours,” he said and squinted.

“Jake, are you all right? You look tired.” She finished lacing her boot and looked at him.

“I have a headache. But I’m fine.”

Cal stood up from the bed stepping closer to him. “You look really tired.”

“I’m fine. Let’s just get up there.”

“Weapons?” Cal looked around. “You usually have them out.”

“Sorry.” Jake grabbed the duffle bag.

“Jake?” Cal laid her hand on his arm. It was warm to the touch. “Jake, stand up.” When he did she felt his neck. “You are really warm.” She looked again at his injured arm. “Are you sure . . .”

“Cal, please.” Slowly he removed her hand from his neck. “Let’s just go.” He handed her the shotgun, grabbed his coffee and opened the door for her.

Pausing as she passed by him, Cal took a long look at Jake. His face seemed pale, his eyes darker. Her immediate gut reaction told her it had something to do with the bite, infection possibly. But his arm looked clear. No redness at all. If it was an infection, surely it would be visible there. Without wanting to cause Jake further agitation, Cal walked ahead of him down the hall.

^^^^

“All quiet on the western front.” Cal knelt, looking through Jake’s binoculars. “They’re just sitting in the woods. Maybe we
should
use Rickie as bait. What do you think? Try your idea, Jake?”

Leaning with his back against the edging, rifle between his bent up legs, Jake barely turned his head toward her. “Sure.” He tried breathing deeply, trying to shake the headache, the sluggish feeling.

“I don’t understand.” Cal laid the binoculars down. “I was prepared for a big . . . shit!” she said at the sound of the all too familiar rumble, the rumble that signified what was going to happen. Aiming her gun as the balanced on the ledge, Cal prepared herself for the battle. “Jake!”

Jolting back from his
daze
, Jake quickly spun himself from his sitting position and got on his knees. Raising his rifle, the felt the floor start to sway and he began to lose his balance. Hurriedly, without Cal noticing, he caught himself and clicked back the hammer. He could hear Cal fire as his finger began to depress the trigger. The wolves started to scatter, making it harder for him to focus. Shifting his eyes trying to find a target, the grey overcast of the sky seemed to get darker, and quickly everything in Jake’s view began to blacken out. He rubbed his eyes fanatically and his vision returned. Shooting at his target, he merely nipped the wolf’s hind leg.

“Jake, come on, you’re better than that. Wake up.” Cal fired, taking one out.

“I’m trying to . . .” Jake’s fingers locked and wouldn’t bend. Quickly he removed them from the gun and stared at his hand until it went out of focus. “Fuck.”

“What’s wrong?”

Trying to click back the hammer on his gun was impossible. Jake’s hand began to tremble so bad he couldn’t control it. Cal’s voice began to fade in the back of his head. She sounded as if she was calling him from an echo chamber. So faint, so distant. What was happening to him? Jake’s hands weakened and his rifle began to topple. He stopped it and stood up. As he began to rise, Jake felt as if the world around him was slipping from under his feet. Suddenly he saw two
Cals
, both of them out of focus. And then the pain hit him, sharp, eye watering, daggering straight from his eyes to his ears. Grunting to himself, Jake backed up. He saw Cal stop shooting and turn around. She called to him. She called his name. Why was it so deep and far away?

With a trembling body, Jake dropped his weapon. His stomach began to knot in fear that he was going to pass out on that roof. Knowing that he was more of a hindrance to the situation than an asset, Jake stepped back. “Keep . . . keep shooting, Cal.” Stepping aimlessly to the hatch, Jake lowered his legs. He slid down the twelve feet barely holding on. The hallway was rippled. Holding on to the wall for support, Jake staggered to Cal’s room. He shut the door behind him and pressed his palms deep into his eye sockets. Attempting again to focus, to stop shaking, Jake raised his eyes. The room began to turn black. Jake reached for the bed, felt for the softness of it and collapsed.

“Jake . . .” His name slowed from her mouth as Cal threw open the door. “Oh, my God.” Shutting the door, dropping her weapons, Cal fell to her knees beside Jake who was face down half on and half off the bed. “Oh, God, Jake.” Cal laid her hands on his back to roll him over. “You’re burning up.” Using all her strength, she managed to get Jake on his back facing her. His legs dropped all the way and he slid to the floor. Cal struggled to hold him up right. His head fell back over her arm. “Rickie!” She called in a voice loud and desperate. “Jake . . . Jake.” She shook his chin. “Rickie,” Cal mumbled. “I have to do something.”

“Cal!” Rickie flew into the room pulling on his sweat pants. “What happened to Sarge?”

“Rickie, he’s sick. He’s really sick. He’s burning up. Go into the bathroom and wet a towel. Hurry . . . and make sure it’s not too cold.” Cal rested him against the bed and lifted his shirt. It was a struggle to even begin to get his arms out. “Jake, wake up.”

“
Here.
” Rickie handed her the dripping cloth.

“Thanks. Help me with him. We have to get him awake and in the shower.” She waited for Rickie to support Jake and then she pulled off his shirt. “Jake . . .” She wiped off his face and neck. “Jake . . . it’s me.”

Jake’s eyes opened slightly. “Cal.” His head went back.

Cal panicked. “Jake, you have to help me help you. Please.” She kept wiping. “Jake . . . Rickie, we have to get him up. We have to get something in him. Anything.”

“Want me to get John and Carlos?”

“No!” Cal answered abruptly. “He wouldn’t want anyone to see him like this . . . Jake.”

Jake parted his eyes slightly lifting his head. He reached his trembling hand out blindly to Cal. “I can’t . . . see you.”

“I’m right here.” She led his hand to her face. “I’m right here.” As his head began to fall back Cal held it. “Jake, you have to help me. You have to stand up. I can’t carry you. Jake?” She grabbed his chin, shaking his head. “Jake . . .”

With rolling eyes Jake lifted his head. “I’ll stand.”

“Good.” Cal smiled, and grabbed his arm. “Rickie, grab his other arm.” She placed her face directly in front of Jake’s. “Listen to me, Jake. On three you have to try to stand. Got that?”

“Three.” Jake spoke groggily.

“One
 
. . .”

“I love . . . I love you.” Jake reached his hand out. His fingers touched her face. They ran weakly from her nose across her lips as his head began to sway.

Cal clutched his searching hand and brought it to her mouth as a rush of emotions hit her. “Prove it, Jake. Stand up for me. Please.” She kissed him and then nodded her head to Rickie. “One, two, three,” she counted and with a grunt, all of them rose awkwardly to their feet. Jake’s huge body swayed back and forth. He could barely walk.

Feeling the not-so-steady ground beneath his feet, Jake clung to Cal as if she were his pillar of strength. “Did you doubt me?” he asked weakly.

“Not for a second.” Cal helped Rickie lead him into the bathroom. “Rickie, turn on the water.”

“Do you have him?” Rickie asked.

“I hope.” Cal used the wall for support. “We’re going to have to get him in the stall like this. I’ll worry about his clothes later.”

Rickie took hold of Jake’s arm. “Cal, how are you going to hold him up in there?”

“Can you give me a hand?” she asked humbly. “Please.”

Without a second’s thought, Rickie opened the shower door and helped Cal get Jake inside. It was a good thing for the both of them that even half out of it Jake was able to help out. She and Rickie stood in the lukewarm running water, both of them fully dressed, holding Jake.

As soon as Jake felt the water, he awakened some, shaking his head as the water hit him. “It’s cold.”

“No,” Cal stood behind him speaking soothingly, “you’re just fevered. We have to bring it down.” She lifted his right arm placing his hand flush against the wall for support. She looked at Rickie who held on to Jake with everything he had. With one arm wrapped around his waist and the other bracing his shoulder, Cal saw Jake’s head drop forward. She pressed her lips to his back, leaning her head against it. A lump formed in her throat and her eyes misted up because Cal was deathly afraid of what was wrong with him.

^^^^

Using the large pot Rickie had brought for her from the kitchen, Cal sat in the chair next to Jake. So close she sat, feeling his warm breath as he lay sleeping, breathing heavy. She wiped him off almost continuously. Around his face, under his arms, his chest, and behind his neck, over and over, she wiped him, constantly changing the cool water in the pot because it kept getting warm every time she wrung out the cloth. She reached for the glass of water on the night stand; it had its own cloth. She grabbed the rag, dabbed it and brought it gently to his lips, lips that were beginning to blister, and moistened them. Through all her fussing over him, Jake never woke. The only movement that he made was the trembling of his body as his system desperately tried to fight off what was attacking him.