Chapter XXXVI pgs. 235-236
Even though Dr. Heckleweit had said he’d stay with Johanna, Maria worried about her. Johanna’s vitals were so low! Maria had known that there was something dangerously wrong. She should have said something different to the doctor. All she’d told him was that the dose seemed too high. If she’d actually told him that she was administering two milligrams, he’d have corrected her right there, and Johanna wouldn’t be near death. I didn’t deserve this job,’ she thought. ‘I am not worthy.’
Johanna’s dream shifted, and now, a marshy coolness replaced the sand and the heat devils. Johanna followed the scorpion, her stick poised to hurt. And as she ran, Johanna shrank to the same smallness as the scorpion.
Now the sun was shadowed by a canopy of mossy branches cooling the chase below – the hapless scorpion and the girl with the stick. The ground was damp and clammy. Putrid whiffs of rotting carcasses filled the air: to the left, a crushed snake, his fangs shooting forward in final defiance, and to the right a bloated boar’s carcass, stuck in a pond of oozing mud.
Ignoring the death stench, Johanna prodded the scorpion, holding the stick like a lance, pushing him ever closer to the muddy pond. And now Johanna backed the scorpion into the ooze. His motion slowed and his legs kicked helplessly as thick mud coated his armored limbs. Johanna followed, plodding through the goo, pushing the scorpion farther into the middle of the pool, ignoring the slime creeping up around her ankles.
Finally the scorpion’s body broke the plane of liquid and sank beneath the ooze. Johanna followed after, stepping high as the mud came up to her hips, and it sucked at her legs with each step pulling her off balance. Had he died? He must have. Johanna had finally defeated the playground bully, the bossy five-year-old with the freckles and grimace. But she didn’t feel victorious, only small and vindictive. He was only a kid ,she thought, doing the kind of dumb thing kids do.
But scorpions are hardy. Maybe he wasn’t dead yet. She poked her stick into the ooze at the place where the scorpion had sunk, pushing upwards this time, trying to lift the body. She kept scooping at the mud with her twig, trying to scoop up its body. Probably too late. She should give up. And even if she could fish him back out, how was she going to clean the mud off to let him breathe? With another thrust of the stick, she stepped forward. There was nothing solid beneath her feet. She sank to her armpits, then took a breath as mud and death closed over her head.
Even though Dr. Heckleweit had said he’d stay with Johanna, Maria worried about her. Johanna’s vitals were so low! Maria had known that there was something dangerously wrong. She should have said something different to the doctor. All she’d told him was that the dose seemed too high. If she’d actually told him that she was administering two milligrams, he’d have corrected her right there, and Johanna wouldn’t be near death. I didn’t deserve this job,’ she thought. ‘I am not worthy.’
Johanna’s dream shifted, and now, a marshy coolness replaced the sand and the heat devils. Johanna followed the scorpion, her stick poised to hurt. And as she ran, Johanna shrank to the same smallness as the scorpion.
Now the sun was shadowed by a canopy of mossy branches cooling the chase below – the hapless scorpion and the girl with the stick. The ground was damp and clammy. Putrid whiffs of rotting carcasses filled the air: to the left, a crushed snake, his fangs shooting forward in final defiance, and to the right a bloated boar’s carcass, stuck in a pond of oozing mud.
Ignoring the death stench, Johanna prodded the scorpion, holding the stick like a lance, pushing him ever closer to the muddy pond. And now Johanna backed the scorpion into the ooze. His motion slowed and his legs kicked helplessly as thick mud coated his armored limbs. Johanna followed, plodding through the goo, pushing the scorpion farther into the middle of the pool, ignoring the slime creeping up around her ankles.
Finally the scorpion’s body broke the plane of liquid and sank beneath the ooze. Johanna followed after, stepping high as the mud came up to her hips, and it sucked at her legs with each step pulling her off balance. Had he died? He must have. Johanna had finally defeated the playground bully, the bossy five-year-old with the freckles and grimace. But she didn’t feel victorious, only small and vindictive. He was only a kid ,she thought, doing the kind of dumb thing kids do.
But scorpions are hardy. Maybe he wasn’t dead yet. She poked her stick into the ooze at the place where the scorpion had sunk, pushing upwards this time, trying to lift the body. She kept scooping at the mud with her twig, trying to scoop up its body. Probably too late. She should give up. And even if she could fish him back out, how was she going to clean the mud off to let him breathe? With another thrust of the stick, she stepped forward. There was nothing solid beneath her feet. She sank to her armpits, then took a breath as mud and death closed over her head.
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