Ella & Vlad at the end

#42 - complete it

Arriving back in the city Miles was kept busy, firstly bringing in two of the seriously wounded people to the hospital. Discussing their injuries with Lori and a couple nurses Miles managed to explain the basic outcomes of the day. Moments alone with Miles, Lori attempted to bring up the strange note in Ida's file. Intrigued to read it Miles hadn't the chance summoned away.

After dark Ella returns to the hospital hoping to speak with Miles. Not wanting to get the kids involved she figures Lori will do too, "good evening Lori. How are you holding up?"

"Why hello," Lori was hoping to speak with Ella, "I'm glad to see things worked out Ella. But can you explain the note you left?" Lori leads Ella back to the lab, "was it supposed to be funny?

"I'm sorry. A note? Like on a post-it? I have been known to drift off and scribble things in note pads." Ella slowly follows along.

"No, on the computer." Concerned another might have typed it bothers Lori, fearing the possible truth, "it was left in Ida's file and you were on that terminal the other night."

"Yes, you caught me unawares. I must've drifted off." Sensing more than concern from the woman Ella's curious, "I better read it first. I'm sorry if I did and don't recall, but let's see."

Tapping the mouse button Lori displays the note on the monitor, "tell me what you think?"

The first three lines Ella re-reads several times before able to finish it. "Um, I can see why you would find this upsetting. I'm finding it upsetting. I now have an image of a colony of ants or something in me." The mere idea causes her to rub arms feeling skin crawl.

"You didn't write this?" Lori now wishes someone else did, as Ella's rationalization on it seems terrifying.

"No." Ella re-reads it, "give me a second to read this. Maybe a few times. Or several. There's been these odd dreams over the years. Fragments of commonalities are coming together in my mind right now." She reads it long enough Miles returns. When he glimpses Ella, Lori points to the screen urging him to read it.

Completing the first read through Miles notes to Lori, "this is strange, science fiction strange. I'm sensing neither of you recall typing this. Lori I'm sorry I didn't listen to you earlier, so much was going on." He turns to Ella, "what ever that's about I'm not sure about. But before we get way into whatever this is. Thank you and Vlad for what you did earlier today. This community can breath a little easier."

"Yeah, sure." Ella turns to them, "there's a colony in me that wants to exist too. That part about Ida taking this affliction, she shouldn't have to. I can live with it. If there's a way to control it, I'd love to find out. Ida should have a chance to have a childhood, even have children. That Parkinsons may not affect her until she's forty. And trust me this organism will keep me going that long. I think at that point, if she's willing, I might consider it."

The response eased Lori but she's perplexed by the truth, "Ella? Does something unusual happen to you?"

"I had a dream about Ida before the first day we met. And I met her just not like the dream at all." Ella studies them for reaction, "in the dream Ida was hiding under a bed. A dream I've dreamt many times, but I was usually the girl under the bed. From dream to life, Ida and Adan helped me out. I couldn't believe it was her. And she knows, she has me figured out."

A little lost at first Lori begins to put it together, "you can't be... Not seriously... You actually become a wolf? A werewolf?"

"I don't know about a werewolf. But in the day I am forced to be a wolf to get blood. Ida doesn't need to experience that at her age." Ella sighs, "the worst thing having to live alone with it - them I guess. I'm not contagious but the animal within is dangerous."