Ivory Chronicles

Act III - Resurgence Isle Part 7

Turmoil of Fate

Days had passed since the hospital fire, and things had been relatively smooth. Many locals still resented us and disapproved of what happened, but they grudgingly accepted their medicines, knowing they needed them. So far, they hadn't caused much trouble. 

While Gonzalo and some of his family members distributed the medicines, Max and Leo had been busy helping around, especially Leo. He'd been delivering medicine to those who couldn't leave their homes, even venturing to the isolated houses near the Green Bridge. Max had been helping repair homes and stores as they moved around the island. The USC officers hadn't intervened much, only a few scuffles with locals. Leo had stepped up during those moments, diffusing tensions and maintaining peace. Needless to say, he and Max had become very popular on the island.

We were in a corner of La Escollera Plaza Square, with various tables laid out. Gonzalo's sons, grandkids, and his wife were all helping with the distribution. The square was poorly maintained, with patches of grass and tree roots breaking through the ground. A knee-deep canal choked with trash added to the disarray. Despite this, a long line of locals waited patiently, each clutching small slips of paper detailing their medical needs.

Pedro, one of Gonzalo's sons and a doctor, was examining the locals, giving them physicals and reading their medical histories—if they even had one. After finishing with each person, he directed them to Gonzalo with a slip of paper to receive their medicines.

"Next!" Gonzalo called out. His weathered face was stern but kind. He'd been working non-stop since the day Max and Leo secured the supplies.

An elderly woman with weary eyes stepped forward, handing her slip of paper to Kyriah, who was standing next to Gonzalo. With a warm smile, Kyriah greeted the old woman, read her needs, and handed the list to Marco, one of Gonzalo's sons, who was a few feet away with his kids, all handling the medicines.

"María Hernandez. Arthritis," Gonzalo said, adjusting his glasses as he read his meticulously kept list. "I can only give you pills for a couple of days. Many people on this island need the same medicines, so I can't give out a week's supply at once. Come back in a few days, and we'll reassess and give you more if needed." He offered a worn-out smile.

"Oh, thank you! I'll definitely come back. The pain is unbearable. I have to ask my grandsons to help me with opening jars, and cooking has become impossible—" The old lady started rambling about her day-to-day struggles.

One of Gonzalo's grandkids, clutching a small packet of pills, ran towards Kyriah and handed it over. Kyriah then gave the packet to the elderly woman, her warm smile never wavering as she listened patiently. She gently escorted the rambling lady out of the line to allow Gonzalo to continue attending to others. As the old woman continued talking about her dogs, Kyriah glanced at me, making a gun gesture with her hand and mimicking blowing her brains out.

I was in the back, sitting on an uncomfortable rusty metal chair that got unbearably hot in the sun. Fabian, Max, and Leo were with me. Leo was watching over the lines, his eyes constantly scanning the crowd as if expecting trouble.

"Ease up, Leo. Everything's fine. Why are you glancing over there every minute?" Fabian asked, noticing Leo's anxious demeanor.

Leo looked back at Fabian, eyes wide with concern, before quickly easing up. "Yeah, I know they're fine, but I just want to make sure everything goes smoothly. No problems or any fighting. Some of the locals are getting agitated by the whole situation. We still can't leave the island, and they know the supplies won't last forever. Each day, there's less and less. And they're all depending on me. I brought them together, and I don't want to disappoint them," he said, his tone filled with a sense of responsibility as he glanced back at the crowd.