The Evil That Came

Part 7: Strings Attached

Victoria awoke to an unfamiliar sensation—a discomfort she couldn't quite put a name to. She was in pain; her body was aching, her chest throbbed like a drum, and her head pounded like a jackhammer. But having never experienced these sensations before, she was at a loss for words to describe them.

The night was eerily silent as she stumbled towards her parents' room. She clung to the walls for support, clutching her chest as if it were about to detach from her body. But just as she reached her destination, her body was a traitor, and her world plunged into darkness.

Victoria's mother heard a loud thud outside the door. Black fluid oozed from Victoria's wounds, staining the carpet. Her mother, a hospital worker, knew the chaos of emergency rooms. But here, in their home, she felt helpless. The thought of her daughter dying in her arms while waiting for care shook her to her core. So, she called the only person who had always been there to care for the R.O.B.O.S., General Alden. She called, but he didn't answer, so she called the man who, rumor has it, can understand everything about the R.O.B.O.S. She called Mr. Greg O'Dunn.

"Hello, who is this?" Greg heard a worried and desperate voice on the line.

"Uh, hi, this is Amnika. I heard you are researching the R.O.B.O.S.'s anatomy, and I don't know what makes me think you can help, but my daughter Victoria is on the ground, passed out, and bleeding. Please, you must help her!"

Greg heard the name and rushed down to the address that the lady had given him. When Greg got there, Victoria was hurt. He first bandaged her head, picked Victoria up, and told the lady to come to his lab. When he got to the lab, he laid Victoria on a bed reserved for researching R.O.B.O.S. He put Victoria in the proper position so her body could ingest the amoxicillin-like, viscous purple liquid to solve Victoria's condition. Amnika stood there; her tears unshed. Not human tears—something else. Her shoulders were hunched, her hands clasped, and her gaze was intense. Greg recognized the same unwavering stare the other R.O.B.O. children had given him when he cradled Victoria as a child. 

Greg looked at Amnika curiously. "Why didn't you call the hospital for R.O.B.O.S., and how did you know to contact me?" he asked.

Amnika shifted her weight nervously. "Well, I don't know; I felt since the hospitals are typically overcrowded with our people. They wouldn't get to her on time. I remember meeting you at the R.O.B.O.S. New Year's festival, where we celebrated the day we came to Earth. You specifically came to me, gave me your number, and told me to call you if I needed anything, and I did." Amnika smiled curtly at Greg, but she was nervous and amazed that she was standing before Greg O'Dunn.

Greg's gaze softened as he listened to Amnika's nervous explanation. Her determination to seek help for Victoria touched him.

"You did the right thing," Greg assured her. "Hospitals are swamped, even with humans. And yes, I remember our encounter at the New Year's festival. You're resourceful, Amnika."

He led her out of the lab and down the white corridors. The fluorescent lights hummed, casting shadows on the metallic floor. Greg's mind raced—Victoria's ailment was puzzling, but he's sure he'll find the answers.

Amnika paused and turned to Greg. "Will she be okay?"

"Yes, eventually, but she must be here a little while until she fully recovers. Did you notice any of her symptoms?"

"No, I work as a nurse to provide for my family, so I am often away from home. My husband, Zoran, is on disability and is typically home, so he may have noticed something, but he never told me. Why can't we take her home?"

"I'm sorry, Amnika. I'm not running the risk of infection in the community. Go home and get some rest," he said. "Victoria will be here, and I'll mail you the visiting hours."