Into Oblivion

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It’s hard to find good medicines out in the wastelands since everything was practically destroyed out there. Oceanus had some medicines but the most effective drugs were too expensive for anyone to afford. So the residents began creating their own medicines. They weren’t 100% effective but they did reasonably well to help stop infections and they made some pretty good painkillers too. The best place to buy the new drugs was Faith’s Cures. Faith was an elderly lady which snow white hair and a soft and trusting voice. Faith knew a lot about her medicines since her ancestors were Doctors, real Doctors.

Castor had met Faith on the first day he came to Oceanus. He was only 17 and he had to journey across the wastelands with a large group of people he’d met across the way, one of them was Shawn, the rest had moved on and were presumably dead or starving now. When Faith heard about his struggle she employed him; through sheer empathy. Empathy was not a common thing in Oceanus. Everyone mainly cared for themselves, or their loved ones.

As Castor walked over to the small wooden shop he pulled out a small piece of plastic which he ran from bottom to top in the middle of the door. There was a knock and Castor pushed the door open gently. The door opened to reveal a practically empty room. It was made from wood and there was a sweeping broom in the corner. At the back on the room was a counter also made from wood and behind that was an open door. At the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor, from Castor’s walking boots, an elderly woman shuffled in to the room through the open door. She smiled as she saw Castor.

“Good morning Faith.” Castor smiled at her as he closed the door.

“Morning Castor,” She replied as she leaned against the counter. Castor walked across the room and perched himself on the counter next to her. “Are you excited for another day of exciting work?” She asked him, stiffly straightening up.

“Nope,” He replied simply and Faith laughed hoarsely and squeezed his knee.

“Such a nice boy,” She muttered to herself as she retreated in to the back room. Castor slipped off the bench and stood behind the counter as he prepared for his first customer.

Castor’s days at work were always the same. People normally came in asking for cures for vomiting from food poisoning, since hygiene was very low in Oceanus germs usually passed in to food. But Castor got a surprise today.

It was early afternoon and Castor was bored of out his mind. His fingers tapped gently on the counter as he waited for his next customer to arrive. He hoped one wouldn’t arrive; he was due to finish work soon. But the door creaked open and a young woman walked inside holding the hand of a young boy, about 6 years old. Castor stood up and smiled.

“Welcome to Faith’s cures. How can I help you today?” He repeated the same cheery line he said to every customer who came to the shop.

“I need your help.” The women said desperately, her eyes wild with fear.

“Well, that’s what I’m here for-” The women cut Castor off.

“My Father went first. T-There was blood everywhere! A-and now m-my son has the same.” She stuttered. The women reached forward and grabbed Castor’s black long shelved shirt which was covered with rips and tears. She pulled him forward and looked in to his deep brown eyes. “You’ve got to help me.”

“Well...Well I can try.” She released him from her vice-like grip and he took a stepped away from the counter. “What are his symptoms?” He looked down at the little boy who shifted awkwardly from side to side, his hands twisting around the bottom of his blood covered shirt.

“He won’t sleep, he coughs all night and he finds it hard to breath and he won’t eat anything and... You will help us right?” She asked Castor trying to get as close to him as possible even with the counter in the way.

“I will, I promise. I’ll try to help him.” Castor replied nervously watching the boy.

The women nodded. “I’ll come back the same time tomorrow, okay? You’ll have a cure than right?”

“I’ll try.”

The women smiled at him and turned. She took her little boy’s hand and left the shop. Castor sighed and followed her locking the door behind them. He walked back behind the counter and entered the little room through the door behind it.

This room was also made of wood but pushed against the walls were metal shelves containing piles of herbs and vials. One wall had a large bookcase against it. It held many thick books with hard covers and creased spines. At the very back of the room was a small stove and on top of it was a pot. The stove was on and the liquid in the pot was foaming so much it was running down the side of the stove and on to the floor. The liquid in the pot was giving off a sweet vanilla scent but the stove was on very high and caused the room to be very warm. In the middle of the room was a long table covered with books, a chopping board and several other herbs. By the table stood Faith who was concentrating on her work, too busy to notice Castor.

“Faith,” He said gently, cautiously. He knew what happened when he interrupted her work.

She looked over and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “Yes my boy?”

“A lady just came in and she asked for a cure of something I haven’t heard of before.”

“What did she say?” Castor repeated the symptoms and Faith listened while walking over to her bookcase. She pulled a book from the shelf and flicked through the pages.

“It sounds like the flu. It doesn’t sound too bad, but we haven’t gotten a case this bad before.” She replied, closing the book and replacing it on the shelf.

“What do we do?”

Faith stood still for a while, busy in thought. “I will need you to collect some herbs for me. If she said she’ll be back tomorrow you will need to go out quite early and be back a few hours before she is due to arrive.”

Castor nodded. “I will do. Can you give me a slip so I can get through the guards?” Faith smiled and scrawled something on to a small piece of paper.

“Don’t lose it.” She said as she handed it to him. Castor smiled and thanked her then turned to leave, since his working day was up. “Castor” He turned around. “Don’t forget your sword boy; I don’t want the Cleavers getting you.”

“They won’t, don’t worry.” Castor smiled at her and walked to the door. “I’ll come back alive tomorrow Faith, don’t worry about me.” He said and waved goodbye to her as he unlocked the door, stepped outside and closed it shut. There was a wooden knock as it locked behind him. Castor pocketed the note and headed off back to his apartment, a little nervous about tomorrow.