On The Surface

Chapter 2

The next morning at breakfast, Mrs. Jameson was the topic of discussion.

"She just collapsed right there in the kitchen?" Kayla's mother asked.

"Yeah. I heard a noise and turned around and there she was, flat on her back. When I couldn't wake her up, I called the Infirmary."

"Well, it's a good thing you did. Dr. Riggs says she is very sick and not responding to treatment. He's going to try an anti-viral cocktail next. Hopefully, that will work. Dr. Riggs is very concerned. How are you feeling, Kayla? Any pain or fever?"

Kayla shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. She couldn't get sick. Wouldn't. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of being confined to the Infirmary.

"I hope Mrs. Jameson gets well soon. I suppose Admin will be sending me a helper from the high school?"

Her father nodded his head. He worked in Administration, assigning jobs, housing and resources and attending to the smooth running of the colony. Kayla sighed. It was hard enough to run the kitchen without Mrs. J., but trying to train someone at the same time was even harder. She kissed her parents good-bye, grabbed her tablet and left.

She arrived at the kitchen to find her helper already waiting for her. She squealed and gave her a hug.

"Oh, I'm so glad they sent you! I thought I was going to have to spend the day training a newbie and trying to get all the meals out and the cookies baked for the week. How have you been?"

Krista smiled. "Happy to get out of Algebra and spend the day here."

The two girls chattered as they rolled out cookie dough side by side. At 10 o'clock they slid the last tray into the oven and began lunch prep. It was relatively simple today, just soup and sandwiches, but soup and sandwiches for 500 people took some work. Mrs. Jameson had made the soup the day before, so all they had to do was assemble the sandwiches.

At 11:30 Kayla laid out trays of sandwiches and bowls of grapes from the hydroponics garden. Krista took her position behind the vat of soup, stacks of bowls to one side and ladle in hand. By 11:45 the first hungry residents started to form a line.

Kayla and Krista worked quickly and efficiently, keeping the line moving at a steady pace. Soon the tables were filled and the hall buzzed with the sound of conversation and laughter. A commotion at the far side of the hall caught Kayla's attention. Several people were gathered around a figure on the ground. Kayla kept her gloves on and went to see what the problem was.

An older woman was lying on the ground, gripping her stomach in agony.Kayla thought she worked in the Infirmary, but she couldn't remember her name. Her dark hair was plastered to her face, and her cheeks were flushed against her pale, white skin.

"I'll call the Infirmary," Kayla said, backing away.

She wove through the clusters of concerned men and women and picked up the phone in the kitchen. After she made the call, she returned to the little cluster of people surrounding the woman.

"The Infirmary is on the way. They said to try to keep her comfortable until they arrive."

Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen. It was unusual for the medics to take so long when someone was in distress. Kayla was just about to call them again when they hustled through the door, looking harried.

"Sorry you had to wait. We had four other calls right before yours."

Kayla blinked. Four calls? What was going on here? She eased away and returned to the kitchen, where she scrubbed her hands until they were red.