Them Bones

THE BOX VI

Smith’s Diary

The word is that they are getting sick.

Spaulding has restricted everyone but the medics from contact with them. The doc is out at the second village with a team, trying to find out what’s wrong.

At least two of the Indians have died. They developed colds, running bloody noses, fevers, and then they died.

We were so careful, too. Up There, we had every shot you could think of, besides the usual stuff. Our arms and butts were sore for days, we had low grade fevers, and felt like shit for a week we had so many shots. But that was a month ago. We should be immune to everything.

Which doesn’t mean we weren’t carriers.

The doc is back.

There are more of them sick and one more has died in the second village. Except for the sick ones, the village is deserted. They had buried one in the common mound, but the rest left before the other two died. It looked like they had been getting ready for another burial ceremony but they dropped everything and ran.

The team took smears and samples, and hope to find out something, with our limited resources. We certainly can’t manufacture vaccines here, if that’s what it takes.

Spaulding told the doc to go out only with an armed guard if they left the camp again. The doctor didn’t think it was wise but didn’t argue very long either.

I hope this all blows over. We have enough problems already. They gave me the job of thinking up a few scenarios. They can’t do anything without an agenda.