“Your son is gravely ill from pneumonia,” Elijah said,
rising from Jamie’s side. He tried to ignore Geraldine’s presence. How could
she stand there with that hateful smirk when a child lay suffering only a few
feet away? “He’s drowning in fluid. I might be able to save him by performing
an emergency tracheotomy.”
“You ain’t gonna do nothin’ to Jamie.” The big man purpled
in rage. He turned to his wife who sat crumpled and sobbing beside the gasping
boy. “I told you not to bring this man in here!”
“This is my baby, my only child! I can’t stand by and do
nothing!”
Elijah stared at him. “Dave, I don’t think you understand.
Jamie is dying. I don’t think there’s anything I can do, but at least let me
try.”
“No Satan worshipper is gonna use his poison to cure my
boy,” Dave choked. “If God means to take him away, then it’s His will.”
“Not my boy! Don’t ... want him ... to die.” Sarah beseeched
her husband through her harsh sobs.
Tears fell across Dave’s wide cheeks. He buried his face in
his hands, unable to look at her.
“Let Dr. Webb save him, or God help me, I’ll never forgive
you. If Jamie dies, you’re dead to me too!” Spittle flew from Sarah’s mouth as
she went from begging to a mother’s desperate fury.
Geraldine’s shrewish voice cut into her wails. “Where’s your
faith, woman? When God told Isaac to sacrifice his son to Him, did he cry and
call on demons for help? Would you save your son’s life just to damn him and
yourself to eternal Hell?”
Elijah looked from one person to another, incredulous. Had
Geraldine actually brainwashed Dave into believing Jamie would be better off
dead than to accept medical help? Surely they didn’t expect him to not try to
save the child!
He laid a desperate hand on the other man’s shoulder.
“Listen to me—”
“No, you listen.” Dave dropped his hands from his face. His
skin blotched red. “Take this message to your demon friend Black Elk.”
Elijah saw him pull back, saw the big man’s hand clench, but
didn’t believe he would actually hit him until the ham fist slammed into his
jaw. Too surprised at first to feel the pain, he dropped to the ground.
Lying on the cold floor, his head ringing from the blow and
darkness closing in, he gaped up at Dave. The despairing man bent toward him,
his face twisted in a snarl. Elijah cringed as he reached for him.
Sarah’s lost scream stopped her husband. The last thing the
doctor saw before blacking out was the wretched woman throwing herself across
her son’s still, silent form.
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