Sea Sick: A Horror Novel(20)

Jack answered quickly. “It’s my job. I don’t stop caring about public health just because I’m on holiday.”

The father seemed to mull this over, eventually saying, “Okay then. Come on, Vicky. Let’s take her down.”

The mother handed her daughter to her husband and stood up on shaky legs. Jack reached out to steady her, but she shrugged him away and told him she was fine. Together the family followed after Jack as he led them back down to C Deck via the elevators on Broadway. When they reached the medical bay, it was dimly lit and deserted.

“I don’t think the Doctor works at night,” said Vicky, sounding worried.

“He’ll be on call,” said the husband. “There’ll be some way to contact him.”

“There is,” said Jack, pointing.“Look!”

In the waiting room there was a notice on the wall. It read, CALL FOR DOCTOR. Jack located a small red button beneath the notice and stabbed at it with his finger.

Five minutes later, the same doctor he had spoken to earlier arrived from one of the staff areas. He looked sleepy, but was still well presented in his white lab coat. “Yes?” he asked, seeming to recognise all of them but not quite able to recall why.

“Our daughter needs help,” said Vicky.

“This man here is a nurse,” said her husband, pointing to Jack.

The doctor shook his head. “No, he is not. He told me that he was a police officer.”

So he does remember me, thought Jack, cringing at the position he was now in.

“What?” The husband sounded furious and his demeanour and stance changed to one of capable intent. Jack knew then that the older man was ex-army. From the tone alone it was obvious.

“Oh, God, Ivor,” Vicky whimpered. “Who is this man?”

“I don’t know,” Ivor told her, “but he has a great deal of explaining to do.”

Jack took a step back. “Okay, I admit I lied. But I only did it because I’m worried about your daughter. The doctor gave me some signs to look out for earlier. Things to suggest that this cold bug going around was getting worse.”

The parents looked confused. Doctor Fortuné butted in. “Sir, you have to stop meddling in affairs that do not concern you. I assure you that there is nothing onboard that requires your concern.”

As if to disagree, the little girl in her father’s arms started to moan.

“She’s lethargic,” said Jack. “She’s pale. Her condition is worsening. Look at her.”

The doctor glanced at the girl and then focused his attention on the father. “Has she been having any chest pains or bouts of breathlessness?”

Ivor nodded solemnly.

“Okay,” the doctor said.“Let’s go into the office and have a look at her.”

The family headed for the consultation room and Jack started to go with them, but Ivor put a meaty fist against his chest. “I’m not sure what your situation is, friend, but I politely request that you stay away from my family.”

Jack could tell it was a veiled threat and decided not to push it. If his plan worked then the doctor would help the young girl, if not then the night would end as it always did and nothing would be any worse off. Jack’s only intention was to find out if the infected passengers could be helped – or even cured. Maybe if he found a way to save them, he would be released from the hellish prison he found himself in every day. Perhaps that was the reason he was here.

He needed to stay close to see what happened, so Jack took a seat on the same green bench he’d been sitting on earlier in the day. From inside the nearby office, he could hear the voices of the worried family and the concerned doctor. Ideally, Jack would like to have been involved in the conversation, learning whatever he could. He was almost certain that the little girl was the one to bring the virus onboard, but he had no idea how she’d caught it in the first place.

Jack looked at his watch. It was five-past-eight. There wasn’t long left. All around the ship there would be infected people gearing up to explode in fits of animalistic rage. There was nothing to lose now, so Jack stood up and pushed open the door to the doctor’s office.

Ivor glared at Jack as he entered, but didn’t say anything. His little girl was laid out on the examination table, breathing in shallow gasps. Her condition was bad. Jack already knew that, of course, but he had never been this close to one of the infected right before they turned into an eyebleeding monster.

“How is she?” Jack asked.

“She’s tachycardic,” the doctor replied. “You were right to bring her to me. I’ve given her something to slow her heart rate, but it is still worryingly fast.”

The girl’s mother, Vicky, was sobbing on a chair in the corner, while her husband stood beside her. Jack went over to them both. “I’m sorry for deceiving you both,” he said.“I could just tell that she needed help.”

“Thank you,” Vicky told him between sobs.

“How did you know?” Ivor asked. “You’re not even a nurse.”


“No,” said Jack. “I’m not. I’m a police officer, and ex-army like you. I guess I’ve become pretty good at sensing danger.”

Ivor seemed to lower his guard and shook Jack’s hand. “Major Curtis.”

“Sergeant Wardsley. Pleased to meet you, sir.”