Page 61 of Stay Buried

“Untie him at once!” Pearl cried, stepping forward and reaching for the closest knot. I grabbed her, wrapped my arms around her tightly, pulled her back.

“Don’t let them do this!” Benjamin yelled. “They’re killing me!”

Pearl fought against me, bucking and writhing. I held tight. “Let him go!” she demanded. She jerked forward, kicked back, getting my shin hard enough to make me stumble.

“Please, Pearl.” Uncle Thomas was authoritative now. “We have him restrained for his safety and ours. He requested it, before he lost his senses—it’s the sickness. We’ve got to wait this out,” he said breathlessly.

Benjamin snarled, hissed, and snapped his teeth like a trapped animal. Pearl went limp in my arms and began to sob. I rocked her gently, feeling heartbroken and helpless.

We heard feet on the stairs, and Chauncey came into the room, still in his overcoat, carrying the rifle.

“Doctor,” he said hurriedly. “Your wife sent for you. She needs youat home.” His gaze fell on Pearl in my arms. “What in damnation?” he shouted, stepping toward us, eyes full of rage. “Let her go, you—”

Benjamin roared, broke through the ropes binding his left arm, tearing his own flesh in the process. He flailed, lashed out, drops of blood splattering.

“Help me, Chauncey!” Uncle Thomas said, and Chauncey set down his rifle. Together they pinned Benjamin down, refastened the ropes. Even with the binding retied, they continued to hold Benjamin down. “I’m going to give him a sedative,” Uncle Thomas said, reaching for his bag.

“He’ll die like this,” Pearl cried through her sobs. I had my arms wrapped tightly around her. “Like an animal. It isn’t right!”

“Perhaps the fever will burn off and he’ll recover,” Uncle Thomas said. “We don’t know. But what we do know is that he’s a danger to himself and others now. He wouldn’t want to risk harming you, or anyone else, Pearl, were he in his right mind. You know this.” Thomas gave him a dose of Veronal.

Benjamin bucked and roared.

Pearl turned to me, gripped my arms tightly, digging her nails in. “You’ve got to do something, Frankie. You’ve got to help him! He’s my father.”

“I know,” I whispered gently. “We’re doing all we can.”

“It’s not enough!” Pearl snapped, jerking away from me, rushing toward the bed once again.

“Get her out of here!” Uncle Thomas demanded, turning to me. “Bring Pearl to our house. See what your aunt needs and what you can do there. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“We need something stronger than this rope,” Uncle Thomas said when he turned back to Benjamin and Chauncey.

“There were leather harnesses and straps in the barn,” Chauncey said.

“Go get them,” Uncle Thomas said. “Hurry!”

THE DOOR TOour house was unlocked. The black dog, Aife, greeted us, now warm, fed, and dry. The dog jumped at me, licking my hands.

“Who is this?” Pearl asked, smiling weakly, leaning down to pat the dog. Her face was splotched and tearstained.

“My new friend, Aife,” I said. “She belongs to the knackerman but she followed me home today.”

“Where’s your uncle?” Aunt Margaret appeared suddenly.

“Back at the Stoddards’. What’s happened?”

“We’ve got six new patients. All of whom have been attacked.”

Pearl let out a gasp. “The knackerman got them all?”

My aunt pursed her lips. “It seems… seems to be spreading. It’s not just the knackerman, or even Emile or Clarice. There are others who’ve been infected. Who aren’t themselves. Who are now capable of—” Her voice faltered.

I could hear the buzz of the injured and worried townspeople from down the hall.

“Which is exactly the reason Uncle Thomas told you not to open the door,” I said, shocked. “Not to let anyone in!”

Aunt Margaret shook her head, defiant. “They’re injured and sick, Frances. That’s what we do, isn’t it? What we are here in this town for, what God put us on earth for. To take care of those in need. The day I leave my door locked on a sick neighbor is the day I lose all sense of my humanity.”