“But Kai isn’t a kid who might be tempted to eat paint chips or a mud pie,” Noah points out, already moving to the cabinet where we keep the testing supplies. “How would he get lead in his system.”
I think back to the fair. “Have you been drinking the bottled spring water, Kai?”
Kai nods, looking between us with growing concern. “Yeah, I always keep some around. It’s supposed to be good for you.”
“When did you last have some?” I press.
He grimaces. “This morning.”
Noah returns with the lead testing kit that the county health department loaned us after I raised concerns about the children’s symptoms. It’s a point-of-care device that requires only a fingerstick of blood and provides results in minutes—technology that would have been unthinkable when I started medical school.
“We’re going to check your blood for lead,” I explain to Kai, taking the kit from Noah. “It’s a simple test, just a quick fingerstick.”
“Lead?” Kai repeats, his eyes widening. “Like from pencils?”
“Pencils use graphite, not lead,” I correct automatically, prepping his finger with an alcohol swab. “And no, not from pencils. Potentially from the spring water.”
“The water every kid in town drinks? Not to mention a decent number of adults?” Kai asks, wincing slightly as I prick his finger. “That water?”
“Yes,” I repeat grimly, collecting the drop of blood on the test strip. “That water.”
The room falls silent as we wait for the results, the only sounds are Kai’s labored breathing and the soft beep of the machine as it processes the sample. I find myself holding my breath, hoping against hope that I’m wrong, that this is just a nasty flu and not confirmation of my worst fears about the town’s water supply.
The machine beeps again, and I look down at the display. My heart sinks.
“Positive,” I say, my voice sounding distant to my own ears. “Elevated blood lead levels.”
Noah curses under his breath, while Grayson’s hand tightens on Kai’s shoulder. Kai himself looks more confused than frightened.
“So...what does that mean?” he asks. “Am I going to die? Because I have plans this weekend.”
The attempt at humor falls flat, but I appreciate the effort. It’s so quintessentially Kai to try to lighten the mood even when he’s the one in danger.
“No, you’re not going to die,” I assure him, already mentally running through the treatment protocol. “Lead poisoning is serious, but treatable, especially when caught early. We’ll start chelation therapy to remove the lead from your bloodstream.”
“And then I’ll be good as new?” Kai asks hopefully.
“We caught this early, so you should be fine,” I try to assure him. “Heavy metals are more dangerous in kids because their brains are still developing.”
“Not a problem for Kai then,” Grayson gruffly murmurs. “His brain has been broken beyond repair for years.”
I open my mouth to chastise him, but Kai lets out a surprised guffaw that relives the tension on his face.
Grayson winks and I realize that he figured out quicker than I did that Kai is the type to want to laugh more than worry.
Noah steps up on Kai’s other side to start an IV. “You’ll be fine.”
Kai watches us with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
“This isn’t just about me, is it?” he asks quietly. “If the spring water is contaminated with lead...”
“Then the entire town could be at risk,” I finish for him. “Yes.”
“The children who’ve been sick,” he continues, piecing it together. “You think this might be why?”
I nod.
“Jesus,” Kai breathes, then winces as Noah inserts the IV needle into his arm. “What do we do?”
