Autumn
My groan echoed in the small room. Letting out a breath, I forced my fingers to relax, swallowing back the next heavy sigh that threatened. I would never have guessed that stirring would be such trying work, let alone exhausting and downright painful. But it was.
Exhaling, I picked back up the large wooden spoon and sank it back into the pot of liquid brewing in front of me. I kept my gaze on it, just as I was told to, watching as the green leaves folded in on themselves, curling and crinkling before turning to mush. The longer they soaked, the stronger their scent. Rising higher in the air, the bitter scent swirled along my senses, causing me to sneeze.
“It smells bad, I know, but it’s good for headaches. And seeing as how the store shelves are empty, we need to make as much as possible.”
Alice, the wife of the only doctor in Purgatory, slipped into the room and pulled the door softly shut behind her. She was a sweet woman, young, pleasantly rounded with pretty features and dark brown hair cropped short, even shorter than mine. But more importantly, she was a kind woman. At least to me.
Eagle had brought me here yesterday evening and introduced me to them both—Alice and Jonah—and then asked them for a favor. A job for me in exchange for whatever they needed, as long as it was in reason. It had taken some convincing on Eagle’s part, the doctor was worried about what Jeffers or Liv would have to say about it, but Eagle was adamant. And just like everyone else I’d seen Eagle go up against, they too backed down.
“It’s almost done,” Alice said, looking over my shoulder at the mush. “Bring it to a boil and then place it near the window with the others to cool overnight. I need to get back into the exam room.” Her tone was gentle, her breath soft against my cheek, and for the first time—not counting Eagle—I didn’t feel compelled to move away from her.
“You’re doing good,” she said, smiling as she turned away. “A real quick study.”
I watched her leave, headed back into one of the two connecting exam rooms, the same one that Jonah was in along with a patient. A man had arrived earlier, hobbling and with tears in his eyes. I’d heard only bits and pieces through the closed door. Words like “gout” and “too much damn drinking” and “undercooked meat.”
I didn’t know what gout was or how it happened, but I didn’t want to. It sounded awful.
Still, I liked being here. I’d thought I would hate it, being away from Eagle and the safety he provided me. But it was ... nice. This place, Alice and Jonah, and the smells of so many different herbs and flowers constantly brewing, it was all rather calming. In fact, it was probably the calmest I’d felt since being dragged through the gates of Purgatory against my will.
Once the headache concoction was bubbling, I slipped on an oven mitt and removed the pot from the stove and set it near the window to cool. It was the first batch I had made without any help from Alice. Tomorrow I would be separating it into a large carafe, readying the concoction for anyone who had a headache and had the means to trade for it. The entire day had left me feeling useful, and surprisingly proud of myself.
Taking a seat on a stool near the window, I peered down at the marketplace. It was evening now, and the walkways were the emptiest I’d seen them all day. Eagle would be coming for me soon, and I was eager to see him, excited to tell him about my day.
The exam room door opened and Alice appeared with Jonah following behind her, both of them wearing grim expressions. Shaking his head, Jonah closed the door behind him.
“Is he okay?” I asked, wondering why the patient had yet to leave.
Alice pressed her lips together. “No,” she said sadly.
“There’s not much I can do for him,” Jonah added. “Not without the right medicines. All I can do is try to keep him comfortable.”
Slipping an arm around his wife’s waist, Jonah pulled her close and nuzzled against her neck. Alice relaxed into his embrace and closed her eyes, a happy smile lifting her lips.
I watched them intently, fascinated by their relationship. Alice was much younger than Jonah. I hadn’t asked her, but I guessed she was in her late twenties, maybe early thirties, while Jonah could easily be in his fifties or even sixties. His thinning hair was nearly all white, an odd match with his only slightly graying beard. Yet even with their significant age difference, there was nothing perverted about them. What they had was real; it was pure and beautiful, and lovely to watch.
“What kind of medicine do you need?” I asked.
Jonah shook his head. “Could do with some devil’s claw for the inflammation, but that sort of plant is rare around here, mostly found in the southwest. And we don’t have the resources to travel that far.”
“Devil’s claw?” I grimaced, not liking the sound of it.
“They wouldn’t let you travel that far,” Alice added somberly. “Not being the only doctor.”
Jonah pulled his wife closer and wrapped his arms around her belly. “I’ve taught you everything I know. When I’m gone, darling, you’ll make a right fine doctor.”
Alice scoffed, but her eyes shone with happiness. “A nurse at best,” she teased.
Although their moment felt private, I couldn’t help it; I found myself smiling along with them. They loved each other despite everything, despite this world and all it was lacking. Somehow these two people had found each other in the midst of a nightmare, and had made it work.
“We should send out another team,” Jonah murmured. “There has to be more.”
“More?” I asked.
Alice smiled at me. “We found a patch of it a few years back, and since then Jonah’s been adamant that there’s more.”
“What does it look like?” I asked, curious.
