All Chapters of The Witch's Bottle: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Thursday, November 29 - ThanksgivingShe spent the night in isolation, awaiting results of blood cultures taken by Center for Disease Control. Her parents had gone, forced from the floor, but trying to move me would have been a mistake and they knew it. I just sat there, in uniform, outside a Plexiglas room waiting for some sort of diagnosis or explanation.I'd fallen asleep when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Keegs. His ICU nurse had let him onto the floor. He simply sat next to me, tapped my leg and didn't say a word.For the next five hours, Keegs and I made very little small talk. He brought me up a few cups of Joe and a bagel, but then we would sit quietly, waiting.Finally, at six a.m., the doctor

Monday, December 10"Good to see Maxine back, " said Keegs as we pulled into the Super Wawa, past the gas pumps, and into a parking stall right in the front of the store. It was snowing harder now, almost three inches as darkness had fully set in. "I forgot to tell you... You know that nurse I've been with? The ICU nurse?"I nodded, afraid of what he was going to say. I didn't want to hear any more about his sexual conquests."She told me that some woman, kind of strange looking, got admitted to her ward four nights ago. She had a high fever and a massive amount of pain. They can't figure out what's wrong. Know what her name is? Marigje Arriens Crowningshield!"I stared at him. "What? No... You're kidding, ri

It took hours before we were cleared from the scene. The girl's body was finally removed and taken to the Medical Examiner to confirm the cause of death. As if the needle in her arm wasn't enough. This shift was never going to end! I dropped Keegan off at the House to do the paperwork and reports. I needed more answers and there was only one place I could get them.It was just after dusk and night had not yet fully settled in. The snow was piled high from the plows and shovels, pushed from the roads. I could barely find the driveway. Going to the church had become an old habit. All too familiar. And I wasn't sure if that was good or bad. The house was well lit and as I pulled up, the porch light came on. The door opened and the old man was waiting for me before I got out of the car. He welcomed me in and led me straight to the kitchen where we sat at the kitchen table. He was quiet as he

Saturday, December 15Foot mobile is definitely hostile... She's wired... hell, Sergeant... She's just a kid.Where was I? It was Nasariyah... I could smell it, feel it, but it didn't make sense.Garbo, you're cleared hot on that Haji... Take her the hell out!That was my Team Leader's voice, Theo. I was back in the Humvee... But I was shot. I know I was... I can remember it, can still feel the pain.Jesus Christ, Garbo... take her the hell out. I don't have the line of sight.... What the hell are you waiting for?I didn't want to look at it. Relive it. I never want to see that fa

Monday, December 24It was our first Christmas Party as a married couple. Every year Max's family had their annual Christmas Eve shindig at McSorley's Ale House. They reserved the entire dining room which was an add-on from the original building. It was established in 1856 and had been a mainstay in the community ever since. The placed wreaked of history. McSorley himself was part of the 63rd Volunteer Regiment and served as a Captain alongside my fourth generation grandfather. It was still owned by the McSorley family, who hadn't changed anything about the original building except for bringing it up to code. It was like going back in time. It was very similar to Cohan's but more of an eatery than an actual pub.As we pulled into the parking lot, I felt the excitement of the season for the first time. The front