Blood Sisters
Chapter 24

Thefamily gathered by the side of Marty Goldstar. He had been in surgeryfor hours and had yet to regain consciousness. The family all boretheir wounds, seen and unseen. Winter had her leg in a proper castnow. Allisons wounds had mostly healed already as her bio-mutantenergy restored her body, but the stress of the ordeal had taken itstoll. She looked exauhsted and pale. She had asked for a chair.Jenny, sporting mostly bruises still had some dried blood under hernose. She stood mutely, arms crossed, her face a study in sorrow.Cricket lay wrapped in blankets in the next bed, right behind Jenny,who appeared to be standing guard before her fallen sister.

Anolder man with short salt and pepper hair and a military bearingwalked into the room. He had sunken grey eyes and leathery skin thathad seen too much sun. “Mrs. Ashton? I am Colonel Clarke. I'm theChief of Medicine here at Ft. Miles.” Allison wearily looked overat the man. “Do you treat prisoners from Shay's Mountain here,Colonel?” “No Ma'am, this is strictly an Army hosiptal. ThePrison has its own facilities.” Allison nodded and looked back toher sleeping husband. “Mrs. Ashton, if I could have a word, I canreport on your husband...” Allison just nodded. “The good news ishis bio-mutant energies, like many New Humans fortifies the body andaids its recovery.” Allison nodded patiently “...which I am sureyou know... it also often makes it possible to survive injury sthatwould generally kill a normal human, and healing injuries thatnormally don't heal...” Allison glanced back at the man “Doctor...”the Colonel cleared his throat. “This is fortunate, Mr. Goldstar'scollision with the floor did extensive damage to his skull, neck andspine. He has serious swelling in his brain, and he is currently in acoma. There is also injury to the spinal cord itself, and we believehe is currently suffering partial paralysis...” Allison groanedinto her hands. “We won't know the full extent of his injuriesuntil the swelling goes down, however, even with the healing factorof New Humans, he is likely to remain in a coma for at least a fewdays...” Allison looked back at the man “We need to have himtransferd to New Avalon MSCC as soon as he can be moved safely.” “Iagree Ma'am, they have the equipment and expertise their for treatingyour... I mean, for treating New Humans.” Allison nodded “Fine,coordinate with Dr. Goldberg there would you? We know him.”

TheColonel hesitated “This may be the wrong time Ma'am, but I wantedyou to know that I have been an admirer for a long time. I sincerelywish you and your family all the best. I will be praying for yourhusband's full and fast recovery.” Allison gave a weak smile “Thankyou Doctor.” Colonel Clarke gave a reassuing nod and left thefamily to themselves. As he left, Allison noticed for the first timethat armed guards had been stationed outside her husbands room. “Heh”she shrugged.

“Dad'sgonna be OK Mom, I know it. Don't worry.” Jenny siad. Allisonnodded, speaking thickly “of course he'll be”. She got up andjoined Jenny over by the swaddled body of Cricket. Winter came overtoo. The three women held each other in shared sorrow. Jenny cried insilence.

***

Itwas the day, and for the first time in her young life, Miracle woreblack. Allison had been resolute in keeping the events of recentweeks as private. Not easy for a woman, and a family, with so muchfame. In keeping with this only a select few were invited to thememorial events held at the Goldstar Ranch.

Theyburied Cricket in a small cemetary on the Ranch called momument hill.It had been the private cemetary belonging to the two familiesprevious to the Goldstar's, and it housed many of their number,dating back to the mid 19th century when the Ranch wasfirst settled. This was the first plot to house a member of thecurrent family.

Notparticularly religious, the Goldstar's held a simple memorial serviceon the hill. Those gathered were Marty, Allison and Miracle. Winterand her partner Kate. Jake and Trixie. And the ghosts of MomumentHill. People said, what they needed to say.

“Inever had a daughter. She was that to me. I've cared for many, butonly loved a few. I don't know where that little bug came from, butshe brought her own special love into an old man's life. I wanted tosee her grow. I wanted to buy her first beer. Should have told hermore. Think I woulda learned from the other friends I've lost. Younever seem to get to tell them what you needed to. Or maybee thatsjust me. Anyway, I love ya Cricket, here's too ya.”

“Iam just... so sorry. I didn't know. I should have asked. I'll neverfight my family again. That is my promise to Cricket, and my lesson,and my oath. Those I love will come first, before anything else. I..am so sorry.”

“Whereveryou came from, whoever you were. We knew what you became. And youwere our little Cricket. I heard what the people say, but I say youwere the real deal Man. You were the real deal. You got cheated, weall did. And I guess I am pretty mad about that. And I am not surewhat to do about that. Ally and I, we've always wanted more children,and we're still trying hard as we can. You let us see a glimpe ofwhat it will be like if we can make another one, and Man will it begreat. Man, I hate this. I really do. Nothing about this that isn'tjust... anyway. You were great Cricket, you were great. Rock on lil'bug.

“Youwere my sister, I know you were, and this sucks... so much. I...”

“Theymade you from my body. So you were mine. And I lost that part of mejust as I got to know it. You were taken from our family, in pain andtragedy. It is up to us now to fill the space you left with love, aspace we did not know was there until you showed it to us. You wantednothing more then to grow, to know who you were. To protect those youloved. There are no finer things, and you are my hero. You left ustoo soon, and punched a hole in the sky where a new star shonethrough, with a special light just for us. And my wish on that staris that you, and all of us will know peace, and will know joy andwill know love. Goodbye, sweet child. Goodbye.” Allison then pickedup her guitar, and played a new song without words, because somethings just can't be siad with words.