Chapter 7: Oskar Makes a Decision

It was 5:00AM when they pulled up in front of the apartment. Oskar got out and opened the door, while the Professor carried Eli up the stairs, against her protests. Oskar followed him up the stairs with the medical bag. Without saying a word, Dawson carried her into the bedroom and carefully placed her on the bed. “I’ll get your food. Please, stay here.” He looked down at her, hesitated, and then slowly walked toward the kitchen

Oskar sat down beside her, “What’s wrong with him? He’s acting odd.”

“I’m not sure…he seems sad. What should we do Oskar?”

Dawson came back in the room with two bags for Eli. He sat down next to her and watched carefully as she emptied them both. When she was finished, he took them back into the kitchen.

“Oskar, why don’t you go ahead and take your shower? I’ll take mine later, if he’ll let me”

Oskar nodded and went into the bathroom.

The Professor came in with his bag, set it on the floor and looked at Eli, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to check you over. I want to make sure you’re ok.

“But I’m fine! You know that I can heal myself.”

“I just want to make sure!” he sounded irritated.

“I’m sorry. What do you want me to do?”

“Please, just lie down.” He carefully checked her over, felt her ribs and looked closely at the faint line where the moose’s antler had pierced her chest. He lifted each arm, felt the bones carefully, and flexed her wrists. “Does anything hurt?"

“No. I’m fine”

He poked and prodded her until he was satisfied. “Now, I want you to stay put, until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Are you angry with me?” she asked, softly.

He looked startled, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be abrupt with you. I’m certainly not angry with either of you. I’m just a little worried and want to make sure you’re both ok.”

Oskar came in, and climbed into bed with Eli.

“I have a favor to ask of you two. Would it be alright with you if I slept on your couch tonight?”

They looked at each other. Oskar said “Sure, but why? We’ll be fine.”

“I just want to make sure you’re safe tonight. That nothing happens as a result of your … injuries”

Oskar started to say something, but Eli interrupted, “Ok. Oskar? Why don’t you get him a couple of blankets?”

Oskar hopped out of bed and went to the closet.

Eli took the Professor’s hand. “Thank you”

“You’re very welcome.” He smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek.

He took the blankets from Oskar and stepped out into the living room. A few minutes later, the lights went out.

Oskar climbed into bed with Eli and put his arms around her. Eli kissed him and turned out the light. She lay there for a few minutes, feeling warm inside. I wonder it this is what it feels like to have a family? I can’t remember. She drifted off to sleep.

The sun had been up for an hour. Dawson sat beside their bed watching them sleep. He felt at peace with himself for the first time in many years. He looked at his watch. They’ll be up in about 5 hours. I’ll try to get a bit more sleep. He quietly stepped back into the living room.

Eli watched him as he left. She smiled, put her arms around Oskar, and drifted off to sleep again.

=======================

After a month, Dawson was becoming increasingly frustrated. Nothing seemed to be going well at all. All the lab mice he had injected with the unprocessed blood had either died within a day, or there were no effects of any kind. There didn’t seem to be a pattern. Eli had told him that she didn’t think the infection spread to other animals, at least, not in her experience. He smiled grimly as he thought about the diminishing likelihood of a vampire moose roaming the forests north of Karlstad.

The cultured batch had provided mixed results. Mice injected with this strain exhibited a brief doubling of their red cell count and elevated oxygen levels in their blood similar to Eli’s, but returned almost completely to normal within a week. The only residual effect seemed to be an odd behavior change. As they normally ran around in their cage, if two of them brushed against one another they would both simultaneously stop dead in their tracks for a second or two, and then move on again as though nothing had happened. It’s something that, if only a couple mice were involved, would pass unnoticed, but when you had ten or more, the pattern became obvious. He had isolated this group from the others. It was as though the effect of replacing the bat’s sex chromosomes removed some factor that prevented the infection from taking hold. However, once it took hold, it appeared that the mice’s immune system made short work of it. He had just harvested a second culture that tripled the concentration of the segment of the altered DNA strand that he suspected was the active part of Eli’s infection, and prepared it for the next series of injections. The guesswork involved was frustrating for him. He was used to a more methodical approach, but he didn’t have the budget or time for such luxuries.

He was also going on the theory that this was some sort of viral-like infection, because antibiotics seemed to have no effect on the test cases, and tests designed to detect generic bacterial infections continually came up negative.

Oskar had proven to be quite adept at learning his way around the lab. He helped him prepare the injections, took meticulous, easy-to-read-notes, and was a great help in taking care of his small contingent of mice. So much so that he didn’t need to spend his limited resources on a lab technician. Between that and his school work, Oskar was kept pretty busy.

Eli was just as cooperative. She helped him with the tedious process of recording the DNA sequences and was getting quite good at using the lab computer. She seemed to have unlimited patience, and would go over everything several times before she let him look at her work. She really put her heart into it. She told him it was like putting together a giant puzzle.

He had finally obtained samples of her wing webbing and bone structure, but couldn’t yet pin down why the webbing was so strong, although he had some ideas. The underlying structure seemed to be made almost entirely of carbon in the form of C60 molecules. He had read that Eiji Osawa of Toyohashi University of Technology had discussed such a carbon molecule and had predicted that, in mass quantities, it would have great strength and stability. He had predicted that the individual atoms in C60 would form a sphere replicating the pattern on a soccer ball – an extremely strong and stable structure. This was apparently the case with respect to Eli’s wings. Osawa was clearly on to something – but Eli had beaten him to a usable product by 220 years.

He looked up as Oskar and Eli came into the lab. “You’re a little early this evening. Good, because we have a lot of work to do tonight.” He noticed that Oskar looked upset. “What’s wrong, Oskar? Did Eli beat you at arm wrestling again?” he joked.

Oskar said nothing as he looked down at his feet.

“He’s upset because he saw his mom on TV before we came over. She was begging for whoever had him to let him go. She was crying.”

Dawson quickly put his arm around his shoulder, “I can imagine how upsetting that must be for you.” I’ve wanted to talk to him about this since the beginning. Perhaps now’s the time. “You must love her very much. I can imagine how hard it was to leave your family behind.”

“No, it wasn’t hard at all. Sometimes I feel awful about it, that I’m only thinking about myself. But I can’t help it. Eli is the only person who has ever really cared for me or understood me. With my parents, I always felt like I was in the way of something they would rather be doing. I could never talk to them about anything important, especially my Dad. He talked to me like I was still a little kid. And I just know that if I had gone home after Eli saved me, Mom would be more afraid about what the neighbors thought than anything else. Half the time I felt like I was older than she was. You’re the first grown-up that ever REALLY cared about me at all.” There were tears in his eyes. “I wish you were my dad. I love it here. I love doing things with you. You treat me like…a real person.”

“But you still love her. You can’t help it. She’s your Mom and you don’t want her to be sad because of you.”

“I’m sad because I’ve hurt my Mom, and can never go back, and I’m going to lose Eli, too. I’ll be right back where I started, but even more alone, because I love her – and I love my Mom.” He dissolved in tears.

Eli grabbed him and held him tightly, “I’ll always be with you…”

“No!! You won’t! We both know what’s going to happen.”

“You’re wrong Oskar! I promise you! Please, please, believe me.”

Oskar was inconsolable. He sat down, became quiet, and stared out the window. Dawson put his finger on his lips, and motioned for Eli to follow him to the back of the lab. “Let’s let him calm down for a few minutes, then I’ll try to talk to him. He needs to get this worked out in his own mind, and we have to help him. Why does he think he will lose you?”

“He thinks that when he grows up, I won’t love him any more. He’s wrong! But he’s even more afraid that he won’t love me anymore because I’m just a child.” Her voice broke. “Do you think he’s right? I couldn’t bear that!”

He hugged her, “I’m sure he’s wrong. He loves you too much. Unless you get too bossy and win at arm wrestling too often.”

She smiled and hugged him back. “Thanks. I promise I won’t.”

Dawson felt sorry that he had lied to her. He had seen this very possibility almost from the start. Unfortunately, Oskar was probably right. He shook his head. “Why don’t we do a little work? Maybe Oskar will join us when he feels up to it, but keep an eye on him.” He smiled at her. Eli sat down at the computer, as Dawson went over yesterday’s notes.

After a while, Oskar got up, and slowly began cleaning the animal cages and feeding the mice. When he was finished, he came up behind Eli, and gave her a big hug and kissed her on the cheek. Before she could respond, he went over to the lab refrigerator and methodically took out the new samples and set them on the bench next to his notebook.

Dawson looked up, “Oskar, we won’t be injecting the new group for an hour or so. Why don’t you leave them in the refrigerator until just before we need them?”

Oskar seemed not to hear him, as he laid out several syringes. Then, in one quick movement, he tilted up a vial and filled a syringe.

“Oskar! Don’t!!” Dawson jumped up when he realized what Oskar was about to do, but he was too late. Oskar rammed the needle into his stomach through his shirt and pushed the plunger all the way in.

Dawson reached out, grabbed both Oskar’s hands and twisted, forcing him to drop the syringe. It shattered on the floor.

Eli screamed and scrambled over to Oskar, who was now standing stiffly in front of Dawson.

“I’m sorry, Eli,” he said softly. “Please don’t be angry with me.”

“Oskar! You could die!!” she screamed.

“But maybe I’ll be like you.” His voice was just a whisper.

Dawson grabbed him firmly, forced him to the floor, and opened his shirt. He could see the spot of blood where the needle had broken the skin. He looked up at Eli and shook his head. “He’s done it! All we can do now is wait…and hope.”

“But what’s going to happen? It’ll be awful if he ends up like me. He can’t! What if he dies?” she was in an absolute frenzy.

Dawson grabbed her firmly by both shoulders, “I don’t think he’s going to die. The most probable outcome is that nothing at all will happen. Look at the batch of mice from the previous test. Aside from that minor behavior change, there were no lasting effects whatsoever. There’s a good chance that nothing will come of this.” But the possibilities are frightening. This is an infection that DOES take hold in humans. Oskar is not a lab rat.

“But what should we do?! We can’t just stand here and do nothing!”

Oskar stood up, a little shakily. “I want to go home.”

“To your Mother?” Dawson asked, startled.

“No! To OUR home. Eli’s and mine. I want to go home!”

“We’ll do that, but first I want you and Eli to sit down, while I think this through.” Taking him to the hospital would be useless at this point, but if he goes downhill at some point, I’ll have no choice. Taking him home is probably the best idea. If he is infected, being there with Eli to help control him is the wisest option. I can bring my medical bag and monitor his vitals. In a pinch I could probably get Arvid to help me decide on the best plan of attack. We have to keep him alive at all costs – even if it results in his exposure to the police.

“Let me clean up the lab and get some things together. Then we’ll ALL go to the apartment. Eli, let me know instantly if you sense any changes in him.”

Without taking her eyes off him, Eli took both his hands in hers. “Oskar, I’ll take care of you. I love you so much! I can’t lose you.”

Oskar sighed, “Eli, I’m so sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t think of any other way. I wanted to be with you.”

Dawson quickly gathered up his things. They locked the lab behind them and went down the back stairs to the parking area.

==========

Oskar went on into the apartment as Eli and Dawson got everything out of the trunk. Eli had reminded him that they might need extra blood if Oskar was turned, so they brought a loaded ice chest.

Upstairs, Dawson put the blood in Eli’s refrigerator, and they all sat around the table and waited. Every half-hour Dawson took Oskar’s pulse, blood pressure and temperature, while Oskar wrote it all down in his notebook. Every two hours, Dawson took a small blood sample.

By 3:00AM nothing had changed. Oskar was reading a book, while Eli was pacing up and down.

Oskar put his book down, “I’m really hungry!”

Dawson went into the kitchen and made a couple of sandwiches.

Oskar wolfed the first one down and started on the second. He finished it in short order, and had a glass of milk. “Could I have another one please?”

Eli and the professor looked at each other. “Oskar, you’ve already eaten twice as much as usual, and you’re still hungry?”

“I’m starving!” He headed for the kitchen ahead of Dawson and made himself another, and poured another glass of milk. By morning, he had eaten five sandwiches and a bowl of oatmeal.

Dawson peeked out the window, “The sun’s coming up. Oskar, come with me.” He started down the stairs.

Oskar followed and reached the foot of the stairs as Dawson opened the door a crack. Oskar eagerly put his hand in the beam of light. Nothing! He opened the door wide and stepped out into the sun. He couldn’t hide the disappointment in his eyes. “It didn’t work! Shouldn’t it have worked by now?” He closed the door, dejected and went back up the stairs. Next thing he knew he was on the floor being covered with kisses.

“Oh Oskar!! It didn’t work. You’re still you!” she hugged him so tight he couldn’t catch his breath. “Please, please, don’t you ever try anything like that again! After all this time, I can’t lose you! Promise me you won’t try that again!”

Dawson managed a smile, but he was still worried. All that food was out of character for Oskar. Something was going on in his body that required a lot of energy. There had been a similar increase in appetite in the mice he had given the previous cultured injections to. Oskar wasn’t out of the woods yet.

The two of them finally calmed down enough to go to bed. Dawson settled in on the couch, determined to wait it out at least another day. He finally fell asleep about 11:00AM.

Oskar and Eli were still awake, talking quietly in bed. “Oskar, you have to promise me that you won’t try that again. The professor will find a cure. I’m sure of it. Wouldn’t it be horrible if you had died for nothing? I would be cured, and all alone.”

“I guess it was a stupid thing to do – and selfish.” He looked at her, “I promise. Really. I really mean it.”

She held his face in her hands, and put his lip between hers for a moment, then smiled. “I know you do”

He looked at her, wide-eyed, “I didn’t know how frightened you were. I’m so sorry.” He gave her a big hug.

They lay together quietly for a while, as Oskar slowly fell asleep. How did he know how frightened I was? she thought fleetingly, just before she nodded off herself.

===========

Dawson spent the next few days confirming his suspicions. Oskar’s red cell count had gone up just as in the mice, but his had, for a brief time, reached the same level as Eli’s normal count. The oxygen content had also neared her level. However, everything had dropped down to 50 percent above normal within three days. It was almost as if he had briefly succumbed to the disease, then successfully fought it off. His next step would be to look for antibodies to confirm this. Oskar’s appetite had also dropped, but had leveled off at about 50 percent above what he normally ate. Yet he had actually lost about a pound since the first day.

At first, he had been reluctant to allow Oskar back into the lab, but Eli had finally convinced him that he wouldn’t try anything stupid again. Finally, things were almost back to normal. Oskar had apologized to him many times, despite his assurances that he wasn’t angry with him, and really understood why he had done it.

This evening, they were going to go downtown to get their minds off the work. They all needed a little time off. Most of the snow had melted, since it was now Mid-March. It still got cold at night, but not so cold that you had to bundle up. He was going to take them to a film and let them experience the city at night. Eli was ok with them having dinner out. She thought it would be fun to sit in a real restaurant for the first time, even if she couldn’t eat. She told him she would imagine what it would be like when she was cured.

He had come in early to get a few things done and to free up more time for this evening. He was well under way when the phone rang.

He picked it up and Eli started talking before he had a chance to say a word. “Oskar’s gone! He left to go buy me some nice clothes for tonight, but he hasn’t come back yet and it’s been over four hours. He was supposed to call me when he left the store. But he didn’t call. I didn’t want to worry you, but I’m so worried I had to call. Please, he was going to the big department store downtown. Could you go see if you can find him?”

“I’ll leave right away! Stay by the phone. I’ll call you as soon as I learn anything.” He hurried downstairs and headed for the car. He could be anywhere. With all the attention his Mother has been getting lately, I should have warned them to lay low for a while. This is my fault! He merged into traffic and headed for downtown. He listened for sirens and turned on the radio. If he had been recognized it would be on the news soon enough.

He pulled into the department store parking lot. And started up the stairs. His heart sank as he saw a poster on the wall at the top of the stairs. “Have you seen this child?” it said, below a picture of Oskar with blond hair and another identical one showing Oskar with brown hair.

He stepped into the store, and looked around. He caught site of another poster near the front door, and another near the cash registers. He could feel his pulse rate go up. He had an idea. He grabbed a pair of socks off a shelf and calmly walked over to the cashier. He took out his wallet and paid for the socks. “I hear you had a bit of excitement earlier. What happened?”

“I’m not sure. It was right before my shift, but they told me that the police came and took a boy away. There were four or five of them and they were with a woman who kept saying ‘That’s him! That’s the one’.”

Dawson’s heart almost stopped! “That’s interesting. I wonder who it was.”

“I don’t know, but it had to be important for it to take five policemen to bring him in. He was a little bit of a thing, according to Maria. Couldn’t have been older than 12 or so, and he went away with them real quietly. He had a package with him. Maria said it was a real nice girl’s dress that she had just put in a nice box for him. Imagine that!”

Dawson thanked her, pocketed his change and headed for the stairs. He rushed down to the car and headed for the apartment, his mind racing. We’ve got to get Eli moved out of the apartment. Its only a matter of time before the police find it. Our only hope is that their neighbors don’t put two and two together before we get it done.

===

He pulled up to the curb, and rushed into the apartment. Eli was waiting at the top of the stairs. “Where’s Oskar? Is he ok?

“No! I think he’s been taken into custody. Has there been anything on the news?”

“I’ve had the TV on all day, but there’s been nothing! What are we going to do?”

“For starters, start packing. We need to get you out of here right away. Pack anything that will lead them back to the University. You’re going to be staying with me for a while.” Eli quickly went into the bedroom.

Suddenly, Oskar’s face appeared on the screen. “Eli! Get out here! Quickly!”

He sat down on the couch as Eli rushed in and sat down beside him.

They watched as Oskar got out of the police car and was escorted into the police station.

“Oskar Eriksson, the young boy who was kidnapped during the gruesome murders and decapitations in Blackeberg last November, was spotted alone in Karlstad shortly after noon today by an alert shopper who immediately notified the police. He was successfully taken into custody by the Karlstad Police department. As of this time, he hasn’t given them any information as to his whereabouts over the last four months, but the authorities are confident that he will eventually lead them to the murderer and they will finally be able to bring him to justice. His parents have been told the good news.”

Eli broke down in tears, as the Professor put his arms around her.