Hello. Mommy can’t write now. She’s hurt. Adam is too. I know Candy would want somebody to tell what happened. I’m the only one who knows what happened who isn’t hurt.
I’m writing in squiggles too. I don’t know why they call it shorthand. I learned how to write this way three years ago. Mommy doesn’t know. I haven’t been telling Mommy all the things I can do for a long time. I could feel her worry when I told her stuff sometimes. So when I felt her worry about something and she asked me, I pretended I didn’t understand. She feels different now. Maybe I can tell her everything.
There was a book on the living-room shelves. It showed how to write shorthand. I already knew how to read and write English. I had to read fast while Mommy was taking a bath. She thought I was too young to read books without pictures. Candy writes this way in her books too. I practiced reading them. Nobody knew I could read them. I never wrote this way before. It feels funny.
I felt Candy hurt real bad. It hurt a lot. Then I almost couldn’t feel her and she almost stopped being in Terry’s mind. I got awful scared. Then I couldn’t feel her at all and she wasn’t in Terry’s mind anymore. Then Terry got real scared too.
The spaceship came down like on television. Adam landed next to it. We got out. Terry wanted to go to Candy. He knew she was inside the spaceship. I couldn’t feel her, but he could. He flew at the spaceship. It was very hot. He burned his feet and feathers. I pulled him away and held him so he wouldn’t. He screamed and tried to get away.
Adam and Mommy ran to the spaceship. They opened the door. They burned their hands. They climbed inside. They got burned more. They found Candy. They carried her out. She was wearing a spacesuit. It was smoking. The glass thing on her head was full of smoke too. You almost couldn’t see her face.
They tried to get the spacesuit off. It was too strong. Adam was crying and said bad words. Mommy was crying too. I could feel how scared they were. I was scared too. I couldn’t feel her even that close.
Then Adam said the word that makes you strong. I didn’t think it would work. It never made him strong before. But it did work and he was strong and he tore the spacesuit apart. There was another spacesuit inside that one. He tore it apart too.
Candy was asleep. They tried to make her wake up. She wouldn’t. I couldn’t feel her at all. Then Terry screamed because he couldn’t feel her in his mind anymore. He wanted to be with her. I put him down. He couldn’t walk because his feet were burned. I put him right by her head. He put his head against her cheek and cried.
Adam started kissing Candy and pushing on her chest. He did that a long time. He was awful scared. Mommy tied sticks to Candy’s legs and arm and put bandages and needles and tubes and stuff on her.
Then the helicopters came and people got out. They were nice. One of the people is named Teacher. That’s a funny name. He has nice eyes and lots of wrinkles and feels nice inside. He took Candy’s wrist in his hand. He put his ear on her chest like Adam did. Then he got scared too. He looked at the bandages and tubes and stuff that Mommy put on Candy. He said Mommy did a good job. I don’t understand why he cried if Mommy did a good job.
They tried to wake up Candy too. She wouldn’t wake up. They put more bandages on her. They put bandages on Mommy too. They put bandages on Terry. They had to put them on him right by Candy because he wouldn’t leave her. They wanted to put bandages on Adam. He wouldn’t let them. He kept kissing Candy and pushing on her chest. He wouldn’t stop.
Then I felt Candy wake up part way. I could feel her hurt. It wasn’t as bad as before. Adam didn’t know she was awake yet. She put her good arm around his neck. She kissed him back. He was surprised. Kissing like that feels funny.
Then Candy woke up all the way. She opened her eyes. She was surprised too because she was kissing Adam. That was funny. She said, “Hello, Melville” to Adam and he was more surprised. Mommy laughed. I never saw anybody laugh at the same time she was crying. I wonder who Melville is.
Candy wanted to talk to Teacher. Her voice was very weak. I couldn’t hear what she said. Teacher didn’t want her to talk. She said a bad word. Her voice wasn’t weak that time. Then Teacher got down on his knees and put his ear close to her mouth and she talked to him.
He was surprised. He talked to some of the other people then. They went inside the spaceship and came out with somebody else. I thought it was somebody else. It was a book inside three spacesuits. Teacher thought it was very smart of Candy to put the book inside three spacesuits. I don’t understand why that’s smart.
I like Teacher. I like the way he feels. He likes Candy. He was glad to get the book. He said now everything will be all right. I am glad.
Teacher is glad Candy is back. I am glad Candy is back. Mommy and Adam are glad too.
Terry is gladdest of all.
VOLUME III — Part Four
Epilogue
Pay attention now, Posterity; do not intend to repeat myself:
Positively last time I travel coach…!
Finally out of traction, thank you; and burns healing nicely. Haven’t required I.V. in better than month. Yesterday morning doctors (crème of AA medical community; all handpicked by, working under direction [gimlet eye] of, Teacher) even let me try walking — for first time since reentry. (Three, four months ago, I think. Maybe longer.) And no more Foley catheter; can go potty myself again — at last!
Truly was a mess:
More bones broken than intact. Epidermis essentially one large hematoma — which underlay widespread first-, second-degree burns. Also concussed. Etc. (Lots of “etc.”)
Pretty well out of things during initial weeks. Fortunately. Memory of that period consists primarily of impressions:
…Pain.
…Darkness.
…Intermittent awareness of intruding kindly hands, gentle for most part, but often doing things that hurt; fleeting hazy glimpses of faces; nearby voices speaking occasional hearty encouragement — frequent muffled sobbing in background.
…Adam. Swathed in bandages at outset. No idea when slept, if ever; but seemingly there every minute, quietly performing endless little chores required by intensive-care patient, or sitting at bedside, holding hand.
…And, of course, Terry. Don’t think twin slept any more than Adam. (That’s one possibility; other makes me nervous — Teacher promises study of phenomenon soonest possible opportunity.) Anyway, never opened eyes without finding brother peering intently from bedside stand, reaching out gently to nuzzle cheek, offer greeting: “Hello, baby! What’cha doin’…?”
Though personal universe limited in beginning to Pain, Presence Absence of, vaguely remember gaining impression baby brother moving more cautiously than usual — plus seemed to be wearing fuzzy white slippers. By time own condition improved to point where data registered as anomalous, footwear gone, irrepressible sibling madcap self again: dancing back and forth on, chinning upside down from, perch; wrestling endless with bell (lifelong obsession: clapper got in there; must come out); chattering merrily, singing, whistling, laughing, etc.
As well, once my recovery status permitted such, enjoying visitors (Terry so loves company). And we had lots: Vandenberg community census approaching 2,000 — must have seen each at least once during past months.
(The lengths some girls will go to, to be popular…)
Prognosis suggests complete recovery; no sequelae: no physical impairment, no motor/sensory dysfunction — no scarring from burns; not even hypopigmentation. (Was awfully lucky.)