Hope For Quinn
Hi, I welcome any comments you might have about this story . Thanks, Diana
Diana5@ix.netcom.com

The four sliders are seated in a booth in the corner of a small neighborhood restaurant waiting for their order.

Rembrandt smiles at Wade and says, "You know, this wouldn't be such a bad world if you could just get use to their hair."

Wade whispers, "Shhh.. She'll hear you." She looks up and smiles as the waitress walks up with their breakfast.

Wade, Rembrandt and the Professor struggle to keep from laughing as the young woman sets their plates down. She looks over at Quinn and tucks a lock of brilliant green hair behind her ear. "Can I get you anything else?" She asks in a slow, suggestive tone. "Anything at all?"

Quinn looks up and says quietly, "No thanks, this will be fine." The waitress winks at him and walks away.

The other three burst into laughter, "What's the matter Q-Ball, not the right shade of green for you." Quinn smiles and picks up his fork.

Rembrandt continues, "You know it's not so much the color, as the orange stripe down the middle that gets me."

Arturo laughs, "My favorite shade so far was worn by the young clerk at the hotel. Such a peculiar shade of fuchsia."

As the Professor and Rembrandt joke back and forth, Wade watches Quinn push his food around the plate without actually taking a bite. She reaches across the table and touches his hand. "Hey, are you OK?"

Quinn looks up and smiles at her. "Sure, I'm just not very hungry this morning I guess."

"And you weren't very hungry last night for dinner if I remember correctly." says the Professor as he turns toward Quinn. With concern, he adds, " In fact you haven't been your normal chipper self for a few days now. Are you sure you're feeling alright my boy?"

Quinn makes an attempt to be appear cheerful. "Sure guys, maybe I've just picked up a little bug or something. Don't worry, it'll pass."

Scene 2

Rembrandt stands up and begins dusting off his clothes. He turns to Arturo, "Well that was a pretty smooth landing for a change."

"Yes indeed Mr. Brown, I can't remember the last time I entered a new world without feeling your knees in my lower back first."

They both turn and find Wade leaning over Quinn with a look of concern on her face. "Quinn, are you alright."

Quinn smiles at the worried expression. "Sure, I just got the wind knocked out of me that's all."

Rembrandt walks over and offers Quinn a hand up. "Here you go Q-ball." Quinn stands up slowly and takes the timer out of his pocket.

"Well it looks like we're going to have plenty of time to check this world out. We don't slide for 5 days."

"Then I suggest we find a hotel room before it gets dark." says the Professor placing a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "It looks as if you could use a little extra rest tonight Mr. Mallory."

The quartet walks down the street away from the familiar looking park. They automatically look for the differences that would distinguish this world as yet another copy of their own. The similarities continue and they all begin to hope that they may have finally slid home.

As they walk along Wade turns to say something to Quinn and suddenly realizes that he is no longer with them. "Hey Guys, where's Quinn?" She calls out to the others.

They stop and look back down the street. Rembrandt points and says, "There he is, back there, setting on that bus stop bench."

They hurry back to where Quinn is setting hunched over. "Quinn what's wrong!" Wade asks as she bends over him.

"I'm OK, I just needed to set down for a minute that's all." Quinn makes an attempt at a smile that convinces no one.

"Do you hurt anywhere?" She asks.

"Just a little, in my stomach." He lies with a grimace.

"My God, he's burning up!" Wade brushes back the brown hair from his forehead.

The Professor also confirms what is all too apparent with a touch to the back of Quinn's neck. "I think we need to find a doctor for Mr. Mallory as soon as possible. This fever is most disturbing."

"Look, on our world there's a clinic just down the block. Q-ball do you think you can walk there?"

"Sure, no problem." Quinn stands up too quickly and begins to sway.

"Now just take it easy, we're in no hurry. Here let me take your arm." Rembrandt supports Quinn as the four walk down the sidewalk.

Minutes later, they are standing outside a Chinese takeout restaurant where a doctor's clinic is supposed to be. They are disappointed for Quinn's sake and because this probably means they aren't home. However, they soon begin to realize just how very significant this apparently minor difference from their own world is.

Scene 3

"Here let me get the door" Wade uses the key and Rembrandt and Arturo half carry Quinn into the room. "Let me get his jacket off first."

Wade pulls back the covers on the bed and they carefully lay Quinn down. He moans softly and Wade bites her lip. "I can't believe this world has no doctors or hospitals. What happens to all the sick and injured here!"

"Now, Miss Wells let's not panic."

"Not panic! You saw the look that police officer gave us when we asked where the closest hospital was. I thought he was going to arrest us. And then all he would do was tell us to take Quinn to the nearest church and let some Holy Man pray over him." she adds in disgust.

The Professor kneels down beside the bed. "Quinn, now this is very important. We need to get some idea of what is wrong with you. How long have you been feeling ill."

"Well, really I guess it started about 2 days ago. I lost my appetite first, then my stomach started bothering me. I just thought I had picked up a bug or something. It didn't seem like a big deal."

"Show me exactly where it hurts you?"

Quinn pointed to his right side below the waistband of his jeans.

"Now, I'm going to press there and I want you to tell me what you feel." The Professor unzips Quinn's jeans and presses down firmly on his abdomen then releases. Quinn immediately cries out in pain.

The Professor stands up and looks down at him. "Well my boy, I think the next step is for me to go and do a little bit of research about this world.

"Wait, Professor," Quinn reaches up and grasps Arturo's hand, he can't quite keep the fear out of his voice. "What do you think is wrong with me? I've never felt this awful before."

"Unfortunately Mr. Mallory I'm not a doctor, but let me see if I can't find one or at least a close facsimile."

The professor walks to the door. "I'm going to a bookstore and see if I can't find some answers." He hesitates at the door and looks back at the face on the pillow. "Maybe some ice would help bring down his fever."

"I'll get some." Rembrandt volunteers.

As they step out into the hall, the Professor closes the door behind them and says, "Mr. Brown, I have a very bad feeling about this. I think Quinn may be in real trouble if we can't find him a doctor."

"You don't think that maybe it's just a bad case of the flu?" Rembrandt asks hopefully.

"We'll see, but a little bit of investigation might be warranted, just in case."

Scene 4

Rembrandt returns with the ice and Wade uses cold compresses to help keep Quinn's fever under control. As she leans over him and places a fresh cloth on his forehead, Quinn looks up at her.

"You know, you would make a pretty good nurse."

"Nurse? Why not a doctor?"

"You're right. I think you could do whatever you want to in life, if I could just get you back home." He reaches up and touches her cheek.

"Hey now, no guilt. It wasn't your fault remember?"

"Sure"

She smiles into the blue eyes, "Do you think I regret what happened? Do you think that if I had a chance I would change anything? That I would go back to being just little Miss Wells? I'm not the same person I was, Quinn. I'm stronger, smarter. I know now what really matters in life. A lot of people go through their whole lives and never figure it out," she leans over closer to him, "so no guilt."

"Well, that's easier said then done. If anything ever happened to you or the others, I would..." but he was silenced by a kiss.

Rembrandt watches the two talk and can't help smiling. He thinks of the other Quinns and Wades they have encountered on other worlds and realizes that certain things in life are just meant to be.

Scene 5

Arturo stands outside a church and stares up at it with a mixture of anger and disbelief. He has just finished several hours of research into this world's unusual attitude toward medicine and medical technology. Apparently over 200 years ago, the people of this world turned their backs on the fledgling medical arts. A fundamental religious group warned of the calamities that would occur if the people turned from the total acceptance of God's will and began placing their faith in the paganistic practice of medicine. This religious group grew very powerful and effectively prevented the public practice of medicine. The Church uses "Holy Men" to provide comfort to the ill and wounded and to pray for their acceptance into heaven after their death.

The Professor was angered to learn these Holy Men also took offerings from their congregations in exchange for prayers to keep them and their loved ones safe from illness and injury. It was obvious to the Professor that the Church on this world had a huge financial stake in keeping the masses ignorant and desperate.

Although Arturo finds the idea distasteful, he decides to speak to one of these so-called Holy Men. He strides with anger into the church and enters a large ornate room. He sees a man in a long white, gold-trimmed robe with a large bejeweled cross around his neck.

"Excuse me, but I need to speak to you. I have a young friend who I am afraid is very ill. We have only recently arrived here and need your help."

"Certainly my son, take me to him. I will hear his confession and together we will prepare him to enter the heavenly kingdom."

"Confession!" the Professor explodes. "He's just a boy, he doesn't have any sins to confess. Look, what he needs is a doctor and medicine."

"On no, Faith in God is the only answer. If it is God's will that he should die then a better world will be waiting for him where there is no more sickness and pain."

Arturo turns away in disgust. He doesn't remember feeling so angry and impotent before. He reluctantly turns back to the holy man.

"Is there nothing that can be done, nothing at all? Does that boy have to die just to satisfy someone's interpretation of biblical scripture?"

"God has the power to heal all illness, if it is His will for your friend to die then it is not for us to question Him. You must have faith, my son. If you place your faith in God maybe your friend will be saved."

The Professor snorts, "Faith! I have faith in science, in fact and logic. Also God's gifts to mankind, sir!"

The Professor can take no more. Once outside the church desperation seizes him. He has a pretty good idea what's wrong with his young student. In his childhood he remembers a cousin with similar abdominal pain and fever. Of course, once they removed his cousin's appendix at the nearest hospital he fully recovered. The irony of being stuck on a world without medical technology when it is most needed again strikes him. Without some sort of medical intervention, Arturo fears that Quinn has very little chance of surviving the next 5 days.

Arturo can think of nothing else to do but return to the hotel. He does not notice the dark figure that follows him.

Scene 6

Rembrandt sets on the edge of the bed changing the cloth on Quinn's head. Quinn opens his eyes.

"Hey, Crying Man, how's it going?"

"Mostly just worrying about you Q-ball."

"Yeah, I've really screwed up this time."

"It's not your fault you got sick. It could have happened to any of us. It's just bad timing that's all."

Quinn looks over and sees Wade asleep in a nearby chair. "This is real hard for her."

"Well, she care about you Q-ball."

Quinn looks back at Rembrandt and seizes his arm with surprising strength. "Rembrandt, promise me if something happens; if I don't get better; promise me you'll look out for Wade."

"Now don't talk like that nothing's ..."

"Just promise me Remmy!"

Rembrandt suddenly has to blink back tears. "Sure man, don't worry about it. You know you can count on me."

Quinn releases his arm and closes his eyes. "Thanks. Thanks, alot."

Rembrandt starts to get up.

"Crying Man?"

"Yeah?"

"Sorry about all of this, the sliding I mean." Quinn drops back into a fitful sleep.

Rembrandt sets for a few more minutes looking at him. He thinks back to the time before he accidentally became a slider. He remembers the life he left behind, the person that he was before and can't imagine why Quinn felt he needed to apologize.

Rembrandt stands just as the Professor opens the door. Wade wakes up and rushes up to Arturo. "What did you find out? Did you find a doctor for Quinn?" But she sees the answer in his face.

The Professor tells them what he has learned about this world and his conversation with the Holy Man. He walks over to Quinn and places his hand on the hot forehead. "No better?"

"No" Wade answers, "He seems to be getting worse. Professor do you have any idea what's wrong with him?"

Arturo looks up at Wade and Rembrandt. "I'm afraid our young friend may have appendicitis. I don't think he will be able to survive the 5 days. He needs to have his appendix removed now."

"But what can we do?" Rembrandt asks, "We can't operate on him ourselves." Rembrandt sees the look on Arturo's face. "You've got to be kidding?"

Wade also sees the look. "Do you mean we may have to operate on Quinn ourselves, here in this room?"

"I don't see that we have any choice, Miss Wells. There are no doctors on this blasted world and Mr. Mallory can not wait until we slide into the next one. I possess the fundamental knowledge of the necessary anatomy. We will simply have to try our best."

"Oh my God, I can't believe this is happening!" Rembrandt cries from the far corner of the room. "We can't operate on Quinn here. How is that possible?"

"We must do what we must do, Mr Brown. If we do nothing, Quinn will surely die before we have a chance to slide him out of this god-forsaken world. So we must take matters into our own hands. Are you with me?" The Professor waits for Rembrandt's answer.

"Sure, sure whatever it takes to help Q-ball."

They all turn at the knock on the door.

"Who could that be?" Rembrandt asks, "Did you tell anyone where we are?"

"Of course not! Well, we have done nothing wrong so we might as well see who it is."

Arturo opens the door and says with anger. "Look, I don't know how you found us but we don't require your services here! No one is going to die here tonight."

Through the open door Wade and Rembrandt can see a man in a white robe. "Please my son, I have come to offer consolation to the dying." The Holy Man leans toward the Professor. He whispers, "I have also come to offer other services, medical services?"

The Professor looks back at Wade and Rembrandt with astonishment on his face. He turns back to the holy man and says loudly, "Certainly, thank you so much for coming. Do come in." After he closes the door he asks, "What in blue blazes do you mean by 'medical services'"?

The holy man smiles and says, "My name is Father Delancy. I couldn't speak to you openly in the church before so I had you followed. I am one of a secret group of people who believe in the gifts God gives to the mind as well as to the soul. The other Holy Man at that church is not a member of our organization. If he knew why I was really here he would have the police arrest us."

"And why are you here?" the Professor asks. "Have you really come to help us, not just to pray over our dying?"

"Yes, I belong to an underground organization that believes that knowledge and faith can coincide in the same soul. My people have infiltrated almost every Church. We secretly offer the desperate the option of medical intervention."

"But I thought it was against the law? Aren't you afraid someone will turn you in?" Wade asks.

"It's a risk. But usually the family and friends of the sick are so grateful for help that they don't inform on us. And besides, they would also be in trouble with the law for allowing us to intervene. We are not above a little blackmail to protect ourselves and to further our cause."

Father Delancy moves over to the bedside. "What do you think is wrong with your young friend?"

"I'm afraid it's his appendix." Arturo walks over to stand by the holy man. Father Delancy reaches down to pull back the covers. Arturo grasps his arm before he can touch Quinn. "Now just what are you going to do and what experience do you have."

The Father smiles at the Professor, "I am a physician, trained in our underground schools. Don't worry, it was a very thorough education. We have also been able to develop and produce a limited amount of medicines, antibiotics mostly. Our hope is to eventually introduce the medical sciences to the public and we must be ready. Every life we save just increases our influence among the people. The word is spreading. Soon the Church will lose it's iron-fisted control over the people when they realize that they don't have to die prematurely; that there is no evil in intervening in someone's potential death. After all, God always gets us in The End." Arturo steps back and the Father preforms an examination on Quinn which confirms the Professor's fears.

"Well, we had better get started. I'm afraid this boy doesn't have much time to spare." He stands and takes off his long white robe. From hidden pockets in his clothes he begins to remove small jars full of liquids and various medical instruments. He smiles at the shocked trio, "Well now, you wants to be my assistant?"

Scene 7

Somehow they all survived the surgery and now there was nothing left to do but wait to see if Quinn could overcome the infection still remaining in his body.

"I've done all I can for him and I need to get back before the other Holy Man at the church becomes suspicious." The Father puts his robe back on. "Keep the dressing clean and give him the antibiotics. If he wakes, you can give him water or a little broth." He turns to the Professor and smiles. "A little prayer wouldn't hurt either."

Arturo grasps the Holy Man's hand. "Sir, you have my heart felt appreciation. I greatly admire you for your bravery and generosity. I hope your organizations goals are realized."

Wade wraps her arms around the white robe and says, "Thanks for giving us some hope for Quinn."

Rembrandt closes the door behind the Holy Man and they all begin the difficult task of waiting. The surgery had almost happened too late. The appendix had been close to bursting and a great deal of infection had entered Quinn's bloodstream. Even with the help of the antibiotics they all knew he might not survive.

The three pace around the small room. Hardly being able to stand listening to Quinn's delusional rantings caused by his fever, yet being unable to leave the room. As if their presence might be a source of strength.

Scene 8

Time eventually passes into the next day.

Wade looks up from the magazine she has been staring at for the last hour. "Hey Guys! Why is Quinn so quiet all of the sudden?" She stands and looks at the figure in the bed. He is finally still with his face turned away. "Oh my God. You don't think.. Is he.."

The three continue to stare across the room at the still form on the bed. Arturo slowly walks over and reaches down to touch Quinn on the neck. He looks up with a beautiful, joyful smile on his face "It's alright! His fever has broken. He's just sleeping." Wade falls into Rembrandt's arms and cries.

The End