The Cured Read Online Free PDF

down. There had been no police on the first day and there had been no snow plow since they arrived. No mailman, no bush planes overhead, no trains sounding whistles on the well used tracks just half a mile down the road. Even the news was broadcast in longer and longer loops. Henry had even tried calling work, but no one in the large building had picked up the phone. He assumed he had worse problems than whether he would be fired for not showing up. He allowed himself to wonder if he even ought to be worried about running out of food before he clamped down on the thought and shook it away.
    The lodge was drafty and leaky, not meant for winter living. It was a good-time summer place. Something that was meant to be shut up, its pipes drained, it’s light wicker furniture stacked and sheeted until spring. Henry knew they wouldn’t last without making some changes. The first thing to go had to be the woodshed. Henry tried to persuade Dave to help, but Dave thought it was pointless. He was too scared to let himself believe the whole thing wasn’t going to blow over. Henry privately fumed. His friend would let them starve or freeze before he’d admit to himself that they were on their own. But Henry knew.
    He stood on the back porch after taking the swing down and pushing the patio table to the edge. He looked at the dark shed with it’s chorus of deep woods surrounding it. No one else is coming Henry, he thought. He pushed into the heavy snow. It took him a few days, but Henry got all the wood onto the porch while Dave sat glued to the television and Marnie made snowmen and carried the small sticks to keep him company. Elizabeth flashed him sympathetic smiles through the kitchen window, but she didn’t lift a hand to help either. Henry wondered if he were the crazy one.
    He stood on the porch in an itchy sweater and pitchy gloves and stacked the wood in neat bundles, the logs hitting each other with a satisfying clunk. Marnie was digging a snow fort at the corner of the raised porch. He could hear the television droning inside and he tried not to let himself listen more carefully. He heard Dave swear loudly and call his wife. Elizabeth shrieked and Marnie came darting out of the snow cave toward the door. Henry grabbed her before she reached it. He peered in through the kitchen window, but Dave and Elizabeth were only staring aghast at the news.
    “It’s okay Marnie, your mom just saw something scary on tv.”
    Marnie relaxed and sat down on the edge of the porch, biting the packed snow on the top of her mitten. Henry turned back to the woodpile.
    “Henry? What’s going on? When can I go back to school?”
    Henry hesitated before throwing another slippery birch log on to the stack. He didn’t turn around to look at Marnie. “It’s Christmas vacation isn’t it kiddo?”
    “I guess. Christmas is still a few weeks away. We’re only supposed to have Christmas Eve off for break. Our vacation comes after Christmas.”
    “Well, I think this year your parents just wanted a few extra days,” he turned around and smiled brightly, “Are you worried about Santa? I’m sure he’ll find us out here.”
    Marnie rolled her eyes. “I know that Henry. Santa knows everything. Of course he could find us here.”
    Henry tried not to laugh. “Right, of course, that was silly of me.”
    Marnie went back to chewing her mittens and Henry reached for another log, feeling like he dodged a bullet. There were a few muffled shouts from the living room. Elizabeth and Dave were fighting. Henry tried to cover up the sound with the thunk of falling wood. But Marnie heard anyway. “They’re arguing about the sick people aren’t they?”
    Henry felt his chest sag. He didn’t want to have this conversation. It wasn’t his job. More than that. It wasn’t his place.
    “What sick people?” Henry kept his voice light and pulled his gloves off and sat down on the porch next to her.
    “The ones the lady on the tv talks about. The ones that