Lea-rough drafts

Part 7

Bane finally announces they arriving at the port of Pimu, near the coastal island of
Catalina. The boy stirs unconsciously. Knowing they are near help relieves Lea's anxiety
quite a bit. The long distance communicator was knocked out in the storm, but Bane
opens his personal communicator once they are within wave range.
He alerts the port that they are arriving soon and need medical help for a
passenger. Bane asks the port director to contact Dr. Tohunga. The director pauses and
the silence echoes as they wait for him to make the other call.
"Dr. Tohunga will meet you at the medical center ready to transfer the patient if
needed," he assures them.
With only the smallest shifting bump the transport lodges up against the port
station a short time later. Bane takes special care not to dislodge the patient. Lea grasps
the boy anyway, so he doesn't slip off the seat and injure himself more. With a hiss of
released air, the hatch opens and Dr. Tohunga steps in, concern evident. Bracing the
boy's neck and back takes a few minutes. He is laid on a board and carried off the
transport.
To Lorelei the doctor explains, "I am glad I was off today and could meet you
here. I will examine him at our local medical center but he may need to be taken to the
large hospital."
He draws out the words 'Large Hospital' and raises his eye brows so that Lorelei
understands his meaning. The hospital is On Land.
"Is the girl meeting someone here?" the doctor questions indicating Lea.
"No, I am taking her to her cousin, Malina." Lorelei announces with the same eye
brow raise. Lea is surprised. She thought her cousin would meet her. Didn't my parents
tell Malina I'm coming? How does Lorelei know where I'm headed or who I'm meeting?
The whole trip is a secret, isn't it?
"If you'll wait while I examine the boy, we can all go together," the doctor offers,
"it will be easier to arrange one travel plan rather than two and easier to transfer the boy
the fewer questions we have to answer."
The medical center is built out of a different type of rock than the Kinan
community, and Lea touches the wall's foreign texture. Each building is carved out of
the ocean floor, caves, and outcroppings. Glass covers the openings to protect against
salt water and allow light to enter. The boy's condition means they will walk through the
travel tunnels rather than swimming. It will take longer, but is safer. He is no longer
conscious. Without holding his breath, he could drown before they got there.
The smell of cleaning fluid hits Lea as she steps inside the Medical Center door. It
is a strong combination of moss and barnacle juice combined to kill all damaging germs
but not irritate open wounds. Lea prefers the sea grass herbs her mom uses to disinfect
cuts and scrapes. Unfortunately, the serious germs in a medical center can't always be
killed quickly with solutions that are perfectly acceptable at home.
The boy is carried through an opening to their right and disappears down a tunnel.
The walking way, lit overhead by magnified sun lights, appears dark from a distance. A
nurse indicates chairs for Lorelei and Lea to wait. To drain the thoughts and worries
from her mind Lea turns on her music cube again. Lorelei takes out her weaving.
A gentle shake wakes Lea from her music induced trance. She opens her eyes to
see Lorelei and the doctor standing over her.
"He's awake now," Lorelei tells to her. He doesn't seem to remember anything
about the storm, his trip, or even why he has left home. He's not sure who he is meeting
or why. Dr. Tohunga is going to take him to the Land Hospital while I try to figure out
where he belongs."
Lea and Lorelei walk through the polished stone walkway toward a small room
carved deep into the sea mountain. The brightly lit room blinds her for a moment. The
doctors need to extra light to see well what they are doing. On a bed against the middle
of the wall lays the teenage boy. He turns toward the sound of their footsteps, but doesn't
seem to recognize either of them.
A nurse helps him into a reclined chair set on large wheels. A handle across the
back allows someone to push from behind. The nurse places a cover over him, but he
pulls it off.
"I'm fine. Don't treat me like I'm dying," the young man states in a quiet, but firm
voice.
Dr. Tohunga waves the nurse off and turns the chair around so it can be pushed
out the door. The small party exits the treatment room and winds through the medical
center until they come to a travel tube which will take them to the surface.
Lea strains to get glimpses of the Pimu Community through each connecting
walkway they pass. She wants to see the different culture, excited to be some place new
half way around the world. The need to travel quickly to the hospital stops any hopes of
sight seeing.
A market center is filled with strange food and clothing. She stares at carved items
and shell utensils. She doesn't even know what they do. She would love to stay and
investigate. She isn't even able to check out a restaurant and taste the local food. She is
really bummed to miss out on this small part of her adventure.
The tunnel now heads almost straight up. Circles and circles climb toward the
surface, Lea stretches her arms above her head, straining against the weight of both of
their bags. Her body feels stiff, not used to so much sitting and walking without a break
to swim and stretch her muscles. She needs lotion for her skin. Her hands and arms are
too clammy having gone so long without salt water to wash the sweat and oil from her
skin.
"Once we get near the beach you can swim a little while," Dr. Tohunga tells her,
"you won't be able to wear your fin, but you can at least soak your skin and stretch your
muscles." It is a sign of how desperately Lea wants to get in the water that she doesn't
object to the doctor's conditions.
A cool breeze drifts in from the end of the tunnel. Lorelei stops and pulls a cape
from her bag. The sharp smell of surface air assaults Lea's nose, and the dryness makes
her sneeze. A faint light begins to glow from the exit. Lea gains a sudden burst of energy
with the excitement of seeing a "boat" for the first time. Lea's mind floats through all
the things she will have to learn to fit in with the