Chapter 18: A Cold and Lonely Time in a City Once Teeming With Life

While Peter headed south on 11^th Avenue, Alice cut over to Columbus. Pedaling the bicycle was difficult due to the slippery snow and intermittent winds which unbalanced her awkward loads. The Metropolitan Opera was still an impressive sight. But the shorter buildings and large open spaces created eddies for the winds to swirl around her. The resulting snowsqualls made vision difficult and slowed her progress. She also kept shifting her bags to improve her balance or reduce the strain. Lassie, still maintaining her distance, wasn't about to stray far, not willing to risk getting isolated in poor conditions. Alice was glad she'd equipped her with leather booties. They were intended to protect Lassie from cuts and contamination exposure, but they also protected her from the cold. Alice was pleased she remained close. The snow clung to her yellow fur, making her difficult to see in the near whiteout conditions.

After crossing Broadway, the taller buildings did a better job blocking the crosswinds. However, it didn't belay the steady head wind which blew in Alice's face and made the snow eddies dance around her. She was glad she'd avoided Central Park West, as the broad park expanse would have been worse.

As she noted various restaurants in passing, she contemplated taking refuge in one. However, she realized they wouldn't supply any warmth. Snow insulates and keeps temperatures warm. When it stops, the temperature drops. As cold as it was, she wanted to wait until they reached somewhere they could warm up. She hoped they could brave the frigid conditions that long. She had no clue how cold Lassie's paws were. Smelling of death as Alice did, Lassie wasn't about to allow her to examine her paws.

While the city had been decimated by the plagues, the streets seemed especially empty. Not only were there no signs of anyone, there wasn't a single visible light. The snow reflected enough light to see, but the combination with the blowing, snow covered landscape accentuated how empty the city was.

The cross streets were especially bad. The wind whipping across the streets from the park mixed with those howling down Columbus Avenue. She nearly collided with Lassie twice and fell three separate times. What's more, she shivered so much she had trouble grasping the handlebars. She didn't want to consider what shape Lassie was in.

"There it is!" Alice cried as she turned past the Greenmarket at the corner before the Museum. "It's just a little farther, Lassie. Time to pour on the speed, get inside and warm up."

Martha mentioned the Planetarium, but not knowing the layout, Alice had no clue where to go. She headed for the entrance to the American Museum of Natural History on West 77^th Street. She assumed this was a side entrance, but her hands were too cold to continue any farther. The snow was deeper, and a struggle to power the bicycle through. She aimed for the only entrance she saw.

Dumping the bike in the snow, she called Lassie, grabbed her bags and ran up the stairs. She paused a moment and wrapped her hands around the cold metal whistle still strapped around her neck until it wasn't so bitterly cold. She then blew it as loudly as she could. Dropping the whistle, she ran for the door. Hopefully those waiting for her would realize she was in the wrong location and come looking for her.

As they approached the massive metal museum doors, a side door swung open and Earl waved them in.

"Come on. We need to get you out of the cold. We've got blankets."

Lassie wasted no time, racing ahead and rushing past Earl as Alice struggled to catch up. The pain in her hands, feet and face growing worse as the numbing cold lessened.

"I wasn't sure this was the right entrance," Alice gasped as she slipped in the door.

"We suspected as much. We stationed ourselves at each entrance."

When he threw a blanket over her, she pointed to Lassie. "Warm her up and check her paws. I want to ensure she wasn't injured." Earl did as she asked, realizing Alice would have a harder time checking her dog than he would. "Is there anywhere I can scrub up? I didn't get a chance to clean myself after leaving the hospital."

"We don't have any showers, but we've been collecting rainwater," Martha said, jogging down the hall. "There's some in the other room."

"Sorry, I can't wash with water. There's no way to dispose of it."

"Please, everyone avoids any public pools of water. They assume they're infected by dead animals, the people who drank from them or the fish which died in them. You flushing some contaminated water down the drain won't do any more damage than has already occurred."

"Still, I feel more secure limiting my own contagion."

"And you've done an excellent job." Martha wrapped her with another blanket. "You can't filter the water through the dirt like you usually do. You also don't have enough disinfectant to clean everything. We'll prepare a bucket to wash with and force-flush it down the toilet."

Alice shrugged, wrapping the blankets around her. "How's Lassie?"

Peter glanced up, Lassie's paw in his hand. "She's still shivering but her paws are fine. Those booties you crafted were well designed. Running kept her blood pumping which prevented her feet from getting too cold. She'll be fine. Now let's worry about you."

"I'm OK, just cold. Give me a few minutes to clean up, change and—"

"No you don't," Martha insisted. "Everyone across the entire northeast is dependent on you. We're not going to risk you injuring yourself. We've got hot tea. I'll rub you through the blanket to warm you up. It won't matter if I accidently infect myself, as you're already planning to treat me. But you can't treat anyone before you stop shivering."

Alice sighed, seeing the logic in her words. "Fine, I'd love some hot tea. Do you have the rest of my gear?"

"Yeah, we've got everything set up in a nice private room which should be perfect. We've moved all the furniture out and put some sealed mattresses down. We're set, but we need you on the top of your game."

"Good, I promise to relax. It won't matter if I infect you now or in a couple hours."

"Wait here," Alice warned, "I'm going to check outside. I'd rather avoid exposing you to the elements." Her warning was hardly necessary. None of her patients were hovering by the door. Still, she felt protective. This was the first time she'd as much as stuck her head out the door. She was curious about what happened to everyone else.

Slipping out, she discovered Lassie waiting in the hallway. "Come on, girl." Alice clapped. Lassie stood, wagging her tail, but instead of advancing, she danced around, grinning in a near grimace. While dogs don't judge you for not showering, the smell of plague on Alice kept Lassie skittish. She remained against the wall, giving Alice a wide clearance, emphasizing the need for them to scrub themselves clean. Alice hoped someone dug the 'cleansing pit' she requested and it was accessible with the weather.

When Alice opened the heavy museum door, Lassie rushed past, galloping into the snow. She'd been cooped up for too long. Since Alice was preoccupied, she'd left her enough dog food and water, realizing she might eat everything the first day. She'd hoped someone would check in and take her out occasionally. But there was dog food scattered and water and pee on the hall's marble floor. It appeared she was left on her own the entire time. But at least the leftover food meant she hadn't gone hungry.

Lassie raced through the snow, stopping to investigate everything—except the dead pines, which she avoided. Alice stepped out, scanning for signs of recent visitations. Her bicycle was still covered in snow and the only tracks were Lassie's. What were only a couple inches when she entered the building four days earlier was now six to eight. That was an impressive accumulation considering it was early September. While no one tracked dates anymore, they knew what month it was, if not the exact date.

Without venturing into the snow, Alice breathed in the fresh air. Snow and cold did wonders for cleaning pollution and pollens from the air. The air felt richer, more invigorating than she remembered for some time. She worried again what the humidity in the air threatened, though.

A breeze still rustled the trees, sending a new cascade of snow tumbling to the ground. But it wasn't nearly as bad as the other night. It was still cold and overcast, though the air was clear. Alice realized the weather hadn't kept everyone away, but so much snow would slow down anyone walking. The fear of moisture-borne illnesses wouldn't make the trek any easier either.

Having done her business and anointing nearly every standing tree, Lassie turned and barked, trying to entice her master out to play. Alice smiled. After avoiding each other for so long, it was nice to see she didn't take it personally. Alice glanced around for something to throw. Grabbing a handful of dog food, she teased her by throwing a few nuggets into the snow. Alice laughed as Lassie buried her face in the white powder. Searching again, Alice grabbed an unused water bottle. Lassie barked happily when she threw it, finding the soft plastic container easier to fetch. She proudly retrieved it, but tossed it at her with her head rather than delivering it personally. It rolled across the exposed stone walkway under the building's overhand. Venturing out, Alice grasped it and tossed it again. As Lassie took off after it, Alice reflected how wonderful it was to see such vitality after dealing with sickness for so long.

Needing to return, she allowed the door to close behind her. She didn't think she needed to watch her. Lassie knew better than anyone what to avoid. It wasn't like there was anyone out on the streets at the moment anyway.

"I don't see any sign of anyone," she told the others, sticking her head in the door. Martha nodded, weaving slightly as she stood, refraining from grasping the wall. "Any idea where I can find shovels, both for snow and the regular kind?"

"Yo! Do I hear someone back among the living?" A familiar voice rang out from behind her.

Spinning around, she saw Reverend Peter striding down the hallway, grinning like he'd just won the lottery. Alice waved her hands to warn him off. "Don't come too close, everyone's still highly infectious. We haven't cleaned up yet."

"I'm aware," the affable minister replied, fanning his nose. "I prepared a place for you to scrub yourself. The main entrances to the museum are all asphalt and marble, so they're not suitable. Follow me, I'll show you the area I set up."

"I thought no one weathered the snow to check on us," she said, cracking a lopsided grin. Alice told everyone to hold on as she followed Peter down another hallway.

"In this city? Don't be silly. There are enough outdoor types, there are plenty of places to find skis, snowshoes and weather gear. We don't get much snow, but it isn't far to the ski areas in New England. So how'd the treatment go? Was handling four people as easy as you thought?"

"Hardly! They responded well, but you become so attuned to any signs of distress you wake up whenever someone moans, rolls over or stops making noise. When people stop complaining is when you're most needed. As a result, I didn't get much rest. We had a couple emergencies, nothing too extreme though. I'm not so sure operating in such a large building was a wise move. We were freezing. I kept cranking up the heater. Thanks for the extra fuel, by the way. Unfortunately, the heat escaped into the vaulted ceilings while the damn marble floors remained frigid. It was a constant battle keeping everyone warm."