saline

four

Macy set the box on the table. "We've got another shipment. Even less in it than last time, by the looks of it." The women around her groaned.

"Are we ever going to get a full shipment?" moaned one.

"Do you think anyone with a full bag of saline would stop by this place?" snapped Macy. "There isn't anything for miles around! The smart ones have left already. I'd be out of here, too, if I thought I had any chance of making it out there."

"This is a beautiful town, Macy. You may not know it, but you're better off here than one of those big cities!" exclaimed another woman.

"Charlotte, please! Do you really think anyone is better off here than somewhere that has a working hospital?"

"I don't think there are any working hospitals left to begin with."

"I bet that Orlando one is still running!" piped one of the ladies gleefully.

"Alright, now, shut it, will you!" growled Macy. "Just get this out of here as soon as possible so we can be done with it."

The women quieted down and unpacked the boxes. The atmosphere in the room grew duller as what little hope they still had was dashed at seeing the meager spoils before them. Without much second thought, they dutifully began to collect the saline droplets into a single bag.

Macy observed them into the long hours of the night. With the moon shining in through the broken roof above them, the women finally leaned back from the table and admired their handiwork.

Before them lay two and a half bags of saline.

"Well, it's more than I expected to find," Charlotte said.

"It's hardly enough to support an infant," whined Macy.

The silence that filled the shell of a building spoke of the womens' solemn agreement. The freezing night air nipped at their noses, and they huddled together under a sorry patchwork excuse for a blanket. The brief moment of joy brought on by their accomplishments was gone too soon. Despite being so close, they had been left alone, for they had nothing but the dread of soon having to face another day.