Subsoil

Corpse Carrier - Act 1 | Chapter 1 - Subsoil
Thirteen Minutes Until Juna Dies

A weight lifted from Theo’s shoulders. They felt lighter, more so than after a delivery. He felt the instinctive urge to wipe his eyes and to pinch himself. Though he knew what he saw, and understood his mind definitely wasn't playing tricks on him. After all, it happened right in front of his eyes.

Kaidia moved her left arm.

Even if it was just a lone finger. She moved it. Kaidia did. Then again the movement happened—a flinch. A slight lift of her index finger, enough to bring her nail off the wheelchair's vinyl padding. Kaidia eased the finger back down and smiled with a bittersweet curl of the lips.

“You can move it!” Theo said, jumping out of a seat that wasn't there. He glanced at Nia who stifled a laugh. “What, when? For how long?”

“It’s been three weeks since she first could move it,” Nia said. She placed a hand on Kaidia’s shoulder. “It shouldn’t be long until the full range of movement comes back. For both arms that is.”

"That's…that's amazing,” Theo said.

“I’m amazing,” Kaidia suggested, smugly.

Nia stifled another laugh and combed through Kaidia’s auburn hair with her hand. “That you are,” she said, softly.

Kaidia huffed in pride and raised her right arm gently into the air. “Sleeve,” she said. Nia pulled it down for her.

“What about your progress Theo?” Kaidia asked.

“Mine?”

“About your hobbies and friends. Did you make more progress than me?”

To think his ill sister would be asking him a question like that. Younger as she was, Kaidia always tended to care for others more. Even hospitalized and half bedridden, she still insisted on playing the caretaker of the family. Around a month ago she suggested they have a competition to see who could make the most progress. Kaidia with her rehabilitation, and Theo with trying to live a normal high school life. Whoever got closer in the span of two months was the winner.

Theo tapped his chin and glanced to the side. “I wouldn’t say more progress than you. But I am going roller skating this Friday with a couple friends. I might not be able to stop by.”

That was a lie. He worked that day. The second the school bell released him on Friday, he would jog to work and clock in. It was a cold thing to do—lie to your sick sister—but easing her mind was more important. She was the one hospitalized, yet she worried that he was overworking himself, or that he had no friends, or no hobbies. She was right, but Theo didn’t need to let her know that. He couldn’t be the kind of brother who let his younger sister worry about him. He couldn't.

So Theo lied.

“We’ve been playing pick up basketball here and there after school. It's been fun to learn.”

“Good then,” Kaidia said. “After all I—”

“Can take care of yourself,” Theo interrupted. He smiled and rustled her hair. “I know you can. It’s also fine to rely on others, though.”

Kaidia could do nothing about the ruffling of her hair. She could only pout her lips and wait until Theo was satisfied with his disruption.

“I hate when you do that,” Kaidia said.

Theo backed away. “That’s why I do it.”

Kaidia turned her head to the side and if she could move her arms she would have crossed them. Just like she used to.

“Don’t worry Kaidia,” Nia said. “I’ll fix your hair when I get back.” She turned and looked at Theo, then smiled. “Mr. Theo, could we have a word before you leave?”

Theo nodded and said his goodbyes to Kaidia. He exchanged one last high-five with his sister, ruffled her hair some more, then stepped out of the room along with Nia.

Maybe next week they could start high fiving with her left hand. Maybe.

Nia lead Theo into her office a few rooms down the hall. It was complementary that once a week she and Theo would chat about Kaidia’s progress, check to make sure his sister was on track, and refresh Theo about the due payments. Though recently, something new was added to that list.

“Let’s talk about the Medical Charity Care program, Theo,” Nia said, taking a seat on a leather chair behind a glossed dark oak desk. She rummaged through a cabinet drawer and pulled out a white folder. She flipped it open and slid a piece of paper out.

Theo took a seat.

“Monday,” Nia said, firmly, looking at the paper. “So in five days the program will decide who to sponsor. We don’t play favorites, so I don’t want you to get your hopes up when I say this, but you and Kaidia are the likely candidates for being sponsored.”

Theo couldn’t help but clench a fist against his thigh, almost pumping it into the air. Though he restrained himself.

Theo had to be diligent.

“You have to be diligent, Theo,” Nia continued, setting the paper on the desk. “This program looks at the guardian just as much as it does the patients. They are very strict and detailed on who they sponsor. Even so much as a small fight in school could be enough to have your name marked off the list. Understood?”

Theo nodded.

“Good. Though to pay for Kaidia’s treatment, you’ve been working after school for the past two years. That’s good, Theo. It puts you ahead of most candidates. A few locals have also made the effort to come and put in a good word about you. That, along with the rate of Kaidia's rehabilitation compared to her diagnosis—has impressed the sponsors. But that doesn’t mean that you and Kaidia are the guaranteed pick.”

Theo’s clenched fist weakened as he watched Nia cup her hands together onto her desk.

“Your grades Theo. School’s not going the best, is it?” Nia smiled, though differently from how she smiled in the room with Kaidia. This smile wasn’t as wide as before. She kept her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head, waiting for a reply.

“I’m passing,” Theo muttered. “That’s good enough. With work and Kaidia I don’t have much time to study. I try to listen to podcasts while at work,” he hung his head. “But I forget a lot of what I learn. It doesn’t stick to me.”

Nia laughed.

Theo watched as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gently smiled. The same warm smile from the room. “It’s okay, Theo,” she said, “I know you’re trying your best. I’m not here to punish you. Your health is just as important as Kaidia’s. I only want to make sure you’re doing well.”

A sudden relief entered Theo’s chest. Nia was always kind to them, especially Kaidia. Late at night sometimes she would stay after hours to talk with Kaidia, helping her fall asleep. Each week she would reassure Theo that progress was going smoothly, that his sister was strong. That he was strong.

There was a time when Kaidia's progression went stale. She wouldn't eat and the doctors recommend they not continue with the rehabilitation. But instead to look for accommodations to Kaidia’s living conditions long term. A paralyzed Kaidia from the neck down. It wasn’t until a year ago that Nia transferred over from a rehabilitation center out of town. Immediately she was assigned to work with Kaidia. Three months later, Kaidia moved a finger for the first time.

To Kaidia, Nia was a sister. And to Theo, she was a miracle.

“She’s making good progress, Theo,” Nia said, hands still grasped, smile still warm and gentle. “I’m proud of her, she's put in a lot of work these last few months.”

“I’m proud of her too. I can't thank you enough. It's really all because of you she's been getting better.”

Nia paused for a moment, then giggled. She wiped under her eye with a finger. “Hardly. Theo you have more of an impression on her than I do, and I'm her day long caretaker."

Theo tilted his head.

“She says it’s a reward,” Nia continued. “When you come in, she can show you her progress. She calls it a reward. I'll watch her eyes glow each time she accomplishes something she couldn't do the day before. And I always think that happiness in the moment comes from her own appreciation of her accomplishment. But you know, Theo, each time Kaidia overcomes a new hurdle, she turns to me with stars in her eyes and asks:

“Do you think Theo will be surprised?”

Nia leaned in, smiled. “The best therapy for Kaidia is seeing you, Theo.”