The inside of the mall was a nightmare. Scat had no plans to ever go through that again. He shot Sam a look that was half-grateful, half-in-awe.

“Thanks,” he said quietly. “No way I’d have made it out of there on my own.”

Sam handed Scat the medicine bottle. She’d covered the rest of the deal with the pharmacist without saying a word, just did it, like it was nothing. But Scat knew better. It wasn’t nothing.

“Meet me at the market plaza tonight,” Sam said, sliding her hands into her coat pockets. “I need backup for a little distraction… and maybe a bit of lifting lint.”

She hesitated just a second, just long enough to land the next words square in his chest.

“I hope this helps Tony.”

She then turned and disappeared down the alley.

He calls himself “The Pharmacist,” but he doesn’t care about healing anyone.He used to be a good man; he did everything he could to save others. But his supplies ran dry, and desperation set in.At first, he bartered and traded, trying to keep the community afloat. It worked for a while. Then the stress broke him.This world broke him.

Now, his concoctions are mostly fakes, cheap mixtures that, truth be told, probably do more harm than good.If you die taking his medicine, that’s on you.

Some still remember the better days.They remember the man he used to be, and they refuse to face what he’s become.

But those who know better see the truth:He’s not a healer anymore.He’s a hustler.All he cares about is the trade.

He scams the desperate, those trying to save someone they love, or just trying to escape the pain of their own lives.

Sam, Queen of the Gutter Rats, felt a flicker of irritation toward Scat, though she knew it wasn’t all his fault. She should have warned him what the pharmacist might demand in trade. The man was unpredictable, sometimes picky, other times needlessly cruel. Scat emptied his pockets. He laid everything on the counter: an old pocket watch, and several coins. His hands trembled hoping it would be enough. He suddenly wished he had grabbed the cool rock, bottle opener and fancy key from his room to include in the barter.

Sam stood with her arms crossed. “Took you long enough.”Scat’s gaze drifted to the jagged hole in the side of the building. “We’re going in there?”Sam rolled her eyes. “Don’t be such a baby. This way we avoid all the bad guys.”Scat lingered at the edge, hesitation written all over his face. For a moment, he considered turning back. Maybe Tony didn’t need the medicine. Maybe he’d pull through without it.Sam rested a hand on his shoulder. “We just need to make it to the pharmacy without being seen. Trust me, we’ve got this.”

We moved Tony from the basement up to the admin hallway. He is not doing well. His eye seems to be better, but his stomach is extremely bloated and painful to the touch. He isn’t holding any food done but we are insisting that he drink water. I honestly don’t know if this is doing any good or if it is doing harm, but I heard once that you shouldn’t let people get dehydrated.

Marty, Gretchen and Cecilia have headed out to the main library to do some research on Tony’s condition. With any luck they will come back with some answers on what we should do to help him. In the meantime, the kids are taking turns sitting with Tony and trying to keep him comfortable.

Madie

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