Covid 19 and counting past 21

©Copyright to Beverly Guinevere Taff.

Tiff Q’s story concerning the Covid 19 delayed side effect prompted me to enter into the same theme and write 19 and counting. This is the third part of ‘Nineteen and counting.’

Thank you Tiff Q for giving me the inspiration to write something in the same vein and in the same ‘universe’ as your story about Covid 19.

List of Characters.

Terry Harrington. Fugitive boy marked for compulsory transitioning.

Samantha, (Sam) First transitioned kid Terry meets on the streets.

Theodora (Dora) leader of the transitioned kid gang.

Jessica. (Jessie) The only neo-natal girl in Dora’s gang.

Part 3.

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When Terry finally recovered he was surprised to see Jessie sipping some more water and staring fearfully at him.

He stared back at her and they simultaneously asked – “How’re you feeling.”

This brought a smile to both their faces, partly relief and partly amusement. After a hesitant pause they both went for it again by offering the other to chance to explain first. Simultaneously they said an identical second sentence.

“You go first!”

This brought them to mutual laughter and for several seconds they giggled uncontrollably until common sense prevailed but not before tears of relieved joy filled Terry’s eyes.

“Right me first cos’ I have to know. How are you feeling?”

“Bit weak, but I can breathe better.” Jessica gasped between recovering breaths.

“Thank god for that! Shall I get some food.”

“Where. It’s Monday again isn’t it? The charity stall will be closed.”

“Ah. You don’t know this but I’ve got a secret place.”
“Whassat?” Jessica wondered.

“There’s a little café between here and town. I do odd jobs for him and he pays me in food; good food, fresh food.”

“Bloody hell! Is that why we never saw you begging around the city centre.”

“Happen;” Terry confessed.

“Why didn’t you bring some for us.”

“If everybody knew, it wouldn’t be a secret would it, and everybody would be clamouring for the work. Even if I brought some for you and your friends, you’d immediately be chasing me up for food and feeding five people is just not on. Anyway, the café owner warned me to be tactful about it cos’ he didn’t want a line of beggars calling at the café.”

“You cunning bastard.”

“Hey. Just leave it there. I’ve been bringing fresh food for you every day while you’ve been ill but in the end Trixie ate it. If I go there now and do my work, I’ll be back by lunch time with a whole bag of good fresh food.”

“Okay then, please, I’m starving.”

“Right, stay warm and keep Trixie close beside you. I’ll get her some sausages and bacon as well.”

Jessica sat up and offered a kiss to him and he accepted the offer eagerly. She sat back again with a puzzled frown.

“Aren’t you afraid of catching the Covid?”

“Leave off babes, I was giving you mouth to mouth resuscitation last night and you coughed a lump of phlegm right into my lungs. I’ve most certainly got it now so it’ll be your turn to nurse me. I can only hope I don’t get it as bad as you but the same rules apply.”

“What are those?” Jessica demanded.

“No hospital even if I’m dying. I don’t want those bastards cutting me into a trans-girl.”

“Okay. You’d better not die then because I’d hate to lose you.”

Terry looked at her thoughtfully and frowned.

“You don’t own me so you can’t lose me. If I die; I die. Ten percent of people die a when they catch it and everybody catches it.

“Are you going to get tested then?”

“Can’t get tested, are you forgetting. I’m still chipped. The moment they scan my chip, they know who I am and then you know what - I’ll take my chances with you and Trixie nursing me here.”

“I don’t think she’ll help you much.”

“You don’t think so?”

“No! I don’t think so. She’s just a dog.”

“Well let me tell you. She pulled you through!”

“What d’ you mean?”

“Last night! I was about giving you up for dead but she didn’t. She knew you were still there, the real you, inside that gasping wheezing wreck of a shell, she knew there was still life.” - -

“Are you saying she telepathic or something?”

Terry wagged his head in disbelief.

“D’ you know nothing about dogs, d’ you not read stuff about dogs.”

“What d’ yer mean?”

“Wild dogs; you know, the ones in Africa – They can pick out the sick animals in the herd when they’re hunting, they can also pick out the healthy ones, the ones it isn’t worth chasing cos they’re too healthy, too strong. Well it’s like that with domestic dogs as well, d’ you know some dogs can detect cancer before doctors can.”

“So?” Jessie sniffed dismissively. “Are you saying she knew I could be saved?”

“You weren’t here, you were totally out of it. Whatever was going on, she knew. If you’d seen her whining and looking at me then she actually barked at me when I turned to run because I thought you were dying.”

“Why would you have run? You’d have left me to die alone.”

“I was afraid. Genuinely, I thought you’re a gonner. I panicked! Then she barked and sort of brought me to my senses. She licked your face and put her paw on your chest. I dunno, the way she stared at me with those intelligent eyes and those pricked up ears. She seemed to be telling me something. I thought I’d try resuscitation even if it meant I’d be infected; I couldn’t do any worse.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Neither did I, - then. I get it now though.”

“Get what?” Jessie demanded to know.

“It’s obvious I’m infected now. A lump of your phlegm went straight into my chest when I was giving you mouth to mouth. There’s no way I can’t be infected. I’m going to be ill just like you were.

If you had died last night, I would be following you eventually, weeks later - but inevitably I would die. There’s nobody to nurse me. We’d be together forever then. If you survived, you’d at least be able to nurse me and, if I came through, we’d still be together.”

Jessica lay thoughtfully silent for a few seconds then asked.

“And what if you die? What happens to me?”

“I dunno, I’m not some sort pf clairvoyant.”

“I’d be alone.”

“You’d still have Trixie.”

“Oh thanks! A dog to keep me company, bid deal!”

“There’s thousands of us out there with only dogs for company.”

“But I want you.”

“Well, you’d better get ready to nurse me when the time comes. You’ve got a couple of weeks to prepare cos after last night, I’m definitely infected.”

With these words, Terry put his trainers on and set off to do his turn cleaning the café.

“You’re late this morning lad.” The restaurateur observed.

“Sorry Ron. My girl was sick, she hit the peak last night and she’s over the worst.”

“No problem just use plenty of disinfectant to clean up. Half the people who eat here have been infected.”

“Yeah, Covid 21. I sometimes think they called it that because if invariably got you before you reached adulthood.”

“Could be Terry lad, it could be. But I think the real reason is because it is variant number 21.”

“Whatever,” Terry replied as he set to cleaning.

ooo000ooo

As he worked away he began to think about Jessica’s words that morning. –‘I want you. – I don’t want to lose you.’

At the still tender age of fourteen, Terry wasn’t sure what she meant. – ‘Did she need him for logistical reasons or was it an emotional thing?’

Unable to decide, he worked even harder to clear his mind and when he was finished he was pleasantly surprised.

“What’s all this Ron?”

“You said you’d got a partner, a girl. Is she living on the streets with you?”

Terry’s face clouded slightly.

“Yeah. Please don’ report us though.”

“Oooh, don’ worry lad. I’ve got no time for those bastards. They stole my daughter a couple of years ago, a neonatal girl. Took her to extract her eggs and she never came back. She died of Covid 21 cos she was infected in the hospital. All I got back was her ashes.”

“Jeeze! I’m sorry Ron. My girl’s neonatal.”

“Then don’t spread it around cos if they find her they’ll cut her open for her eggs, they’re getting more desperate every year. Take those clothes for her in the bag. See if they fit. Oh – and there’s some extra food in the other bag.”

“Thanks Ron, you’re a brick!”

Terry returned to the bash in a much lighter mood to find Jessica fast asleep with Trixie curled up beside her to keep her warm. Silently he placed the clothes beside her then slid into his own de-bugged sleeping bag and caught up on the sleep he’d missed nursing Jessica through the previous night. It was getting dark when Jessica woke him with a kiss and a hug.

“Mmmph! Oh thanks Jessie, that was nice.”

“No, this is nice!” She riposted. Good fresh food and a nice new coat. It’s a bit big but at least it’s warm! I should be thanking you.”

Terry looked up at her as thankful tears started to glisten in her eyes.

“Have you had enough to eat?”

“Yes thanks, we can save this til the morning. There was a pile here.”

“Yeah. Ron told me a bit about himself today. He had a neonatal daughter just like you. They took her to harvest her eggs and she died in the hospital. He’s a pretty bitter guy. Those clothes are his daughter’s.”

“I don’t need to know where or how they came to me, I’m just grateful for some clean stuff. Thanks.”

“I took the jeans and the pink top for myself. Sorry but mine were getting really manky.”

“Ask him next time if there were any shoes.”

“If you promise not to tell anybody where the café is, I’ll take you there. You’ve gorra’ promise though!”

“I promise.”

“No seriously, I mean it. You mustn’t tell Dora and co if you ever see them, nor anybody else,”

“Okay! Okay!, seriously, I mean it, I promise not to ever reveal Ron’s café or his kindness.”

Satisfied with Jessie’s oath Terry snuggled deeper into his sleeping bag and sighed softly. He was warm for the first time in months.

ooo000ooo

For Terry, the nicest thing about waking the next morning was to be warm and to hear Jessica’s steady easy breathing beside him. The worst thing was looking out through the narrow entrance of their Bash and seeing a white covering of snow over everything.

For Jessica, the nicest thing was being wedged snug and warm between Trixie and Terry and knowing there was food to hand. The worst thing was feeling her period arriving.

“Shit,” she cursed softly.

“What’s wrong love?” Terry asked.

“I’ve come on and I’ve got no tampons.”

“Where d’ you get them?”

“The lady at the charity stall used to help me. Only Neonatal girls need them and they’re a dead giveaway if I ask. I’ve no Idea where she got them or how. This is a mess.”

Terry fell silent for he had no immediate answer.

“I’ll run into the city centre and ask her.”

“In this? There’s a couple of inches of snow and still falling. She probably won’t open the stall today. I’ll make a pad from the clothes Ron gave you, there’s bound to be something absorbent, - cotton or something. Better if you went to work and got some food.”

“I was going to take you to Ron’s today to check if there were any shoes and stuff.”

By now Jessica was rummaging through the bag and found something she hoped was suitable.

“This’ll do but you’ll have to help me rip it into strips.”.

Terry, eager to help’ did as asked and Jessica was soon protected. They set off through the falling snow after briefly brushing their tracks away from the bash.

“This stuff will cover them in an hour or so, come on let’s go to Ron’s café.” Terry declared.

They arrived at the rear lane of the café and Terry told Jessie to wait out of sight. Within minutes he re-appeared with Ron who stared at Jessie then frowned and ushered her in.

As he sized her up, Terry immediately set about his tasks until Ron finally decided.

“Her bedroom is just as she left it when they took her. All her clothes are there as well. I never had the heart to get rid of them.”

“Are there any shoes, my feet are frozen in these things.”

Ron looked down at the worn trainers and replied.

“They’re in the bottom of her wardrobe, dunno if they’ll fit mind. There’s lots of clothes as well but don’t touch her jewellery though. That’s stuff I bought after her mum died.”

A lump formed in Jessica’s throat as she realised the café owner had lost both wife and daughter to the fucking virus.

“I promise you, anything I need, I’ll tell you and ask for it.”

“Go on up then. It’s the third door on the right down the landing.”

Jessica crept respectfully up the stairs mindful she was disturbing Ron’s ghosts. Once in the room, she found it in Pristine condition and for a couple of minutes she simply sat on the floor mindful of her filthy state and not wanting to soil the beautifully embroidered duvet with her filthy clothes. Eventually, she plucked up the courage to open the wardrobe and found the shoes. The trainers fitted and a pair of ladies hiking boots completed her footwear needs. She set them aside and decided to check out the clothes.

After choosing a few items for their warmth, she had a thought and searched through the drawers of the dressing table. On finding what she was desperately hoping for she scampered down the stairs and tapped on the fire door to attract Ron’s attention.

He turned away from his cooking range and quickly opened the door a crack so as not to expose her to the café clientele.

“What is it?” He whispered.

She held up the un-opened box of tampons self-consciously and asked.

“Can I have these?”

“What d’ you need – oh! Of course, Terry said you were neo. Yes girl by all means! There’s boxes of them in the back room cos we had to get special delivery from the clinic. We didn’t plan they would come so early for her to steal her eggs. She was terrified and so are you I presume,”

Jessica nodded, as tears once again betrayed her fears. Ron, once having been a loving and thoughtful father, quickly realised the situation and explained.

“If you need them right away, there’s a bathroom and shower next to her bedroom. Use it, I’ll send Terry up when he’s finished down here.”

As he set down the last black rubbish bag in the big waste-bin in the lane terry arched his back and glanced around. The lane was tidy so there was nothing extra he could do for Ron to somehow giving a little bit extra to help out Jessica. He returned to the yard and stripped off his upper clothes then freed the hose and gave himself the briefest of hose-downs despite the snow still lying on the ground. As he just finished, Ron appeared at the back door.

“Bloody hell kid, you’ll catch your death!”

“I’m stinking, it’s gorra’ be done.”

“Well your girl Jessica, is upstairs doing exactly the same thing but with hot water. You’d best finish up with her. You’ll catch bloody pneumonia washing out her.”
“What! She’s having a wash.”

“Shower more likely. I’ll get your food ready while you go up and see her. Is that your dog hanging around outside?”

“Yeah. She’s Jessica’s protection.”

“She’s a nice dog. You’d better bring her into the yard.”

Terry went to the end of the lane and called Trixie in. The dog obediently came to call as Ron watched admiringly.

“You’ve got her well trained. I could do with a guard dog.”

“I don’t think Jessie could let her go.”

“No Terry, you’re not getting me. If the dog can guard my Café, she can also guard the girl. You’re living rough at the moment aren’t you?”

“We have to. They’re looking to take Jessie and harvest her eggs and they want me as transition material. Living rough means they can’t find us.”

“You could hide here at night. Nobody yet realises you come her most mornings. I live and work alone. The back lane’s pretty quiet, nobody would notice either of you two or the dog slipping in and out early or late. Seems a pity to waste a good room.”

“We can’t afford rent,” Terry revealed. We don’t collect benefits.”

“You clean the yard and generally sort stuff out. That’ll cover the rent and the left-over food will keep your body and soul together. Better than livin’ rough in this weather.”

“Are you for real, you’re offerin’ us a room?”

“That girl of yours needs proper caring. She’s a neonatal for god’s sake. She needs protecting from those bloody egg-snatchers plus she needs proper dressings when she’s on her cycle. I know all about that before they took my dear Lucy. She had to order special supplies because there are so few neos about nowadays. Your girl’s precious and you’re goin’ to have to look after her.”

Terry just stared; slack jawed at Ron as the restaurateur cautiously stroked Trixie. Then Ron looked up with raised eyebrows.

“Well. Are you going to stand there all day?”

“I, - I, - your saying we can stay in your spare room.”

“Yes. That’s the one further down the hall than my Lucy’s room. I can’t let go of that room. Her stuff means so much to me.”

Terry nervously entered the back of the café and climbed the stairs. On the landing he heard the shower running so he knocked on the bathroom door and announced himself before Jessie panicked.

“It’s me, Terry. Are you decent?”

“No!” Jessie squeaked. Give me a couple of minutes.”

While waiting Terry decided to check the rooms. It was obvious which room had been Ron’s daughters’ because it was as she had left it except for Jessica’s coat on the bed and her old trainers on the floor. The next room was obviously the spare room and used as a storeroom. Terry noted the several large cardboard boxes containing several thousands of sanitary tampons. Obviously, Ron and his daughter Lucy had naively believed she would be living a normal woman’s life for many years and probably would have been had the Covid 21 virus not taken her after the government had robbed her of her eggs.

Terry could now fully understand why Ron was so bitter and antagonistic towards the government and he retreated thoughtfully back to the bathroom just as Jessica called through the door.

“You can come in now.”

Terry knocked softly and carefully eased the door open to reassure Jessica that he was not some sort of peeping Tom.

“Come on! I don’t bite.” Jessica encouraged him.

He closed the door and turned to confront Jessica wrapped in a large colourful beach towel. She smiled at him and gave him a twirl.

“Do I look better now.”

“You sure do, and you smell better. Trixie won’t recognise you unless you go up and pet her.”

Jessica smiled and leaned in to take a token sniff of Terry.

“You could do with a shower as well. How long since you had one?”

“Don’ ask girl – months.”

“Look, I saw some jeans and clean tops amongst Ron’s daughter’s things. You have a shower and I’ll check some thing out. He said I could take what I needed anyway. You’re pretty much the same size as her clothes anyway and you’ve been passing as a girl since I knew you. You don’t even shave either do you.”

Terry replied quietly and self-consciously.

“I’m only just turned fourteen Jess, and I’ve always been a late developer. That’s why the bastards had me down for transition. Girly boy, that’s me. Even my parents accepted it, they didn’t even try to appeal against it; despite my being good at sport and science.”

Glad for the first truly supportive sympathetic intercourse between any other person in his short life, Terry needed no encouragement to strip down and shower. As Jessica left to check out Lucy’s wardrobe, Terry eagerly stepped into the shower. He savoured the first shower in over four months. When he stepped out, he stared ruefully at the disgustingly filthy girls panties and work stained jeans lying on the floor and his nose wrinkled. It was at that moment that Jessica returned and waltzed into the bathroom without first knocking. Terry was standing stark naked and he span around to protest.

“Jeeze! Girl! I knocked for you, you could at least have knocked and waited.”
“Sorry Ter’. I won’t look, I’ve got you an outfit. Clean jeans, clean knickers and socks and a clean blouse. It’s a bit girly but need’s must when the devil cracks.”

“It’s too bloody late now, you’ve seen everything, what’s it matter now?”

Jessie took him at his word and turned again to hand him the clothes. Terry cursed but stood his ground as he started to dress while she watched.

“D’ you know, you’re quite a girly shape except for those tiny hips. You’ve got a big butt though it’s all out back, not at the sides.”

“Yeah, well that’s the sprinter’s hips. That’s why I was good at football, fast, agile and slippery.”

“Yeah we did notice when you escaped from the cellar using that reinforcing bar.”

When Terry finished dressing, they thoroughly cleaned the bathroom and put all their dirty clothes in a washing machine they found in Ron’s utility room. On hearing the machine ding to start, Ron came to investigate and smiled as he saw the pair cleaning up.

“That’s good. If you want to earn your corn Jessie, you can do the laundry every time it’s needed. There’s the table-cloths and tea-towels to do from the café and they need washing every day.”

“I’m not going to be your skivvy.” Jessie protested.

Terry let out a gasp at Jessica’s seeming ingratitude but Ron ignored it and explained.

“It’s only an hour a day. The washing machines do all the work and ironing table-cloths is a doddle. If you don’t like it you –“

“She’ll take it!” Terry interrupted before any acrimony erupted.

“Good.” Ron intoned before returning to his cooking range.”

“What did you say that for?” Terry demanded angrily.

“I thought he might be setting me as a slave labourer.”

“Bloody hell Jessie. He’s offered you a room, a bed, a bath-room, and bloody food every day; and all you have to do is wash a few table-cloths and tea-towels. That’s a bloody good deal and all because you remind him of his daughter, who; I might remind you was neonatal like you. And what’s-more! He’s got a huge stash of tampons from when she was alive. You don’t know your bloody born!”

Jessica fell silent as she realised she had been a bit rash.

“I’m sorry, I was thinking he might want something else; you know - .”

She made a vague sign towards her lower body.

“Oh for god’s sake. He thinks you and I are a couple, he offered for me to share the room, - and the bed – .”

“Did you agree?” She demanded.

“I had little choice, he thought we came as a package deal. I think he also made the offer to assure you he wasn’t predating.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready for any of that; you know, sex and stuff.” Jessica revealed. “I’m only just turned fifteen.”

“Oh. I thought you were older, like Sam and Dora’s age.”

“Ha, Dora’s eighteen! Do I look eighteen?”

“I dunno, fifteen’s older than me though. Technically it’s statutory rape either way around.”

“Do you want to share a bed; - with an older woman that is?”

“We can sleep in separate sleeping bags. I’ll do some begging and we can buy some clean sleeping bags from the charity shops.”

Jessica made a face and grinned.

“If that’s how you want it.”

“It’s how you want it that matters. You’re the one carrying the can – or baby so to speak.”

“Jeeze! Don’ speak of babies. That’s a big no-no. I’d be well fucked having to go into hospital.”

“Yeah. Sleeping bags it’ll have to be then.”

Having agreed the sleeping arrangement, Terry went downstairs and sealed the deal with Ron. He then explained he was going to try and sort out sleeping bags as bed linen.

“Sleeping bags? I thought you two were an item.

“Well we are and aren’t. We share a bed but we don’t – you know.”

“Why not, I thought that’s why she wanted to sleep with you.”

“Don’ be daft, we’re way too young to start a family. They’d take her kid away immediately.”

“No they won’t lad. If she get’s pregnant, they won’t take her eggs off her, at least until she’s had her own children and then they’ll harvest them after she’s through with her own children.”

“What happens if she wants lots of children?”

“They can wait,” Ron advised, “her eggs are good until she’s in her thirties. If my Lucy and I had known that she’d have got herself pregnant in a flash and she might still be here today. She’s only be twenty two now.”

“So why’s that then, why do they hold of if you’re having a baby?”

“I dunno. I’m not a gynaecologist, google it, there’s bound to be something out there.”

“I will, but I’ll speak to Jessica.”

“Do that, then see how she feels about pregnancy.”

A confused Terry returned to find Jessica already loading a pile of table-cloths into the washing machine.

“Earning your corn then?”

“You were right. He didn’t strike me as some sort of stalker anyway. I found some family photos in the back of one of Lucy’s drawers. Both she and her mother were pretty, Ron must have been devastated.”

“He’s never talked to me about it, seems he only talks to women.”

Jessie giggled.

“Have you looked in a mirror?” All you need is a pair of tits.”

“Watch it girl! I got enough shit in school about being girly. Anyway, I’ve got some news for you.”

“Good or bad?”

“I dunno. It depends how you take it really.

ooo000ooo