15C overcast and a few raindrops.
Help set up tables then prepared the green for a game for later in the day( In the River ). Shopped for salad stuff as I am am doing Pizza night. Didn't bowl as we had an odd number, but umpired instead. The Pizza and salad went well with help from one of the ladies.Got word in the evening that one of our old timers (a stalwart) died suddenly yesterday. A shocker and we will miss him.

  Mrs. Pearce and all four children came from around the back, Mrs. Pearce took in the scene at a glance, “You children sit over there.” She pointed to a bench in the corner of the garden, then turned to her husband and kneeling beside him lifted and cradled his head. “Shh, shh come now, there is much to do, the children are here and they need you now.”

  He lay in her arms then twisted and looked up, “They bombed it, they bombed the hospital.” He said in a broken whisper, then full realization hit him and he struggled up, “I must go see, see if anyone is alive.”

  His wife stared at him then nodded, “Yes you must, I will find Lim Siu and come with you.”

  She found Lim Siu nonchalantly preparing breakfast in the kitchen, “Lim Siu, did you not hear the bombs and the airplanes?”

  “Oh yes, Missy, I hear much, I look out and now I make cooking.” The girl said in her broken English.

  “Very well, keep the children with you, the Doctor and I must go to the hospital.”

  “Yes Missy, but I think everyone dead now and you should go away from here.”

  Mrs. Pearce gave a quick nod then turned saying over her shoulder, “Feed the children, we will be back as soon as we can.” She hurried out through the front door to her husband.

CHAPTER 3

 

D

octor Pearce started walking slowly toward the hospital, his shoulders hunched.  He knew what would be found.

  His wife joined him and without knowing they clasped hands as they moved forward, skirted the crater where the steps had been and stepped on into the rubble.

  There had been ten patients in one large ward and for the night, one nurse and two nurses' aides had been on duty. No one had survived. Most were unrecognizable and only by a count of limbs were they able to ascertain there had been thirteen people inside the building.