The rocks used in the making of the 16th century street were not quite uniform in shape, and I could feel them press painfully into my flimsy leather boots as I carried the waste bin out of the backdoor to the Inn that had become my home over the last 6 months. Slinging the disgusting rubbish into the pile to be burned. I turned, and hurried back inside as a group of people walked down the back road behind the building.
The hem of my dress had gotten wet in the process of me walking through the snow, and I felt it slap my legs with each step I took. I shivered and pulled off my cloak; hanging it up. I then walked towards the fireplace- sticking my hands out before it to warm myself up. It crackled, and I sighed with content as it warmed me to my bones in a matter of seconds. Looking behind me, I seen the rocker and sat down in it, looking into the flames of the fire; rocking back and forth.
It had been a harsh winter; not that the rest of the year had been any easier on the people of Germany. It was hard being impoverished anywhere in the world, but having experienced the many advantages of home- this was a true test of patience. I loved seeing the beautiful cultures from this era, but it was hard seeing the way people suffered. It was a different type of degradation that I had never seen before.
From what I have seen, the poor are mostly lice ridden, and dirt covered; their homes are not much better. Many felt lucky to be able to simply fill their families bellies. With no modern assistance programs put into place, these people exist off the generosity of the king and others. It made me sad, but I had to remember why I was sent here.
I had to save my own family. I help where I can, but it was hard to do anything on the money that I have since I don't charge anything when I see patients, but the UN sends all teams a monthly allowance so it's not an issue until I overspend because I feel the need to feed the orphans that I come across. Kate was always trying to shield me from them, but with the numbers of poor are so high it was hard not to run across someone along our routes.
This is not my only issue, however, the sickness has not shown itself since I have gotten here. The only diseases I have seen are ones that I have not been looking for. Even being a trained professional, I can see that most people who complain of the same symptoms I am looking for, typically have measles, mumps, or chicken pox. The word of the sweating sickness being present somewhere in the city travels very quickly- as one would expect, but I am to move to Constantinople soon if I do not find anything here. They are reported to have had an outbreak there in 1541, so after the New Year, we must leave Germany. Therefore, from the moment I arrived in 1540, I have been chasing down people with no luck as there is word of the sickness almost daily, but I have not seen the first true case yet.
In order to keep a little extra money in my pocket, I have also been helping out at the Inn I have been living at. A lovely woman named Joan, and her husband Daniel, took my partner and I in the night I set foot into their hotel looking for a loaf of bread and a room for rent. We got along very well, and they didn't charge us as much as the other Inn's did around London.
They had commented on our funny accent, but otherwise were very kind while we rented out their room. The wife, as a matter of fact, was heavily pregnant at the time and ended up in a 3 day labor in which the midwife could not jar the baby out of her; having received medical training, I had seen many babies born and helped deliver the breech baby. Once she had been removed from Joan, though, she pinked right up and was quite chunky as well. A beautiful baby girl they named Anne after myself. Looking at her chubby, pink baby face made me feel better than I had in a while. It was great to help people, it took my mind off of my family at home.
Now that we are allowed to stay in the room as long as we need, I have also made some very kind friends on top of that. The baby has even grown to know me and I couldn't help but feel my heart warm at that. It was going to be very sad whenever I ended up going home. I would miss this place and these people. I have found a sort of harmony here, and it's, in a weird way, been therapeutic for me.
I wonder what my family is doing right now. I mean, obviously they technically did not exist in this time, but to me, they were alive and well in 2111. At least, I hoped they were. We don't get any word about our families in our own times. This is out of fear that some of us will abandon our posts, even though we signed contracts stating that we acknowledged that this would be our main priority for the unforeseen future.
I felt my heart grow a little tender at the thought of my family. How close we had all been before the damn disease wiped out almost everyone. Our family was a miracle, we had not lost anyone last I had seen them. A year and a half into the infection and we had managed to protect ourselves through isolation and crazy, detail oriented cleaning routines to ensure that nobody tracked anything in. It was the year that everyone was depressed, and the elderly, and the sick, were thankful just to be able to hug their loved one's through a plastic barrier. Having a grandmother in an elderly home I have personally had the experience of missing my grandma so much that I jumped at the chance to hug her- even through a plastic wall.
I slid down from the chair I was in, my knees coming into contact with the floor. I placed my hand inside my dress pocket and removed my rosaries. I slid my hands together for prayer, clutching the beads between my hands and fingers, and lowered my head. "Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and guide...and please watch over my brothers, James and Ethan," I teared up, "and Grandma, and Grandpa... and Mom and Dad too. I will work as hard as I can to find this cure, and I know with your help anything is possible. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen," I signed the cross, and kissed the crucifix at the end of my rosaries, before rising and scooting back into the rocking chair.
I leaned my head back against the wood, looking up and out the window before me. It was very bright due to the snow outside, and the light seemed to stream in. The warmth of it, despite how cold it truly was outside, gave me chills, and I smiled.
I could feel God's presence everyday, watching over us as his plan for the world comes to fruition. I know that with his help I can do anything, it's moments like this that I take great comfort, despite living in a country that is protestant, I can still be catholic and do my job. When it is for the betterment of God's people, the sin of deceit can be forgiven. So I live my persona here, as a woman from England- here to study and research diseases in the big city. I can't attend mass, nor have I been able to confess in over 6 months, but I know that God is watching, and will forgive me once the mission is complete and I can resume normal life. I was given this specific permission from the Pope of my time- Leo XIV.
I heard the bell ring, signifying someone had entered the downstairs part of the Inn which doubled as a bar. I heard Joan come down the stairs, and round the corner to see me in the rocker. She stopped and took me in for a moment.
"Did you happen to pick up any apples at the market yesterday?" She asked me, just as I rose to take the baby from her.
"I did, they're on the counter. I am surprised you did not see them, they are big and beautiful, and very tasty. I had one for a snack on my way home," I smiled.
"This is good, I can use them for my pie. I did not see them, I am getting to be too blind to even see in front of myself, before long I will be walking around purely on knowing where everything is, but seeing absolutely nothing," She pulled the baby from her breast, sitting her down into my arms. Joan turned to button up her dress, then faced me.
"I will be back in a moment; I have something I wish to discuss with you when I do, so stay put," she told me, spinning on her heels and marching away to tend to her customers.
I rocked the baby back and forth, getting up and walking over to the doorway between the living space and the counter at the bar. I watched as she poured the drink into the mug and handed it to the bearded man, before returning back over to stand in the doorway with me.
"May I ask you some questions, Anne?" I raised an eyebrow, my heart dropping a little- I hope she didn't hear me praying today, that could be bad-especially since they warned me to be careful about doing that if I had to do it at all. I refuse to be disconnected from God though, and they can not take that from me.
"Of course you may. You have been kind enough to take me into your home after all."
"How old are you?" She asked, taking a seat adjacent to me.
"I am 24, why do you ask?" She looked distressed at my answer, "what's wrong?"
"If you do not hurry and marry, you will never have a child for yourself. You will grow old a maid."
I sighed heavily, she could not possibly know why I am not married, to her it is odd.
"I will get married when I meet the right person." I answered calmly, like I had practiced.
"Your parents are meant to find you a suitable match, were yours not around, or did they not do this for you?"
"They were around." I answered quickly, not wanting to seem hesitant.
"Then you have no dowry? This is not uncommon for women of our low birth. There are plenty of good, hard working men who will take you to wife. Would you allow me to introduce you to a few of Daniel's friends? He is having that party tomorrow and several of them are coming anyway, this could be a good moment for you to meet a man." She raised an eyebrow, then looked behind her at the cradle. "Who knows you could have one of those very soon."
I tried my best not to make a face, but that seemed awful. I briefly thought back to having to shove my hand up inside of Joan to release the baby that had gotten stuck inside her. If only she knew how close she had come to dying that night, maybe she wouldn't be so pushy to have me get married myself. Either way, she can't force me into anything anyways. I have no male figure in my life that can make me do anything in this time era so I'm basically free unless I was to get married.
"I am sure I will one day, but until then I hope to steady myself. Find a proper home, a husband,- then perhaps…" I trailed off as the bell rang, a customer walking to the counter.
Joan sighed and walked off towards her, immediately chatting with the lady, it was going to be a busy day at the Inn I can see. No doubt people coming in to celebrate the upcoming marriage of the Princess Anne to the King Henry VIII of England. For the next week there would be celebrations, although she sets sail apparently tomorrow, after weather had set them back previously.
Joan walked back over to me, reaching out for the baby and taking her from me, cradling her in her arms.
"Where is Kate?" Joan all of a sudden asked.
"She is probably out scouring for more patients for me, she speaks German so much better than I can, so it's easier for her to do anyways. I think she appreciates the alone time she gets from it as well." In truth, Kate had been obsessed with this time period. She knew about all the customs, and not only communicated spectacularly, where I am simply alright.
"She's done this 4 times this week already, does she mean to keep this up do you think?"
I sighed, "I have no idea, I appreciate the effort but she is going to get hurt going out alone like that."
"I hope she is alright, it is still early in the morning, so we shall wait to worry since this is normal I suppose."
"Agreed, she can take care of herself though, don't worry about her. She is tough country girl, remember?" We smiled at each other, changing the subject to that of the weather- gloom, per usual.
The bell ring once more, and we both turned to see a hooded figure standing in the doorway. Her face hidden, it was clear from the deep red of the cloak that it was Kate returning from wherever she had been all morning. I immediately recognized her the second I seen the brightness of the cloak, though. I would never want to stand out so harshly among these people, but Kate prefers it. She loves attention, and knows she's attractive so she plays into it. It doesn't bother me exactly, unless she does it while on the job.
"Kate," I said, "good morning I suppose. Where on Earth have you been?"
"We were starting to get worried about you," Joan said, as Kate joined us in the doorway; immediately she reached out and took Anne from my arms, making me scowl.
"I was out scouting for more patients for you, I suppose that should count for something," said Kate.
"I certainly hope you have directions to where they live or else we will never be able to find them," I stated.
"Of course I did, what do you take me for? An idiot? I forget one time and you think you have to baby me. Spare me, please." She removed her cloak and hung it behind us on the stand, before reaching into her black dress, and removing a slip of folded paper.
I reached out and took it in my hands, but she snatched it away before I could take it.
"You'd never be able to read my handwriting, just let me do the navigating, alright?" she said, raising a brow.
"Whatever, I don't really care. I am just glad that we finally have a patient. Who are they exactly? Can you tell me a little bit about them?" I asked.
"One is a boy, around 10 or 11 year old, who's broken out with horrible lesions, a fever, and he can barely breath. The other, is a wealthy old man who has dark lesions, coughing, the sweats, fevers, vomiting, and diarrhea."
"Wow, okay. Well we better get on it then, shouldn't we?" I said, slapping my hands together. "I guess i had better go and get changed out of these soiled clothes. Give me just a few minutes Kate."
"Whatever, take your time. It's not like lives are on the line or anything," Kate said, earning a curse from Joan.
I rolled my eyes- ignored her, and walked upstairs to our shared bedroom. I grabbed my trunk and tossed it upon my bed with a grunt. Unsnapping the metal latches and looking at the mess within.
I fished around inside the massive thing for about 10 minutes before finding a black and dark green dress with a turtleneck like collar, and matching sleeves. It scratched my skin from over top the woolen garment, not feeling a bit of relief but content that I would blend in and be warm all the same.
I unlaced the gown I had on, and laced up the new one, standing in front of the mirror and looking at the fall of the dress. My eyes eventually came to look at my hair. The only thing that appeared normal and unchanged in its simplicity. My wavy, brown, butt-length hair was a tangled, dirty, mess from me doing my chores, but it had a shine to it that made the gaudy dress look flattering to my ghost like complexion. I grabbed my hair brush, and raked it through quickly. I was happy to see it smooth out further, leaving me presentable. I secured it back after braiding it halfway, getting it out of my way.
I was excited and nervous to start the day. As much as I like to hurry and get through my work and get things done properly, I hated to see the poor being mistreated like they do in this time. It was a true struggle for a woman of God like myself. The urge to help was so strong, but I had to keep doing my job. I really hope this is the right one...it could go either way though, as the impoverished seemed to pass around diseases generally often in my experience.
I can't help but think of my family every day and feel empowered not just by them, but by God to find this. I will keep seeing patients, and collecting samples, so that one day I can return to my loved ones. I have faith that in one of these people, one of my coworkers, or I, will find this needle in a haystack, and save lives. Then everything can be good again- at least, this is what I keep telling myself.