Choices

       "It's Paw, he's sick, please help him?   The girl pulled Pam into the bedroom where she could see Ned Larsen laying on the bed, writhing in pain.
She rushed to him and asked, "What  hurts?" 
Pam placed a cool hand on his forehead.  "You're burning  up."                                                                   
He gritted his jaw.  "Get Doc up here!"             
     "He's in Santo Topaz.  Tell me, what's wrong?"  Obstinately, he did not say a word.  Not wasting any more time, Pam put the stethoscope to her ears and began to listen to his heart and  lungs. When she finished, Martha took her by the left hand and led Pam from the room.  She told her how Ned had become sick and when she finished Pam pronounced, "Sounds like his appendix, I've got to examine him."    
     She walked into the bedroom, gazed down at the man and asked, "Mr. Larsen, does your right  side hurt?"
     "Feels like I've been gunshot, he groaned.  She reached for his left hand and he tried to pull it away, but was too weak.
Pam took his pulse, then said, "I'm going to put a thermometer in your mouth, and I want you to hold it under your tongue. I think you're running a temperature and I need to know what it is."  Rachel and Martha watched as she made her examination and when finished she said,  "You have a bad appendix and you need to have surgery."                       
     "I only let ya touch me cause I couldn't stop ya. Now go get Doc," he snarled, though it was feeble.                       
     "I can't.  Do you think you can make it to my car?"       
     "It hurts too much to move, call Miss Jane."  She left the room, told Martha she was going back to the Bronco and call the clinic. It was after several tries that she finally got Jane.
     Jane Cole listened intently to what Pam told her then said,  "Pam, I'll leave now but I may not make it in time, it is up to you, evaluate the situation and if you have to, do it!"                 
     Alarmed, Pam squeaked and insisted, "Me?  I can't do it."                                                         
    Jane's voice became stern. "You have assisted in surgery and you know how it's done. If there isn't any time then you have to do it!  From what you've told me, we can't move him and it may be the only recourse.  I will be there but it sounds like he doesn't have much time.  I have a fracture to set, then I will be on my way. Pam, if you operate, it's better than watching him die from a ruptured appendix."  With sagging shoulders, Pam started back    to the cabin carrying the emergency medical kit from the Bronco. Reaching the door she knocked and Rachel let her in, the girl looked up. "Paw's, worse.  He's goin to die isn't he?"  In a tone that brokered no argument Pam insisted, "No, he's not."  She held the little girl's gaze a moment longer then took off her coat and handed it to her. "I need you to boil some water for me, can you do that?"                
Rachel nodded, and was off to complete her task.  That done, she briskly made her way over to Martha.  "Jane will be up in a little while."                                                                                 The woman looked at her, Martha's eyes were crazed as she blurted out, "What about Ned?!  Someone has to do  something!"                 
     Pam attempted to appease her.  "When Jane gets here . . ."  Before she could finish her sentence, Pam found herself looking into the barrel of the rifle that Martha Larsen was holding with deadly intention on her face.