The Sweet Hereafter
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:05:00
and splashed some water
on her face.

:05:02
-What happened?
-l didn't know.

:05:04
l was in a complete panic.
:05:07
l guess she'd been
bitten by some insect.

:05:09
But there was no doctor.
:05:11
The nearest hospital
was 40 miles away,

:05:14
and she was continuing
to swell up...

:05:19
Clara took her in her arms
and tried to breast-feed her...

:05:22
while l dialed the hospital.
:05:26
l finally got a doctor.
:05:30
He surmised
that there was a nest...

:05:33
of baby black widow spiders
in the mattress.

:05:37
He said they had to be babies,
:05:39
or else, with Zoe's body weight,
she'd be dead.

:05:41
He said l had to rush her
to the hospital.

:05:44
He said, ''Mr. Stephens,
there's a good chance...

:05:46
''that you won't get her here
before her throat closes.

:05:48
''lt's very important
that you keep her calm.''

:05:51
He asked if there was one of us
she was more relaxed with,

:05:55
and l said, ''Yes. Me,''
which was true enough...

:05:58
because at that
particular moment,

:06:01
Clara's eyes were
wild with fear,

:06:04
and fear was contagious.
:06:10
l was a better actor,
that's all.

:06:16
And Zoe...
:06:19
loved us equally then.
:06:26
Just as she hates us
both equally now.

:06:33
Anyway, the doctor said
to hold her on my lap...

:06:36
and let Clara drive
to the hospital.

:06:39
He asked me to bring
a small, sharp knife.

:06:42
lt had to be clean.
:06:44
There was no time
to sterilize properly.

:06:49
He explained how to perform
an emergency tracheotomy...

:06:56
how to cut into her throat
without her bleeding to death.

:06:59
He said there would be blood.
l didn't think l could do it.


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