Doctor Noonan-Martin, Miracle Worker? - 1. Why is That Boy’s Skeleton Visible?

Skin to bone, steel to rust
Ash to ashes, dust to dust
Let tomorrow have its way
With the promises we made
Skin to bone, steel to rust

Linkin Park - 2012

1

Madeline Noonan was born on May twenty-sixth, 2034. Hers was not an easy birth: Madeline was born with a nuchal cord.

When the umbilical cord is wrapped around a baby’s neck, it is known as a nuchal cord. While a nuchal cord may not always cause any problems, it can sometimes cause serious complications, including birth injuries such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) due to lack of oxygen during the birthing process. (1)

In Madeline’s case, it was a rarer case of having a double nuchal cord.

In some cases, the umbilical cord wraps around the neck twice. Babies with multiple wraps of the nuchal cord have a higher risk of complications. (1)

Madeline did have a case of HIE. Fortunately for her, the oxygen deprivation to her brain caused no serious complications. She walked and talked later than normal but was otherwise healthy. It wasn’t until a trip to the beach when she was six that the first significant effect of her HIE became evident.

The Noonans took a long weekend trip to Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, to kick off the summer with a beach visit for Madeline’s sixth birthday. Madeline’s best friend Victoria Hughes accompanied them. On Sunday, Madeline, Mads, as she was already being called by her older brothers, was giggling at something. Her friend was curious.

“What’s so funny?”

“That boy in the green bathing suit.”

“Where?”

Mads pointed, “There.”

“What’s so funny about him?”

“His bones.”

Vicky looked from the boy, to Mads, confused, “I don’t get it.”

“They’re purple.”

“Purple? No, they’re not.”

“Yes, they are, his, umm,” turning to her mother, “Mommy, what are a person’s bones called?”

“It’s called a skeleton, why?”

Again pointing, “I can see that boy’s skeleton.”

“What do you mean, honey?”

“His skeleton is purple.”

“Purple?”

“Yeah.”

Lindy had a short, quiet conversation with Avery, first telling him what Mads said.

“What do you think that means?”

“I can’t say. I’ve never seen a purple aura, never mind someone’s skeleton.”

“I think it means something bad is wrong with that boy.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“We should say something.”

“Like what? I’m sorry ma’am, but our daughter’s a freak and we think there’s something wrong with your son?”

“Avery! No, not anything like that.”

“That’s what it will turn into.”

“But...”

“But nothing, Lindy. If it means something, we’ll uncover that sooner or later.”

“I would feel so guilty if there was something wrong with the boy and I didn’t say anything. Wait, what color is his aura?”

“Lindy. There’s no safe way to do anything.”

“Avery, please?”

“It’s blue.”

“Dark?”

“Not very.”

“Then there’s still time. I have an idea.”

Lindy stood up and walked toward the boy and his family. Avery knew there was no stopping her when she set her mind on something.

“Excuse me. You’re going to think this is crazy, but I have this strange feeling that there’s something wrong with your boy.”

Surprised, the mother responded, “How can you tell?”

Lindy had temporarily minored in nursing in college before getting her law degree, giving that up due to the workload being too hectic. She took a chance.

“Well, you’re out in the sun and he’s very pale. I took a few nursing courses in college.”

“You should have stuck with it. Colin has Leukemia.”

2

Lindy struck up a friendship with Emma Martin, Colin’s mother. Fortunately, Colin was already undergoing treatment at CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia). The Martins lived in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, less than an hour away from the Noonan’s home in Whitehall. The families visited each other often.

Two-and-a-half years later, when Avery was elected Pennsylvania Attorney General, their home in Camp Hill was a little under two hours away. By that time, Mads and both boys were close with the Martin boys - Colin, now nine, and Erik, eleven. They visited each other approximately once-a-month after their move, usually trading houses where they would meet.

When Colin was fifteen and Madeline fourteen, a visit to the Noonan’s concerned Avery. Colin’s aura was darkening. Avery still hadn’t shared his unique gift with the kids, but while they were playing outside, he had a conversation with Jonas Martin, Colin’s father.

“I see Colin is losing weight. He’s not getting better anymore, is he?”

“No. He was in remission for so long, we thought...”

Jonas got a little choked up, then continued, “His doctor is saying he has a year, maybe two, left.”

“I’m so sorry. That had to be heartbreaking news.”

Avery knew it was much closer to one year than two, based on the boy’s aura. Likely around fourteen months. He knew how Jonas felt, with AJ's aura turning bluer itself, his own diagnosis still almost three years away. Neither man knew what was happening out back by the pool.

Mads noticed Colin’s weight loss as well. It was hard to miss with him in a bathing suit. They had gotten out of the pool because Colin tired easily. They were sitting together on lounge chairs.

“Are you okay, Colin? You look like you’re losing weight.”

“I am. The Leukemia is back. Mom and dad won’t tell me if they know how long, but I don’t think I have long to live.”

“Oh, no. Can’t they do something, like a bone marrow transplant?”

“Had one. It helped for a while, but the Leukemia came back.”

Madeline felt a funny tingling in her body. This was probably the first time she had focused on Colin to this degree.

“This might sound weird, but can I touch you?”

“Where?”

“Anywhere. Maybe your thigh. The biggest bone is there.”

“I guess. You don’t want to, you know, touch me somewhere else?”

Mads giggled, “Well, I do, but not right now with our brothers right over there.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

Mads put a hand on Colin’s right thigh.

“Ow, ow. Your hand is hot, take it off.”

“Just wait a second.”

“Please, you’re burning me. What the fuck?”

Mads lifted her hand. Colin’s femur was no longer as dark. His leg wasn’t burned at all.

“Why did you want to do that? It hurt.”

“You can’t tell anyone.”

“Tell anyone what?”

Mads described how when they first met, she was able to see his skeleton, purple.

“You’re serious?”

“Yes. And now I can barely see your femur.”

“So, what does that mean?”

“I don’t know, but I think somehow, I started to heal you.”

An hour later, Colin’s knee and hip were a lighter shade of purple. The rest of his femur, invisible. The other boys were still playing in the pool. Mads held Colin’s right shin as long as he could stand it. She looked around, saw they weren’t being watched and slid her hand up inside his bathing suit on his right hip. Again, he felt like his skin was burning, but he tolerated her touch for as long as he could.

Unfortunately, much too soon for Mads’ liking, the Martins left for home. Before they left, she and Colin found a quiet place. Colin turned away and dropped his bathing suit so Mads could see his hip. Mads could no longer see the bones in Colin’s right leg from ankle to hip.

“I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“If what we think is happening, is, I want to leave less than you.”

“I’ll talk to my mother, maybe we can go to your house next week. When is your next doctor’s appointment?”

“A week from Tuesday.”

“I’ll call you later.”

3

Later that evening, Mads sat down with her parents. They had noticed her closeness with Colin.

“You like Colin a lot, don’t you dear? You spent an awful lot of time with him today.”

“Yeah, mom, but it’s not exactly like that. You remember about me seeing his skeleton as purple, right?”

“That would be hard to forget.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, dad. Well, today I got this funny feeling when I looked at him.”

“Uh oh.”

“Da-ad.”

“Okay. Continue.”

“So, I touched his leg. He said my hand was burning him. But right after I took my hand away, his femur wasn’t as dark a purple.”

“Were you losing your ability? Was his leg really burned?”

“No. I don’t know. I think I was healing him. No burns.”

Her parents were speechless.

“Then I touched his shin and hip. Before he left, I couldn’t see the bones in his right leg at all.”

“But the rest of him...”

“Still purple.”

“That’s amazing if that’s what is really happening.”

“Can we go see them next weekend, mom? He said his next doctor’s appointment is a week from Tuesday. If I’m really able to cure him...”

“The doctor will see the results in his blood work. I’ll call Emma tomorrow and see if they’re busy.”

“We have to go.”

“I’ll let her know it’s important. I don’t think this is something to discuss with her over the phone.”

“It being important is very true, Lindy. Jonas said he doesn’t have more than a year or two.”

Mads waited a couple hours before calling Colin. She wanted to make sure he was already home.

“Hey Mads. What’s up?”

“My mom’s gonna call yours tomorrow to see if we can come over next weekend. Do you know if you’re doing anything special?”

“I doubt it. She doesn’t like to take me too many places anymore.”

“Okay, then hopefully I’ll see you next weekend.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it. You know, if you can cure me, I’ll be your servant forever.”

Mads smiled, but downplayed her joy, “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Later, in Avery and Lindy’s bedroom, Lindy queried into how long Colin really had.

“You said Jonas indicated a year or two. How long, really?”

“About fourteen months.”

“If what it seems like is happening, we have to convince them.”

Avery was being cautious, “Somehow, we also have to convince them to keep this quiet, for now. At least until we’re sure.”

“Yes. We don’t need Mads getting inundated with healing requests.”

“Definitely.”

“But if she really can cure kids with Leukemia, we have to find a way to let her.”

“And not be experimented on at the same time.”

They both agreed that was a scary thought.