The Pull of the Stars

A young woman, Bridie Sweeney, arrives in the Maternity/Fever ward to help Julia. Julia is disappointed that the night nurse, Sister Luke, couldn’t find someone more qualified. Julia thinks, “[U]nqualified; uneducated, by the sounds of her accent; and with a clean, new-hatched look like nothing had ever happened to her. I could have slapped this Bridie Sweeney from sheer disappointment” (45). Julia asks Bridie if she has already had the virus, which would mean that she’s immune. Bridie promises that she “[g]ot over it ages ago” (46). Next, Julia shows Bridie how to change the sheets on Ita’s bed and notices that Bridie is friendly with the patients. Julia thinks, “The young woman had a nice bedside manner, I decided; that couldn’t be taught” (47). While showing Bridie various medical supplies, Julia explains that the virus has no cure—they must simply let it run its course. Bridie asks Julia why Ita’s face is a scarlet color. Julia explains that the faces of people infected with the virus can change color, from red and brown to various shades of blue and violet. Bridie says, “It’s like a secret code […] Red to brown to blue to black” (48).