"Robyn, I've told you before, I can't change breaks with you just so that you don't miss strictly" came Dylan's abrupt voice as he turned the corner into cubicles, crashing into a teenage boy and knocking him down.
"Are you alright?" he asked straightforwardly as he crouched down beside the boy. He was shielding his eyes from the light and moaned in pain, rolling onto his front. "Okay, let me get you some help", Dylan said softly, immediately shouting over at two paramedics loitering in the entrance, "Can I get some help over here please?"
Dylan supported the young boys head, holding him up and checking his pulse as Iain and Jeff ran over with a trolley. "No can'd' thi', don' touch m'" the boy moaned incoherently.
"S'alright mate, we're gonna help you, not hurt you" Iain comforted cheerfully. "Now we're just gonna get you onto this trolley and take you through to cubicles to help you". Jeff supported his back gently, causing the boy to swing at him, growling angrily through the haze of his semi-conscious mind. "Try to calm down mate", Iain continued before calling out "Can we get some more help please?"
Connie came rushing over to the scene which was gathering more and more attention from patients waiting to be called. "Right, let's get him into cubicles ASAP, no need to cause any more problems than necessary".
"Come on mate, no more funny business; let's just get this over with yeah?" Iain added as Connie reached under the boys back. He let out a half-hearted yelp, his eyes rolled back into his head and his body fell limp into Dylan's arms.
"Okay, into cubicles NOW", barked Connie as Jeff took the boys pulse. Dylan walked alongside the moving trolley and under his breath muttered, "We've got to check his back". Connie overheard and glanced across at Dylan, confused by that statement; "what do you mean?" she questioned, followed by an instant retort "He was panicking whenever we tried to touch his back and he fainted when you tried to support it". "Okay we'll have a look as soon as we've checked vitals" Connie assured him, noticing how his fists came to rest on his hips and the top of his ears grew a faint red tinge. "Do you need to take a moment?" she asked, gently resting her hand on his arm. "No, I'm fine thank you, this is my patient and I'm not off duty for another hour."
Dylan shut his eyes for a brief moment and his thoughts overwhelmed him, forcing painful memories to the front of his mind.
He was terrified. Why else would he have panicked do badly when they tried to touch his back? What was wrong with his back? Why was he loitering in the corridor? Did he have a guardian with him? How old was he?
And then the worst thought.
What if the reason he was in the hospital was because of his guardian?
Dylan flinched at that last thought and jumped when he heard a cubicle curtain open, pushing the thoughts back into the corner of his mind and strode forwards to help lift the boy onto the bed.