Nurse

Chapter one

The unexpected downfall

The pain shot throughout his body at such a pace his throat dislodged a groan.

"Dammit…", the clockmaker swore under his breath.

Firmly, he held the upper part of his left arm as a crimson stain seeped its way into the fabric of his jacket.

Even now he could feel the fluid soil his hand, dribbling along the floor in its wake.

His brows knitted together in agony as he could feel himself slipping from reality, a black curtain drawing over his vision.

His breaths became shallow as he felt his body collapse helplessly on the floor. He closed his eyes just in time to hear the muffled scream,

"JULIUS!"

Then, he fell into the dark abyss of slumber.

"Isn't there anything I can do?" Alice pleaded, her eyes swollen with tears.

She was met with a thick silence.

Shakily, she drew her attention to the faceless doctor, a grim expression crossing her featurs.

"Perhaps," he spoke solemnly, "The undertaker will be fine, he just needs some rest," there was a pause, " He's not familiar with the term, correct?"

"Y-Yes." She weakly replied.

"Then please see to it that he remain in bed for the next one hundred time changes." He addressed, "He's broken his arm and probably won't get much work done anyway, plus he needs the rest, it does the body good..." He said primly.

"One hundred time changes?" Alice mused cocking her head slightly, "How long is that?"

"I would suppose roughly about two weeks." The man estimated drawing something from his leather bound bag.

"Here." The doctor dropped a small vile of liquid in Alice's palms, "This should ease the pain, have him take a spoon of it every morn' and night." He directed

"W-Will do." The foreigner added skittishly.

"I think you can handle it," the medical advisor said as he clacked his bag shut, "If you have any trouble just fetch me."

Briskly, he strode to the door, the clopping of his shoes trailing behind him.

"Oh, and be sure to change his gauges every hour or so, just until the bleeding stops."

There was a slight bang! of the door and he was gone.

"Thanks." Alice muttered, frowning upon the Doctor's sour attitude.

It left an unpleasant taste in her mouth when people treated Julius so.

"If it wasn't for him, this country would cease to exist." She scowled at the door, deeply wishing the man could hear her.

Fuming, she turned on her heels to her patient, Mr. Monrey himself.