Flower Bud Village Workshop
Summer 3, 4:36 PM

"Long time no see, Kurt!" Joe's cheerful voice greeted his brother as he walked in the door, soaking wet. "How's the weather?"

Kurt looked at his brother's ecstatic grin and sighed. "Shut up, Joe."

"C'mon, old buddy! What's up? What's happening? What's new?"

Kurt was becoming annoyed. "Shut up, Joe."

"You're such a downer," Joe said, the same stupid grin plastered right across his face. "Lighten up!"

"Shut up, Joe," Kurt huffed, wringing out his bandanna.

"All right, you two," said the voice of Woody from the back room. "Kurt, come inside and dry off. Joe, leave your brother alone."

"Awww!" Joe protested, but an icy glare from Kurt seemed to quiet him. Instead, Joe went back to work on a sofa he'd been making, trying not to let the sour attitudes of everyone else get him down. After all, he didn't want to turn into his brother - a fate worse than death.

"So, Kurt," Woody addressed his apprentice, taking a sip of his herbal tea - unsweetened, he hated sweet foods. "I take it that you had an uneventful walk?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Kurt shrugged. "Except... about a half-hour ago, I was walking past the river and I saw flashing lights. I'm pretty sure it was an ambulance I saw driving down the road, but I can't be sure."

"Odd," Woody nodded. "Odd that they'd send an ambulance out here. Did you see what went on?"

"Nope," Kurt said. "Just saw it driving to the Sanatorium... or at least in that direction."

"Hm." Woody sipped his tea again. "I certainly hope nothing's happened to anyone we know."

Kurt remained silent - he just gave a quick shrug to show his acknowledgement.

"Ouch!" shrieked Joe from the work area. Woody nearly spat out his tea, but Kurt was unfazed.

"What'd you do this time, smart one?" he queried, peering into the room where Joe worked.

"Stepped on a nail." Joe peeled off his left sock - he hadn't been wearing shoes - and, sure enough, a stream of crimson blood flowed from a puncture wound in the sole of his foot. "Hurts like hell!"

"Idiot," Kurt said. "You're supposed to wear your shoes in here."

"Joe, what have I told you about proper footwear in the shop?" Woody's scolding came swiftly, only adding to the sharp pain shooting through Joe's foot.

"You can yell at me later," Joe replied. "I'm bleeding, and I probably have to get a tetanus shot now."

Woody stood from his chair in the back room and walked out to the work area. "Better to get you to the Clinic now than later, then."

Kurt shook his head. "I'll take him. It's not like I can get any wetter."

"All right," Woody agreed. "But be careful. It'll be dark soon."

"Sure will," Joe said, hobbling over to get his shoes. "Uh, Kurt? Might need a little help here."

Kurt sighed, exasperated. "Figures."

-----

Flower Bud Village Sanatorium
Summer 3, 4:47 PM

Theodore entered the Sanatorium and sighed with relief. Maria was waiting for him, uninjured. The mayor embraced his daughter for what seemed like forever.

"How did you know how to come here?" she inquired, her eyes filled with questioning.

Kurt made his way over to Maria and Theodore, having just entered the Sanatorium himself with Joe limping beside him. "No one's at home at the Clinic," he said, answering the question for Theodore.

"I'm terribly sorry," Alex said as he rushed towards the group, nearly out of breath. "We're so busy here today, it's nearly impossible for us to keep up with everyone."

"Yeah. Three patients are such a huge workload," Kurt said sarcastically.

Alex glared, but he restrained himself from snapping back. He had work to do.

"How can I help you?" he addressed Joe.

"Stepped on a nail," Joe smiled sheepishly, lifting his bloody foot up a bit for Alex to see. "Do I need a shot?"

"Indeed," Alex said, examining the wound. "A tetanus booster. You should really be more careful in the workshop, Joe."

Joe shrugged. "Sorry. I will."

Alex nodded. "Good. I'll prepare the vaccination for you and be back in a flash."

After Alex left, Joe sat down on a nearby chair and stretched out his foot as if he was allergic to blood. "Ouch," he complained. "This kinda sucks."

"Serves you right for working in the shop in your socks," Kurt said, rolling his eyes.

Suddenly, Kurt laid eyes on Gina, the young nurse sitting by the bed in the corner. He knew that she was usually not a very emotional person, but now he saw her crying.

"Excuse me for a minute, guys," Kurt excused himself politely and departed the small circle of villagers.

He walked up behind Gina, insatiably curious about what was causing her such sorrow. Kurt had, however, not prepared himself for what he was about to see.

The girl laying lifelessly on the bed was beautiful - there were no other words to describe her. Her soft raven-black hair contrasted her porcelain skin in an almost ethereally pretty way. She looked like a princess from one of those fairy-tales that all the children wished they could be in, like Sleeping Beauty... only prettier.

"Who is she?" Kurt found himself whispering out loud.

To his surprise, Gina turned around to face him, her eyes overflowing with bitter tears. Between sobs, she managed a reply, her soft voice choked from crying.

"D-Dia... her name's - Dia."