I GRADUATED! Yes, I am finally out in the world. Currently in Italy visiting a friend for two weeks then I'm off to Switzerland. So basically I am on my post graduation trip. It will be two months long, I'm going to Italy, Switzerland, Spain and then I'm getting on a plane to Bombay and go to the Ganges River and wash something. Everything's been planned out and set so I don't have to worry. That's part of the reason I haven't posted, finishing school and planning… I'm already having lots of fun, I've been to Italy before but it's always a new experience.
NOT TO MENTION THE GREAT FOOD! The food so far has been amazing… -insert mouth-gasim face-
The entire Hospital was weird today. The top floors were under government clearance. To get to those floors, you need a code for the elevator to work or the stairwell door to open. The code had been changed early this morning before I came in at 7. The main floor had security and body checks at the door. I had to go through an hour of checking before I could head up to my office for my first appointment that I turned up 30 minutes late for.
If this building were still the ER, that would have made problems. But since the hospital had expanded, this became the Recovery and Research building. We mainly have patients going through physical or mental therapy and cancer patients. Occasionally there will be odd illnesses that get sent here for examination.
"Ms. Ride to Dr. Batchelder's office please. Ms. Ride to Dr. Batchelder's office please." Dianne said over the speakers in her singsong voice.
"Okay Katie, That's good for today." I said, helping her back into her wheelchair. She was a 19 year old girl that had been in a motor vehicle accident and was in a coma for a year. It was amazing she got out of it but she had lost most of her ability to walk and talk. I've been working with her for the past month on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays.
"Thanks." She smiled up at me, taking the brake off the wheels. "Max?"
"Yeah?"
"I was wondering if I can reschedule earlier with you Monday. Adam is coming to see me when he gets off work."
"I don't see why not, I'll have to see when I have a spot open." I tried to not let her words get to me.
Adam is her boyfriend who had come four days a week when she was in a coma. He never gave up on her. I have nothing bitter against him or her. It just makes me sad and miss Nick.
It's been five years, seven months and 15 days since Iggy showed up at my house. Five years, seven months and 28 days since he died.
I was in my room, staring at the ceiling when I heard the tires on the gravel.
Who's here?
I pressed my face against the cold glass but could only see the back of a car. No matter how much I stretched to see who it was, I couldn't. I huffed, getting up and pulling on a sweatshirt and padding to the stair, sitting on the top step.
My father looked back at me from the door, and then looked at the ground a grim expression on his face. I couldn't see who it was standing there through him. I know better than to stand at the door with him because of his position, the generals' messengers and such.
"Max, come down here." he said. Something I have never heard before was in his tone and written on his face. Maybe I didn't want to know. I got up and moved to the bottom of the stairs. He gave me the look again, walking into the livingroom.
The wind gently blew the door open more to find Iggy standing there. Dressed in a blue suit.
"Iggy, what are you doing here?" I asked but deep down I already knew. He gave me the look that meant what I dreaded.
He was silent, looking like he was holding back tears but I couldn't really know through the ones forming in mine. That hard lump rose in my throat, threatening a breakdown. I stumbled backwards, hitting the stairs. He stepped in, kneeling In front of me.
"You don't know how regretful I am that I have to be here with this news." He told me. He pulled out Nick's tags and a folded picture, folding them into my hand.
"Please, no…" I begged, feeling too numb to cry.
"I'm so sorry Max." he told me, folding his hands over mine."I was there. I saw- I was…"
I pulled my hands away, wanting to fold in on myself.
"Why him?" I whispered, rocking back and forth.
"He saved me." he sniffled. I started to cry.
As it really settled in with me, the heavy dull feeling started ripping and tearing at my chest. As if coming out of my unbelieving shock, I started sobbing with the sharp clenching in me.
"No…" I sobbed.
How can something hurt so badly? It seemed so unbearable. It ripped at my chest and bit. It was unreal. I didn't believe Nick was gone, I wouldn't believe it. Nick was the only person I've loved and loved me back other than my nanny Nudge. My father was always too busy in his work to show any affection to his daughter. Mother always locked herself away in her own world, away from me. He was always there to get in trouble with me; he was there to make me happy. My right hand man and boyfriend.
I cried out, not able to contain the sounds of pain. They echoed through the house but neither my mom nor dad came to me. Iggy just sat by me, silently crying himself. I felt so alone despite Iggy feeling his own pain right next to me.
There's no real feeling for losing the person you love. There's just pain and regret. I regret I hadn't done something to prevent this. I could have told him how I felt long before he agreed to the mission. He would have stayed with me if I had. He would still be alive if I had.
The memories weren't as sweet as the real thing. Sure I could remember him but I much rather have him here with me.
I pulled the necklace on, my crying coming out as stuttered breathing like I needed air but I could only get a little at a time. I couldn't breathe. I gasped and gasped but came up short. My head started to pound from lack of air.
Iggy was telling me something that I didn't listen to. I just shook.
Why him?
I pushed back that lump in my throat as I wheeled her to her room and got her set up.
"Bye Dr. Ride." I smiled at her.
Technically, I'm not a doctor. I'm an intern here for physical and mental therapy. I have a set of 6 patients that I work with on my workdays. I went to college for five years and have been worked my ass off for this internship that agreed to help me with continuing my college so I could become a doctor someday. I have been overworked these years but it's kept me busy. But it didn't keep him off my mind.
"Bye Katie." I left the room, taking deep breaths. I got a hold on myself by the time I reached Dr. Batchelder's office. I had to shake the picture of Nick smiling at me so I could think straight.
"Hi Max." Dianne said when I came up to her desk. "Dr. Batchelder is waiting for you."
"Thanks Dianne." I walked past her desk and went straight into his office. Sure enough he was standing by the window, looking out at the town of Le Havre. "Sorry, I had a patient. You wanted to see me?"
French had become like a first language to me, I used it more than I used English. Truth is, I'm in France, most people speak French, not English.
"Yes, take a seat please." I took a seat in the hard cushioned chair in front of his desk. "I need to talk to you about something."
"What is it doctor?" I really hate this guy, so it was hard for me to be respectful.
"As you've seen, we have something going on." he sat down also. "I've talked to Dr. Chan and she says that she won't be able to take on the patient. She highly recommended you to cover for her until she returns from her vacation over her partner. You do have a degree in Psychological Behaviors right?" he already knew that last question's answer.
"The criminal?"
"He's not a criminal. He's a different individual... that the government has in holding. They don't know where he came from or anything about his condition. As a government hospital, we have to treat him." He cleared his throat.
"Can I see the file?" I asked hopefully. "I'd like to see what I'm up against to see if I'm capable."
"Let's take a walk." He got up, opening the door for me. "What you see is top secret above classified. Even I am restricted on what I can tell you until you agree to take the job. I can only have one doctor besides myself, two nurses and a behaviorist." He pulled a file out and handed it to me while we waited for the elevator. "Everything you see, you never speak of again outside of the others working with you."
I nodded, slowly opened the manila folder. Something about this scared me. Like a dark room where I can't see in front of me. It had only two sheets in it.
I read through. Jean Doe… Caucasian, considered a danger to others, and a medical examination. He had a severe vitamin D deficiency, from lack of sun. He weighs 110 pounds (further check on that later), approximately 25 and 6'5. He has an average heartbeat of 170 beats per minute at resting.
Because of his weight to height and age ratio, he was severely in medical need.
"What's his mental stability?" I asked, looking up at him.
"We don't know yet. He's been sedated since he's been here. Once they run a further prognosis on him, we should be able to get him off of it and talk to him."
"I don't know. It seems a little big for me. I already have a lot on my plate between classes and my internship."
"With this patient, if you do well, consider your schooling completely paid for and a guaranteed job anywhere you want. Any job you apply to, you have it. I can have Dr. Augustine take some patients off your hands while you work so you don't have to feel so pressured." He smirked at me from behind his glasses.
"Why do I feel like this is a bribe?" I asked, getting in the elevator. He pressed the button to the criminal keep but it asked for a code. He waited, looking at me.
"It's not, it's just motivation. I know your father personally and he has helped me a few times. I just feel like repaying your family a bit." He said. I see how it is. My father has to do with everything. He hadn't put the code in yet, waiting for my answer.
I thought for a minute. Did I want to give into this manipulating man for an upper hand in life? I don't think it will be that bad. Once the urgent medical things are done, it will be all checkups and therapy.
I sighed, flipping to the next page. He finally put the code in, having his answer. I read through, not really believing it. "Are you serious?"
"Completely." He sighed. "It appears he has been an experiment. I can't fully express how in need of treatment he is." He held the elevator open for me as I walked, still reading the documents. "Watch your step. Just know that we will also need you as a nutrition consultatant."
"That's fine." I mumbled, trying to see something deeper in the words. I definitely don't want to be doing all the work that applies to the head doctor. I noticed that there was a guy in a dark suit right by the elevator, he nodded to Jeb and we kept going.
"Only a few authorized people are allowed up here. Here's your pass, don't lose it. Keep it on your identification necklace. Keep it on your person at all times. You'll have to show your ID with it." I twisted it around the ring so it fell behind my ID.
"Okay. Who is working up here with me?"
"Follow me." he said, closing the folder I had passed to him so I could put the card on.
"Let me guess…" I rolled my eyes. "Dylan, Ratchet and Maya…" Dylan because he favors him. Ratchet because he's the best the hospital has and Maya because she's young, beautiful and all the guys want in her pants. Grossly, including Jeb Batchelder.
"What's the point with you?" he smirked. I followed him down the hall to the office. It was eerie and some of the lights had gone out. This floor hasn't been used in years, it needs some care.
Dylan and Maya sat at a table talking but stopped when I came in the room.
"We're bringing her in?" Maya asked as if saying 'why her? Why not someone better and more experienced?' Well hon, you're no different than I am.
"Awesome. Hey Max." Dylan smiled like an idiot. "We have Danishes, here you can have my seat."
"Its fine Dylan, keep your seat. And no thanks I'm on a no gluten diet." I muttered, leaning against the counter with Ratchet. He just looked down at me and grinned. I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I know…"
We watched as Jeb flipped through some papers on the counter. He stared at an x-ray picture for a while, rubbing his face. I picked them up also, there was some blood tests on the table and a full body x-ray on the wall. One of him on his back and then one of the wings. There was some really weird branches twisting into the porous bone.
"Weird huh?" Dylan stood up, pointing at the picture. "Whatever type of metal that is, it imbeds itself into the bone. Impossible right." He seemed so energetic and passionate. "The bones are like that stuff in soil… that pore stuff."
"Perlite." I said, pushing off the counter and taking the x-ray from them. I could see the pores of the shoulder blades. Veins ran into the holes, twisting and holding on for life. "The collagen doesn't seem to be deteriorating or chipping. You would see that in osteoporosis along with resorption but like I said no chipping or flakes. It looks like the bone is strong but it would be nice to have a sample. Where's the BMD?"
They just looked at me like 'a girl can be smart?' I internally sighed.
"Dylan." He snapped out of it.
"Yeah, it's right here. I didn't find anything like you just said. If anything, his bones are super. Despite the porous bones, they're able to support weight well. It's a paradox." I took the BMD from him, looking it over.
"I still want a sample." I told him, looking through the papers.
"Hold up." Maya said, putting her hand on the papers. "You're a behaviorist. Not a scientist."
"I am a behavior SLASH physical therapy intern." I defended myself. Dylan shot her a look that made her sigh, and lift her hand. "Okay, I know what you guys will need to deal with the bone problem."
"This doesn't make sense." I said, freezing after reading more of the blood test. I held the paper out to Dylan. "It says here he has avian DNA? How is that possible?"
"It's possible." He sat down at the table. "You know there are actually people who believe they are werewolves so they take this hormone that alters the DNA slightly. Their new hair and fingernails will have the DNA also."
"How much can their structure actually change though?"
"Less than one percent. The body doesn't like it, so nausea and other symptoms take place. They are signs the body is rejecting the hormone."
"Dylan, think." I hissed. "2 percent doesn't seem like some pill popping side effect… you know what, I need to talk to this guy." I went to the door and they all looked at me weird.
"He's under heavy sedatives he won't be awake for another few hours." Ratchet told me.
"The sooner I can figure out what it is, the sooner we can help." I tell him, smirking. I left with him following me. "So where's he?"
"The last room."
We walked down the hall in silence. It's a comfortable silence with him even though he's like a freaking ox and could squish anyone to death with his thumb. I handed my Identification necklace. He put in the number on the small card into a handheld thing. It beeped once so he handed it back to me and nodded. I pushed the door open.
It was dark inside and smelt like dust. It was one of the rooms without a window. I could hear the electronic beeping fast; I had to remind myself that was normal. I flicked the light on. They fluttered on dimly. We would need to bring in some new light bulbs for the ceiling. There was a small hallway that only went for a few feet then turned right into the room. I could see the little sink straight ahead of me. I went straight there for some gloves but I could only find larges and a small flashlight. I pulled them on anyway and twisted the small flashlight on.
"Hmm, I'll need this." Ratchet chuckled deeply at my musing. "Shut it Ratchet."
I turned and walked over to the bed. Both of the railings had his wrists cuffed. His head was turned away from me so the hair kept me from seeing anything but his jaw. He didn't look 110 pounds but pretty normal with lean muscles that I could see on his jaw and arms. I walked around warily.
This is a man… with wings.
Nothing I ever thought I would face. I turned the flashlight on again and moved his head so I could check his pupil reaction. But when I move his hair, I felt a sharp pang in my heart. His eyes were slowly blinking like he was waking from a heavy sleep. But more than that I knew those eyes, it was Nick.
I didn't realize I was swaying until I looked up. I could have sworn I was frozen in my place. There was no way this could be Nick. He just really resembles him, I tried to tell myself. I gripped the edge of the bed hard, trying to figure out what was going on around me as well as inside me. I felt as if I stood up too fast after sleeping too long. A confused lightheadedness. I probably couldn't even tell what my name was.
I tried to call to Ratchet, making a face at him but all that came out of my throat was a weird sound then the pressure in my head became too much.
