Chapter 2.
" Say ah... yes. that's it. now that's a good boy.." Megumi smiled down at her patient, a five year old boy who shifted restlessly on the stool as he complied with what Megumi requested. After giving the boy the routine checkup, Megumi made her diagnosis and wrote it down in the boy's medical file.
" He has a slight flu. I've prescribed medicine for him. Remember to take it after meals and to drink lots of water." She informed the worried mother, who was waiting anxiously for her report. Upon hearing, the worried look changed to a look of relief and the mother quickly ushered her son out of the room.
Once the door had closed, Megumi let out a sigh a leaned back in her chair. Ever since she had taken over the dead doctor's position at the town of Xinjiang, things had been quite hectic for her. There were at least a dozen patients to see to everyday, and she also had her own classes at the institute to attend. All this took up most of time, and for the first few days, Megumi had been glad just to be able to fall asleep. But now, she was almost used to the requirements of her job and was even beginning to enjoy it. The town community all knew her by the name of Dr. Megumi. As most of them were farmers and did not earn much money to pay their medical expenses, they usually paid their fees by offering their agricultural produce as payment.
Besides herself, there was also another doctor in the clinic to help out with the patients. He was man in his mid fifties and known as Dr. Lin. However, due to his age, he worked mostly during the day, and Megumi often had to take over for the night shifts.
With the rebellions that were going around in China however, the town was considered to be relatively unsafe, as it was supposedly situated near the rebel's hideout. The town was heavily patrolled by government guards and a curfew had been imposed on the public. Furthermore, Megumi had been issued a special pass, as she had to travel to and fro the medical institute and the clinic. Megumi didn't really pay detailed attention to the news of the rebel groups. To her, they were just distractions which she couldn't really afford to pay attention to.
Megumi took a look at the clock on the wall and saw that it was already evening. She was schduled to be on night duty tonight, and she hoped it would be a relatively peaceful night. She made dinner for herself in the small kitchen which the clinic boasted of and sat down by the table to eat and read her medical notes at the same time.
The evening passed by smoothly, with no patients knocking on the clinic door. At midnight, Megumi was ready to pack up and go back home. She was in the room gathering her things, when suddenly, there was a loud hammering on the door. It became louder and more consistent as the seconds ticked by. Megumi quickly ran to the door and opened it. A horrible sight greeted her. A man stood there in front of her, carrying a man who was bleeding from so many places, that it was almost impossible to count. Megumi grabbed the door for support as she whispered, " Oh my god."
" Doctor! Quick, he has been shot three times, one in the leg and twice in the chest. Can you help him please doctor!" the man carrying the bleeding man spoke urgently.
Megumi swallowed hard and composed herself. She forced herself to turn away from the bleeding man and look up. However, the porch lights were quite dim and his face was completely covered by shadows.
" Come in quick." she opened the door wider. " Follow me."
Quickly, she led the way to the operating room and turned on the bright white lights in the room. It was then, when she turned around, that she saw the face of the man who was carrying the bleeding man in. Shock lit up on her face as she stumbled back against the operating table.
" Sanosuke." she breathed.
" Say ah... yes. that's it. now that's a good boy.." Megumi smiled down at her patient, a five year old boy who shifted restlessly on the stool as he complied with what Megumi requested. After giving the boy the routine checkup, Megumi made her diagnosis and wrote it down in the boy's medical file.
" He has a slight flu. I've prescribed medicine for him. Remember to take it after meals and to drink lots of water." She informed the worried mother, who was waiting anxiously for her report. Upon hearing, the worried look changed to a look of relief and the mother quickly ushered her son out of the room.
Once the door had closed, Megumi let out a sigh a leaned back in her chair. Ever since she had taken over the dead doctor's position at the town of Xinjiang, things had been quite hectic for her. There were at least a dozen patients to see to everyday, and she also had her own classes at the institute to attend. All this took up most of time, and for the first few days, Megumi had been glad just to be able to fall asleep. But now, she was almost used to the requirements of her job and was even beginning to enjoy it. The town community all knew her by the name of Dr. Megumi. As most of them were farmers and did not earn much money to pay their medical expenses, they usually paid their fees by offering their agricultural produce as payment.
Besides herself, there was also another doctor in the clinic to help out with the patients. He was man in his mid fifties and known as Dr. Lin. However, due to his age, he worked mostly during the day, and Megumi often had to take over for the night shifts.
With the rebellions that were going around in China however, the town was considered to be relatively unsafe, as it was supposedly situated near the rebel's hideout. The town was heavily patrolled by government guards and a curfew had been imposed on the public. Furthermore, Megumi had been issued a special pass, as she had to travel to and fro the medical institute and the clinic. Megumi didn't really pay detailed attention to the news of the rebel groups. To her, they were just distractions which she couldn't really afford to pay attention to.
Megumi took a look at the clock on the wall and saw that it was already evening. She was schduled to be on night duty tonight, and she hoped it would be a relatively peaceful night. She made dinner for herself in the small kitchen which the clinic boasted of and sat down by the table to eat and read her medical notes at the same time.
The evening passed by smoothly, with no patients knocking on the clinic door. At midnight, Megumi was ready to pack up and go back home. She was in the room gathering her things, when suddenly, there was a loud hammering on the door. It became louder and more consistent as the seconds ticked by. Megumi quickly ran to the door and opened it. A horrible sight greeted her. A man stood there in front of her, carrying a man who was bleeding from so many places, that it was almost impossible to count. Megumi grabbed the door for support as she whispered, " Oh my god."
" Doctor! Quick, he has been shot three times, one in the leg and twice in the chest. Can you help him please doctor!" the man carrying the bleeding man spoke urgently.
Megumi swallowed hard and composed herself. She forced herself to turn away from the bleeding man and look up. However, the porch lights were quite dim and his face was completely covered by shadows.
" Come in quick." she opened the door wider. " Follow me."
Quickly, she led the way to the operating room and turned on the bright white lights in the room. It was then, when she turned around, that she saw the face of the man who was carrying the bleeding man in. Shock lit up on her face as she stumbled back against the operating table.
" Sanosuke." she breathed.