Jesse and Jen pulled the bloody gloves from their hands and watched their
patient being wheeled up into the recovery room. His injuries had been
quite bad, broken ribs and internal bleedings.
But he would be fine and that was definetly the merit of the two excellent residents who had operated. They hadn't worked often together, yet, and though they were one of the best teams the CGH had ever had. Four hands seemed to be directed by one person, knowing exactly what the others did.
"Four hours, I think that's our new record!", Jen said, glancing at her watch. When she noticed that Jesse's face wasn't looking that happy at all, she gave him a smack. "And these idiots up there are still sitting in that horrible room and arguing about 1.50 Dollar!" She giggled.
Jesse didn't listen to her. He fought the terrible nausea that was about to overwhelm him since the moment he had left the OR. Dinner last night? A noodle salad and a sandwich in the hospital canteen. Not very tasty, but that was no point talking about hospital food. During his night shift? Coffee, coffee, coffee and a chocolate bar. Breakfast? Two doughnuts, Mark had eaten more and didn't seem to be ill.
But he himself was ill, Jesse knew now that his meals made their way from his stomach upwards his gullet.
"Sorry, I guess, I'm getting sick!", he managed to say and then hurried out of the room, pressing one of his hands onto his mouth.
Jen confusedly watched him running away and shrugged. Probably the heat. Or the phormaldehyte. That happened even to the best doctors from time to time.
When Jesse entered the doctor lounge later, he wasn't feeling better. Having vomitted about half an hour, his sickness had gone by now, but he still felt dizzy, his body was almost numb and his view a bit blunt. He leaned against the doorframe and forced himself to smile as he said: "Hi!"
Jen looked up from her book with a sympathsizing expression in her eyes. "Hey", she answered, "how are you feeling?"
"Not that bad", Jesse lied. He didn't want to worry her and besides he was bit to proud to admitt that he felt like a tank had run over him. "Probably just the heat!"
She nodded understandingly and pointed at a can of coke that stood on the table next to her. "Drink that, it's not too cold and my mom used to tell me that this is the only effective remedy against sickness. Anyway you must be terribly dehydrated!"
Jesse swayed over to the couch and collapsed onto it. His legs were so heavy that he had problems to pull them up. Trying to take his mind off his awful condition, he asked: "What are you reading?"
She shrugged. "Some rubbish called 'Totally Messed Up'. It's about two police officers who are trying to find the antidote for a deadly virus before mankind is exterminated. Maybe the author should change the title into "Totally Loony", that would hit the point better the anything else. No sense for reality!"
Jesse gulped. That was a bit too much reality for his taste, but he felt to tired to tell her that. He needed some rest. Only a bit rest. He closed his eyes. Maybe...he......needed..............only...........sleep.................... ....
Steve Sloan took a deep breath as he entered the Community General. The heat outside was indescribable. 95 Fahrenheit and the temperature wouldn't stop increasing during the day. Everyone talked about the weather. Global warming up.
The police leutenant run one of his strong hands through his slightly wet hair. He felt like an egg sunny-side up. The minutes he had spent in his car were enough of a reason for him never to buy a black Ford again.
Steve scratched his arms. They were the true reason why he was here. A terrible sun burn, which had started to peel, covered his upper body and it felt like old leather. Steve had sat ten minutes in the sun yesterday, only ten minutes, only to relax a little after a long day of hard work. That had appeared to be to much.
To spare himself his dad's see-what-happens-if-I-don't-keep-an-eye-at-you- all-day look he had worn a pullover during the dinner. Steve wasn't sure if that had really been worth it.
Now he was searching for Jesse to ask him to give him some cooling ointment. Jesse wouldn't grass him. But where was Jesse? The ER was empty apart from Alex, who treated a tourist, who was shouting at him in language that sounded like French.
Walking into the doctor lounge where he assumed his friend to be, Steve glanced around carefully and spotted Jen Andrews, reading a book, and Jesse, laying on the couch.
"Hi!", still standing in the doorway, he lifted his arm quickly for a 'hello'. She looked up from and nodded a silent welcome. She knew Dr. Sloan's son as everyone else here. Who could overlook a good-looking guy like him? Dark-blonde hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders and very tall.
Unfortunately a little too old for her.
"Is my dad somewhere around here?", asked Steve.
She shook her head and formed with her lips the word 'conference'. Steve rolled his eyes. Oh yeah, that conference, how could he forget?! His dad had moaned for the last three days about that meeting.
Now that he was sure that he wouldn't meet his dad here, he came closer to Jesse, who had curled up on the uncomfortable sofa.
"What about him?"
She pointed one finger at her mouth and made a retching sound.
He grimaced. That was the reason why his friend was so pale. "You think I can wake him up?"
"He's been sleeping like dead for over one hour. Wake him up, he really should drink something. But I doubt that he'll be a big help for you and whatever you up to."
Steve nodded as he sat next to the small figure. Jesse wouldn't be able to treat him without breaking down meanwhile.
"Jesse!", he said and shook his friend gently on the shoulder. "C'mon, buddy, wake up!"
He earned nothing but a groan. "Jesse!", Steve shook him now a little intensely. He slowly became restless. Jesse breathed rather fast and the color had faided from his face. Something was wrong with him, even Steve could see that.
"Dr. Andrews, he doesn't wake up!", he said, shifting his young friend prudently onto the back.
The woman shut her book and got up. Scrutisizing Jesse, she frowned. "Odd thing", she murmured, "he didn't look like this ten minutes ago."
She bent down next to Jesse and patted his cheek. "Hey, Travis..." Whatever she was about to say got stuck in her throat. "Damnit..", she muttered and put her hand onto his forehead.
"High fever!", she diagnosed, glancing at Steve with a mix of shock and surprise. Reacting quickly, she checked the vital signs. "Racing pulse, rapid breathing..."
"What happened to him?", Steve asked also quite shocked, but more he was worried.
She shook her head. "I don't know, could be a shock or a allegical reaction...or an infection."
"Maybe we should call my dad...", Steve had already pulled out his cellphone (he was too confused to remember that there was one in the doctor lounge), but he got no answer.
"I bet Dawn forced them to switch off their pagers", mumbled Jen and headed for the door.
She waved Dr. Alex Martin, one of the new interns in the ER, and asked him to come over to her. She didn't want to cause too much sensation, the last thing she needed now were two dozen curious people blocking the way.
The young intern hesitated. It was known that the doctors often regarded the new interns as their personal slaves and Jen had to admitt that she hadn't sounded very politely.
"What's up?", asked Alex asked finally, coming closer.
"Please go upstairs and say Dr. Sloan that we need him here. It's important!", Jen couldn't hide her impatience.
Alex let out a sarcastical, but amused laugh. "You want me to go up there?! Why don't you tell me to jump into a cage full of lions?!"
She grabbed his wrists tightly and glared at him. "Dr. Martin", she hissed, "I'm not in the mood of playing silly games with you! Dr. Travis is seriously ill, has got high fever and we need Dr. Sloan here RIGHT NOW. So go and fetch him or you have been the new intern for the longest time!"
Alex had heard enough. Ignoring her last remark, he was already on his way upstairs.
In the meanwhile Mark had given up any efforts to look at least a bit interested and also Amanda made no attempts to hide any more that she was deadly bored.
Dr. Perkins played day-dreamingly with his nameplate that had been set on the table in front of its owner and Dr. Springsteen had his cigar already in his mouth though it wasn't on fire.
Mark rubbed his eyes. Five hours. He wasn't very interested in financial things anyway, but you could really no one expect to pay five hours attention for the year budget. All the numbers and statistics Bradon Dawn showed them, the arguings the administrator had with
Gratcher and some others, were they really so important that you could waste a whole day with it?
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, but the one who stood behind it didn't wait for an answer, but just rushed in. As Mark turned around to look who was in that terrible hurry he saw Alex Martin stumbeling in.
"I need to talk to Dr. Sloan!"
Mark sighed in relief inwardly. His prayers had been heard. But when he saw the worried expression on Alex face, his realized that something had to be very wrong.
'Steve!', was his first thought. How often had he been pulled out of his all-day routine by a call or a messenger, some one who told him that his son had been shot, involved in a car accident, Mark didn't even want imagine what it was this time.
He got up and left the room even before Alex could open his mouth to tell him what the matter was.
Hurrying down the corridors to the elevator, Alex put one hand on his teacher's shoulder, managed to stop him and asked him if didn't want to know what had happened.
"I must see him, Alex, my son needs me!", said Mark and headed off. Alex needed a few secondes to understand what Dr. Sloan was meaning. "Son?", then he slapped himself onto his head and ran after Mark.
He caught him up at the elevator where Mark was impatiently pressing the botton to make it come.
"Dr. Sloan, Mark, listen to me...", tried Alex, but was interrupted again.
"On no, he's not....is he?", the older doctor seemed to be so scared about the news that might expected him that Alex was almost happy to shake his head and declare at least this as good news.
"Mark, Steve is fine! It was a misunderstanding..."
Mark let out a sigh. "God, Alex, I'm so glad to hear that...the way you looked at me....I thought...", he gave his student a self-concussious grin, but noticed horrorfiedly that the look in whose eyes hadn't changed at all.
"It's Jesse...Dr. Travis", corrected Alex, but that didn't seem to be the biggest problem at the moment.
The heavy weight on Mark's chest fell as fast as it had been lifted up seconds ago. 'I'm such an idiot!', he thought depressedly. At that moment the doors of the elevator slid open and Mark entered it, dragging Alex with him to be reported about the details.
"What is it?", he asked nervously.
"I..I..don't know, no one does, that why they need you! Dr. Andrews said that he is very ill and has got fever..."
"Not again...", Mark couldn't help but mumbling that with a shaken voice.
"Sorry?", Alex wasn't sure if he had got the last remark right.
Mark waved it away with a quick movement and enquired: "How high is his temperature?"
Alex grimaced. "According to Dr. Adrews: very high!"
In despite of the terrible heat a cold shudder ran down Mark's spine. "Not again..."
MORE TO COME
I DON'T HAVE AN IDEA WHERE THIS IS GONNA LEAD US. WE'LL SEE! HOPE THERE HAVEN'T BEEN TOO MANY MISTAKES SO FAR AND YOU LIKE IT, THOUGH IT ISN'T REALLY NEW.
But he would be fine and that was definetly the merit of the two excellent residents who had operated. They hadn't worked often together, yet, and though they were one of the best teams the CGH had ever had. Four hands seemed to be directed by one person, knowing exactly what the others did.
"Four hours, I think that's our new record!", Jen said, glancing at her watch. When she noticed that Jesse's face wasn't looking that happy at all, she gave him a smack. "And these idiots up there are still sitting in that horrible room and arguing about 1.50 Dollar!" She giggled.
Jesse didn't listen to her. He fought the terrible nausea that was about to overwhelm him since the moment he had left the OR. Dinner last night? A noodle salad and a sandwich in the hospital canteen. Not very tasty, but that was no point talking about hospital food. During his night shift? Coffee, coffee, coffee and a chocolate bar. Breakfast? Two doughnuts, Mark had eaten more and didn't seem to be ill.
But he himself was ill, Jesse knew now that his meals made their way from his stomach upwards his gullet.
"Sorry, I guess, I'm getting sick!", he managed to say and then hurried out of the room, pressing one of his hands onto his mouth.
Jen confusedly watched him running away and shrugged. Probably the heat. Or the phormaldehyte. That happened even to the best doctors from time to time.
When Jesse entered the doctor lounge later, he wasn't feeling better. Having vomitted about half an hour, his sickness had gone by now, but he still felt dizzy, his body was almost numb and his view a bit blunt. He leaned against the doorframe and forced himself to smile as he said: "Hi!"
Jen looked up from her book with a sympathsizing expression in her eyes. "Hey", she answered, "how are you feeling?"
"Not that bad", Jesse lied. He didn't want to worry her and besides he was bit to proud to admitt that he felt like a tank had run over him. "Probably just the heat!"
She nodded understandingly and pointed at a can of coke that stood on the table next to her. "Drink that, it's not too cold and my mom used to tell me that this is the only effective remedy against sickness. Anyway you must be terribly dehydrated!"
Jesse swayed over to the couch and collapsed onto it. His legs were so heavy that he had problems to pull them up. Trying to take his mind off his awful condition, he asked: "What are you reading?"
She shrugged. "Some rubbish called 'Totally Messed Up'. It's about two police officers who are trying to find the antidote for a deadly virus before mankind is exterminated. Maybe the author should change the title into "Totally Loony", that would hit the point better the anything else. No sense for reality!"
Jesse gulped. That was a bit too much reality for his taste, but he felt to tired to tell her that. He needed some rest. Only a bit rest. He closed his eyes. Maybe...he......needed..............only...........sleep.................... ....
Steve Sloan took a deep breath as he entered the Community General. The heat outside was indescribable. 95 Fahrenheit and the temperature wouldn't stop increasing during the day. Everyone talked about the weather. Global warming up.
The police leutenant run one of his strong hands through his slightly wet hair. He felt like an egg sunny-side up. The minutes he had spent in his car were enough of a reason for him never to buy a black Ford again.
Steve scratched his arms. They were the true reason why he was here. A terrible sun burn, which had started to peel, covered his upper body and it felt like old leather. Steve had sat ten minutes in the sun yesterday, only ten minutes, only to relax a little after a long day of hard work. That had appeared to be to much.
To spare himself his dad's see-what-happens-if-I-don't-keep-an-eye-at-you- all-day look he had worn a pullover during the dinner. Steve wasn't sure if that had really been worth it.
Now he was searching for Jesse to ask him to give him some cooling ointment. Jesse wouldn't grass him. But where was Jesse? The ER was empty apart from Alex, who treated a tourist, who was shouting at him in language that sounded like French.
Walking into the doctor lounge where he assumed his friend to be, Steve glanced around carefully and spotted Jen Andrews, reading a book, and Jesse, laying on the couch.
"Hi!", still standing in the doorway, he lifted his arm quickly for a 'hello'. She looked up from and nodded a silent welcome. She knew Dr. Sloan's son as everyone else here. Who could overlook a good-looking guy like him? Dark-blonde hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders and very tall.
Unfortunately a little too old for her.
"Is my dad somewhere around here?", asked Steve.
She shook her head and formed with her lips the word 'conference'. Steve rolled his eyes. Oh yeah, that conference, how could he forget?! His dad had moaned for the last three days about that meeting.
Now that he was sure that he wouldn't meet his dad here, he came closer to Jesse, who had curled up on the uncomfortable sofa.
"What about him?"
She pointed one finger at her mouth and made a retching sound.
He grimaced. That was the reason why his friend was so pale. "You think I can wake him up?"
"He's been sleeping like dead for over one hour. Wake him up, he really should drink something. But I doubt that he'll be a big help for you and whatever you up to."
Steve nodded as he sat next to the small figure. Jesse wouldn't be able to treat him without breaking down meanwhile.
"Jesse!", he said and shook his friend gently on the shoulder. "C'mon, buddy, wake up!"
He earned nothing but a groan. "Jesse!", Steve shook him now a little intensely. He slowly became restless. Jesse breathed rather fast and the color had faided from his face. Something was wrong with him, even Steve could see that.
"Dr. Andrews, he doesn't wake up!", he said, shifting his young friend prudently onto the back.
The woman shut her book and got up. Scrutisizing Jesse, she frowned. "Odd thing", she murmured, "he didn't look like this ten minutes ago."
She bent down next to Jesse and patted his cheek. "Hey, Travis..." Whatever she was about to say got stuck in her throat. "Damnit..", she muttered and put her hand onto his forehead.
"High fever!", she diagnosed, glancing at Steve with a mix of shock and surprise. Reacting quickly, she checked the vital signs. "Racing pulse, rapid breathing..."
"What happened to him?", Steve asked also quite shocked, but more he was worried.
She shook her head. "I don't know, could be a shock or a allegical reaction...or an infection."
"Maybe we should call my dad...", Steve had already pulled out his cellphone (he was too confused to remember that there was one in the doctor lounge), but he got no answer.
"I bet Dawn forced them to switch off their pagers", mumbled Jen and headed for the door.
She waved Dr. Alex Martin, one of the new interns in the ER, and asked him to come over to her. She didn't want to cause too much sensation, the last thing she needed now were two dozen curious people blocking the way.
The young intern hesitated. It was known that the doctors often regarded the new interns as their personal slaves and Jen had to admitt that she hadn't sounded very politely.
"What's up?", asked Alex asked finally, coming closer.
"Please go upstairs and say Dr. Sloan that we need him here. It's important!", Jen couldn't hide her impatience.
Alex let out a sarcastical, but amused laugh. "You want me to go up there?! Why don't you tell me to jump into a cage full of lions?!"
She grabbed his wrists tightly and glared at him. "Dr. Martin", she hissed, "I'm not in the mood of playing silly games with you! Dr. Travis is seriously ill, has got high fever and we need Dr. Sloan here RIGHT NOW. So go and fetch him or you have been the new intern for the longest time!"
Alex had heard enough. Ignoring her last remark, he was already on his way upstairs.
In the meanwhile Mark had given up any efforts to look at least a bit interested and also Amanda made no attempts to hide any more that she was deadly bored.
Dr. Perkins played day-dreamingly with his nameplate that had been set on the table in front of its owner and Dr. Springsteen had his cigar already in his mouth though it wasn't on fire.
Mark rubbed his eyes. Five hours. He wasn't very interested in financial things anyway, but you could really no one expect to pay five hours attention for the year budget. All the numbers and statistics Bradon Dawn showed them, the arguings the administrator had with
Gratcher and some others, were they really so important that you could waste a whole day with it?
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, but the one who stood behind it didn't wait for an answer, but just rushed in. As Mark turned around to look who was in that terrible hurry he saw Alex Martin stumbeling in.
"I need to talk to Dr. Sloan!"
Mark sighed in relief inwardly. His prayers had been heard. But when he saw the worried expression on Alex face, his realized that something had to be very wrong.
'Steve!', was his first thought. How often had he been pulled out of his all-day routine by a call or a messenger, some one who told him that his son had been shot, involved in a car accident, Mark didn't even want imagine what it was this time.
He got up and left the room even before Alex could open his mouth to tell him what the matter was.
Hurrying down the corridors to the elevator, Alex put one hand on his teacher's shoulder, managed to stop him and asked him if didn't want to know what had happened.
"I must see him, Alex, my son needs me!", said Mark and headed off. Alex needed a few secondes to understand what Dr. Sloan was meaning. "Son?", then he slapped himself onto his head and ran after Mark.
He caught him up at the elevator where Mark was impatiently pressing the botton to make it come.
"Dr. Sloan, Mark, listen to me...", tried Alex, but was interrupted again.
"On no, he's not....is he?", the older doctor seemed to be so scared about the news that might expected him that Alex was almost happy to shake his head and declare at least this as good news.
"Mark, Steve is fine! It was a misunderstanding..."
Mark let out a sigh. "God, Alex, I'm so glad to hear that...the way you looked at me....I thought...", he gave his student a self-concussious grin, but noticed horrorfiedly that the look in whose eyes hadn't changed at all.
"It's Jesse...Dr. Travis", corrected Alex, but that didn't seem to be the biggest problem at the moment.
The heavy weight on Mark's chest fell as fast as it had been lifted up seconds ago. 'I'm such an idiot!', he thought depressedly. At that moment the doors of the elevator slid open and Mark entered it, dragging Alex with him to be reported about the details.
"What is it?", he asked nervously.
"I..I..don't know, no one does, that why they need you! Dr. Andrews said that he is very ill and has got fever..."
"Not again...", Mark couldn't help but mumbling that with a shaken voice.
"Sorry?", Alex wasn't sure if he had got the last remark right.
Mark waved it away with a quick movement and enquired: "How high is his temperature?"
Alex grimaced. "According to Dr. Adrews: very high!"
In despite of the terrible heat a cold shudder ran down Mark's spine. "Not again..."
MORE TO COME
I DON'T HAVE AN IDEA WHERE THIS IS GONNA LEAD US. WE'LL SEE! HOPE THERE HAVEN'T BEEN TOO MANY MISTAKES SO FAR AND YOU LIKE IT, THOUGH IT ISN'T REALLY NEW.