A/N: I really don't know much about medical students, so if the
information provided in my story is inaccurate, I really apologize. Please
correct me if you know of such errors.
Val entered the apartment with a large black tote bag hung carelessly on her right shoulder. Tyler followed close behind with a small suitcase.
"Caitie?" Val called out immediately as she set down her keys on the kitchen counter. She entered the apartment in search of her roommate. After disappearing into the back rooms of the apartment, she concluded it was vacant.
"I guess she went out early. It's only seven o'clock."
A yawn escaped from Tyler's mouth. He was clearly exhausted after driving for three hours. "She probably went out to do some errands or stop by her editor's office."
"I guess so." Val's eyes were barely open. The weight of her heavy eyelids caused them to close repeatedly. She passed by the answering machine in the hallway, without noticing the blinking red light.
"We should get some sleep. What time is your class?" Tyler asked as he entered Val's bedroom.
"I have a lab I have to go to around two. You?" Val asked curiously as she quickly changed into her pajamas.
"I have to be out of here by three. We should be able to catch up on our sleep before then."
Val and Tyler settled in. Moments later, they were both resting peacefully.
*
Jamie, dressed in a dark gray suit entered his 4 door BMW. He readjusted his rearview mirror and put the gear into drive. 'Another day at the office,' he thought to himself. A briefcase filled with notes was placed in the leather passenger seat next to him. He had been up for half the night preparing his presentation. In actuality, the presentation only took him a couple of hours. The remaining time was spent worrying about Caitie, and analyzing his persistent feelings for her. He let out an exasperated sigh as he approached a red light.
*
Caitie remained immobile. She couldn't move. Her eyelids refused to open. A feeling of panic ran through her fragile body. Immense pain. She vainly attempted to lift her arm . . . only causing the pain to intensify. Caitie saw a red glow that penetrated through her eyelids. Although she could not figure out her exact whereabouts, she quickly deduced it was daytime. Feeling weak and broken, she allowed the grim calmness take her away from the painful light.
* * *
Hank entered the emergency room a quarter after twelve, after only sleeping for a few hours. His residency was surely wreaking havoc on his body, noticeable by his drooping eyelids and dragging feet. He entered the locker room and changed into his scrubs. He performed his morning ritual of signing in, and immediately grabbing a cup of burnt coffee at the cafeteria.
With a steaming cup of black coffee in his hand, he walked up to the main desk at the ER.
"Hi Betty." Hank smiled warmly at a nurse sitting behind the desk.
"Morning Hank. Weren't you just on the graveyard shift?" she asked.
"Yes I was. I at least got to take a nap for a few hours." Hank took another sip of the hot liquid in the styrofoam cup. "How is it around here?"
"It's been a quiet morning as far as I can tell, but you know how it is. Any moment, we'll have about a dozen new patients." The corners of her red lips stretched out into a smile.
The ringing of a telephone diverted Betty's attention. She picked up the receiver.
"I'll catch you later," Hank whispered. Betty waved at the young medical student.
As Hank began to leave the front desk, a small group of EMTs entered with a new patient. He immediately set down his coffee and ran after the crew. He managed to grab a hold of one of the EMTs.
"I'm Hank, I'm on call here. What's the deal?"
"I'm Elli." Without wasting another breath, the young EMT began relaying the details of the call. "White female, early twenties. She was found in an alleyway this morning behind a diner. The waitress found her unconscious, and identified her as a local. She doesn't have any identification, so we were unable to contact anyone. She has several lacerations on her back, and a broken arm. Her ankle is swollen and she has a severe concussion. It looks like she's been hit with a lot of force in the stomach but we were unable to see the extent of the damage. She has a slight cut on her cheek, with a few bruises on her lower back. They don't look too recent but not too old. It is likely they appeared within the week."
After Hank quickly processed the information, he experienced a sinking feeling. Elli's words echoed in his head. ' . . . A slight cut on her cheek . . . white female, early twenties . . ."
Elli continued to speak filling in the silence. "The police should be contacted, it looks like an abuse case or something similar to that."
Without saying a word, Hank ran into the room the patient was taken too. He caught a glimpse of the young woman. His suspicions were confirmed. Hank could not believe his eyes. It was definitely Caitie . . . although her usual flawless skin was no longer visible. Stains of dried blood covered her forehead. Cuts were visible on every inch of her exposed skin. The on call doctors began to examine her, while the nurse hooked up the precautionary machinery. She inserted an IV into her left arm.
Hank immediately washed his hands and put on a new pair of gloves.
"She has a concussion . . ." the doctor began.
"I got the story from the EMT," Hank managed to reply before the details were repeated.
He helped move Caitie to another bed. The once white sheets of the transport bed were stained with her blood, where her head rested.
Hank checked her vitals. He opened her eyelids, only to see the whites of her eyes. "Caitie . . ." Hank knew deep down inside, this situation could have been avoided.
The monitor that accessed her vital conditions began to shriek.
"Prep her for OR," the doctor instructed. He removed his hand from Caitie's abdomen. "There is internal bleeding."
Instantly the nurses began transporting her to the operating room. Hank stood in the emergency room, unable to gather his thoughts. His gaze was fixated on his hands. He stood silently with traces of red liquid covering his gloves.
A/N: Let's see. I still own nothing, there is my disclaimer. Umm, thanking my trusty beta reader! Thanks MM!!! Her next story. . . you guys are in for a treat!
How can I forget? I must give a giaaaant thanks to all those who have reviewed my stories. THANKS!!!
Should this story end soon? Should I, "pull the plug"? I do have some ideas . . . but I'm not sure if I like them so much. Apparently my stories should be better.
Val entered the apartment with a large black tote bag hung carelessly on her right shoulder. Tyler followed close behind with a small suitcase.
"Caitie?" Val called out immediately as she set down her keys on the kitchen counter. She entered the apartment in search of her roommate. After disappearing into the back rooms of the apartment, she concluded it was vacant.
"I guess she went out early. It's only seven o'clock."
A yawn escaped from Tyler's mouth. He was clearly exhausted after driving for three hours. "She probably went out to do some errands or stop by her editor's office."
"I guess so." Val's eyes were barely open. The weight of her heavy eyelids caused them to close repeatedly. She passed by the answering machine in the hallway, without noticing the blinking red light.
"We should get some sleep. What time is your class?" Tyler asked as he entered Val's bedroom.
"I have a lab I have to go to around two. You?" Val asked curiously as she quickly changed into her pajamas.
"I have to be out of here by three. We should be able to catch up on our sleep before then."
Val and Tyler settled in. Moments later, they were both resting peacefully.
*
Jamie, dressed in a dark gray suit entered his 4 door BMW. He readjusted his rearview mirror and put the gear into drive. 'Another day at the office,' he thought to himself. A briefcase filled with notes was placed in the leather passenger seat next to him. He had been up for half the night preparing his presentation. In actuality, the presentation only took him a couple of hours. The remaining time was spent worrying about Caitie, and analyzing his persistent feelings for her. He let out an exasperated sigh as he approached a red light.
*
Caitie remained immobile. She couldn't move. Her eyelids refused to open. A feeling of panic ran through her fragile body. Immense pain. She vainly attempted to lift her arm . . . only causing the pain to intensify. Caitie saw a red glow that penetrated through her eyelids. Although she could not figure out her exact whereabouts, she quickly deduced it was daytime. Feeling weak and broken, she allowed the grim calmness take her away from the painful light.
* * *
Hank entered the emergency room a quarter after twelve, after only sleeping for a few hours. His residency was surely wreaking havoc on his body, noticeable by his drooping eyelids and dragging feet. He entered the locker room and changed into his scrubs. He performed his morning ritual of signing in, and immediately grabbing a cup of burnt coffee at the cafeteria.
With a steaming cup of black coffee in his hand, he walked up to the main desk at the ER.
"Hi Betty." Hank smiled warmly at a nurse sitting behind the desk.
"Morning Hank. Weren't you just on the graveyard shift?" she asked.
"Yes I was. I at least got to take a nap for a few hours." Hank took another sip of the hot liquid in the styrofoam cup. "How is it around here?"
"It's been a quiet morning as far as I can tell, but you know how it is. Any moment, we'll have about a dozen new patients." The corners of her red lips stretched out into a smile.
The ringing of a telephone diverted Betty's attention. She picked up the receiver.
"I'll catch you later," Hank whispered. Betty waved at the young medical student.
As Hank began to leave the front desk, a small group of EMTs entered with a new patient. He immediately set down his coffee and ran after the crew. He managed to grab a hold of one of the EMTs.
"I'm Hank, I'm on call here. What's the deal?"
"I'm Elli." Without wasting another breath, the young EMT began relaying the details of the call. "White female, early twenties. She was found in an alleyway this morning behind a diner. The waitress found her unconscious, and identified her as a local. She doesn't have any identification, so we were unable to contact anyone. She has several lacerations on her back, and a broken arm. Her ankle is swollen and she has a severe concussion. It looks like she's been hit with a lot of force in the stomach but we were unable to see the extent of the damage. She has a slight cut on her cheek, with a few bruises on her lower back. They don't look too recent but not too old. It is likely they appeared within the week."
After Hank quickly processed the information, he experienced a sinking feeling. Elli's words echoed in his head. ' . . . A slight cut on her cheek . . . white female, early twenties . . ."
Elli continued to speak filling in the silence. "The police should be contacted, it looks like an abuse case or something similar to that."
Without saying a word, Hank ran into the room the patient was taken too. He caught a glimpse of the young woman. His suspicions were confirmed. Hank could not believe his eyes. It was definitely Caitie . . . although her usual flawless skin was no longer visible. Stains of dried blood covered her forehead. Cuts were visible on every inch of her exposed skin. The on call doctors began to examine her, while the nurse hooked up the precautionary machinery. She inserted an IV into her left arm.
Hank immediately washed his hands and put on a new pair of gloves.
"She has a concussion . . ." the doctor began.
"I got the story from the EMT," Hank managed to reply before the details were repeated.
He helped move Caitie to another bed. The once white sheets of the transport bed were stained with her blood, where her head rested.
Hank checked her vitals. He opened her eyelids, only to see the whites of her eyes. "Caitie . . ." Hank knew deep down inside, this situation could have been avoided.
The monitor that accessed her vital conditions began to shriek.
"Prep her for OR," the doctor instructed. He removed his hand from Caitie's abdomen. "There is internal bleeding."
Instantly the nurses began transporting her to the operating room. Hank stood in the emergency room, unable to gather his thoughts. His gaze was fixated on his hands. He stood silently with traces of red liquid covering his gloves.
A/N: Let's see. I still own nothing, there is my disclaimer. Umm, thanking my trusty beta reader! Thanks MM!!! Her next story. . . you guys are in for a treat!
How can I forget? I must give a giaaaant thanks to all those who have reviewed my stories. THANKS!!!
Should this story end soon? Should I, "pull the plug"? I do have some ideas . . . but I'm not sure if I like them so much. Apparently my stories should be better.