Thank you for your reviews. I would have submitted a reply but I am unable to do so due to computer problems. For the same reason I was unable to review your own fanfiction Hotter Than July girlintheyankeeshat, which I enjoyed very much and actually only finished reading last night. I have also read and enjoyed some of your fanfiction Naomi, and I am very grateful to receive reviews from writers I admire.
I haven't read any of your fanfiction Kimbari as I am not a fan of Cordano, but like you yourself said, I am a fan of good writing and from a quick glance at your work it is clear that you certainly provide that. I will definitely have a further look. Thank you for you advice, it is both welcome and greatly appreciated. Especially the grammatical corrections, as grammar is something I struggle with and often disagree with Microsoft Word over, particularly my addiction to commas. As you can see, I also took your advice over the rating of this piece. I had originally thought I might later want to include something that would require an R rating, but reconsidering this I think it unlikely. I think my style of writing is probably provide vague hints, whether it be of sex or violence, rather than go into detail. I also took your advice on writing an outline of the plot and ended up with a story very different to my original idea!
Chapter 2
Susan ran as fast as she could without falling through the ambulance bay and into the ER to escape the torrential rain that had been pouring down on the city for almost four days now. Ignoring a nearby cleaner's angry shouts, she shook off a surprisingly large amount of water in the entrance and then strode up to the admin desk, dumping her dripping bag in font of a smirking Frank.
'Did you take a nice stroll to work this morning Dr Lewis?'
'No, just a quick run from the El. You know me Frank, I'm a great advocate of regular exercise.' Her self-mocking grin disappeared as she glanced up at the board. 'What?! Surely this place should be dead. Who in their right mind would risk getting washed away into Lake Michigan only to come here?'
Frank looked at her pointedly.
'I said in their right mind Frank. I think the fact that I work here proves that doesn't include me.'
'Nor me. Anyway, we were dead until half of the inner-city clinics in Chicago declared themselves closed due to flooding. Then we got flooded. With a few hundred degenerates who use a touch of flu as an excuse to cash in on all the free drugs they can get their hands on. I've already had to dispose of three who didn't know the meaning of the word 'no', and one homeless freak who tried to take a nap in the lounge. I wouldn't go near that couch until the exterminators have had a look at it if I were you.'
Susan sighed despondently as she peeled off her sodden coat to find all of her many layers of clothes clinging damply to her shivering skin. 'I'm going to change into something dry.' She glanced up at the clock which revealed that she was now three minutes into her shift. 'Is Weaver around?'
'No she's AWOL as usual, but Romano's on the prowl for an excuse to fire someone.'
'Since when does he need an excuse?' Susan walked into the lounge and turning the light on. She jumped at seeing Luka sat on the couch, blinking furiously from the sudden brightness.
'What are you sat in the dark for?' She teased, hanging her coat over the heater, and walking over to her locker.
Her inexplicably cheery mood was not put-off by his lack of response. 'You know, if you're looking for somewhere to sit and contemplate the meaning of life or whatever, you should probably find someplace else. From what I've heard about that couch from Frank, it's not safe.'
Luka looked up at her but didn't return her smile, and didn't bother to ask her what she was referring to. He rubbed his eyes and peered into the dregs of his coffee, which Susan could smell from across the room.
'If that won't wake you nothing will.' She said, wondering how long she would continue to make friendly small talk with herself.
'A few hours sleep might.' Luka said, standing slowly, stretching, and then moving to make himself another cup of caffeine.
Susan laughed, mostly with relief that she at least hadn't had to resort to interpreting Luka's characteristic grunts. 'You haven't a chance, not with the increasing number of people coming to seek shelter from God's rain of terror.' She grinned at her own joke, but if Luka had got it he didn't show it. 'How long have you been leading the Ark?'
'Since six this morning.'
Susan glanced at the clock automatically, despite already knowing that it was just gone six. 'Shouldn't you be finished now then?'
'No, I'm working the double.' He gulped down another steaming cup of what to Susan looked like mud. 'Only another twelve hours to go.'
Susan took in his dishevelled appearance. His eyes were blood-shot from lack of sleep and far too much caffeine, and he had week-old stubble. 'You should catch a few hours. I'll cover for you.'
Luka smiled wryly. 'What? You mean you'll cover my ten patients, the ten Carter is about to dump on you and the few dozen more waiting in chairs? You really are in a good mood today.'
Before Susan could respond, Abby burst in and Susan realised for the first time since she'd arrived just what she looked like. Abby's hair was plastered to her face, which looked incredibly small and pale against her darkened hair and her black coat that was pulled up around her neck tightly. The scrubs she had decided to wear to work, to save time changing because she was late, were a filthy brown colour all the way up to her knees from running through dirty puddles.
Abby came to an abrupt halt in the doorway. 'I'm late.'
Susan laughed. 'Me too, but I've seen the board so I think I'm going to hide in here until Carter comes and physically drags me out.'
At that moment the door swung open once more, hitting Abby who stumbled slightly. If Carter noticed he didn't show it. He stood in the doorway, one hand propping open the door, the other on his hip. He didn't look happy.
'What is this? Susan, your shift started five minutes ago. Which means mine finished an hour and five minutes ago.'
Susan hung her head sheepishly. 'Sorry Dr Weaver, I mean Carter.'
Abby laughed but quickly stopped when Carter shot her a vicious look. 'Just hurry up, all of you.' Carter said. 'It's slammed out there, there's a trauma coming in in five, and I don't want it.' He turned and left.
Susan turned to Abby. 'What was that about?'
'I think he is just tired. He's been on since five, and he did a twelve hour shift yesterday.'
'That's not what I meant. What was that between you two?'
'What do you mean that? What was what?'
'Oh come on Abby. Did you two have a fight?'
Eager to find any distraction to spare her from answering Susan's probing questions, Abby turned away and noticed Luka watching her intently. He immediately looked away embarrassed, then turned to leave. 'I had better get back to work.'
'Is he okay?' Abby asked, her eyes still on the door Luka had just left through.
'I don't know. He look's pretty rough, but then so do you.'
Abby laughed. 'Thanks.' She said, not as sarcastically as Susan thought, since she was very grateful that Susan hadn't noticed the sudden subject change. She really didn't want to have to explain the whole mess to Susan. She didn't think she could explain it anyway; she couldn't even get it straight in her own head. 'You don't look so great yourself.'
'What are you taking about?' Susan exclaimed with fake surprise. 'Drowned rat is a very fashionable look I'll have you know.'
Susan paused in thought. 'Seriously though, I don't know.'
Abby frowned. 'Don't know what?'
'I don't know about Luka. He was acting pretty weird before you came in. I mean I knew he'd been depressed lately, but I thought he'd got over it. I mean, he came back to work when we all thought he'd left didn't he?'
'Maybe he needed the money.' Abby cared about Luka, but she had enough of her own problems to deal with right now. Besides, Luka wouldn't accept anybody else's help. She'd tried talking to him before and he'd only ever been dismissive and even annoyed. She thought back to Susan's Christmas party. He'd been willing to talk to her then, but she hadn't let him. She'd known what he was going to say. Was that what this was all about? The obvious depression which had affected his work quite badly over the past few months? No, she thought, chiding herself. The way he had acted that night had been drink-fuelled, and he'd certainly not given her any reason to think he still held feelings for her since then.
'Probably.' Susan said thoughtfully, interrupting Abby's thoughts. 'In which case maybe he's still not over it.'
'It's nearly quarter past six. We should get to work before Carter really gets mad.' Abby said, quickly changing the subject before Susan could suggest that she try and talk to Luka about it. That was the absolute last thing she wanted to do right now. The thought of it made talking to Carter while he was in such a mood look appealing.
'Oh god you're right!' Cried Susan. 'We had better send Carter home. I'd rather do double the workload than work with him when he's in that mood!'
Luka wasn't sure how he had got through the shift. The last twelve hours, which at the time had dragged by with endless queues of complaining patients, were now nothing but a blur. It was finally over, but as he sat on the bench outside he couldn't bring himself to move. The dampness from the wood seeped through his clothes, the only evidence of the rain which had finally broken after four days. Now there was no sign of a cloud in the clear blue sky and the morning sun shone unbearably bright, reflecting from every angle off the thin sheet of April frost which covered the ground and giving the deserted ambulance bay an eerie glow.
Forcing his aching muscles to move, Luka stood up and began to walk slowly in the direction of his apartment, thankful that he didn't know of any bars that were open at this time.
Twelve sleepless hours, half a bottle of whisky, and innumerable cups of coffee later, Luka was on his way out of his apartment when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He winced at his appearance. The shower had failed to wake his bloodshot eyes or brighten his scarily pale colour, and shaving had only succeeded in making his face look even gaunter. There was no denying how ill he looked, and with the dizziness and blurred vision returning he wondered if he was maybe coming down with flu. No, he thought, he was just suffering from not having more than a couple of hours of sleep a night. He wasn't sure how long he could carry on like this. But he knew it certainly couldn't be long.
