Hello everyone! Thank you for choosing to read chapter seven, I really appreciate it. Hopefully this chapter will clear everything up...or who knows, it could just confuse things, heheheh! At any rate, here are the thank-you's:
andromeda90- Hello! Thank you for the review. I went on a vacation myself between chapters...4 and 5 (I think...) so don't feel bad, I just hope you had fun. Anyway, I love Seifer too! He's adorable! Leon does need some rest! I feel so awful for torturing him, but the plot must go on! -mock sobbing-
Wind's Nocturne-Thank you so much! -nods- Sora's ill, spreading my little disease all over the hospital...ahh, how tragic. I feel bad, really! I had to mellow the seriousness out with Cloud and Leon's little tiffs! I'm glad you like it!
Wends-Hello, and thank you for your review! Leon will get his moment in the artificially fabricated sun, don't worry! He's quite possibly my favorite character ever and won't be denied his rights to stardom...it just might take a bit. Anyway, I'm so glad you like it!
AquilaStrife- Hi! What a coincidence! You had an enchilada, I had a burrito...man. Mexican food is great in the morning! I'm happy that you liked the dialogue. I wanted it to be good and a little humorous! Comedy verses tragedy...such an clash of drama! Heheh! I look forward to more reviews!
Okay, now that everything is taken care of, I own nothing! On with Chapter six!
Note: The page break isn't working, so "XxX" will be used instead.
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While emptying another packet of sugar into his coffee, Cloud watched indifferently at the multitude of nurses scurrying about. Though he usually didn't bother to acknowledge the white-clad flurry of attendants, he couldn't help but notice how unusually skittish they were this morning. Shrugging it of, he reached for the creamers.
When Cloud had arrived that morning, he realized that he was alone to do all of the work. At first, he was miffed, but after remembering the events of the night before, and where Riku most likely was, Cloud decided that he would be able to handle it for the time being.
Riku had probably stayed in the room with Sora all night long, Cloud supposed while plucking a coffee stir from the neatly packed bunch. Maybe Sora really was sick...or maybe Riku was just overreacting. Cloud didn't really have enough information on the subject to make any immediate conclusions, but he decided to hope for the best anyhow.
"Pour me a cup too."
Cloud looked up, nearly spilling his coffee all over his lap. "Oh...hi." He didn't expect to see Riku standing in front of him, especially so soon after thinking about him. This sort of thing happened too often.
Riku grimaced, running a hand through his very disheveled hair. His back was aching, as was his neck. Never again would he opt to sleep in the hospital chairs. He would sooner jump in bed with Sora.
"What? You want coffee?"Cloud smirked as he reached for a styrofoam cup. "Aren't we the hypocrite?"
"Shut up."
Cloud handed him the cup along with a handful of sugar and creamers. "You look like you've been sleeping in a closet."
"Actually, it was the plastic chair in Sora's room."
"That too."
"It's very uncomfortable."
"I can tell."
Both of them sighed and watched the flock of nurses scampering back and forth. What had gotten them so riled up this morning?
"So," Cloud said interrupting the silence. "How's Sora?"
"He was quite the firecracker last night, but I didn't get to ask him how he was this morning."
"Really?" Cloud said sweeping the trash off into the waste paper bin. "Why's that?"
"Leon kicked me out of his room. He said they had to run more tests or something."
Cloud immediately frowned at the mention of Leon. "Humph, he thinks he's the boss just because he can wield a syringe. If I were you, I'd march right back in there and—"
"Attention hospital staff and visitors," blasted the loud speaker, cutting Cloud off in mid sentence. "The building has been put on alert and is under immediate lock down. It is suspected that a patient emitted last night has the Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacterium, from which the contagious and potentially life threatening disease Diphtheria is produced. We ask that you all obey any and all instruction given by the hospital staff, and remain calm. Updates in the progression of the disease will be given periodically over the intercom."
With a loud click the announcement was over, followed by a cold silence.
Within moments of the promulgation sinking in, there was a series of loud and agitated groans coming from the waiting room. A few people actually took heed to the announcement and held their children tighter in an effort to shield them from the invisible danger, but most were annoyed at the seemingly unnecessary delay in their schedules.
Cloud however, not having a schedule to keep, yet still not particularly worried about the impending threat, eased back against the shelf he was so accustomed to lying against.
But then something struck him.
Hospital Lock down.
Lock down.
Lock down
He wouldn't be able to leave! Glancing around him, he saw that others had noticed the extremity of the inconvenience and were complaining rather loudly. It would only be a matter of time before people became irritated with each other, causing disturbances Cloud didn't want to deal with.
He groaned. He hated large crowds, especially fussy ones. Who knew how long he would have to sit there in absolute misery until the hospital got it's act together and reaized it was probably just some kid with a cold?
"May I have your attention please?" The loud speaker blared again, this time forcing the room into immediate silence. "Due to the nature of this disease, we ask that anyone with the following symptoms or anyone that has been in contact with someone with these symptoms alert hospital staff immediately: Sore throat, mild fever, rapid pulse, or swelling in the throat. If you have experienced these symptoms between two and five days ago, but are not necessarily experiencing them now, you also must report to hospital staff. It is important that we concentrate the bacterium as quickly as possible so as to prevent further contamination."
Like a wave, loud cries of "What about that cold you had last week?" and "That man just coughed! He must be a carrier!" Crashed over Cloud's ears. If the hospital wasn't trying to raise mass panic, they were certainly doing a terrible job.
He glanced helplessly at Riku, who's pallor rivaled that of milk.
"Hey...what's the matter with you?"
"Sora...that..that's what Sora—"
"Riku, please. Sora's fine." Cloud said dismissively. He was far more concerned with his own captivity.
"No!" He grabbed Cloud's shoulders. "That's it! That's what he has! I know it!"
"Riku," Cloud complacently pried his trembling fingers from around his collar. "Sora will be fine."
"But, what if he's not! You heard the announcement! It's potentially life threatening! Sora could—"
"Listen to me!" Cloud hissed brusquely. "Even if Sora does have this disease, HE'S IN A HOSPITAL! THERE REALLY ISN'T A BETTER PLACE FOR HIM TO BE!"
"Oh...that's right." Riku said sheepishly.
Cloud rolled his eyes seating himself on the counter then turning around so he could watch the reluctant guests. Just as expected, dozens of people crowded around the front desk.
"Ugh, Riku, you might want to wait until the crowd settles a bit first." Cloud said slightly disgusted.
"What are you talking about?" He watched as the nurse failed to get everyone lined up single file.
"You were with Sora all night weren't you? Naturally, you need to go get yourself tested."
"I guess so."
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Leon sighed heavily, collecting file folders into piles. When he had earlier asked Seifer to issue an alert he never would have guessed this level of pandemonium would have erupted so quickly. Then again, hospital lock downs weren't exactly familiar grounds of study in his practices.
That morning while walking down the hallway to check on a patient, twice he had been ambushed by men and women demanding immediate removal from the waiting room that housed so many potential cases.
He had calmly explained to them that the hospital was doing it's very best and medicine would be issued out shortly, but that didn't do much to hither a particularly belligerent woman from hurling the contents of her purse individually at the back of his head. Most he had managed to dodge, but the lipstick would most certainly leave a sizable bruise.
He recalled that shop boy...Riku had also approached him that morning. The look on his face had given away his request before he had uttered a word, but Leon allowed him to speak anyway.
He had asked that Leon watch over Sora, more or less as his personal attendant to ensure his immediate recovery. Leon didn't have the heart to tell him that he had other patients to assist, so instead he insured him that Sora would be fine and he would do what he could.
That seemed to satisfy Riku.
However, the patients that were carriers were far less complacent than Riku. Naturally, they went into immediate panic even though Leon had requested an announcement guaranteeing those that were diagnosed the best care that their hospital offered.
The lab couldn't test everyone quick enough. In fact, There were only three people with a positive lab testing for Diphtheria—all of which were assigned to Leon—but there were several pending cases to which antibiotics would be given anyway.
"Hey, Leonhart, I was looking for you!"
Leon stifled a groan. There was a handful of people he wasn't too keen on seeing at the moment—the woman with the lethal lipstick included—but Seifer was pretty high on the list.
"I really don't have the time right now."
Seifer caught up to him, ignoring Leon's comment. "You know, you're not easy to find around here. Post a schedule or something!"
"What do you want?"
"Could you slow down!"
"No."
"Geez," He huffed. "For someone stuck with all three of those Diph-patients, you're awfully entergetic."
"No thanks to you," Leon grumbled, inadvertently increasing his pace. "If I recall, you had the option of helping."
"Are you kidding me?" Seifer scoffed. "There is no way I'm going anywhere near those people. The second they administer the anti-toxin, I'm outta here."
"It's in?"
"Nope." Seifer said casually. "The full shipment won't get here until..." He glanced at his watch and frowned. "Later."
Leon smirked. "Good, then when it gets here, make sure you get it to me."
"No problem."
"...And you can also administer a treatment to those who just have symptoms. Have a nurse stock a cart full of Erythromycin for you. I'm sure you know the dosage."
"What?" He stepped backwards. "Didn't I tell you I wasn't going anywhere near those people?"
Leon's smirk widened. "I said those who have symptoms. We don't have time to get a lab report for everyone, so you can't possibly know who has what. This meathod is far more efficient and there's a small chance you won't catch it, assuming of course you've been vaccinated."
Seifer folded his arms. "No way. Do it yourself."
"Would you rather do my job and take care of the definite carriers?"
He nearly kicked the wall in. "Leonhart, I swear--"
"Hurry up." Leon smiled, and headed down the hallway to attend to his patients. His mood had definitely lightened.
"Alright listen up, I want you all divided up into two groups!" Seifer shouted loudly over the din. "If you're not coughing or whatever, over to the left, if you are over to the right!"
His shouts went unnoticed, and due to the tri-layer of masks he insisted on wearing, his volume was even more so muffled. Gritting his teeth in agitation, he stood on top of a table in the cafeteria to project his statement. This time people paid him a little more attention.
"This...is so stupid." He muttered, waving people into their designated sections.
Cloud was watching the spectacle with the same amount of interest he had paid the nurses earlier when they were scampering around in the lobby.
It was an absolute mad house.
"Well, I think I'll wait until the rush clears up a bit."
"No way. I'm not about to wind up taking vat of medicine." Riku wandered over to the left.
Cloud sighed. Earlier they had made an announcement regarding the shipment of the antitoxin for those not suffering immediately from the disease. It would be arriving within the hour, but it hadn't arrived yet. Those suffering from symptoms would be getting some other antibiotic and those not suffering at all would be getting a vaccine.
Cloud looked over toward the right. He was a little surprised at how quickly so many people had began coughing and wheezing. Perhaps he should have made his way over with Riku.
"Alright everyone," Seifer said, holding up what looked like a cell phone. "I was just notified, the truck is on the way."
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