Chapter 6
- "Hey, Sakura... Sakura?... Hey wake up!" -
- "Ugh! Hey... no need to shout..." -
- "Well, you should answer on the first call. Your superior is calling for you." -
- "And what may this all-mighty superior want of me?" -
- "Hey! Stop being so dramatic!" - a smack could be heard as a pile of paperwork that could kill many needed hours of sleep landed on the white desk. - "I just need you to look over these before you go home." -
- "Seriously? I just filed all the months cases on the computer, and I am supposed to be off in one hour." - her pleading eyes looked into those dark pupils only to find heavy bags under them and a thin line of stress above her brow bone. - "Ok... Sorry Shizune... I will work on them. I get paid for overtime anyways." -
- "That is more like it. You will get used to this one day." - her smile lines married her tired face before sympathy took over. - "This is just another perk from working at the Emergency Department... we are needed all the time." - and with that, the tall woman dressed in dark blue scrubs and a white doctor's coat left the small makeshift office/nap room.
- "Stupid paperwork." - she muttered to herself.
The weekends would always be her worst time of the week. If you thought Monday was bad, imagine hundreds of working-class citizens and their entire families crowding the Urgent Care Units and Emergency Departments after Friday night's shenanigans.
Drunk bar escapades, family trips gone wrong, sports events with accidents, hell... even bad drivers thrived during the end of the week before causing accidents from bad turns to "I just borrowed daddy's car for a ride" kind of excuse.
But, nonetheless. Sakura was a hard worker, and she would prove it every working hour... even after. Seminars, courses, extra classes and everything she could get her hands on, as long as there was a paper with her name on it and an institute to back her up whenever she was asked about her capacities as a medical professional.
The consequence. No life.
No friends, but she told herself she did not need any. No dates, she was not hoping for romance. No time for herself, she lived and breathed her work.
- "One day... it will all be worth it." -
But there was no reassuring hand on her shoulder to hold on to, no warm meals to encourage her to continue even if it's hard. There was no one nagging at her to rest and enjoy her life.
No, none of that.
Maybe her sister will ask her to join her group in a night out or breakfast filled with caffeine and donuts.
Her parents would call or text once in a while, but she rather not bother them too much.
Once the last slip of paper left her eyes and took place on the top of the completed stack, she was spent. Stretching her arms as high as they could go, turning to neck until the crack of her spine made her moan in delight.
It was time to clock out and go home. - "Finally!" -
Her footsteps echoed in the hallways joined by the many beeps and small chatter of both machines and people in the department.
- "Sakura don't forget to come in early tomorrow. The game will start, and we always get full house!" - shouted one nurse from behind the front desk while she held a phone and wrote on some files.
- "Don't worry. I am never late." - the pinket smiled back.
The cold rush of outside city air hit her harder than she expected, stopping her. - "Dam, what is with this weather?" - opening her phone, she noticed the time and a little grey could icon on her weather app. - "Ah... it will rain soon." - as dark as it was, the night sky hid the true realities of the upcoming rain.
A few lights on the sky lit the gloomy clouds for her to see. - "Well, there goes my plans for tonight." - a rainy night filled with loud rain and thunder would calm those pesky city noises for tonight.
Placing her headphones on, she stood at the bus stop and waited for her route, cars are not the best this time of night and her old red car is on the repair shop anyway. The pinket was too tired to drive anyways.
If she had the energy, Sakura would listen to those voices. As she rested her had on the window in the bus, her music created that safety bubble she needed for the ride. Closing her eyes just to rest from the artificial lights and bringing her mind to a better place than this half-crowded bus, peace met her for a few moments.
- "Please... help us." -
Her eyes jolted open, and her entire body burned with the urge to run.
- "Fire... please help." -
No, don't listen to them. Those voices are dead. For all she knew, they could be lost souls living their last moments over and over.
Or maybe, taunting whoever can hear them.
You can't always trust them.
- "24th street!" - the voice yelled. - "My home!" - even louder as the bus approached the next buss stop. If she decided to get off here, the supposed place they wanted her to go to was just on the street behind the stop.
Just as the bus stopped, she took her decision. A decision that changed her life, forever. The streetlamps illuminated her way as she ran through the alleyway to reach the next street.
- "Save us!" - she heard.
- "We're in pain!" -
- "It burns!" - louder and louder, the voices continued.
She was a medic! Her job was to save people.
Her breath halted as she found herself in front of the fire inferno across the street. Firefighters had not yet arrived, and the traffic began to jam as people ran away from the 10-story building. It was an old red brick construction that used to be a factory until it was remodelled decades ago.
The top 3 floors had caught on fire and now released dark smoke and ash into the air and fell on the streets and other buildings. People screamed and yelled at each other, begging for help.
But no one was leaving the building.
Something was off.
She rushed, leaving all apprehension behind, there had to be something she could do. - "Hey you! Stay away from there!" - she ignored the shouts as she pushed through and entered the building.
Smoke fogged her eyes as she covered her mouth with her handkerchief. She carried her small case with just some essentials in case of an emergency. Holding tight, she began to walk up the stairs, noticing right away that they were made of wood.
Oh no.
She lost her footing as the stars caved in, the first steps brittle and damaged. This place hadn't had any maintenance! The old wood was in dire need of replacement.
It was old and mouldy, when her hand reached the handrails, she could feel the holes left by termites. There was no way anyone could leave the building unless they lived on the ground floor.
What's worse, there was no elevator!
Crap! Crap! Crap!
Resigned, she left the building and rushed to the building next door, it was half its size, but it would do for now.
Screams echoed as the metal clank and tare of something fell.
It was the fire escape. - "No! How will they get out!" - people screamed.
- "Where's the dam ambulance!?" -
- "There's a traffic jam!" -
Her legs burned as she ran and jumped up the stairs, her lungs finally free from the smoke but the air still felt very heavy. With a bang she crashed through the metal door that led to the roof.
- "Crap!" - she yelped. The door was locked. - "concentrate, come one!" - she told herself.
The faint click of the door unlocking was all she needed to push it will all her might, the heavy door creaked as it opened and closed behind her.
Ash fell like rain all around her, her grip left her case on the ground, near the door. Her steps took her to the edge of the roof, fire and embers heating up the air around her.
She concentrated.
Breathing in.
The winds around her lifted the ash and swirled, the smoke danced in circles around her. - "Bigger!" - she told herself. The wind becoming stronger as a headache started to pang behind her eyes, but she would endure it.
The screams bellow fainted in the background as the fire started to be pushed her way. Her skin began to heat up as the fire now danced around her, but it was still not enough.
- "Come on Sakura!" - she berated herself to go further. A tornado of fire grew around her and began to tower over the tall building.
Until the building finally became baren of any fire.
She had to hold her breath and close her eyes from the intense heat. Small embers crashed around her. Charcoal and ash now smeared her clothes and skin, her air becoming frizzled at the ends.
Luckily, she kept the winds protecting her from burning. And then. The fire was finally gone, suffocated by the intense winds and only a rain of ash was left behind. - "I did it." - she whispered, her voice harsh from the smoke and wind. Her lips and mouth felt very dry.
She needed to see if the people needed her help.
Her body, however, was beyond exhausted. She pushed herself. Falling to her knees, the last thing she saw was the blurry night sky above.
And then it went dark.