Chapter 234

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During her first week working in the infirmary Eve was taught a new skill. Those patients whom the doctors said they were unable to save were given drugs to ease their pain. Eve had seen doctors and nurses do this at St Patrick's. But lacking a medical degree she'd never been trusted to do this herself. Now, Miranda and other doctors taught Eve to administer these drugs. And they told Eve not to give any one patient too much, they were a limited resource. These drugs were illegal before 2/4, for all Eve knew they still were. But if the patient was dying anyway, Eve saw little harm in easing their pain.

On Friday March 16th Tara approached Eve. Eve tried to avoid her old friend, but Tara cornered her.

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Tara: I wanted to let you know there's a poker game tonight. You're always welcome.

Eve: Thanks, but my religion forbids gambling.

Tara: If you change your mind, let me know. With your access to the clinic, you could definitely bring assets to the table. You don't even have to gamble, it could be fair trades.

Eve: Are you saying, what I think you're saying?

Tara: Just, think about it. Consider your options.

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Eve didn't want to get Tara in trouble, but she was planning to steal from the infirmary. Miranda had said lynching vultures was too barbaric, maybe she could find a way to avoid execution. It was better for Tara if he had a friend speaking for her right now. Eve told Miranda what Tara had said to her. Miranda asked Eve to sit in on the poker game, learn who else was involved. Eve agreed to this, they should know who else was involved in stealing medical resources. Tara would likely be punished, might even hate Eve for this, but at least she'd be alive to hate Eve.

Eve went to the poker game with Tara. There were three other players, all male, two prisoners and a guard. Eve didn't know the other prisoners' names, but the guard was called "Officer Chase." Eve was given a tab, borrowed against her house in New Jersey. If she won money here, she could use it to get little favor in the camp. If she ended up in debt to officer Chase and payed, he might count that as a bribe. Eve feared what might happen to these people if she informed on them. She began hoping they might be informants too, everyone being unaware of everyone else's role. Ofcourse, if Tara was an informant, she was a bitch for trying to entrap Eve. If any of the guys were informants, they would report back that Eve planned to steal from the clinic. If Eve didn't report back to Miranda which others she'd plotted with, she'd be in even more trouble.

After the poker game Eve went back to the barracks with Tara. For now she couldn't just go off looking for Miranda. Eve had actually won a few bucks, which meant a new tab was started. With 492 days until impact she was probably better off just trading it in for a couple of candy bars and/or a pack of ciggarettes. Officer Chase lost, he planned to steal food to pay off his debt. Tara was even more in debt, promised Eve she could repay if they robbed the infirmary together. Eve had to wait until tomorrow morning to inform Miranda, given curfew and the fact that Tara was so close. Eve would just have to wait until tomorrow. Being so nervous, and trying to keep up her poker face, Eve could barely sleep. She drifted in and out all night. Finally, shortly before 7am, Eve decided to get up. Her shift wasn't until 7:30, but leaving now wouldn't attract too much attention. She could tell Miranda at the infirmary, and this would finally be over and done with.