PANDEMIC

seventeen

have you ever done a breathing competition in a pool?

A competition to see who could hold their breath the longest?

That is what this felt like.

At this point, I was trying to walk as fast as I could without losing my breath even more.

I took another pump, praying I wasn't poisoning myself, but I knew enough about medicine to know that at this point, I needed straight oxygen and IV asthma medicines.

I saw the hospital doors come into view.

Fifteen more feet, lungs- you can make it.

I saw certainly dizzy, sweating and seeing dots, but I could make it.

I saw people at the door- they looked like security guards.

Did I see my dad?

Security.

We were prohibiting anyone besides patients in and out of the building, giving masks to the patients when I saw a girl- immediately raising my concern

Her hair was in a tight bun, she was visibly sweating, gasping for air, but wearing a face mask and gloves, gripping an inhaler, but she stopped six feet away from us before moving her hands as if she was signing.

Sophia.

Please know sigh language.

I signed help.

The simplest sign.

"Can you hear?" I nodded yes, stepping closer- praying my dad wouldn't kill me, but if it wasn't him killing me at this point- it would be my asthma.

He walked to me

"Reg- call a doctor- she can't breathe" he spoke, grabbing my arm, trying to pull my mask down but I stopped his hand.

I could make it

I wasn't going to pass out

Security.

I waited on her to pass out

Her eyes were darting, she couldn't hear a word I was asking her, her body purely panicking

So I just picked her up, feeling her body go dead limp before instantly picking back up- herself gasping a small bit before instantly going back to the scattered breathing.

"I need help" I yelled, running into the building.

A doctor instantly took her from my arms, taking the inhaler out her hand, and I saw her hand grip the bed.

Yes kid, don't pass out- you got this.

"No label on the inhaler, but we're treating her for sever asthma, let's go."

Doctor Reid.

I pulled her mask down, seeing her panic.

"Relax, panicking isn't going to help, I'm putting these in your nose and I'll pull your mask up, but I haven't been exposed- everyone in this room is safe." I told her a fact.

Every doctor that had been exposed was on a completely different wing of the hospital.

"Breathe in through your nose." I told her, watching her try hard to.

I didn't want to have to intubate her.

I quickly cleaned a spot on her arm, seeing her look away

I got an IV in, and I could tell it hurt from her reaction, but I quickly hooked her medicines up to it.

I felt her clutch my arm once I made sure it was secure, making me look to her

Her eyes were bright blue, she was panicking to the max, sweating, wheezing and tears cascading.

She was young- late teenage.

No parent in sight, I knew she needed someone.

"Okay." I told her slowly, crouching with her.

"We're going to count to ten and then this medicine should help you drastically, okay?" I told her, feeling her hands shaking, but seeing her head nod.

I slowly counted, each number I watched her fill with relief.

"Okay, can you talk?" I asked her.

"Y-yeah"