Practicing Medicine // Complete

Chapter Two: The End of the World

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I had never felt so good in my entire life.

I'd had moments of triumph before, but nothing like what I was feeling as I walked home from Mrs. McBain's house, my white coat trailing behind me, damp hair blowing in the wind. I was riding high in the saddle!

I'd saved a life. Like, an actual, human life! Everyone had been so happy with me- suddenly, I wasn't the weird retard across the street, the creepy kid who was always pissing himself over loud noises and sitting alone in the town square. I was a doctor, and I was to be expected, and cheered, and listened to... It was like all my fantasies had come true! I was the coat wearing, slow-walking, calm and collected badass that I'd always promised myself I'd be!

Well, that wasn't totally true. I'd been a little shaky there for a minute, and there were things I could have done differently, but I hadn't shut down like I thought I might! That was real progress from the days when a dog barking at me could make me curl up and sob.

I didn't bother ringing the doorbell as I threw open the door to my home and waltzed into the main hall, where mom was waiting for me. I didn't even flinch as she came up and hugged me, because I was already throwing my arms around her myself. She looked surprised.

"Momma!" I shouted, and pressed my head into her shoulder. Even though I was 17 years old, I was still a lot shorter than her, because she was tall for a woman and I was knee high to a lamb- only five foot four at the time. It usually made me feel sort of self conscious, but right now, I didn't care. "I saved Mr. McBain today! Beagle accidentally shot him while they were doing target practice, and he hit his femoral artery, so I had to-" My mom shushed me.

"I know! Trust me Ikey, I know! I heard all about it from Mrs. McBain!" There was a pause. Mom ran her fingers through my wet hair. "God I'm so proud of you, Ikey! I was scared when I realized you'd gone, but I knew that you'd be alright. I just knew."

A wave of guilt washed over my heart as I realized that I hadn't checked with mom to tell her where I was going. She'd probably looked for me in the town square, and then heard a single gunshot in the hotel...

"I'm fine. Sorry I didn't tell you where I was heading," I said. I was still pressing my head against mom's shoulder, because even after a shower and lunch, I felt completely drained.