Hurricane

Chapter 1

There's a hurricane encroaching on Boston in the early-autumn evening; the sky was ominous as bullets descended in every which way. The moon is full and the tide will be high at 8PM. A seemingly cosmic prank. Although Edenbrook is technically five feet from the flood zone, after the destruction that was Hurricane Sandy a few years prior the board was not taking any chances, deciding to evacuate all patients and staff.

Harper was in charge of triaging patients, scattering them to three other hospitals closer inland. Ethan was reviewing cases for any patients who aren't in critical conditions and can be discharged into their families care immediately. As Chief, Naveen was delegating staff; he had his assistant send a precautionary page to all employees who live in the flood zone to return home and get their affairs in order. He's already assigned almost all of the senior attendings, nurses and interns to assist alternate hospitals in the area. Once half of the eager staff members were assigned, all others would be on leave until Edenbrook opened their doors in three days or when FEMA came barreling in - whichever was safest.

They have six hours to evacuate.

Tension ran high as the wind increased pelting anything in its path with egregious amounts of rain. The sky was dark, making the bright and stark interior of the hospital seem otherworldly. The familiar sensation of pre-calm washed over Becca as she remembered her mother's hurricane preparations every year. Pack a bag and some food and a sleeping bag, and take refuge in the primary school on top of the hill. Get as high as you can and away from the bay.

But where is there to hide in the middle of a small city?

"This is my first hurricane. Oh my god am I going to die?" Elijah panicky asked Becca as they conversed in the middle of the hallway after quickly doing their second set of rounds that day.

"You'll be fine, Elijah," she reassured. She'd made it nearly 28 years without dying in a hurricane, statistically they will survive this natural disaster. "Has Farley said anything?" If Edenbrook is being evacuated then their building was surely in the flood zone.

He checked his phone to see the message from their building manager. Farley has sent an emergency email out to all residents that he recommends tennants seek shelter at higher elevation elsewhere as a precaution.

"We're going to die."

Becca put her hands on her friends shoulders, staring right into his eyes hoping to regulate his breathing, "We're not." Elijah nodded his head letting her determination sink in. "Who else do we know that lives away from the hospital?" 

"No one with accessible access if the power goes out..." Elijah trailed off. 

It dawned on Becca then and there that Elijah was afraid. He was terrified of getting stuck somewhere, unable to escape because of his chair. The thought never passed Becca's mind. She felt immensely guilty.

Her eyes softened as she encouraged, "We'll figure it out. I'll meet you in the locker room in ten." 

Becca made her way to the nurses station, making sure for the fourth and final time that all her patients have been allocated to another hospital and were already on the buses out. She noticed Ethan had taken command of the station and was sitting there alone going through his files.

He looked up briefly at the approaching footsteps. "All of your patients have been evacuated," he informed with his attention back on the computer screen. 

A smile immediately perked at the corners of Becca's lips at his inane understanding of her behavior - he knew exactly why she was still at the hospital and what she was doing here at the nurse's station. Becca rounded behind the desk to fully take in all he had left to do. There were three piles set before them and a split screen on the computer.