The Mistwalker

Chapter 5

Milly awoke feeling groggy. She was laying on a cot with a very comfortable pillow under her head. She seemed to be in the corner of a medical room. There were random charts here and there, an examination table in the middle of the place, and a couple of workstations up against the walls. She didn't have the slightest idea on how long she was out.

Across from her, on the other side of the room, was a desk with a familiar doctor sitting there. He was rubbing his hands through his hair in irritation while looking at his computer screen. Milly tried to sit up but felt sore. She moaned in discomfort. The Doctor twirled in his chair and faced Milly. "My my. You're awake!" Doctor Glad cheered, fixing his hair instantly. "Phenomenal!"

"Where am I?" Milly asked, still trying to get her bearings.

"Ah yes, of course. Going through the list of question." The Doctor replied, listing the questions off with his hand. "Where am I? How much time has passed? Am I alright?"

"Umm-"

"And those answers!" Glad interrupted. "You're in my lad. About..." He consulted his watch. "Two and a half hours have passed. And you are completely fine. Anything you want elaborated on?"

"Dose everyone hurt come through your lad?"

"Absolutely not!" Glad answered, seeming to take a bit of offence. Although Milly really couldn't tell. Doctor Glad seemed very...um...extra in everything he said and did. It was tough to take him seriously. "Most just go through the medical tents above. Tents?! In this whether? Outrageous!"

"Above?" Milly questioned. "And why am I here?"

"There's a very decent sized facility under Missionary Ward. And you're here because there was a decent chance that you're wound was pretty serious." Milly gulped. "But it's all fine now. You had some fractured ribs, but those are all patched up now."

She looked down at herself and realized some things. She wasn't wearing her jacket or boots, but everything else she had on was the same, and she felt a cozy warmth in the room. A first besides being curled up in her blanket at the barracks. She did, however, feel a cool spot on her ribs where she took a beating.

"You have some bandages wrapped around you to keep some pressure on your ribs and to keep a cool pack secure. You can remove all that in two or three days, but most likely you'll be sore for some time. No internal bleeding or lasting injury, which is quite fantastic if I do say so myself."

It took a minute for Milly to process the information. She looked over at the examination table. "Why am I not on that?"

"You were on there for a moment while I patched you together. But a metal table is too uncomfortable to rest on, so I gave you my cot." Doctor Glad answered.

"You sleep here?"

"Yes, I know. Strange to sleep in your study. But I'd be damned if I had to sleep in the barracks with the other personal on station. I'm sure The Warden has similar accommodations for herself."

"I feel like I'm getting a special treatment." Milly stated. She never really liked being treated special.

"Not entirely true." Doctor Glad countered. "Your wound did give me a bit of concern and I had more gear here. The only specialty was the cot really."

"But why?" Milly felt like she was picking teeth.

Glad shrugged. "I'm a generous man."