City of the Dead

Chapter 1

"Code Blue in room 208" announced the overhead speaker.

I was working on my charts when I heard the code, I dropped everything to grab the crash cart that was sitting in the hallway. I rushed through with the wind under my feet that I flew past Dr. Robinson, who was leaning against a counter at the nurse's station. Most likely trying to flirt with the new nurse who had just started this week. Dr. Robinson is the resident and owner of S.C. General Hospital and he is my mentor. He's probably one of the biggest flirts I have ever met. Of course, he had a say in who he hires as his staff, but he always gets the ladies with his chiseled jaw, well-groomed hair, and seductive voice. I mean most of his nursing staff are women, but I didn't expect him to hire me as one of the only female students who strive to be a doctor. I'm trying to get my clinical hours for my classes so that one day I can be one of the first women to have "M.D." next to my name. "Annabelle Cambell M.D", that's my goal. As I grabbed the crash cart I spoke over Dr. Robinson and the brunette nurses' conversation as I make my way towards my designation, "Dr. Robinson! I need you in room 208 for a code blue, stop flirting and meet me over there!"

He turned from the brown-haired brunette with his fair skin obviously turning red from embarrassment. The brunette had a blank expression when Dr. Robinson left, her sky blue eyes were wide like a deer in headlights. Dr. Robinson followed behind me. Even though he can be a flirt, he is one of the best doctors that Silver City has to offer. We turn into room 208, where a nurse has already given epinephrine in his IV line. I brought the end of my stethoscope to Mr. Porter's chest as I tried to find any sign of life still in this 80 year old man, but there was no indication of a heart beat. "We need to start compressions" I stated.

Dr. Robinson then proceeded to get on top of Mr. Porter's limp body and starts to give compressions. Dr. Robinson has been practicing medicine for about 10 years, being the top of his class during med school and as the lead physician of the hospital within 5 years of practice, I admired the man's accomplishments. I'm only in my third year in medical school and believe me, it's tough being the only female to pursue the title of "Doctor", especially in this day of age. Luckily Dr. Robinson was willing to teach me everything he knows and let me be able to work under his guidance, but I wonder if my accomplishments were not the main reason that he was willing to let me be his intern.

It's been 2 minutes since Dr. Robinson administered CPR, but to our haste, we were unsuccessful. Dr. Robinson hoists himself off of Mr. Porter's, now corpse, as I gave out a sigh and soon after I felt Dr. Robinson's hand on my shoulder as he commented, "We can't save them all, Anna." I look at the clock above Mr. Porters bed as I stated, "The time is 3:37 am, I'll note it in the chart"

As we walk out of Mr. Porter's room, I tell Dr. Robinson that I'm taking a short break. I make my way to the west wing exit where I can collect my thoughts. As soon as I open the doors to the outside, a gust of warm spring air hits my face, flushing my cold cheeks with the warm embrace of a summer's night. I go to sit down on an empty wooden bench where I look up to the night sky and see all of the bright shining lights of Silver City, New Mexico.

I was never fond of the city, I often remember the old town I was raised in. Growing up was not easy, my mother died when I was only five, and sometimes I don't remember her face. But my father on the other hand, I wish I could burn the image of his face from my memories. My father was a drunk, and not the kind that will sleep after drinking a whole bottle of bourbon, the kind that will find any reason to get mad at his only child. And by mad, I mean he would beat me with either his belt or the broomstick. I often wondered what would cause a father to hate his child so much to beat them. My memories were not very clear the earlier in age I try to remember, but not all of my memories were completely gone. I did have a group of friends who did help me during those troubling times. Whether it was playing with them, getting into trouble or just to sleep at their place to avoid my fathers wrath. As I grew older and more aware of my father's routine, I became defiant to my fathers orders and then one night I decided to leave. I had only told my whereabouts to one of my friends, Isaac, so that we can one day be together again. But by the time the Great War started, we all drifted apart.