The Bringer Of Death

Chapter 1

SERENA POV

The day never seemed to end.

Never-ending torture if you will.

The doors burst open once more and I walk from behind the desk to approach the newcomer.

"What do we have?" My voice says as if stuck on repeat.

"Male, late twenties, GSW to left leg. Bullet went clean through. Vitals have been stable in the 120s over 90s. He lost consciousness on the way for a few minutes but is GCS 15 now," The paramedic says as I lead them towards an empty ER room.

I have been a nurse at Sonoma California hospital for two years now. I started in the ICU as a new grad from a tech college then was moved down to the ER.

"How did he get shot?" I ask as I pull the stretcher into the room and next to the bed. I met the patient's eyes for a second but he just turned his gaze away from me.

"Picked him up a few blocks from here in the gas station parking lot," The paramedic says and I nod. Another nurse joins me in the room, closing the curtain behind herself. "Manager made the call. Said some guys just dropped him off there."

I nod my head in understanding. This happened quite often. Gang members, criminals, and junkies drop their friends off in random places after things go wrong to be found for medical help. They never stick around long enough to answer questions.

"What's your name?" I ask, looking back at the man on the stretcher as I grab the sheet under him.

"Chester," He says with a thick Italian accent and I flash him a smile.

"Well, Chester, it is good news the bullet went right through. Now we just have to worry about getting that wound patched up, okay?" He gives me a nod in response. "We are going to move you to this bed quickly. On my count," I say as the others grab the sheet. "1,2,3.."

We hoist him over to the hospital bed with a light thud before the paramedics start leaving the room.

"Alright, let's take a look at the wound," I say while slipping some gloves on. I grab scissors from the table and cut his pant leg off above his thigh to expose the full wound. The paramedics did a good job wrapping the wound.

"The wound looks clean and well taken care of," I remark as I lean closer to the wound and lightly pull the dressing away to see the blood had slowed. "Doesn't seem to have nicked anything serious. How long ago did this happen?"

"About an hour before the paramedics came," Chester says and I nod. "How long is this going to take?" I smile at him before looking over at the other nurse still in the room, setting the monitors up.

"Do you mind calling the doctor for me, Loraine?"

She turns and gives me a nod before leaving the room.

When she was gone, I return my look down to Chester.

"It's not going to be a quick in and out. You may need to be monitored after the tests and labs we are going to run," When that doesn't seem to reassure him, I sit in the rolling chair beside him and move closer so his leg was in front of me.

I start removing the dressing as I speak. "Listen, I have seen many people come in and out of here with gunshot wounds, and none of them seem to stick around for long after their wound is patched up."

"I am not going to..." He starts but I shoot him a knowing look and he quiets down, watching me with a curious stare.

"Just let us run the tests to make sure there isn't anything serious happening. After that, we will patch you up and you can leave AMA," I say with a huff. "But when you do, please keep the wound clean and be careful with movements so you don't reopen the wound."