She wanted to die.
He wanted to live.
•••
A hand grabbed onto my wrist, yanking me back just as the train rushed past, before I'd even had time to comprehend whether or not I'd carry out the action. I stumbled back into the person's chest, my hear...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Tabitha had developed a knack for being able to read my mind.
We had only been working together since I graduated and became a children's nurse this summer, and yet as my eyes traced over the movement of the swish of her braids to the slightly inclined eyebrow she sent my way, I could tell she knew what I was thinking.
Romeo went through this exact same process.
"It's not the same as it was back then, Cassie," she reassured, though her palpable concern was evident in the way her eyes darted back over to me as she finished setting up the chemotherapy ahead of the patient's arrival. "When I went into research all those years ago, I promised myself I would develop a new drug trial that actually had a reasonable chance of success."
"And does it?"
I couldn't help but ask, fidgeting with the hem of my blue uniform. After a few months, it still seemed surreal that I had actually managed to graduate, let alone get a position working alongside Tabitha in the children's cancer ward. Dropping the cerulean material, I let my eyes rise again to meet Tabitha's empathetic gaze as she crossed the room to stand before me.
"It does, Cassie," she nodded, reaching for one of my hands as she gave it a reassuring squeeze. "We have ran a numerous amount of successful lab tests, and I'm sure that our first human trial will be no different."
I distracted myself in the way her ebony skin smoothed over my trembling hands, the contrast of her dark complexion against my slightly tanned skin reminding me of all the successful work we had already achieved over our first summer working together. "I promise you, Cassie, at the slightest sign of anything wrong, the trial stops, okay?"
I nodded wordlessly, managing a small smile before the two of us regained our professionalism as a small knock on the door sounded. Projecting a warm smile onto my face, I made my way over to the hospital room door and opened it, feeling my heart jolt in my chest to see a scrawny teenage boy with a blue beanie on his head. As the nurse accompanying him left, he entered the room dubiously, carrying a small duffel bag hung over his shoulder while he glanced around the room.
"Hi Ryan," Tabitha greeted, approaching the two of us as she guided Ryan over to a seat. "I'm Nurse Tabitha, and this is Nurse Cassie. As you should already know, we'll be setting up your chemotherapy session as part of the drug trial which you enrolled in. I'm just going to talk you through a couple of things, if that's okay?"
He gave her a short nod, not meeting her gaze as his eyes remained focused on the small book he held in his hands. The resemblance was almost uncanny: pale skin, sunken eyes and a slim frame – though Ryan's eyes seemed a little more hopeless, more cynical and not expecting anything to come out of this.
I hadn't realised they had finished their brief discussion until Tabitha glanced over at me, motioning at me with her eyes to move the IV stand over towards Ryan so she could set up the drip. While doing so, I felt the watchful eyes of Tabitha making sure I was okay, sending her another assuring nod as Ryan stared down, unaware of our silent conversation.
