"F!": My Grungey Seattle Adventure (With My Besty and With Mudhoney)

20: 'Chain that Door'

6:26

HOLLY

I'm tired, hungry, thirsty, and pissed. I miss Rex, his apartment, his Mighty Man donuts (or whatever the place is called), and Kansas City. So far, most people I've talked to in this establishment have only so far as heard about the disappearance, and none have given me any new information, let alone respect. I don't blame them, though; I shouldn't even be here bothering them when they're over here literally saving lives. For this whole hour, or however long it has been, the only thing that keeps me motivated is the possibility of finding Lukin, that and one other, more remote (if you can believe it) possibility.

That would be the possibility of running into Guy Maddison, Mudhoney's current bass player, who just happens to work in the Level 1 Trauma Center here at Harborview. That's where I'm headed now. I really could've gone there before, but I skipped over the area on purpose with the hope of getting my reward at the end of this nightmare of an afternoon. That reward would be Guy, and if I don't see him today, boy, I'll be disappointed. Still, this hospital is massive, so there's no reason to get my hopes up.

After a brief restroom break, I walk aimlessly into the utter chaos that is the Level 1 Trauma Center. Gosh, it would be a lot easier to stop people and talk if Lukin hadn't gone missing in the fricking Emergency Unit. This is where all the action happens, and the action is at its peak this time of year.

People making urgent phone calls, bright blue gloves, tubes, blankets, belts, and... blood. My wrists weaken at the sight. I know, I'm an EMT. I could watch someone bleed out and it wouldn't be a problem, but for some reason, the sight of blood either in drawn diagrams with those freaky little cells on them or being stored in bags has always peeved me.

I walk on, still not catching any signs of Nurse Maddison among the blur of stethoscopes, name tags, and scrubs. The many layers of sound are also overwhelming: walkie-talkies, sirens, and various shouts are more than my ears can take. 

Although I'm used to this kind of environment, I'm feeling very uncomfortable at the moment. I guess it's because I went on this trip to escape my everyday life, now growing old. I took off work from this, and look where I am. In the midst of the Level 1 Trauma Center's mayhem, I can see, for once, how the hospital scene looks when I'm not a part of it. A lot of pain exists in these places, a lot of sadness. Confusion, too. Tons of that.

After my distressing and unproductive walk through the Trauma Center, I decide that it's time for me to go home. Well, not quite yet. I don't want to leave here on an empty stomach, and even though dinner awaits at Rex's apartment, I figure I might use the 5 dollars Katj gave me to buy a snack. 

I enter the cafeteria, my tired eyes finding the various yummy options behind glass. Okay, let's just say they look more appetizing than they probably are after a long day like today. I take the cash out of my pocket, trying to remember what it was Katjana had recommended. 

Right, it was the Bahn Mi sandwich. I don't know, though... I'm not really in the mood. I think a little scone would hit the spot, besides, I'm pretty sure Rex's roommate's making Asian food tonight. 

I only now recall something Katj said earlier about Lukin coming in and stealing one of these scones... I wonder if he'd grabbed it from the same pile that is displayed here now. If so, that would be absolutely disgusting... I don't wanna know where else those hands have been. But most likely, the scones from earlier have already been replaced... Or maybe he just asked for one and didn't pay... OR he ordered one from his room and didn't pay. But the kitchen is open from 6:30 to 9:30 in the morning before they reopen later in the day, and the ambulance got here at 4... how the heck did he get away with it?

Whatever. A scone is all I need right now. I'll worry about Lukin later. 

"Hi, may I have one scone?" I ask politely...