It's Coming Around | Lawrusso

It's Coming Around Chapter 6/10

"I know the news said hospitals were busy, but I didn't expect it to be like this," Daniel said, as he looked around the makeshift waiting area that had been set up in what looked like a staff room. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm OK. Bit tired," Johnny said, his arm still resting on the pillow. "How long has it been now?"

"Six hours," Daniel said, looking up at the clock on the wall.

"There must be a lot of people worse off than me," Johnny said. "It's not so bad. I can wait."

A nurse appeared at the doorway with a clipboard, and said, "John Lawrence?"

"Finally," Daniel sighed.

"OK, so we've had the results of your X Ray back and it looks like a simple, clean break," the doctor said. "No surgery needed, but there's too much swelling right now for a cast, so we're going to get you fitted for a splint."

"Awesome," Johnny said with a note of sarcasm in his voice.

"We'll send you home with an appointment to come back in a few days," the doctor said. "Might be a little bit longer, with the way things are right now."

"I can't believe how busy it is round here," Daniel said. "You must all be exhausted."

"Well, it certainly doesn't help that people are climbing ladders to replace light bulbs when they know they might have HAd-20," the doctor said with a wry grin.

Johnny let out a chuckle. "Lesson learned, believe me."

"I did try to warn him," Daniel said with a laugh. "There's no telling this one though."

"And you're sure the break isn't a HAd-20 injury?" the doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He never broke my arm," Daniel said with a shake of the head.

"And you're sure you're the only person he's hurt?"

"I've been in a lot of bar fights," Johnny said, "But nah, I definitely never broke anyone's arm. I ripped a hole in some guy's ear once though."

"You did what?" Daniel asked.

"He was an asshole," Johnny said with a shrug of the shoulders. "Totally deserved it."

Daniel turned to the doctor and said, "Why are you asking this?"

"Standard practice now," the doctor replied. "We need to know whether to expect more injuries and how severe they might be."

"I think I'll be fine," Johnny said. "Just an elbow to the knee and a few punches to go."

"OK," the doctor said with a smile. "How's your pain level?"

"Whatever that nurse gave me is kicking in real good," Johnny said with a huff of laughter.

The doctor let out a laugh, then said, "I'll just go arrange for you to get a splint fitted."

Daniel smiled down at Johnny, who was sitting on a hospital bed in a gown. They'd had to cut his hoodie and T shirt off him, even though it was a vintage Metallica shirt from the 80s and Johnny had complained like hell.

He looked exhausted, like he could drop off to sleep any minute.

"The doctor seems like a good guy," Daniel said.

"Yeah," Johnny replied.

"I was a bit worried, coming here," Daniel admitted. "I keep seeing assholes on the news saying people with the virus shouldn't get treatment. I'm just glad no one is listening to them."