The Quake

Chapter 22

All too soon Erin heard the shrill voices and squeaking footsteps of children on the linoleum. A tinkling bell signaled Jerry leaving. She concentrated on shutting out the noises as she bent once more to inspect Jakob's abdomen, this time without the uncomfortable scrutiny of his partner. Her hand lifted with Jakob's chest. When he took another uneven breath, it sounded wet. That meant - A crash and then a dog bark bounced off the walls. Immediately she lost her thought.

She hadn't rounded on the rest of her patients, and now they were letting her know. Erin sighed and rose to unsteady feet. Was it hot in here? If she couldn't concentrate, she couldn't operate. She'd just have to leave Jakob here while she prepped more than just the surgical space.

Exiting, she glanced around the sterile hallway of her shabby clinic. Children's laughter emanated from reception like in a horror film. Erin did not want to face that level of chaos, so she turned down the other part of the L-hallway. Doing so, she nearly slipped on the leaf littered linoleum floor between Jakob's room and the surgery. Someone would have to sweep that up again. A knot of tension began to form in her neck as she ran through the list of items she'd need to do in her head.

In the surgery, she found George and Skyler playing cards. She ousted them to sweep and turn on the generator, while she collected some buckets to fill with water to warm. She managed to get one by herself swaying clumsily into the room, but she dropped the second one in the hallway. George scrambled to retrieve a mop before Erin could do more than look down despairingly at the mess she'd caused. Her skin felt prickly and flushed. She rubbed at the tension in the back of her neck that was growing into the beginnings of a headache. "You ok boss?" George asked handing her the now empty bucket. Erin sighed, then went back outside for a refill.

Water refilled and set to boil, Erin returned to the storage room to collect a freshly cleaned pair of gloves and some dry towels. Foiled here too, she tripped over JoJo, who pranced beneath her feet begging for a treat. Erin sacrificed her hold on the clean gloves to catch herself on the metal storage rack drilled into the floor. Why? She wanted to cry when JoJo smashed a muddy paw print right onto the left hand glove.

She tried to ignore her heartbeat painfully thumping in her ears as she hastily retrieved the gloves and re-washed them. They were already becoming tattered, but she didn't have any more. This day had started out so well and was quickly dissolving into a disaster. She tossed a biscuit to the beagle before quickly shutting her back in the kennel, ignoring JoJo's sad puppy eyes.

Tucking the towels beneath one arm and the gloves in her pockets she headed back into surgery to see what else she'd forgotten. Sanjeev caught her in the hallway to pepper her with a million questions about the other four patients staying here. With each word they spoke, Erin's headache spiked into the back of her eyeball. "I don't have time for this Sanjeev," Erin interrupted snapping.

They slunk their large head to their chest like a kicked puppy. Great, now on top of everything else, Erin would have to soothe hurt feelings. She rolled her eyes up to the skylight. "I'm sorry Sanjeev, but I have a very important surgery I'm trying to get to."

"Can I help?" They blinked hopefully. God no. Erin's level of expertise wasn't even enough for this surgery. She didn't need an eager overly helpful novice in the room with her.

What was she even thinking taking this on? She was going to drown in anxiety. Erin bit her lip, beginning to count her heartbeats, to calm down.

Then Nenita rounded the corner, crashing into the both of them. "Did you see the patient in room 1 yet?" Nenita asked urgently clutching their arms in her firm grip.

"Of course I have," Erin snapped again. What did Nenita think she'd been doing for the past hour? To her credit, Nenita didn't even flinch at Erin's harsh tone. Something else crashed in reception and in response JoJo's pleading-to-be-let-out bark rang off the rafters. They all turned toward the noise. "Could someone see to whatever those heathens are doing and stop them?" Erin moaned, massaging her temples.