When the World Ends

28; Daye

While the nurse finishes up the call in the space just beyonds the doorway, the four of us chat amongst ourselves. A lot of getting asked how I'm feeling. I genuinely am feeling better, even if they don't believe me when I say so. A short while later, the nurse re-enters the room, gently tugging the door shut behind her. 

     "Alright Elector. It's been settled." She glances at her watch. "Sharon should be here in thirty minutes, like promised. You said there was something you needed me for?"

I nod, pulling my legs up onto the bed but keeping my legs bent. I had refused a hospital gown and can't wait to get these dirty clothes off. I smell like iron. "I do," I admit, holding up the hand with the IV in it. "Please take this wretched thing out."

      "You want to lose your only source of pain relief?" She questions, eyes wide. 

     "I haven't been in any major pain for a while now. There's only a faint burning in my chest similar to heartburn... I can tough it out."

     "I understand. I'm glad to hear you're doing better, Elector. But please, I ask that you keep it in until the proper nurse arrives. Just in case."

I part my lips to speak and then pause, opting for a sigh. Dropping my hands into my lap, I say, "You're dismissed." A few seconds later, the door opens and then clicks shut. Alfred resumes his position diagonal the foot of the bed. Micah takes the spot next to him. Astrid crosses the room, leaning back against the dresser, arms crossed and legs crossed at the ankles. Angel glances around, resigned to stand until I say, "You can take the end of the bed. I won't be laying down any time soon."

Reluctantly, she nods, sitting criss-cross on the very edge of the bed. 

     "Are you going to be this stubborn the whole time we're together?" Astrid asks, interrupting the silence. "Because we have a job to do and we're not going to be butting heads the entire time. I am here to help you." She gestures around the room. "WE are here to help you. So let us. It is literally my duty as Commander, and our job as citizens of Syra."

     "There is nothing wrong with letting people help you, man." Micah interjects. "I know some take it as a sign of weakness but none of us were meant to bear such burdens alone, or we'd be the only person on earth. I know it's also not my place to counsel you, though, so..." his voice trails off, a gentle blush covering his cheeks. 

Tongue in cheek, I nod, more to myself than the crowd. "Wise words from an eleventh year."

     "What did you eat?" Astrid asks. "Hopefully enough to sustain you until we can leave and have a proper meal."

I glance back over my shoulder. "The cafeteria doesn't have many options, so I had a little of everything. I'll be fine, thank you."

     "Hmp," she answers, turning her attention to a stray thread poking out of her pant leg. 

One awkward silence later, Angel glances over at me and asks, "They didn't offer you a change of clothes?"

     "Oh, they did. I was just thinking that very thing when we entered the room. I will not be humiliated by a hospital gown. I'll send my clothes to the cleaners with special instructions." I expected an answer, but Angel never gives one. For a while longer, until the door clicks open and draws our attention away from our own thoughts, we sit in silence. 

     "Elector, I know you're a busy man," Sharon said, the nurse who had admitted me, "but I do not appreciate you being uncooperative with my coworkers. We are all equally able and qualified to help you."

I blink, slightly dumbfounded. "Is that really what they told you? That I wouldn't cooperate? I asked many times for help with several different issues and was told every single time that I had to wait for you to be on site before I could receive assistance. You're lucky I'm not mad enough to have this whole facility shut down for making me wait, and that I care about the well being of people and don't want you to lose your job or people to lose access to medical care."

     "Interesting...I see." Sharon glances behind her at the nurse sitting behind the counter, typing loudly on a keyboard, and then grabs the chart from the door, pushing it shut behind her. "Which things did you need help with?" While waiting for my response, she flips through the papers on her hand. 

     "Just recently, I asked for this IV to be removed. I was going to do it myself," I pause when she glares at me. "but was advised against it by my commander and the nurse. Again, told that I had to wait specifically for you to remove it. I'm starting to think it's in case something severe happens to me, they can pin it all on you."

Sharon freezes, peering at me over the file in her hand. I suppose that thought had never crossed her mind. Turning, she opens the door and calls the nurse over that was in here earlier. 

     "Is the Elector giving you issues?" The young nurse asks, plunging her hands into the pockets of her scrubs. 

     "No, nothing of the sort. I was going to ask you to remove his IV while I fill out these discharge papers. Just from the brief conversation we had, the Elector seems much better. I also need to fill his prescriptions and I know he has a schedule to maintain."

Sharon flicks her gaze to mine and then back at the nurse, who swallows harshly. I didn't think she would suspect I was right but I'm not surprised either. "That won't take long. Certainly he can wait another ten minutes-" She glances back at me and then quickly back to Sharon.

     "You passed the same courses I had to. You can do it just as well as I can." Looking at me once more, Sharon nods almost imperceptibly. Astrid quickly stands upright, crossing the room asking Sharon if she can speak with her about something. They leave, the remaining nurse looking at me awkwardly. Suppressing a smug smile, I hold my hand backside up and wait for her to come closer.