When We All Died

Chapter Two

"Ah… please introduce yourself by your name, grade, class and say something about that day."

"Jo Riwon. Grade 3, class 1. That day was unreal. I used to pinch myself everyday to see if I was still asleep after that day. After that day, I realized that if I couldn't be better, I was better off dead. Maybe it's a reach, but that's how I look back and be thankful to myself now."

♤

"Hold her tight!" The Doctor said through her gritted teeth. Beneath her, the patient was screaming and shouting, animalistic, as the nurses rushed to cuff her to the bed.

"Doctor, she'll bite her tongue!" Woo Jooheon said, his tone worrying. The lady was still screaming, arching off her bed as she struggled to free herself.

"Don't risk it, Jooheon. We can't risk having anyone bitten. Especially, when we don't have any reports about the fungus. She's never had an attack this major; I just hope she calms down by the time the report comes."

"What about the donors?"

"We can't find any donors now. We tried to find her family but unfortunately, I don't think she has one as per her records. Her boyfriend refused to sign as a guardian too. Just listen to me. Don't do anything I tell you not to," she said and then promptly looked at the rest of the nurses. "And that goes to all of you. Inform me or Dr. Noh, as soon as something happens, no matter how small it is. Keep your mouth covered in all circumstances and keep all sharp or glass objects away from her." She gave them all one last pointed look before leaving. The rest of the nurses started leaving out too. Except one.

"Jooheon-ah, is it your shift with her now?" Hana mused.

Jooheon sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah. Seriously, she gives me the creeps. Everytime she tears off the drip, I feel so scared just to insert the drip again."

"I know! Last night when I went near her to take the glass away, her eyes were so red! I got goosebumps," she whined. Honestly, Jooheon sympathized. He almost pissed himself the first time that lady lunged towards him.

"At times like this I feel less like a nurse, more like some horror movie character. Except, we have to go through this everyday. I really feel bad for her."

"So do I. I don't even know what she ate to become so feral like this. Anyways," Hana smiled, "I'll leave early tonight."

"Ah, your anniversary, right? Oh, to be young and in love again."

"Yah, you're just 26, shut up! Go kiss your dogs and stop being ungrateful." Jooheon flipped her off and turned back to the lady.

It seemed like she calmed down considerably, with a few grunts and growls here and there. He dragged his chair far and  right opposite to her and took a seat, eyes fixated on the wall above her head.
Eventually, he didn't know how long had passed until the lady had quietened down fully. Jooheon walked up to her.

Eyes blood red, lips pale and cracked, she looked awful. A lot of her hair fell and she was bald in several spots of her head. She looked at him, breathing heavily and suddenly yanked her hand too hard. Her hand became free and she thrashed her hand around in newfound freedom, screeching as the drip was torn away. Jooheon, with some difficulty, grabbed her hand again and successfully cuffed it up again, this time tightly.

"Darn it, this madness again." He inserted the drip too and waited until another one of her colleagues arrived for her shift. Yuyeon arrived a few minutes late but took his place.

"Yuyeon-ah, Dr. Kim must be in the OT, right now so tell Dr. Noh that the patient struggled and took off one of her cuffs. I cuffed her back and reinserted the drip so there's nothing t—"