Lost in a Dream

Chapter 3

Darwin, turned out to be another part of the hospital, six floors up and equally as busy as where Ebony had just come from. She and Lofty were greeted outside the lift by a serious faced doctor. Her stethoscope, red, draped around her neck - that seemed to be the fashion.

"Here's her notes," said Lofty, handing a green and white card over.

"Hello Ebony," said the new doctor, scanning the card. "I'm Dr March. Bed 3 please." She added to the porter pushing Ebony's trolley.

"Dr March!" A new voice sounded - female, cutting and sarcastic.

"Ms Naylor," Dr March faltered. "This is Ebony Blake"

"Well I would know that if you had alerted me to the new patient, before she appeared on my ward!" Ms Naylor caught sight of Lofty, still hovering behind Ebony's trolley. "Who are you?"

"Lofty."

"Well, nurse, why don't you scurry off back to the ED, and leave us to deal with the real medicine?" Lofty vanished immediately.

"Are you always this rude?" Ebony had always felt strongly about rudeness. "I would normally hex you, but no one has found my wand yet!"

"Who are you? Flaming Harry Potter or something?" Ms Naylor laughed lightly.

"You know him?" Ebony pushed herself up slightly.

"Oh yeah! We're practically joined at the hip!"

Anyone who knew Ms Naylor heard the sarcasm loud and clear, and a smothered laugh echoed around the ward. Ebony, did not.

"Could you tell him Ginny is ok?" Ebony asked eagerly.

Ms Naylor shook her head despairingly. A nurse helped Ebony move onto her designated bed.

"Just press this button if you need anything" he smiled kindly.

Ebony gazed up at the ceiling. It was plain white and particularly boring. She  turned her head so she could eye up the man in the next bed. He was no more interesting. She tried to move herself to be more comfortable but ended up only setting off a loud, harsh beeping sound.

"You have to lie still!" said the male nurse, who stopped the beeping.

"There's nothing to do in this place!" complained Ebony.

"I'll fetch you some magazines" said the nurse.

The said magazines were brightly coloured and filled with people Ebony had never seen in her life before. None of the photographs moved either. However she found an article about food, which she read half asleep.

The next magazine had been placed on the table beside her bed, but Ebony could not quite reach it, her fingers just brushing the very edge of the pages, cutting her fingertips. She went to move herself closer and then remembered the nurse's words. Always been one to get her own way, Ebony twisted herself onto her left side and pressed the button which switched off the machine beside her. The constant beep of her heartbeat was irritating anyway. Now free of disturbances, Ebony pulled the magazine from the table. As she did so, a sharp pain shot up her side. It passed quickly.

Some ten minutes later, Ebony felt her chest tighten and she began to panic. She glanced down to the side where the pain had been and saw red. Ebony saw the nurse come around her bed, and then her world went black.

*************************************

"Ring theatre! Get me five units of blood too!" Ms Naylor was alongside the bed of Ebony. They shot along the corridors of Darwin to the operating theatres, Ms Naylor's hands pressed against Ebony's chest in an attempt to stem the steady flow of blood.

Everything happened so quickly. The theatre doors burst open and Ebony was wheeled off and given her anaesthetic, while Ms Naylor scrubbed her hands and arms before putting on sterile gloves and gown. Her face was covered by a mask and then she stepped into the theatre where Ebony lay waiting.

"Obs?" she asked, holding her hand out for a scalpel.

"She's going to arrest any minute" said the anaesthetist, panicking slightly.

"Clamp!" Ms Naylor's hands rushed to get inside the patient. "Ebony what have you done? She's ruined Connie's work at any rate!"

"She's arresting!"

"Defib!" Ms Naylor called. "200 joules!"

The electric shock rattled the girl's body. The heart monitor showed no change. Another shock, regular rhythm.

"Let's stitch her up quickly please!" A needle was placed in Ms Naylor's hand.

In recovery, Ebony remained sedated on a ventilator for the time being. She looked at peace, for the first time in weeks.

"Will she be ok?" asked the male nurse who came into the room to stand beside Ms Naylor.

"I don't know. I just don't know. It could go either way"

Next chapter is the other author! Keep voting!!
~Dobby