2| Platinum [Pietro M.] ✔

3. Headlines and Goodbyes

It wasn't until a good week after I started my chores that Carter and I went about figuring out what exactly was injured when I hit the surface of the lake. I don't know if it was because I wouldn't stop complaining or if it was because I believed that I didn't need Carter's herbal concoctions. Probably the latter. It occurred after dinner one night, the usual time Carter whipped up the rather disgusting tea he usually made for me. I tried to get out of drinking it, and at this point, I can't even remember what I had said that led to our wound management discussion and ensuing injury 'documentation.'

Carter made his 'diagnosis' primarily based on the bruising that took up the majority of my torso. From what he could tell externally, I had at least eight broken ribs. Three on my left side and five on the right. That was just what he could actually tell. We had no idea if there were any fractures. We did conclude that none of the breaks had punctured my lungs or mediastinum, which could've caused pleural effusion or possible pericardial effusion and subsequent cardiac tamponade respectfully. So, I happened to dodge a bullet with that revelation. As for the rest of the unbroken ribs, we theorized that they were just bruised due to the lack of a yellow-green bruise formation over the affected areas like with the broken ribs. As for my shoulder, thankfully it turned out to just be dislocated. It must have snapped out of place when I hit the water. Upon the discovery, Carter had insisted on putting it back into place. I, on the other hand, was none too pleased with the idea of even more pain at that moment. However...he made a good point that if I could at least get my shoulder fixed, there would be less pain in the long run. That and my body would have more resources to repair my injured ribs. I smile to myself as I recall the discussion following replacing my shoulder back into the joint.

"Hey, Carter?" I ask, my voice small and thoughtful.

"Yes, Iris?" He looks at me with concern.

"How come I didn't break an arm or a leg or anything else?" I look up from my hands. One of my eyebrows is drawn upwards as I regard the older man with curiosity.

"Because as you fell your arms and legs were on a higher plane than your torso. So you hit the water back first, which took all the impact. Your arms and legs simply followed." He smiles at me, probably happy that the thoughtfulness I'm showing is for something more serious.

"I must have been going faster than--" The smile on my lips falls as I stop mid-sentence, not prepared to think about Pietro right now. The thought of him possibly bleeding out before he could get help twisted my gut into knots. No, I refused to think about that. I refuse to think about how much pain his sister could be feeling if her brother didn't make it. Carter quickly becomes curious with my pause for thought. He lifts a brow at me from where he sits in his chair across from the couch. "Eh, whatever goes really fast." I smile and shrug my shoulders in hope that he leaves it alone. He knows about Pietro and despite my conclusion, I know that he fully knew what I meant to say. "But anyways, I must have hit that water hard for it to break some ribs."

"Breaking ribs is easier than you think, youngin." He states with an amused look on his face before it changes into a more serious one. "You probably wouldn't have made it if you hadn't slowed yourself down." He tilts his head forward and lifts his brows. There's a certain father-like concern emanating from his stare.

"You saw that?" I feel my face heat up involuntarily, suddenly very embarrassed. It wasn't my most graceful moment. Then again...I don't have many graceful moments whatsoever.

"Of course. I was fishing when the city fell in pieces." He chuckles at me while resting his hands on the cane resting across his lap.