It was more than a Dream

3

//TRIGGER WARNING: BLOOD AND NEEDLES. SORRY\\

DAN

That day began as a normal day at work. I showed up at midnight - making my rounds and filling out paperwork. It seems like a tiring job to most people, but by now I've gotten used to being awake at night and sleeping in the day. I'm not a specially social person so the night life suits me. I've been a registered nurse for two years now and in school and internships for three before that.

Nearly 3 years ago now- It was my 4th shift working nights when he was brought in.

I had been filling out a perscription when the emergency alert came up on my screen.

INCOMING BY AMBULANCE
SEX:
MALE
INCIDENT:
UNKNOWN
INJURY LEVEL:
IMMEDIATELY LIFE THREATENING

* DX: PHI SX ARDS EBL-5 2FL

*(A/N:: these mean-
Diagnosis: Penetrating Head Injury, Surgery needed, Acute respiratory distress syndrome [collapsed lung], Estimated blood loss 5, 2 Flat Lines.)

My eyes widened. This was definitely one of the worst alerts I had seen. The human body almost never survives after losing 5 quarts of blood.
My heart pounded as I alerted the other nurses. I was instructed to handle the anesthetic. Once I had the syringe prepped I waited with the other nurses, Including my superiors. It wasn't long before the doors at the end of the hall swung open and the stretcher wheeled quickly into view.
I rushed to the side with the anesthetic as instructed. The man's eyes were slightly open, it looked like he was looking right through us. I couldn't even tell what color his eyes were. I would have thought he was already dead If he didn't move his eyes to look directly at me. Something about his stare captivated me. His dark black hair was caked with blood- both dry and fresh as it oozed from the huge gash in his head. It streaked down his pale face. His neck strained as he tried to breathe with his collapsed lung. I wondered what could have happened to him.
Shouting from around me snapped me back to focus. His eyes had rolled back.

     "We're losing him." "Send him into surgery now. NOW!" "Anesthetic!!"

I quickly poked the needle into his arm and pushed the anesthetic into him. I finally dropped away, stepping until my back was met with the wall of the hallway. The stretcher wheeled away toward the operation room. I kept my eye on the dying man until I couldn't see him anymore. I sighed as I returned to my work, disposing of the needle in a red needle receptacle.
It was almost the end of my shift by the time I heard anything about his condition. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when they told me he had survived. He was comatose, but he was alive. That poor man. No one had even been with him. No wife, no friend. Just a mysterious accident that left him alone in a coma surrounded by strangers. And now he would be labled a 'John Doe'. I felt bad for him.

After he was stable, he was transferred to my wing where he was to remain until he awoke. I was tasked to check on him at the beginning, middle, and end of each of my shifts. So I did. You'd think that after a few weeks I would tire of doing so- but I didn't.

In fact- Something about him intrigued me. He came here under dire and mysterious circumstances. He was really a handsome guy now that he was cleaned up and I couldn't help but think he wasn't really alone when he was injured. No one that handsome could live alone. It was even stranger that no one came looking for him.

Until she showed up.

The woman came in about 3 weeks after John Doe went into the coma. She seemed worried. She claimed she was his fiance - However she didn't seem to care too deeply. At least in my opinion. But she identified him - finally giving us his name.