Growing Pains

Chapter 9

"Nurse? How is Araile today?" the medical nin asked as he came into the main office of the hospital.

"The same as yesterday, the poor girl. She still hasn't regained consciousness, but her muscles and tissues have begun to heal" the nurse said as she checked some notes on her clipboard.

"I see" the medical nin said, and walked down the hallway.

Checking other patients put his mind to ease. This was his duty, and the medical nin enjoyed helping and healing.

Coming to the end of the hallway, the medical nin silently crept into his youngest patient's room. All was quiet except for the beeping of the heart monitor and her small intakes of breath. Araile had been attacked and poisoned by a knife, and it took the medical team all that they knew about poisons to intercept this deadly concoction.

Slipping on gloves, the medical nin gently moved aside the blanket that had been tucked in tightly against her stomach. Smiling, he took a mental note of how her skin colour had improved. Her breathing also sounded more clear today as well.

As he took off the bandage, he shook his head in disgust. This was where the poison had entered the 14 year old's body. Who on earth would attack a teenager with a knife and poison?

When she had come in, the wound had already become infected; pus and blood oozing out. The skin around the wound had begun to discolour, and had started creeping up her body. She was having trouble breathing due to her lungs already being filled with blood.

The medical nin gently smiled when he saw that the wound had begun to heal. As the medical nin changed her bandages, a knock suddenly interrupted his actions.

"Yes?" the medical nin said as he turned around.

"Doctor? There's someone here to talk to you about the patient in room 81" the nurse said quietly from the door.

Nodding, the medical nin slipped off his gloves and followed the nurse outside.

A stream of sunlight drifted across the unconscious teen's face as soon as the door to her room closed. All was silent, with the exception of the heart monitor beeping out her heart rhythm. They still did not allow visitors to her room as she was still weak and unconscious.

A gentle voice drifted through her mind, causing her to flinch back into the hospital bed.

"Araile"

Who...?

"Araile"

Who's there?

"Open your eyes, my little bird"

Why?

"Please, sweetheart. Open your eyes, baby"

Her hands clenched the bedsheet as her eyes slowly opened. Through blurred vision, her eyes wandered weakly across the room. A small groan rose from her throat as her eyelids drifted back shut. Her ear weakly twitched as the door to her hospital room opened. Opening her eyes again, her blurry gaze wandered over to her visitor.

"Oh? Araile, you're awake. That's wonderful" the medical nin's voice echoed through her mind.

Too weak to speak, her tail gave a small twitch in greeting. The medical nin smiled gently and walked over to a monitor, checking the stats on it. Blinking, she shifted underneath the blankets. A surge of pain stopped her actions as her wound protested the movement.

"Careful, Araile" he said said, looking at her over the edge of a clipboard he was writing on.

"Home" she whispered.

Sighing, the medical nin walked over to Araile, brushing her bangs away from her face.

"I know you want to go back home. You have to stay here and get better; you know this" he said gently.

"Now, I suggest you get some sleep. You've been hurt very badly and your body needs the rest to heal" he said, smiling down at Araile.

Murmuring, her eyes closed once again and sleep overtook her mind and body.