Knots

Big Bad World

01. "Big Bad World."

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
-Harriet Tubman

Trenton, New Jersey

12:42 P.M

Grace Young, 29, Caucasian

"You know if I wasn't so fascinated with violating the insides of the human body I probably wouldn't have picked up medicine," Grace began, her arms preoccupied with the seventh heavy box she had carried into their apartment, "and if I had known you were going to be so distracted I probably wouldn't have agreed to this."

To this Rosie, her roommate and former med school colleague, grinned; her arms and body swaying back and forth on top of one of the kitchen counters. To be honest with herself, Grace had expected as much; Rosie had never been one to focus on the task at hand; her mind always wandering off to billions of other places.

"Remind me how you got through med school again?" Grace continued, in spite of the woman's silence.

Rosie shrugged, eyes straining on something just out of Grace's sight before gently replying, "Lots of bribes my dear friend, lots of bribes."

Grace shot the woman a dirty look but proceeded back down the buildings stairs when she came to the conclusion that Rosie was practically useless. With little regard for her surroundings at this point, Grace shot towards her faithful Nissan and made a vague attempt at picking up one of the heaviest boxes; of which contained most of the medical journals she'd tracked down the past few years. Grace had wanted to be a surgeon for as long as she could remember, a person who could make a difference in a world brimming with tragedy on every six o' clock news cast. Now, having moved nearly clear across the country to a city she knew nothing about, for an internship she could only barely rely on, everything seemed to be sort of falling into place.

"Okay I admit it, I'm a jerk, I got through med school because I'm a jerk, and I'm thankful that you're one of the few people who can actually put up with that," Rosie squealed from behind Grace, making the woman nearly drop the box entirely from shock.

"Yep, you're a jerk, any nice person would warn someone before they creepily showed up behind them. You could have been a rapist, or a murderer Rose!"

"You're going to be a surgeon one day anyway, you could just stitch yourself back up in any case," Rosie stated with mock gusto. After a few moments, and the former finally realizing that Grace was beyond pissed, Rosie grabbed a few boxes from the trunk of the car and made a wild dash for the stairs. For a second, Grace turned and watched manically as her friend practically tripped towards their new home, but almost as quickly she reverted her stare towards the blaring noises of fire trucks and speedy ambulances. Just across the rampant obstruction of Cadwalader park she could make it out, WoodHayes Memorial Hospital: a 2.5 billion dollar project constructed by some of the finest architects in New Jersey and home to a slew of doctors and surgeons she had studied countless times.

"In twenty four hours," her mother had told her over an eardrum-piercing phone call, "you begin the one year stretch towards your established residency as a surgeon Grace. I had to call up some ghosts just to get you and your doe-eyed friend considered for orientation; don't disappoint me."

Despite how brutal the words of the past seemed in the depths of her mind, Grace was somehow able to look past the minor threat in exchange for the bigger picture. Tomorrow, every single aspect of two medical school graduates lives were about to change; and all of it revolved around an intimidating building filled with sick patients and lessons to be learned. After considering her thoughts for another moment, Grace skillfully juggled the last few cardboard boxes, closed her trunk, exchanged a friendly acknowledgment with a stranger, and made her way back towards the home she was sure would live up to be memorable.