When We Suffer

Chapter Four

Nowhere Else- Kupa 

Andrey knew glass embedded and torn up skin was only a disadvantage for him in this cruel war-filled world so he grudgingly managed to drag himself up and out of the bathroom. He wandered through the hallways and large warehouse rooms occasionally asking for directions. The blood from his hand dropped every few minutes leaving a trail of where he'd been. He eventually made it to the only clean area in the entire warehouse: a rather large hospital room full of people getting tended for everything from bullet wounds to small papercus.

"Oh my lord! Honey, you need to get that cleaned up!" A boisterous woman's voice said from behind him as a chunky hand picked up his bleeding hand from behind.

Andrey looked to his hand before looking up to the owner of the voice. It was a larger woman who looked to be in her 40s or 50s. She had wrinkles by her bright eyes and a loving smile. Her dark skin was covered in latex gloves and a white hospital uniform. Wispy grey hair was tied into a bun and pinned with a slightly wilted flower stuck in it.

She pulled him by a delicate finger and thumb holding his wrist over to a desk that was just being cleaned. There, an educated looking woman pulled on some new gloves and began to pick out the glass confidently.

Andrey took a sharp intake of breath and grimaced, the pain having fully set in the wound. He turned his head away to concentrate on his surroundings instead of his hand. Someone gave him painkillers, which he gladly accepted. He bit his lip and observed the people on the surrounding beds and tables.

It was then that he noticed Mazarine on a table across from him getting her leg tended. She was wincing and her hands were in tight fists but she soon relaxed as the hard part was over and they began to bandage the wound. She seemed to be in a hurry as they gave her some medication and a crutch which she grudgingly accepted. Andrey watched her limp away a few steps but then turned to watch another patient accepting that he most likely wouldn't cross paths with Mazarine again.

After the last agonizing moments of stitches Andrey exhaled, realizing he didn't know how long he had been holding his breath. The doctor quickly bandaged his hand and nodded to signal that he was done. He nodded in thanks and as he walked away heard her call for someone to disinfect the station.

"Don't forget to get registered kid" the doctor called after him. He ignored the call and continued to walk aimlessly away from the hospital room.

Almost as soon as he was out of the hospital room he was greeted by a slap across his cheek.

"You dumb idiot you forgot about me!" a distressed- and familiar- voice yelled at him.

"What the hell was that for?" a pissed Andrey yelled back after touching his stinging cheek in shock. He looked up to see the rainbow haired girl glaring up at him with crossed arms.

"For gagging and tying me in the trunk and then leaving me there!!" she raised her voice to emphasize the part about him leaving her in the jeep.

Andrey realized he definitely deserved the slap since he did completely forget about her, which he hadn't meant to do. "But you found your way out, that's impressive," he said with a look of acknowledgement and respect. He walked around the girl and continued on his way even though he had no particular place to go in mind.

"That's not the point!" the girl said running around to face andrey again. She pushed his shoulder to make him stop walking and pay attention to her.

"Then what is the point?" Andrey asked coolly.

"You practically kidnapped me and then just left me tied in a car!"

"I did and I apologize, forgetting that you were back there was not my intention," andrey said void of emotion. He adjusted his sunglasses and ran a hand through his curls as he walked around the girl again to continue on his path.