Put Time In Reverse

Chapter Three - Old Associate

(Dr. Harris Watterson)

"Dr. Watterson, you've been called up to Ward 5, there's a patient that we aren't sure what's wrong with her. She has symptoms, but the sickness isn't detected on the Spectraphotometer or the Hemocytometer - her blood tests showed that there's nothing wrong with her. But there has to be something. We should check if there's any problems with the machines."

I sighed. I was almost done filling out a paper for a client, but I'm going to have to allow this interruption. There have been a few machine malfunctions before.  And I am the first person they'd turn to in this case.

Dr. Jordan looked at me, then said, "Um... we can ask someone else if you're busy."

"Oh no, its okay. I have to do my job, right?" I grinned, then followed him out the door of my office after dropping the documents into my desk.

Walking after him down the halls of the Hospital's fourth floor, I casually asked, "What's this patient's name?"

"It's Celeste Martinez."

My eyebrows raised a little. I felt like I heard it before. Celeste Martinez....?  But the feeling of déja vu shook off as quickly as it came.

How peculiar...

"What's the details on Miss Martinez?" I continued.

"Well, she's a 16 year old student of Mayside High school. Daughter of Belinda and Carlos Martinez,"

This is getting crazy, I even heard the names Belinda and Carlos before. Belinda and Carlos Martinez.... the  feeling of familiarity hit stronger now.

Its like I remember, but just can't pinpoint it... I guess its just my 57 year old self.

Dr. Jordan continued, "a healthy girl, never really came to the hospital for emergencies before. Once for a broken arm, which is on her file, but this is the first time she arrives unconscious."

"Wait, she's unconscious? Did you all find the cause?"

"No, as I said before, the machines didn't pick anything up. Maybe that's just a glitch or something. But her mother, who was present when she collapsed, said she just dropped on the floor. I suggested that its just a faint, but she claims Celeste's temperature became somewhat 'bipolar' for a few minutes, from skyrocketing high to low. She's stable at the moment, just a slight temperature. I don't believe its anything serious."

We entered the Ward, and approached three people, two of whose faces I have seen before. At least I felt like it.

A man with a silk blue suit, and his gold hair, streaked with a few grey lines, was combed neatly. The woman stood before him, in a casual outfit. Her hair was black and wavy, like the girl laying unconscious on the hospital bed. The family appeared to be well off. 

There was another thing that I noticed. Oddly enough, the girl, their daughter, didn't have resemblance to either of her parents, just the hair of her mother. Other than that, no one would've known... and this detail threw another déja vu vibe at me, indicated by a dropping feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

Dr. Jordan began the conversation, "What could be a possible cause of of your daughter's fainting?"

"Well... she woke up late, and I think she skipped breakfast." Mrs. Martinez spoke.

Mr. Martinez added, "Er- I wasn't there this morning, nor this evening - I had a court case to deal with- so sadly I don't know how or what happened. Sorry Belinda..."

"Its alright honey. You're here now, right?" Her husband nodded.

Dr. Jordan looked at me, then to the couple and sighed. "This is Dr. Harris Watterson, he'll take over for me now. He should check the machines again to see if anything is wrong with it, then determine what's wrong with Miss Celeste."