Secrets

She's always late...There's always an excuse; she always gets away with it too. Zosia has a way of getting her way most of the time.

"You're a bit late aren't you?" says Arthur, no surprise in his voice.

"You're a bit annoying, aren't you?" Zosia retaliates, shutting him up.

She sits down at her desk space and sighs, hoping for an easy day.

"Uh, Zosia?" says Arthur, leaning towards her, trying to make eye contact. "What are you doing?" he asks, pushing his glasses up.

"I'm checking up on a patient on the computer" she replies quickly, only to look up at the computer she's sat in front of and realise it's not even switched on. "I mean, I'm going to" she adds.

"Is there something going on?" he asks.

"No, it'd be none of your business anyway if there was something" she spits.

"Well, I'll think you'll find it is my business as I have to live with you and when you're like this it's not always fun" he says, half joking but she gives him an evil look. "Okay I'm sorry, but I consider you my friend Zosia, I want to know... You look...-" he starts.

"What? I look what?" she questions impatiently. 

"Sad." he answers, giving her a sincere sympathetic look before rushing off to attend a screaming patient; leaving Zosia alone.

Zosia’s eyes wander up from the floor to an attractive man, who looks about 40... Then to the girl who walks up to him, petite, blonde, so tiny.

A wave of sadness and fear rushes through her body. She stands up abruptly, knocking over someone’s coffee but she doesn’t even notice.

“Zosia” Arthur calls, then looks over to see her storming off the ward. He waits silently for a few seconds, thinking of what to do. He listens to his professional brain and carries on treating his patient without the help of Zosia.

She hurriedly changes into black skinny jeans, a black strappy vest and black boots so people don’t know she works here, then runs out of the hospital not looking back once.

She keeps running and running until she can’t breathe, the suns warmth gripping her tightly.

She finds herself in an isolated wood. The birds sing their magical melody as the gentle breeze rustles the leaves all around her and twirls through the trees, sounding like smooth running water.

Under a different cluster of trees, next to a river in the shade, the sound of the chirping birds still overpower the sound of her feet; left, right, left, right, left, right, on the gravel. The smell of flowers and freshly cut grass takes over her senses as she ducks beneath the slouching branches.

A bridge; to cross or not to cross… Her feet lead her across the old wooden bridge quickly, but give her enough time to take in the sparkling water below it. Entering the light again, tiny birds flutter into the greenery, afraid of her unfamiliar presence. Then across another bridge, a much smaller one in a compact space. The leaves delicately caress her smooth bare arms, bringing her out in goosebumps.

Pretty purple flowers, long and tall, their scent attracting a yellow butterfly, bright and beautiful, its wings a blanket, to cover itself.

She has to squint to walk through the last part, the suns rays blaze onto her skin and glare into her eyes as if trying to see inside her mind, to find out how she has ended up in such a mysterious place... She doesn't even know the answer to that herself.

She see's a pure white butterfly, it hovers next to her as she walks. She thinks it's trying to tell her something but she's not sure what.

She knows she'll definitely come back here though, for sure. This place, it's enchanting. 

~

"There she is" Arthur says as Zosia re-enters the ward in her work uniform. 

She gives him another evil look.

"There's a patient for you, need you to just get anything he wants until he goes into surgery later" he says.

"What for?" she asks.

"Nephrectomy" he replies.

Zosia sighs, rolling her eyes until her eyes lock on someone elses.

"Who are you looking at?" Arthur asks, ttrying to follow her eyes but the ward is so busy.

"Uh, no one" she answers, looking back at him. "Right, which bed is he in?" she asks.

"Three" he answers.

"Hello Mr-" Zosia starts, looking at the notes Arthur gave her. "Mr Fickle.. Are you fickle Mr Fickle?" she asks, a smirk on her face.

He smiles.

"No, call me Jack, please, I hate my last name" he says, clearly eyeing her up.

"Okay then, Jack.." she replies. "Anything I can get for you?" she asks, as the girl she saw a minute ago comes over. "And you are?" she asks, pretending not ignore her obvious sex appeal.

"Carmen, Jack's my brother" she says. "And I'm meant to be starting work here today, as a nurse, weren't you expecting me? Apparently you're going to be guiding me for my first week or however long it takes" she adds.

Zosia looks around her as if looking for help or somewhere to run.

"Okay" she manages to say. "Nice to meet you Carmen.. Well, nurse Fickle." she adds, another smirk on her face.

"Nice to meet you too Zosia" she says, already knowing her name.

"It's Doctor March" she says.

"Sorry, Doctor March"

~

"Arthur!" Zosia exclaims, slamming the door behind her as she enters the staff room.

"Zosia!" he says back, trying to be funny.

"Why am I the one who has to guide that new nurse?! I've got enough to deal with here without her as well! Why can't you do it?!" she asks. 

"It was your fathers idea, nothing to do with me" he says. "I've got to go but I'll talk to you later" he says, avoiding eye contact and rushing out.

Zosia sighs heavily and heads to the locker room.

She pulls out the big bar of chocolate in her locker, eating the whole thing as fast as she can, then the crisps, then cake and sweets before rushing to the nearest toilet and making herself sick.