In The Blood

Put Back Together

(Tim)

Cassie rolled me in quickly, reporting to a nearby nurse and doctor that I was one of the victims of the Brookings incident.  Several nurses came forward, starting to assess all of us and pull us into separate exam areas.  A curtain snapped to as Austin loudly objected.

    "No!  Nuh-uh!  I'm fine!  It's Tim and Chance that you need to take care of!  I'm, like, the best off here!  Don't worry about—"

    "For the love of God, keep us together!" Adam ordered from a few feet away.

    "Yes, that's the wrist—," Chance started to say.

    Cassie helped me out of the chair and positioned me onto the gurney, quickly relaying everything to a female doctor.  I squinted at the blue embroidered name.  C. Miller, MD. 

    "Quit, quit, quit," Austin protested, a bit of commotion going on to my right where they'd put him.  It seemed he was fighting and arguing with a doctor and a nurse about whether or not he medical attention.

    "Tim!" Adam frantically shouted.  "I don't hear Tim!  Where is—"

    "I'm here!" I called out, Dr. Miller nodding at Cassie and then ordering a nurse to go get some sort of medicine stat.

    "Ow, ow, ow!" Chance yelped from across the room.

    "Sir, we are trying to evaluate you!  Get back here!" a nurse begged of Austin.

    "You have been through significant trauma, both emotional and physical—"

    Dr. Miller picked up my hands one at a time, checking for my pulses again.  "Tim, please look to your right."

    "Huh?"  I must have gone stupid or something because I couldn't even understand simple instructions.

    "I said, look to your—," she started as something clunked to my right.

    "I don't need—," Austin began to assert.

    I turned towards the sound of the clunk, wondering what the hell Austin was doing over there.

    "Did you feel that?" Dr. Miller asked me.

    "Feel what?" I asked, not having even been touched.

    She nodded, my response seemingly answering her question.

    "Ow, that hurts," Chance groaned.

    "Give me five minutes of your time and I'll let you be," a nurse bartered with Austin.

    "Austin, just do it," Adam directed from behind his curtain.  "That's what I'm doing here.  Figure it won't hurt, and may even help."

    My nurse stepped back in with a syringe.  "Here you go, Dr. Miller."

    "Thanks, Marcy."  The doctor selected a spot on my upper back and started cleaning it with a little wipe.

    "The sooner you let them do what they need to do, the sooner they'll llbpffgrrft."  Adam's words turned unintelligible for some reason.

    "Adam?" I called out nervously.  "Adam?"

    "Adam!"  Chance sounded frantic.

    "Get away from me!" Austin ordered, then reported five seconds later, "Thermometer.  Adam's got a thermometer in his mouth."

    "Caaan I have some paiiin meeeds?" Chance groaned miserably.

    My curtain flung open and Austin pushed his head in just as Dr. Miller stabbed me with that needle in one place I could feel.  "Owww!  Goddamn, warn me before you do that!"