Crystal, accompanied by Reyna was escorted to the local infirmary of Autumnlare.
Upon reaching the now gloomy and dreary establishment which was once set up by the perished royal family about a century ago, Crystal left the carriage without waiting for the escort to the open the door for her. She rushed past having the focused image of her father having met a gruesome accident.
How harsh his injuries could be? The question crossed her mind along with many other.
An era when the medical technology or practices were not as established or advanced than what it could be about a century later, even a small accident can cause a whole precious life.
Not to forget the expenses, it could either cost a ton or be done with none. How would she afford it? They were merely bakers. Only if the healthcare staff and the head doctor were generous enough to treat without charging any extra penny, she could have hope.
Reyna followed a perplexed and frantic Crystal and asked a nurse covered in bloodied clothes about Mr. Moore but, she just scurried past and didn't care enough to answer.
At a far distance, she saw a golden haired boy along with his father, the lawyer, speaking to a head physician. The physician wore a long white coat and held an old wooden clipboard in hand.
He flipped the pages and spoke calmly as if explaining the situation to the boy and his father. Reyna held Crystal's hand and pulled her towards the familiar boy and his father.
"Doctor! My father, Mark Moore was admitted this evening after having met an accident. Please tell me where he is..." Crystal blurted out in a single breath while the doctor, being the natural egoist that he was, simply stared at the common and now disheveled girl for a split second.
He averted his gaze to the lawyer, Mr. Anderson and asked them to follow him through the looming long corridors of the hospital.
The faded green shades, chipped walls and low hung dim lights graced the hallways. A strong scent of antiseptic and cleaning agents; a metallic tang from steel in packed air, bleach wafting from beddings and the lingering smell of vomit, blood and perfumes fused with questionable food scents, mostly very repulsive filled the scene.
Soft cries, whispers and hushed noises of nurses, doctors and other employed staff could be heard at a distance but everything seemed to fade away as they reached the room where her father was kept in.
Mark lay helpless in an old bedding inside an empty room with a big window to allow some fresh air. A worried nurse stood beside him helping him adjust to his zone of comfort.
A large plaster covered his entire left arm and leg and he groaned in pain.
Her breath stilled for a second.
Seeing her father like this filled her eyes with unshed tears. She ran towards him and weeped softly until she caught upon her voice and asked, "How did this happen?"
Before anyone else could speak or say anything that would comfort her, the physician spoke in a rough accented voice, "Your father needs rest, you could ask him questions later when he is well rested."
Instead of taking offense, Crystal wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and nodded obediently. She caressed Mark's forehead gently and spoke, "Have some rest, papa. We would talk when you wake up feeling better. I'll be by your side."
Mark gave a small painful smile and slowly shut his eyes as the mild anesthetic effect of the drugs administered started kicking in. The doctor quietly signaled everyone else to leave except Crystal who sat on a wobbly wooden stool, holding Mark's hand and watched over him until he fell asleep.
YOU ARE READING
Engulfed By His Shadow
Vampiro"Y-You aren't normal..." I stuttered and looked into his eyes. "No." "...not a human," My lips quivered while his mouth curved up into a dark smile. "What are you?" I asked mustering up the courage. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence and...
