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tamingthemuse2015-02-21 05:19 pm
naughty-bangles.livejournal.com) wrote in tamingthemuse2015-02-21 05:19 pm
Entry tags:
Prompt #448 Rabies ~ naughty_bangles ~ Rabies~ Original
Title: Rabies
Prompt #448 Rabies
Word Count: 871
Rating: PG13
The former industrial area looked almost cheerful under the bright morning sunlight. Grey buildings, darkened by years and years of polluted rainfalls, were here and there covered with climbing plants, adding a welcome patch of color in the gloomy background. The asphalt on the parking lots and roads was crackled, and wild vegetation peeked in the cracks, evidence of nature taking the abandonned land back to itself. During spring and summer, flowers came to add a touch of beauty, but on that winter day, only frost enhanced the landscape with an ephemeral layer of glitter.
Over the years, Leigh had learned how to navigate the area during every season. She knew the best places to stay out of the sun in the summertime, and where to keep as warm as possible during winter. She kept a journal of where the sagging mattresses were laid, or new traces of living activity were found. Every week for the last six years, she had come here to keep an eye on the outcasts that didn't have anywhere else to go. She liked that part of the job, when she got to get out of that fancy clinic she worked for and to help those who really needed her. Colds and warts of the most eminent members of society kept food on the table, but the real work was here.
She parked her car in the first parking lot of the area, to keep from frightening eventual squatters. First aid satchel on her shoulder, she made for the building bording the lot, an old office supplies warehouse with a rather well-isolated office on its left side. When she reached it, it turned out to be empty, with no sign of any new inhabitant during the past week.
She toured a ceramic factory, a shoe outlet and an autopart warehouse without finding anyone or anything. It was only when she reached the former furniture shop that she saw something – or, rather, someone – move inside. She walked to the main door and with her most reassuring voice, called:
"Hello? Is there anyone in here?"
Getting no response, she stepped inside and scanned the room. It was empty, but she knew there were several more spaces in the building, most of them more comfortable than the main entrance. She kept going slowly, looking for another sign of a presence.
"I'm not here to chase you away. I'm a doctor. I'm only here to make sure you're alright."
She heard noises coming from her left, something that sounded like very low voices. There were at least two of them, and they didn't seem to agree on whatever to do with her inside. At least, they weren't running away.
"I promise, I'm not gonna tell anyone you're here", she added, turning toward the origin of the noise. After a couple of minutes, a young man came out of another room; pretty tall and thin, he looked afraid and hungry. Leigh had seen dozens of boys like him: outcasts from some pack, forced to live in the wild until another group take them in. She hadn't seen that last part happen often.
"Hello", she repeated softly. "My name is Leigh. What's yours?"
"Scott. Are you really a doctor?"
She smiled. "Yes, I am. Do you need one?"
Scott looked relieved for a second. "Not me. My sister. She has a fever, and she doesn't move."
Leigh frowned. It could be pretty much anything, and it could be pretty serious. "Show me", she said simply, and she followed Scott inside the room. A couple of old mattresses were lying on the floor, and a woman, in her early thirties, maybe, was occupying one of them. A man, who looked like an older version of Scott, was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the door, and threw a hostile glance at Leigh. She ignored him, and instead kneeled next to the woman.
"What's her name?", she asked, checking her temperature with her wrist. The woman was indeed feverish, and not a little.
"Zoe", Scott replied. He was kneeling beside Leigh, but casted a worried look at the other man.
"Zoe, can you hear me?", Leigh asked her patient. "My name is Leigh. I'm a doctor. Can you move your hand?"
The woman growled faintly, and the shadow of a movement animated her right hand, but nothing more. Leigh examinated her further, frowning with worry. Finally, she stood up.
"I'm afraid it's the rabies. We need to get her to a hospital as soon as possible."
"That's ridiculous. She hasn't been agressive or anything", the other man said.
"All patients aren't", Leigh countered, turning toward him. "She doesn't have much hope, but staying here is certain to kill her." She planted her eyes in the man's. She couldn't back down, not if she wanted to save Zoe, no matter how unlikely it was. Fortunately, the man didn't fight her further. He crouched down and took Zoe in his arms. With a shake of the head, he motioned Scott to get their things.
"I guess you have a car", he said to Leigh after having stood up again.
"Follow me", she said, and she walked back to the parking lot.
Prompt #448 Rabies
Word Count: 871
Rating: PG13
The former industrial area looked almost cheerful under the bright morning sunlight. Grey buildings, darkened by years and years of polluted rainfalls, were here and there covered with climbing plants, adding a welcome patch of color in the gloomy background. The asphalt on the parking lots and roads was crackled, and wild vegetation peeked in the cracks, evidence of nature taking the abandonned land back to itself. During spring and summer, flowers came to add a touch of beauty, but on that winter day, only frost enhanced the landscape with an ephemeral layer of glitter.
Over the years, Leigh had learned how to navigate the area during every season. She knew the best places to stay out of the sun in the summertime, and where to keep as warm as possible during winter. She kept a journal of where the sagging mattresses were laid, or new traces of living activity were found. Every week for the last six years, she had come here to keep an eye on the outcasts that didn't have anywhere else to go. She liked that part of the job, when she got to get out of that fancy clinic she worked for and to help those who really needed her. Colds and warts of the most eminent members of society kept food on the table, but the real work was here.
She parked her car in the first parking lot of the area, to keep from frightening eventual squatters. First aid satchel on her shoulder, she made for the building bording the lot, an old office supplies warehouse with a rather well-isolated office on its left side. When she reached it, it turned out to be empty, with no sign of any new inhabitant during the past week.
She toured a ceramic factory, a shoe outlet and an autopart warehouse without finding anyone or anything. It was only when she reached the former furniture shop that she saw something – or, rather, someone – move inside. She walked to the main door and with her most reassuring voice, called:
"Hello? Is there anyone in here?"
Getting no response, she stepped inside and scanned the room. It was empty, but she knew there were several more spaces in the building, most of them more comfortable than the main entrance. She kept going slowly, looking for another sign of a presence.
"I'm not here to chase you away. I'm a doctor. I'm only here to make sure you're alright."
She heard noises coming from her left, something that sounded like very low voices. There were at least two of them, and they didn't seem to agree on whatever to do with her inside. At least, they weren't running away.
"I promise, I'm not gonna tell anyone you're here", she added, turning toward the origin of the noise. After a couple of minutes, a young man came out of another room; pretty tall and thin, he looked afraid and hungry. Leigh had seen dozens of boys like him: outcasts from some pack, forced to live in the wild until another group take them in. She hadn't seen that last part happen often.
"Hello", she repeated softly. "My name is Leigh. What's yours?"
"Scott. Are you really a doctor?"
She smiled. "Yes, I am. Do you need one?"
Scott looked relieved for a second. "Not me. My sister. She has a fever, and she doesn't move."
Leigh frowned. It could be pretty much anything, and it could be pretty serious. "Show me", she said simply, and she followed Scott inside the room. A couple of old mattresses were lying on the floor, and a woman, in her early thirties, maybe, was occupying one of them. A man, who looked like an older version of Scott, was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the door, and threw a hostile glance at Leigh. She ignored him, and instead kneeled next to the woman.
"What's her name?", she asked, checking her temperature with her wrist. The woman was indeed feverish, and not a little.
"Zoe", Scott replied. He was kneeling beside Leigh, but casted a worried look at the other man.
"Zoe, can you hear me?", Leigh asked her patient. "My name is Leigh. I'm a doctor. Can you move your hand?"
The woman growled faintly, and the shadow of a movement animated her right hand, but nothing more. Leigh examinated her further, frowning with worry. Finally, she stood up.
"I'm afraid it's the rabies. We need to get her to a hospital as soon as possible."
"That's ridiculous. She hasn't been agressive or anything", the other man said.
"All patients aren't", Leigh countered, turning toward him. "She doesn't have much hope, but staying here is certain to kill her." She planted her eyes in the man's. She couldn't back down, not if she wanted to save Zoe, no matter how unlikely it was. Fortunately, the man didn't fight her further. He crouched down and took Zoe in his arms. With a shake of the head, he motioned Scott to get their things.
"I guess you have a car", he said to Leigh after having stood up again.
"Follow me", she said, and she walked back to the parking lot.