saline

one

Amanda let out a sigh as she picked up the empty husk of an IV bag. "Sodium Chloride Injection" taunted the print on the side. Was it mocking her? She clenched her teeth. It's nothing to be upset over, just the dehydration getting to you...

She flipped over the bag, scanning it slowly. A few drops remained on the sides. Perhaps she could squeeze some out. Would have a better chance than some of the others you've picked up, at least. She shook her head and idly tossed the bag into a box.

"You have much luck?" called a voice from the hallway.

"Sadly, no," Amanda responded. "You?"

"This place is a total bust," snorted the woman. "Told you we should've skipped it."

"Come on, Cynth. What were you expecting? Bags to rain from the heavens? Maybe a filled gallon milk jug? How about some insulin?"

"Shut it, Mandie," laughed Cynthia.

Amanda giggled. "Look, Cynth. It doesn't look like too much now when it's all in these bags. But every little bit adds up, I promise!"

"To how much?"

"Bet I have four bags' worth already!"

"Do not!" Cynthia chuckled.

The echoes of their laughter still rang out as Amanda finished her task in silence. Was it even worth it? Was it worth spending all day scraping saline from the shells of these skeletal hospitals? They'd probably be used up before they'd even recieved their payment.

How much did it even matter?

"Hurry up!" called Cynthia. Amanda turned to see her still standing in the doorway, arms crossed.

"I'm going, I'm going..."

"You were just sitting there."

"It's a necessary part of the process. Trust me."

Amanda caught Cynthia rolling her eyes in her peripheral vision. She tried to ignore her -- and her racing thoughts -- while she snapped the box's lid into place.

"Look, we're ready," Amanda said, wiping the dust from her knees.

"Finally."

"Come on, it wasn't that long."

Broken glass crunched under the girls' feet. Amanda tentatively allowed herself to admire the view out the hospital's dusty windows. Nature was trying its best to reclaim the building; roots grew through the missing glass pieces, likely fueled solely by the sunlight casted on the floor by the thick mess of branches outside.

And, as always, all of the trees were dying.