Radiation Point

Twenty Six

"You shouldn't have uncovered her."
The harsh voice came from behind me and I knew without turning that it would be a medic. This one was all business as she moved to my sister's side and examined the wound.
"It's a good thing you got these," she said, gesturing towards the antibiotics. "Her wound looks a lot worse."
Ellen gave an angry snort, "Well, don't sugar coat it or anything."
The medic stared at Ellen unblinking, a frown deepening in her face. "I'm far too busy to be sugar coating things for two grown women. Now, you can let me work, or else I can leave the girl to your care and help other patients."
Panic rose in my throat. Sure, the medic's weren't the nicest people, but I was sure that Mia wouldn't have made it this far without them. I turned to Ellen in desperation, "Let's just let her do her job."
Frowning, Ellen crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine. Let her work."
The medic gave a stifled sigh, as if dealing with us was too much for her to bare. But she kept working on Mia, gently cleaning the wound and rubbing a white cream along the edges of her wound. Then, she tightly re wrapped Mia and tucked her back in.
Moving to stand next to her head, the medic gently stroked Mia's face. When Mia didn't stir, she slapped her on the cheek. The sound of her hand on Mia's cheek echoed across the room.
"What the hell?"
"We're going to have to wake her up somehow to give her this medication. That is, unless you have the IV form in that little bag of yours?"
I gulped. I hadn't seen any needles or liquid in the bag. Just the same white bottles.
"That's what I thought," the medic said, giving me a superior smile.
"What do we have to do to wake her up? I thought she was in a coma."
Her superior smile widened.
"Comas are caused by brain injuries or overdosing on toxins. Your sister, however, may have slipped out of consciousness due to pain, but she's not in a real coma. She can wake up, but she's going to be in a lot of pain when she does."
"What do we do to wake her up?" I repeated, my voice taking on a hard edge.
"Well you could shock her awake-maybe put a blade in that wound."
She said it tauntingly, her eyes on Ellen. Ellen lunged at the medic, but I was too quick. She made a mistake taunting Ellen when I was the one to worry about. I had my knife pulled out and held up to her throat before she could react.
"Don't ever talk about my sister like that," I said. "Now how do we wake her up?"
The superior shell cracked beneath the metal of my blade and she began to shake. "Pain, cold water, talking to her. There's not just one way." The words strung together in her fear.
I lowered my knife, feeling shameful for my force. I didn't want to become a renegade, but here I was acting like them. I really was no better. And yet, the anger I felt at the medic still simmered as I thought about the way she had talked to us from the very beginning-cruel in her manner.
"Why didn't you just say so? Isn't that your job to help?"
"It's not my job to help the renegades," the medic said, practically spitting the words at me. "They cause nothing but problems and pain. She can die right here, and I'd wouldn't even put her out with the trash since she's a renegade."
It was Ellen who moved this time, thankfully, because I probably would have stabbed her. The anger I felt at her words was deadly. But Ellen simply punched the medic square in the nose, making her shriek as she fell backwards; out cold in a faint.
"She could use some time to think before she speaks," Ellen said, as she stepped over the fallen medic. I would have laughed, but I was still too angry. Not to mention worried about Mia. How would I wake her up? Would cold water or talking really help? What if pain was really the only option? Could I inflict pain on my sister who I had promised to protect?
It didn't end up mattering, because when Ellen dumped the water from my backpack over Mia, Mia's eyes began to flutter and then opened slightly.
"Hey there, sweetheart," Ellen said, leaning over Mia and giving her a big smile. "We need you to take this medicine, okay darling?"
I quickly opened the bottle and with shaking hands, held two pills to Mia's lips.
She didn't answer, looking dazed and in pain. But she put the pills in her mouth and Ellen gently tipped the remaining water into her mouth. She started to cough and struggle, but the antibiotics went down. She was still dazed, her eyes barely open as she moaned softly in pain.
I stroked her hair back, wishing I could do more to make her feel better. She didn't respond to my touch, simply clamped her eyes shut and shuttered against the pain. She squirmed in the bed, as if trying to find a position that it didn't hurt.
"Do you think they have some pain medication she could take?" I asked, turning to Ellen.
Ellen glanced at the nurse who lay at her feet. "I don't think they're too happy with us right now. I wouldn't trust them to give her anything."
"Right," I said, the medics words echoing in my head, I wouldn't even put her out with the trash. Mia couldn't stay in the infirmary if that was every medic's mindset. But I didn't know of anywhere else we could take her. If we took her to the sleeping area the other refugees would make a big deal, probably getting the medics to take her right back to the infirmary.
"V?"
Ellen raised an eyebrow as she stared at me expectantly. Apparently, I had zoned out. If I didn't watch it, Ellen might start thinking Mia wasn't the only one with issues.
"I'm just thinking. We need to take care of her somewhere else. I don't trust them," I explained.
"I hear you, sugar. But it's not like there's anywhere else that patients are being treated."
Her words were the catalyst that I needed. With a jolt, I realized exactly where I needed to take Mia.
To Jackson.
He said that he would be the one to save Miracle. He was treating her somewhere. Maybe if I found him, we could take Mia there and treat her as well. It had to be better than staying in the infirmary and waiting for the nurse to come to. Ellen was right, she wouldn't be too happy with us.
"I have an idea, but I need to find Jackson."
"Jackson?" Ellen echoed.
I nodded, "Yeah, he might have a space we could take her. Do you know where he might be?"
Ellen shook her head. "I honestly don't know."
"Can you stay with Shadow a little longer while I go find him?"
"Of course," Ellen said. "I wouldn't leave her here alone. You go on."
I thanked her and rushed for the door.
The hallways in the camp were strangely empty. They used to always be bustling with activity, but since the renegades took over, that wasn't the case. I ran down the hallway, my shoes slipping on the floor beneath me.
As I turned a corner, I slammed into someone's hard chest. I lifted my eyes to meet Tyler's brown ones and flushed.
"Sorry," I said, backing up.
"What's the rush?"
"I'm looking for Jackson," I explained awkwardly. My last conversation with Tyler was fresh in my mind. He had been so angry and begrudging about helping Miracle that I hated to ask for help for Mia--again.
"Looking or running around like a crazy person?" Tyler asked.
That might have been his attempt at a joke, but with his clipped words, it came out harsh.
"Looking," I repeated, "Have you seen him?"
Tyler let out a long sigh. For a moment I thought he wasn't going to tell me.
"Yeah. He's in the gym," Tyler said, scratching his neck. "Are you going to tell me what you need him for?"
"Later, I promise," I said. I took off running before he could reply.