Deerstalker - a Sherlolly story

Medical Mysteries

If you think about it, hospitals are peculiar places. Besides all the antiseptics, white gloves and ugly scrubs a hospital contains a very uncommon group of people. In these usually big white buildings one can find dying grandfathers and newborn babies, hard-working nurses and relapsing alcoholics. Yet, there is one sensation all hospital-goers share; not-knowing. They all come in with hundreds of questions about what is going on with them or their loved one, but instead of having them answered they are ordered to wait. To wait while they wonder why their brother won’t stop coughing blood, if their father will make it through the night and if their new child will have his mother’s eyes. As an intelligent species not-knowing can be seen as the root of all insecurity, fear and anger. So, it takes an even more peculiar person to feel like they belong there.

Luckily for Meena, Molly turned out to be very peculiar. While she started to let out hysteric sobs when they entered the brick building, Molly walked towards the reception desk with her head held high.

After nervously waiting in line for 15 minutes, Molly asked the large woman behind the desk; “Could you tell us if Philip Bates has checked in?”

“Let me check. Give me a second, dear.” The woman answered. Beside Molly, Meena started to have another breakdown. Her mascara was smeared all over her face, her eyes bloodshot from all the tears. Molly did so not want to give this reception lady another second.

“Philip Bates, he checked in early this morning. He’s in room 1.64. You girls can go see him, but he’s probably still asleep.” The answer brought great relief to both of the girls, but only Meena expressed it in a loud sigh. However, the certainty that Phil was in the hospital brought the possibility of all kinds of doom scenarios with it.

As soon as Molly and Meena opened the door to room 1.64, the reception lady was proven wrong. Molly could see Phil’s head turn towards them as they entered the small room. He was definitely awake.

When Phil’s partly opened eyes recognized Meena, his familiar goofy smile spread across his face. His face, that  contained multiple stitched-up wounds

“Meena?” He asked in a barely audible voice. It was clear he was probably in a lot more pain, than he let on.

“Oh my god, Philip!” Meena’s voice cracked and tears started falling from her eyes for the 20th time that day. “I was so worried. What happened? Are you injured?”

Meena sat down on the chair beside his electronically-operated bed, leaving Molly without a place to sit.

“I’m really glad you’re here, Meen.” He slowly moved his weakened arm to take her hand in his. Meena took a deep breath, as she started to smile through her tears.

“I was so scared something terrible had happened and I – we would lose you,” she told him as she squeezed his hand.

“You should have a little bit more fate in me, then. I’m going nowhere,” Philip reassured Meena, trying to form a lazy smile on his lips. Before she could answer, he brought her hand – that was still planted in his – to his lips and planted a soft kiss on it. Immediately, Meena’s check turned bright red.

Molly tried very hard to find something else in the room to focus on. Although she was glad both of her friends were apparently feeling better, she could not help but wanting to leave. She felt as if in that moment the world was focusing on the young pair near the bed, while she was just a blurry face in the background. Once again, she was cast in the role of secondary character in someone else’s story.

Hoping to also become part of the scene in front of her,  Molly stepped closer and began; “So.. Phil, what exactly did happ-“

“Yes, excellent question. What did happen, Philip?  Had they tampered with the  brakes or the engine?” Before she could finish, an all too familiar voice coming from behind interrupted her.  What the hell?!