Stronger Than Pain

Chapter Forty Seven

The driver pulled into an open black gate which ushered us into a medium sized compound, a compound filled with smooth sands and few strands of green grasses which had doggedly grown despite the obvious efforts to keep them away.  An old blue building sat opposite the gate with another miniature structure housing a large generator adjacent it . The building was an ancient structure which perfectly describes the historical development of bungalows, and I was certain whoever owned it had once prided himself with having the best monument in town. Right now, if not for the obvious reconstructions from the roof and down to the replastered walls, it would have been nothing to write home about.

Except for the blue window curtains which swayed in and out at the touch of the day's gentle breeze, this building and whatsoever it housed appeared rather lifeless. No noises, no movements and most importantly no quick response.

At least I was sure that the hospitals in town where we used to live had securities and nurse assistants whose job is to look out for emergencies. Once a car zooms in just like we did, they'd be on their heels, moving swiftly and keeping everything ready for immediate attention. I guess it isn't so here.

The entrance was a double black metal door, one closed shut with the other left widely ajar. A white rectangular signpost which hung above the metal door read HealthPlus Clinic with the letters written in green. Without much explanation, I pictured it to be the one mum spoke about sometime ago, her concern being the exorbitant fee they charge for antenatal registration and consultation; and as if to confirm my suspicion, I noticed our school back gate sitting opposite the gate we drove in through.

The young man who sat at the back with mum and us, and the one on the passenger seat flung their doors open just as the car came to a halt. The driver took few seconds to put his stuffs together before flying out too. Zara and I followed suit.

Once outside, the driver walk ran into the hospital in a bid to get their attention. The others however couldn't wait for him to return as they carefully slide mum out from the car, one holding onto her head and shoulder while the other held her legs. I watched in pain as they carried her towards the open door, her stomach bulged upward, with her arms swaying freely as they hurried her in.

We walked through the double metal door and into a large hall, much larger than I'd anticipated. A wooden desk and chair sat at the middle of the hall with two other empty ones sitting behind it, just by the edge of the wall. From where we stood, there's a hallway to the left and to the right too. A non-transparent double glass door stood by our immediate right, with a red inscription "Emergency Room" written on it. There were two doors by the left hallway and over three doors by the right just after the emergency room. The floor tiles which were once white had discoloured a bit.

A young dark lady in a sparkling white uniform and the driver approached us just as we walked in. Her face was contorted in a reluctant manner, her eyes riddled with irritation as she spared each of us a glance. I'd expected her to show the men who were still holding unto mum where to lay her first, instead her eyes rested on the duo, an unasked question filled within.

The driver stood beside her with his eyes fixed on mum's chest. I knew he was worried and silently checking if she was still breathing.

"Good day nurse" I greeted breaking the brief silence. My eyes darted to the men who were now trying to carefully lift mum a bit higher to stop her hands from touching the floor. Lifting my eyes off mum, I noticed a figure sitting by a hidden corner in the faraway right hallway. Whoever it was only peeped a bit before moving back to whatever he or she was doing.

"My mum need help. Please call the doctor" I begged without waiting for a response from her.

The nurse glanced up at us, her expression indifferent about my mum's condition. She tilted her neck a bit so she could see what was behind her, and her eyes were quick to rest on an empty bed at the far end of the wall, just beside the rear blue curtain and the empty desks.