Shadows Of Deception

lose to midnight, but my min

orridors were

hift was over, but instead, a gnawing

by now, waiting, proba

ing for me at home dishes, lau

vy

my skin at the sound

r arms full of files, and I quic

e?" she asked, ra

u left. You've been doing excellent work latel

g to push down the anxi

Collins. That re

her eyes sof

me keep you. Go on, get home and

ion in my chest ea

Thank y

as much distance between myself and this place as possib

, my hand hovering o

of the nurses is out, and we n

e on duty anymore, but the look in Dr

am," I stammered, torn between my duty an

e said, her

tonight, and this is critical. Ca

my thoughts w

old and demanding, but Dr. Colli

pushing the fear aside as b

eathed, relief wash

e're needed in t

, the sharp, antiseptic smell hit me, a familiar scent that usually brought a sense

d man, was on the gurney, his chest rising and falling rapidly, each breath a strug

e of the doctors ordered, his

ly. The hiss of the oxygen filled the room as I placed the mask over the patient's face, securing it behind his

ting the IV drip to increase the fluids. The steady beeping of the heart moni

wherever I was needed. The air was thick with the smell of antiseptic and

was only the patient and the delicate balance of the life we were fighting to maintain. I helped with the chest compressions, t

It jolted me back to reality, to the life that aw

ine. He'd been calling for the past few minute

pulling my phone out and answering it w

ice was cold, laced with

ncing at Dr. Collins who wa

emergency.

o cut through any excuse I could think of. "If you k

and frustration warring

w,

rse time. Dr. Collins called me back to reality, her voice pulling me into the tense atmosphere of the ward.

ed over the room. I stayed by the patient's side, adjusting the oxygen fl

the ward. Angry shouts of a man echoed down the h

? I want to s

, her expression shiftin

s goin

sband," I managed to say,

n't hes

ll manag

towards the source of the chaos. I p

and furious, being held b

he was shouting, jerk

t right do you have

o the floor, the sha

stopped to stare, their

pleaded, stepping c

onto mine, bla

ing up on me?" he spat, his voice low an

eeting that of the security guard

he roared at the hospital staff, his

s duties at home! Sh

turned to me, the weight of their judgment pre

ark," Caleb commanded

u'll re

s the exit, leaving me stand

over to me, her voi

you doing with

. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, wa

on the faint bruise on my cheek. "Is he

me. Just then, Caleb's voice rang out from ou

ted, clearly l

d, barely able to get the wor

e weight of the hospital staff's stares on my back,

at on earth is holding them together?" I heard someone mu