The Last Light of Haven

Chapter 3: second chance

Chapter Three:

A Second Chance

The hospital was pure chaos. Everyone rushed past me as I stood there trying to figure out what was going on. I lost sight of my father and Jake among the commotion. The scouts and nurses filled the room. Some of the scouts were already coming out of the decontamination showers and nurses were busy taking vitals. I watched their faded green and black uniforms blur into the crowd of nurses with their faded grey scrubs. Everyone was yelling things out. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my father and Jake shove their way through a group into a room. My fathers voice urgently booms over all the noise. “Hurry, let me through.” Everyone quickly let them pass. I ran in their direction but before I could make it through the crowd closed again. I looked around trying to find my way in. I wanted to see what was happening. Did the scouts really bring someone back? My heart pounded in my chest. Maybe I'll finally get the chance to know what the world is like! I wondered what they would look like. I had nothing to compare the outside world to except what I saw from the faded pictures and paintings. I couldn't help but think that this, this is my chance. This is finally my chance to learn about the outside world. I kept searching for a way through. Nurses were rushing past with medical tools and bags of clear liquids. I stood at the back of the crowd on my tip toes trying to see the new stranger in town. With all the rushing around I was knocked backwards and landed on my butt hard. On the way down I think I caught an elbow to the side of my head. As I slowly stood back up rubbing the spot, I was even more determined to reach the front now. I looked around trying to see where I could get through.

One of the nurses had her hand full and almost dropped her supplies as she was heading for the crowded room. “I need more gauze!” I heard my father yell urgently. I quickly grabbed what the nurse dropped and yelled as loud as I could. “I got it! Father, I got it!”

“Let her through” he yelled as I shoved my way through the crowd. The spaces between the bodies were tight as I pushed forward. Finally I stumbled through and reached the front. I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Father leaned over the body of what looked like a badly injured young man. Father said something to Jake who stood behind him across from and wrote something down on a clipboard. Dr. BLANK was listening to his breath through his stethoscope. I watched the young man silently struggle to breath. I stood there frozen. This man couldn't be much older than me, as he lay there unmoving except for shallow breaths. I couldn't see his face as it laid facing my father and his longish dark hair was stringy with dirt and grime. His clothes were all torn and covered in dirt and blood. I couldn't tell where he was even bleeding. I could hear the nurses and scouts behind me. I could hear the fear from the nurses.

“Do we know anything?”

“No, he was alone. The last zone was so overrun.”

“There were too many of them.”

“Where did he come from?”

“How could he have survived on his own?’

“Do we know if he was bitten or infected?”

That last question stung in my brain. I looked back at my father as he worked on this man. I watched as he carefully cut his shirt open to treat a large rather deep cut down his side. Now I could see where most of the blood was coming from. I stood there quietly. I kept hearing parts of the conversation. It was clear. They were afraid. They looked at this man lying unconscious on the table as something to be feared.

“We should send him back!” some yelled.

“Hes just a damn boy!” father yelled back. “Aria hand me those! Nurse more pressure here!” He grabbed her hands and held them on the man's chest where the wound was. I stood there looking at him. They found him alone they said. Abandoned and alone. And injured. Something in my heart broke looking at him. I couldn't help but stare. Sadness washed over me as I tried to imagine what he could have possibly have been through. How scared he must have been. What happened to him? I knew I had no idea what he survived. But it still didn't stop me from feeling sorry for him. “Aria, now!” my fathers voice snapped me back.

“Aria this isn't the time for space walking in your head.” Jake said, annoyed. I started to protest but changed my mind. I handed them the gauze and asked how I could help. They didn't hear me. They continued to talk amongst themselves and all I could do was listen to bits and pieces. All I could do was stand there and watch. I watched my father and Dr. BLANK drew his blood and stitched him up.

After what felt like hours the room started to calm down. They managed to get him stable and started iv fluids in his arm. I could tell no one really wanted to be near him with the unanswered question. I watched my father take a sample of his blood. “Now that he's stable, run this to the lab and check for any signs of infection.” he handed the vial to a nurse. I sat across the hall from the room they were in watching and listening. There wasn't much I could do, it seemed. I couldn't take my eyes off him as he lay there helpless on the bed they transferred him to. His tan skin and dark dirty clothes looked even worse against the white sheets he laid on. I watched silently. The nurses eventually left and my father and Jake were left with the scout leader.

“Why did you guys bring him back not knowing anything about him? Doesn't this break protocol?” Jake asked as he looked over his notes they had taken.

“Honestly when we discovered him and the sickness started pouring out of every turn, it just seemed like the human thing to do.” The scout sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck. “The damn kid is lucky to be alive.”

“I understand.” father said, looking back in the room. “I couldn't say I would have done differently to be honest.”

“Well what do we do with him now?” Jake asked, looking up. “We don't know anything about him and this could lead to another outbreak like years ago if we aren't careful.”

“I agree. For now, we will take turns standing guard. No one goes in there till we know more.” They all nodded and agreed. Father and Jake walked towards the lab and the scout stood in front of the door. I kept looking through the glass at that young man just laying there alone. It almost made me angry. I wasn't even sure why. It just didn't seem right. After a while, I stood up and without even thinking, walked towards the door to his room. My eyes are not leaving him.

“Stop. no one is permitted in." Without missing a beat I said “Father forgot something behind and sent me to get it and wanted me to draw some more blood.” He looked at me for a moment searching my face and then sighed. He stepped aside.

“Make it quick.” I nodded and opened the door and walked in. I stood there by the door for a while looking at him. He was covered in dirt and blood. My father and Dr. BLANK had done a good job patching him up. They carefulled stitched every wound and covered it in fresh white gauze. It made him look even sadder like that. With a sad sigh I shut the curtain behind me and grabbed a bowl and a clean rag. I walked over the sink on the wall and turned the water on. I held my hand under the running water for a few minutes letting the water get warm before filling the bowl. I made sure to be careful and it was not too hot or cold. But a warm comforting temperature before dipping the rag in. I walked back over the bed and placed the bowl of warm water on the table and picked the rag up. Carefully squeezing the water out. I sat down on the chair next to the bed and carefully ran the rag first over his arms. I looked at all the cuts and bruises that the dirt hid and the cleaning revealed. I carefully washed what I could of the dirt away. I took my time and was gentle. “Im so sorry this happened to you."I whispered to him as I cleaned him up. “What happened to you?” I got most of the dirt off his arms and chest. I stood and walked back to the sink, dumping the water that turned a dark muddy brown color tinged with red. I filled the bowl once more and grabbed another clean rag before returning to his side. This time I carefully washed his cheek. His hair was dark and a mess from the dirt. It covered his face and hid his eyes. Gently I pushed his hair out of his face as I washed away the dirt. I kept looking at his face. Laying there with his eyes shut. He probably had no idea what was going on or where he was. I noticed his long eyelashes, and the dark purple bruise on his cheek. “You, my friend , must have been through hell.” I finished cleaning him up and sat there silently for a little. I couldn't help it, I reached my hand over and held him for a minute. It was warm. His head was larger than mine and covered in cuts. I looked at each one of them as I held his hand. Next to me were some more bandages. I picked them up and carefulling wrapped his hand gently. “There, all better.” I just felt I had to do more for him. I held his bandaged hand for a little while longer as if to silently say “ you aren't alone anymore.” I looked at him. His eyelids fluttered and he made a soft groan. “Hey” I almost whispered. “Can you hear me?” he didn't move anymore. “Whats your name?” After a few moments I sighed and turned to leave. As I reached for the curtain to open it back up, I barely heard him. His voice was weak and hoarse. I almost didn't catch it. It was just one word.

“Z-zero.” I looked back and smiled softly and repeated it.

“Zero, I'm Aria. Nice to meet you.” I knew he couldn't hear me but it didn't stop me from still wanting to reach out to him. It's what I would have wanted. I turned to leave and ran right into father and Jake.

“Aria.” my father sighed. “ I should have known you would do something so careless.” he sighed again. I looked at Jake who looked at me as if I had lost my mind. I looked at the ground. “Do you have any idea how reckless this was? Anything could have happened!” Jake went on to chime in about protocol and me not knowing the results. Both of them cared and I knew it. But something in me snapped.

“How would either of you feel waking up somewhere you didn't know hurt?” my hands started shaking. “I mean look at him damnit! He's alone! How would you feel? At least now thanks to me he looks like a person.” my voice raised a little. “No one else had the decency to at least give him that.” Father looked at me with a sad expression. I could feel the tears starting to form in my eyes. I blinked them back. I couldn't help it. The way everyone acted. This poor man. It made me so mad and sad at the same time. A strange mix of emotion. Father sighed again. Jake began to protest but father cut him off. “Your right aria.” he said looking over my shoulder at the man. I could see the sadness in his eyes. “Youre absolutely right. It was still reckless though.” he put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me. His eyes said sorry. We all looked at the bed.

“So, is he infected? Do we know yet?” I asked quietly. Jake spoke after a moment.

“Currently we didn't find anything saying he is. It could still be too early to tell. We will have to run it again.” I looked at the man. A little hopeful.

“Yes, but for now,” father interrupted. “For now, let's focus on getting him through the night and make sure he gets a second chance to live.” We all three nodded before leaving the room. I looked back one more time. As I looked at him alone, I felt something. Hope.