The Compatability Study

Chapter 4

The clinic seemed unusually quiet to Kara. She’d been hired as a nurse there just a week ago. It was her second day. She would be checking in on a few patients and keeping close track of their stats, according to the orders she had received. The same tasks as the day before. With so few patients, she wouldn’t be very busy. Another slow day, she thought. More time to read the novel she had downloaded on her phone.

She checked the patient logs. She had one more patient than the day before, bringing her up to four total. All of her patients were female. Nothing unusual about that in a maternity clinic, however. The new patient had been brought in that morning. Kara would be covering the afternoon shift. She read the new file.

Patient was in her mid-twenties, five weeks pregnant, and experiencing heavy spotting. Kara glanced to see what Clan the young woman was from. She gasped, thoroughly surprised, “Well, aren’t you a long way from home…” she paused to glance at her name, “Shella. Hm, I thought I’d have to travel to meet someone from a bat Clan.” Shella was from the Southern Flying Foxes Clan. They specialized in many types of fruit and were known as one of the largest fruit farmers and providers in the Southeastern part of the world.

While all of Kara’s patients were from different Clans, none were from so far away. Shella’s home was practically on the other side of the world.

Kara shook her head and got back to work. She read the reports of her other patients left from the morning shift. This clinic was set up in such a strange way, she mused. The shift changes were nearly an hour apart for the nurses. The doctor on duty covered the gaps if need arose, though so far, it seemed not very necessary. There were only two nurses in shift at a time, though other personnel traveled through the clinic as well and would check in on their way through. There were other peculiarities as well. Each wing was set up in a way that was cut-off from the rest of the clinic. Specific employees had cards that allowed them access into other areas. Kara had only ever been to the wing she worked in. She also was only privy to information directly regarding her patients.

As she read the last update, she sighed sadly. One of her patients had a miscarriage that morning. Her heart broke for Beatrice. The young woman was from a local bear Clan. She was a quiet one, but her face as she listened to the heartbeat of her cub had been filled with so much wonder. It would have been her first cub. She had been seven weeks in. There had been no information on the father provided. Not for her or for any of her other patients. While somewhat unusual, Kara figured the clinic might specialize in helping those in need.

The doctor on duty, a tall middle-aged man with dark brown hair and light brown eyes, exited Beatrice’s room quietly and approached the desk. He smiled sadly at Kara, “I was just checking on her. You should visit her often. For moral support as much as checking her vitals. She’s very upset. Understandably so. I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure to meet you just yet, miss. I’m Dr. Creedmore, from the Gray Clan.” He offered his hand to her. She accepted his hand and shook it.

“Kara Rogers, sir. RN, with special attention to maternity care. I’m from the Clan of the Northern Dens.” She introduced herself with a smile.

“Nice to meet you.” He glanced over her briefly, his eyes appraising her, curious as to what would bring an artic fox so far south. Her naturally platinum blonde hair was pulled back in a gray scrunchie. Her scrubs were also gray and gave away nothing about her slender figure. Her eyes were an expressive green. “That’s right, I saw your application when it came through. How did the move go?”

“Still in progress. I came ahead of the rest of the family.” She laughed a bit. “My poor husband is taking care of the rest of the move by himself.”

The doctor chuckled then tilted his head, “Any children?”

Kara’s eyes sparkled as she nodded, “A litter of three one-year olds. My parents are watching them for us during the days. They should be moved in by then end of the week. I can’t wait. I miss my kits so much.”

“I’m sure you do. I hated being away from my daughter when she was so young.” He patted her shoulder and turned towards a set of doors Kara couldn’t go through. “I’ll be around again soon to check on you. And the other nurse on duty should be… oh, here she comes.” A door to their right, by the nurse’s station, had opened revealing short statured woman who appeared to be around Kara’s age. So far all of the female nurses and patients seemed to be around Kara’s age. The doctors and male nurses varied more in age.

“Good afternoon, Khloe.” He nodded to her and went through the doors, a soft click sounding behind him as the lock clicked back in place. Khloe frowned, brushing her red locks out of her face.

“Man, I hate afternoon shifts with him,” she groaned, rolling her green eyes just a bit. “He’s so phony. You’ll see new girl. He’s the worst one.” She sighed, “What’s our update?” she gestured to the files Kara was still holding.

“Beatrice will need extra care… she miscarried this morning. We also have a new patient, Shella. Jana and Margaret are showing nothing unusual.” Kara told her, passing her the files. Jana and Margaret were also much closer to their due dates than Shelly and Beatrice were. “I’m Kara, by the way.”

“Oh no… poor B. I’ll go talk to her. Will you check on Shella first?” Khloe asked as she looked worriedly at Beatrice’s door.

“Not a problem,” Kara nodded. They split ways and Kara headed for Shelly’s room. She knocked gently then cracked the door and peeked in. Shelly looked up from a book in her lap. “Hello. I’m Kara. Your nurse for the afternoon.”

Shella’s dark eyes were red and puffy, as though she’d been crying. “Shella.” There was a hardness to her eyes, haunted as she watched the nurse enter the room further.

Kara smiled and started looking at the machines, “Is this your first pregnancy?” Shella watched her warily and nodded slowly. “Oh, how exciting. I had my first litter about a year ago. Two boys and a girl.” She looked back over at Shella and blanched.

Shella was glaring harshly at her, her eyes flashing dangerously, “How could any type of mother take any part of this is beyond me. I hope I miscarry.” She spat angrily, her short raven locks quivering on her head as she struggled to keep herself from morphing her features.

Kara blinked at her in shock which quickly changed into confusion. “Take part in what…? A maternity clinic?”

Shella narrowed her eyes at the blonde nurse, “Surely you aren’t that stupid.”

“I-I’m new here.” Kara stumbled a bit on her words, “I’ve only got clearance in this ward…”

Shella snorted, “This is a compound, not a clinic. I’ve been here a year. You should learn more about a place before you agree to work there. Before you decide the money is worth it.”

With that she fell silent, picking up her book again and staring at it blankly. Kara was at a loss for words. She finished checking the machines and left the room silently. Khloe was still in with Beatrice. Kara went on to check in on Jana. She plastered on a fake smile and checked the girl’s machines and asked about her day, paying closer attention to her eyes and body language.

Jana had that same haunted look in her sapphire eyes. She was a very jittery character, Kara observed. She shook like a leaf the entire time Kara was there and stuttered on her words the few times she spoke. She was five months along in her pregnancy and seemed very protective of her child, regardless of her timidness. Before. Kara had passed this off as a trait of her inner animal. She was from a The Laughing Clan, a clan of hyenas known to get the tremors.

After listening to Shella, Kara wondered if it weren’t something else now. When she checked on Margaret, she noticed the haunted look again. Like Jana, she was protective of her pregnancy. She was the furthest along at seven months pregnant. Like Shelly, she was watchful as Kara moved around the room.

When Khloe joined her at the nurse’s station, Kara leaned towards her and whispered, “Just what have these women gone through? Shella says she’s been here a year!” Khloe frowned and shrugged.

“I don’t know. I feel like something’s off here. I have since I started last week.” She admitted. Kara nodded slowly in agreement.

“Let’s find out.” She said boldly. “They’re suffering. They might not be the only ones.”

Khloe slowly grinned at her, “I’m in.”