Chapter 1: The Surgeon
"Dr. Amanda we have a code blue in Room 40." I sprinted over to the changing tables, my team helped me suit up. I made sure my gloves had no holes, my surgical gown was tightly wrapped around my body.
"Mercy Johnson, a 25 year old female who has been battling a long battle with cardiovascular disease." My assistant nurse added as we hurried inside the room. The woman was already under anesthesia, all my tools were set up and ready for me to use. I connected her to a heart-lung bypass machine which will take over the functions of her heart and lungs while I do the surgery.
It took me 14 years to get where I'm at right now, I've received many rewards for my skills. I was put in the headlines of every magazine as the best heart surgeon in the country, which meant I got a lot of people from all over the world.
When they brought in the ice chest with the healthy heart, I wondered whose heart this belonged to. I always wonder, what happened to the person who's given their hearts away. What made them sign up to give away such a valuable part of themselves, did they have a say? Or did their love ones decide it for them?
I picked up the heart as quickly as I could without harming it. I transferred the heart, it was a beautiful moment with a black cloud over it. We celebrated one saved life but we also mourn the one we lost.
"Whose heart was it?" I asked while we were cleaning up our station.
"An 18 year old boy, his life was taken by a drunk driver." My assistant nurse answered. My own heart tightened at the news, such a young innocent child. We continued to clean up our mess but I couldn't push away that thought, was this career right for me, do I want to save lives but while doing so using another person’s death to our own benefits.
Maybe because I've never loved anyone with such a dangerous disease, I've never been put in their situation. I'm always the one behind the table, the one doing the exchange between hearts.
I removed the gown and my gloves, I grabbed my chart and made my way outside to the lobby. I had to inform her family she made it through surgery.
I immediately recognized her family, her mother and father were hugging and talking to their other daughters.
I cleared my throat making my presence aware, they all turned around to face me.
"Your daughter made it through surgery, the heart transplant went by smoothly." I told them, they all exhaled the pit up air they were holding in.
"She's currently in our recovery rooms, you’ll be able to see her once she wakes up."
"Thank you, Dr. Amanda." The mom thanked me while hugging me, I awkwardly placed my arms around her as I gave her head a pat. The dad soon enough joined the hug, I was so uncomfortable.
I'm not a very emotional person, I've never been except with my mother.
The day was over and I could finally go home to the only thing I love, my cat, Kitty. I turned off my office lights and grabbed my coat off the hook, I made sure to untie my hair from the ponytail it was in so I could put on my warm beanie. I made sure everything was locked up and I said bye to a few night nurses.
My shoes shuffled through the thick snow, I inhaled a big gulp of the fresh, crisp air. My nose was red and puffy because of the sudden breeze of cool air, I grabbed my car keys and walked further into the parking lot. I tried opening my car door but my keys fell, I bent down to pick them up when I heard someone heavily breathing behind me.
I whipped around, a blonde women was standing in front of me. My heart was beating so hard against my chest that I held it down with my hand.
"Jesus Christ." I whispered.
"Not quite." The women said in a thick Irish accent, her accent was beautiful but this whole thing felt sketchy.
My fingers played around with my keys, I looked around us to see a black van parked just inches away from us. I held onto my door handle, my fingers were ice cold and felt like they would fall off any second.
"Can I help you?" I asked.
"I called you a few months ago, I wanted a spot for my brother." She murmured while staring angrily at me.
I remember her, the call was very odd. My assistant nurse said that she basically threatened her for a spot. To my understanding she was completely rude disrespectful towards my nurses.
"To my understanding you were completely disrespectful." I said.
"Disrespectful? No, you haven't seen me disrespect anything yet." It was like she was yet again threatening me, my eyes zeroed out on her.
"Is that a threat?" I demanded.
"It's a promise."
I rolled my eyes, I put my key in the slot opening my door. I was about to get in when she shut my door almost catching my fingers while doing so. That was enough, I pushed her on the chest. She stumbled back just a little bit before catching herself, her eyes had a glimmer of aggravation.
"Listen, Dr. Amanda I'm not here to make chitchat, I need a doctor, a really good one. I heard you’re the best in the country."
"I wouldn't say I'm the best, I'd just say I'm really good at my job." I told her.
"My brother has coronary artery, his heart is slowly dying and he needs to see you." Her voice definitely softened when she started to talk about her brother.
I inhaled and exhaled, my process is long. There's no way someone with coronary artery could survive the waiting list. I don't even know how bad it is but I can't squeeze him in, I have hundreds and hundreds of people with heart problems that also need my help.
"My waiting list is long, there's no way that-" I didn't want to say the word survive, it's a brutal, insensitive way to discuss it.
"He'll persevere." I finished my sentence.
"That's what I thought you might say." She pointed her finger up as she nodded her head, her lips fell in a thin line.
Three guys appeared behind her, exiting the van. I took steps back bumping into my car, I tried reaching in my bag for my taser but unfortunately they've already gotten to me. She smiled while making her way to the passenger seat, one of the men stared at me in a daunting way.
"Let go of me, fools." I thrashed around in their arms trying to get free. When I'm nervous, or upset I tend to be aggressive.
My chest was heaving up and down, she gave them a nod causing one of them to place a white cloth over my nose and mouth. I mumbled angrily but before I knew it my eyes were starting to close and my body felt fuzzy. I hazily pushed away one of the men that were holding me down, I tried running but my legs felt like they were sinking in the ground.
"Hudson won't be happy about this." One of the men told her, she shrugged her shoulders.
"She's his last hope."
My eyes completely shut and the world went silent.
