The Winter Clock

CHAPTER 8 – SAH

Reaching the T.H., Reina, and Ryther directly went to Mr. A’s office wearing their hospital uniforms.

“Sir, I thought it’s a mission? Why did you choose to meet here instead of the Head Quarters?” Ryther asked as soon as he opened the door.

“Won’t you greet me first? Young ones these days. Tsk.” Mr. A murmured, shaking his head.

“Sir, good evening. Now, tell us the reason.” Reina said, hiding behind Ryther. Losing all this hope, Mr. A sighed in distress and shook his head.

“I want to give you the mission, but since the other team completed their mission early, I gave it to them.” Reina was about to react, but Mr. A motioned his hand to stop her. “The mission regarding that psycho-finger-cutter was the hardest case our agency is solving by now. Therefore, since it was assigned to you as the Head, I decided to refrain from giving you other missions for you to focus. Aside from that….” Mr. A glanced at his phone and wristwatch, then nodded his head. “The son of the Head of a disciplinary school will come here in five minutes. He was involved in an accident due to drunk driving so prepare yourselves now. Go.”

Ryther and Reina exchanged glances with a frown. “Go!” They flinched and hurriedly left the office. As Mr. A said, the ambulance’s sirens echo throughout the whole Emergency Room. Reina and some nurses hurriedly assisted the paramedics who were assigned to the young men whose head was bleeding heavily. Ryther, on the other hand, assisted the young man’s parents, who were panicking.

“Status?” Reina asked and opened the young man’s eyes, then studied his pupils.

“Critical.” The paramedics replied. Reina’s eyes widened when she saw that the young man’s pupils were dilated. “There’s a problem with his brain, isn’t it?” The paramedics asked anxiously, and Reina slowly nodded her head, biting her lower lips.

“SAH,” She whispered and checked the young man’s forehead. She then felt her heart sting as she saw the numbers present. Three hours left. Her eyes quickly transferred from the young man to Ryther, who looked at her anxiously, and she slowly shook her head.

“What’s the case?” Vander asked upon reaching the Emergency Room.

“Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,” Reina replied sadly as the sound of the ticking of the clock echoed through her ears. “Doctor, please take over by now. I need to talk to the parents.” She said, and Vander quickly moved.

Upon reaching the waiting area with Ryther, Reina’s eyes fell on the crying couples. Seeing her and her blood-stained uniform, the two middle-aged couple stood.

“H-How is our son?” The man asked, full of anxiousness. Reina hesitated but managed to muster her courage.

“Sir…” She started and crumpled her fist. “Your child’s in a very critical condition.”

With her words, the woman broke down and sobbed loudly. “Shh. Honey, please, compose yourself.” The man said, trying hard to control his own voice. “Please go straight to the point, doctor.” The man said firmly. Reina took a deep breath. She cannot tell them that their child has only three hours left.

“Your child is brain-dead. He is not breathing on his own and has no brainstem reflexes.” She explained, making the man frozen on his spot.

“I-If you will undergo an operation? Will he be able to survive? We are willing to pay no matter how much it will cost just please… please save our only child.” The woman pleaded. Her voice was so broken that Reina’s tears started to form. Ryther saw her reaction, so he squeezed her hand.

“Ma’am, as what my co-doctor said, your child’s in critical condition-“

“Waiver!” The man shouted. “We are willing to sign a waiver. Just do it. Though it’s risky, one percent change is still a chance, so Doctor, please… I’m begging you-“

“If,” Reina cut the man. “If tonight is his last night, what will you say to him? I will prepare the waiver now, so while I am preparing it, please tell your son everything you want to say to him for you not to have any regrets.” Reina said firmly. “Please excuse me.” She said and turned her back from them. Only then did her tears fall on their own.

After the waiver was signed and the parents said their message to their only child, the team started the risky operation. Reina checked the young man’s forehead again. One hour left. She sighed deeply.

“Don’t be like that, Dr. Rein. You’re making me nervous here.” Vander said, trying hard to lift the mood, but it was no use.

“Sorry, Dr. Vander, I just don’t feel confident now.” It was a lie. It’s not about confidence because Reina completely knew what would happen.

“You told us to be confident in all we do, right? Because no confidence means failure.” Ryther bump in. “So do what you have to do.”

Reina nodded and checked the vitals. “All set.” With that, the war started. A war that Reina completely knew the result.

When the operation was ongoing, the young man’s heartbeat stopped. Vander was alarmed, but Reina was completely calm.

“Cardiac Arrest! Defibrillator!” Vander shouted, and the nurse assigned took the defibrillator. “150 joules, clear!” Vander shouted, and Ryther shocked the young man, but it was no use. Vander pumped the young man’s chest up and down. “200 joules, clear!”

Ryther shocked the young men, but again, there was no use. When they reached the 300 joules, Vander glanced at Reina, whose eyes were expressionless. Only then did he stop. Ryther stopped as well. Vander then clenched his jaw tightly and watched the Holter Monitor. His tear dropped when he saw the straight line. He then glanced at the wall clock and announced the young man’s time of death.

“Table death.” Reina whispered.

Reina felt her cheeks stung, and the woman’s palm felt hot. Ryther covered Reina and Vander held the woman’s hand. “Ma’am, please stop.” Vander said with a warning tone but stopped when the man pulled a pistol from his inside pocket.

“How dare you!” The man shouted and clicked the trigger, but Ryther pulled Vander down. Reina quickly shifted her position. The man clicked the trigger multiple times again and hit Reina’s shoulder. The man’s wife covered her ears and crawled on the floor. Knowing this might happen, Reina took the scalpel that she brought with her and threw it at the man’s hand, and kicked the gun. Ryther saw the opening, so he quickly grasped the man’s hand and pulled it to his back. Then Ryther used his knee to lock the man on the floor. The gun that flew dropped on the floor, and Mr. A stepped his feet to it.

“What the hell is going on here?!” He shouted, causing everyone to look at him. Vander, who was trembling on the floor, fixed his glasses and forced himself to stand straight, but his knees were still trembling. Mr. A motioned his hand, so Vander let himself drop on the floor. The couple sobbed loudly. After some time, the police officers came.

“Murderers!” The man spat at Reina when the police officers cuffed his hands. “I never should have trusted my son to you, you killers! Gold diggers!” He shouted again as two police officers managed to hold him. Reina remained calm. The police motioned to take the couples, but Reina stopped them.

“Sir, I know I’m stepping out of the line, but let me say this.” Everyone’s attention focused on her. “You are a Head of a disciplinary school, yet you failed to discipline your own child? If he did not drink ad drive under the influence of alcohol, this might never happen. Our responsibility as surgeons is to do the best and correct ways to save our patients. Your responsibility as parents is to train your child in the way that they should go so that when they grow up, they will not turn away from it. Your child’s responsibility is to follow the right teachings. What happened to him is the consequence of his or your own actions. Therefore, don’t put the blame on us, Sir.” She said firmly. "You were the one who begged us to operate him. You were the one who offered the waiver and said you'll pay. So why are you accusing us as gold diggers? Go on and go with the police. Don't bother to pay us anymore."

The couple stopped and analyzed her words. “I hope you reflect your actions. Be happy you had a chance to talk to him before he left.” Reina said and Mr. A signed the police officers to take the couple away.

~ It is our responsibility as the older ones to train up the child in the right way that they should go so that even when they are old, they will not depart from the RIGHT teachings. ~