New beginning

"Dr. Chen! The patient in bay C's father is here and is adamant that his child doesn't need a tracheostomy and he's causing a bit of a scene in the emergency department." The nurse said on the phone, biting her lip in guilt as she spoke loud and clear enough to be understood.

"I'm coming." She replied making a note of the time. 12:15PM

Sighing the woman on the other line, Dr. Lilac Chen (her go to English name) arranged her messed up black hair into a tight bun and slid a transparent neon green theatre cap on her head.

Perching a pair of glasses on her nose hiding her dark eye bags, she smiled as she caressed the photograph on the desk. Two fresh-faced Chinese children with similar features, smiled at the camera showcasing their good looks. Dressed in military uniform, the boy unlike the girl was covered in mud his arms crossed against his chest.

The girl wrapping an arm around his shoulders, displayed the white cuff on her sleeve. A bright red cross showing her identity as a military doctor, her eyes flickering with amusement as she thought about her younger brother.

Stuffing her white coat with her phone and hospital Lanyard, so she doesn't have to beg for help from other people. She slipped out the door humming a happy song, thinking about her brother coming to America for a visit.

Today was her twenty-fifth birthday and she just had to be stuck on-call in the Emergency Department, however it wouldn't be for long because she was allowed to clock out at 13:00 PM. Today was her half-day and she was going to be meeting her brother today for lunch. Yes! Food.

Waltzing comfortably into the Emergency Department, slinging a stethoscope round her neck. She grabbed the patients documents from the front desk, not noticing how other medical staff were taking peeks at her as they tapped away at their pens and fiddled with the patients monitoring.

The thing about Dr. Chen that people couldn't help but be attracted to was, well how much of a good doctor she was. Despite having a pretty face, she was someone who was kind and had a playful personality. However, when shit hits the fan as people like to say her personality does a 180 degree spin.

Like a ferocious leopard,she's someone who's quick to call the shots and really sinks her teeth into the action. Especially with those arrogant surgeons and haughty nurses, she's not someone who easily accepts a loss with her head hanging down.

Flicking through the patients notes she found out that the boy was someone with a rare airborne disease, which eventually results into a loss of airway function. As a result of the airway contracting and swelling to the extent that not even a tube, with the help of more specialised airway equipment could be used. Without the possibility of causing more possible harm to the lungs.

A tracheostomy is the final hope of saving a persons life, but it's not without its disadvantages. Because of the patients disease, he was not only isolated but the people looking after him were kept to a minimum. The result made was that he would be going into theatre, to have the procedure done by the on-call ENT surgeon.

Ignoring the loud shouting and swearing although with a deep frown and narrowed eyes, she went over to wash her hands and wore a disposable plastic apron and mask. Unconsciously causing everyone to hold their breath.

'The patients father is drunk... great.' Looking up and down at the sweaty, rotund man flailing his fists around threateningly. It reminded her of her own father that she had escaped from and fled with her two year old brother.

Banging on the glass door with her foot,she strolled in scaring the other medical staff with the frightening look on her face. Especially with the dark aura that permeated from her.

Moving aside the instrument trolley carefully,to the side of the patients father. She cursed internally as she closed her eyes before opening them and clapping her gloved hands, getting their attention.

"Sir, I'll be frank. You are drunk and affecting our decisions to protect this young child's life." She explained not caring how the man's expressions and colour changed in-between her speech. "As we have told you to leave which you have not done. We'll be calling security to remove you from the premises."

At that point a well dressed Chinese youth, looked around tentatively. His tall and well defined body a vast contrast to the sunny smile on his face. Seeing his sister, he waited patiently out of the way of the glass door. Casually squirting some alcohol gel on his already clean hands. Garnering curious looks as he grabbed a chair.

A medical student who was stood beside her, stood opposite to the drunk man who was gritting his teeth in anger with darting eyes. Glancing at the side he saw the trolley with various equipment displayed on its surface.

Hooking his lips he eyed the cardboard kidney dish and looked at the medical student maliciously, for how she made him feel inferior with her rebuking. Quickly he picked up the disposable scalpel from the trolley and tore off the plastic sheathe, moving quickly he aimed to puncture the bitches fat neck.

However, he didn't anticipate how the doctor would push the woman out of harms way at the last second. Unable to stop mid-run, as she tried to grab his wrist away from her direction. Her grip slipped with the gloves on and it violently pierced into her neck, blood sputtering and oozing on her scrubs and white coat profusely.

Realising what he did, he watched as she looked at him blankly, her face turning pale and sweaty as somebody screamed. People rushing to the room, when she suddenly felt dizzy about to fall.

She was carried out by a familiar face, dripping with tears. It was clear to him as it was to her, no one will survive that kind of injury. The time of saving grace has already gone.

Placing her down onto an empty bed she placed her cold, red fingers on his tear stained face and cupped his face.

Her eyes filled with a mixture of love and sadness as she said in Chinese sloppily. "My sweet brother. The only regret I have is leaving you alone... not being able to attend your wedding."

Forcing her eyes open as much as she could, people still panicking at what they could do. Not realising it was already too late, her eyes looked on soullessly as her hands slipped down his warm cheeks weakly.

She was dead.

'Incompetent bastards! See how I'll haunt you as a ghost goddammit. I'll really wanted to eat that Milk bar chocolate cake.'

***

So I'm dead now huh? No mental struggles, medical smell and frustrating people. Hah.

It feels like I've woken up from a long dream, my head feels incredibly sensitive and painful. At some point the light from this place became too bright for me, so I pried them open-my eyes watering.

It's eerily quiet, I watch the pale blue ceiling blankly light flooding in. The white curtain surrounding my bed, blowing towards the direction of the wind- is there a window open? Hmm I never knew I'd wake up?... in a place similar to an infirmary. Though I'm clearly dead right?

As I take in my surroundings, my senses become more responsive. Eyes widening,taking in all of this new information in silently. Trying not to panic I close my eyes, feeling how my breathing is becoming more difficult.

'What the actual fuck is going on?'

That's when I hear the beeps- those fucking irritating... beeps, the sound increasing as my breathing does. That prominent alcohol smell, wires and cables pressing against my skin. Clenching my right hand feeling a slight tingling sensation- do I have a cannula inserted?

With a trembling hand I push back the duvet, noticing how a scrawny and pale body lays drowned in a hospital gown. Frowning I watch as my chest rises and falls.

'I was never this flat chested in my life.'

Placing two callus free, smooth fingers against my carotid artery feeling a pulse. My frown deepens, trying not to panic as I try to feel for that supposed stab wound.

'What in the name of Amitābha is going on?'

Pushing myself up and struggling, I remove the Oximeter peg off my finger and begin to attempt at removing the various cables attached to me.

Facing my back towards the curtains as I look at the screen, a loud swish of the curtains being pulled back can be heard making me panic inside.

...

The fourteen year old girl with messy blonde hair and rare black- purple eyes, watched with a mixture of confusion and disgust at the doctor. Approaching her steadily hiding a smile, his handsome face watched her sympathetically- Young miss Liu reminding him of a grumpy cat that had been abruptly woken up. Especially with her tufts of ash blonde hair, which were usually carefully combed down her back, stuck up in random places.

Cold eyes watched on cautiously as she adjusted the duvet around her and carefully lifted her cannulated arm, that had been attached to a drip of saline solution.

"So I'm alive?" She asked bluntly, thinking about something whilst assessing the dressing of her cannula.

With a confused look in his brown eyes, Dr. Dennis sat down on a stool with her patient chart.

"I'd like to think because you're talking to me- you're alive. You were pushed and there were signs of brain trauma... but as you can see." Gesturing to there conversation.

"I see." She said coldly. "Then... where the hell am I?"

'I guess it wasn't a dream then? But the real Xiao Zhu died then- she was pushed down the stairs amidst a school fight and she died. How weak is this body?'

"Miss Liu Zhu Hua, you're in the Infirmary of St Patrick's private school in New York." His deep voice attracting her attention.

'When I died I was working at a hospital in LA...'

"I don't remember a god damn thing." She said, her violet eyes shining as she squinted.

Sighing he flicked through her chart and explained softly, "Well it's to be expected you did hurt your head hard... what exactly do you remember?"

Wetting her dry lips she blinked uncomfortably,

"My name."

"Before we jump to conclusions here, let's try to refresh your memory a little." His chocolate brown locks falling in front of his eyes. "Liu Zhu Hua, 15 years of age, a straight A international student at St Patrick's all girls school. Your next of kin is your grandfather, according to school records despite your parents and brother being alive. He's been contacted and will arrive tomorrow at noon." He said with an awkward smile, trying to explain how she was practically an abandoned child that had been dumped here.

Dr. Dennis said a few more awkward words as she looked at him blankly, unable to comprehend the words spoken to her. Even when a nurse came in and began helping her to remove the monitoring to have a shower, she didn't even acknowledge her. The atmosphere around her becoming even more frightening as she thought everything over.

'Why the hell did I get reincarnated? I have a bad temper, I curse as casually as a person drinks water... fuck.' She thought as she sighed, hot water streaming down her aching body soothing her muscles.

'No everything is not so different though. My name, my parents and brother... I guess although they've practically abandoned me. It's good I have nothing to do with them, especially since they have the same face. I really don't want to know them... although my father is as shitty as he was in the past life or perhaps worse?' Considering how this Xiao Zhu was abandoned because not only was she a girl, but born prematurely almost costing her mothers life.

Switching off the shower, she stood nakedly in the cubicle and wiped the water droplets from her face before picking up a towel and rubbing down her waist length hair. Pausing she hung her head low to dry her hair,she saw a curtain of dirty blonde hair and suddenly laughed aloud coldly.

Standing up suddenly she swiped her hand against the misted shower mirror and watched as water droplets mixed with her tears fell down her flushed cheeks. Her heart aching as it pounded in her chest.

She looked coldly at the reflection, a girl with wet dirty blonde hair and striking violet eyes. Bright and full red lips that trembled as she tried not to make a sound. Her features were almost the same as her past life's, minus the hair and eyes. She was also a little taller than she was as an adult and a complete washboard.

Clicking her teeth she rolled her eyes,flashes of purple light gleaming maliciously. Wrapping a towel over her body she smiled sarcastically in the mirror making a v sign with her fingers.

'Premature...baby.'

She internally scoffed trying to conceal her vulnerability, tears quietly falling as she changed into a clean nightgown two sizes too big.