Self-Taught Doctor
Being swarmed with injured as she said was an understatement felt like half the city was here in the infirmary. No sooner as I was finished with one patient, did another take their place. I was in a constant state of trying to address a person's injuries and getting them out of my hospital bed, all the while being paranoid that I've done something wrong, triple checking to see if they were truly fine before dismissing them.
I was working so hard, that I barely noticed hours prior, that the sun had set, and the battle had ended. Not only that, but I long ago lost count how many gunshot victims I had, and how many bullets I had to remove. Furthermore, many doctors would come to me for advice on their current patient if they weren't sure of something, oftentimes needing me to heal a person to free their own bed.
A tap on my shoulder woke me out of my daze, as I looked at the person who tapped me. It was Dr. Christobel, who was wearing a concerned look on her face.
"Are you alright?" She asked me.
I looked down and take my hands off a girl who somehow survived with a gaping hole in her shoulder. Her arm was barely held together by muscle alone, with no bones to support it. She stands up, with her arm totally fine, as if nothing just happened. Thanking me, she rushes off to show the rest of her soldiers that she's fine.
Mentally, I respond to her, but nothing comes out of my mouth as she and several nurses usher me to a hospital bed. Giving me a quick checkup, she concludes that I need rest, immediately. I'm taken to an empty office, with a pillow and a blanket, where I black out.
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A strong hand pushes me and I jolt awake, my head hurting as I look around for the person who disturbed my slumber. Spying S3bastian, I wince as my head falls back to the pillow.
"Rise and shine, Doc, my scans show that if I continue to let you sleep, there will be prolonged physical and mental issues."
Sitting up, he hands me a cup of electrolytes and a plate with food, that I do not feel like eating. But the drink, I down in one go, even though I know I shouldn't. Now that I'm awake, the memories of everyone's emotions that I healed. At some point, I did get overwhelmed with the negative emotions that I felt from everyone. But, it was like I was in autopilot at that point, continuing to do my job while zoning out the pain.
"I take it that we won?" I asked after catching my breath.
"Most definitely. Everyone attributes it to the nonstop soldiers returning to the battle. From what I heard, when Dr. Rose healed you, it made you feel like you could take on the world." He explains.
"So are we going on the offensive like planned?"
"No actually. Unfortunately, all the surrounding cities were getting attacked as well as this one. Since we held, it was reported that all the omnics were being redirected here. So, in a sense, we have to hold this next fight because we're trapped." I roll my eyes at this information because at this point, I'm used to being in a situation like this.
"The other doctors want to speak with you, by the way." And my head drops back to the pillow. I didn't want that headache.
"I'm just going to stay in here until the next battle to avoid them." I tell him.
"Sending them in." He says as he opens the door and the doctors that were sitting outside look up. Seeing me awake, they jump out of their chairs rushing towards me as I think about how much of an asshole, he is.
The doctors all surround me, talking all at once as they question me. I would love to answer their questions as that would be the only way they would leave me alone, but I can't understand a single one.
"EVERYONE QUIET!" One voice shouts over the mess of noise, shutting the rest up.
Dr. Christobel pushes through the crowd of doctors and nurses until she's in front of me. Not sure of what to expect, I stare at her, waiting for her to start.
"I think I'm speaking for practically everyone here in this city when I say... thank you. Your work two days ago was phenomenal. None of us had any idea that you were capable of such.... words can't even describe the feats that you did. Without you, beds wouldn't have been so readily available. Some of us had a few questions for you, if you feel inclined to answering."
Her words take me aback a bit, as I felt as though I could have done a bit better on a lot of things. But here she was with everyone else, making me seem like a miracle worker. For their flattery, I'll answer some of their questions if I deem it worthy.
"Yeah, I try to answer them to the best of my ability." I tell them.
Everyone once again almost starts talking over each other once again, but a side eye from Christobel makes them stop. Looking at each other, an older gentleman nods, so he steps forward.
"A lot of us saw your work. The way you healed them and gave them such vitality afterward is something that no ordinary person can do. Are you human?" He asks.
"Yes, I'm human, I just have certain powers that allow me to perform such actions. And no, I cannot reveal what they are." I address the crowd.
A lot have faces of disappointment, but I don't care for it. If it was a particular method I was using, there was no doubt that they would have stolen it, no questions asked. I see a lot of them also have questions regarding my abilities and on hearing that they would go unanswered, they remain quiet.
A younger female doctor speaks up next, "A lot of the procedures you did were clean and professional, can you at least reveal where you went to school?"
I internally smile as I realize to myself that I never attended one. "I'm actually self-taught."
A lot of the doctors begin to regret having this talk, as they first came greedily looking for ways to improve their own techniques but are now leaving with nothing.
The same alarm that sounded that signaled the first omnic attack sounds, and everyone begins to leave to prepare for the incoming attack. As I too get up to do my job of healing the injured once again, a sudden thought strikes me.
'Did she say two days?'