Page 6 of A Whisper of Cinders

I wave her goodbye and walk to the medical wing, curious to see what today might bring.

CHAPTER THREE

The medical wing takes up the ground floor on the building’s right and it’s only a short walk before the familiar sting of disinfectant fills my nose.

The old lamps overhead cast a warm, golden glow across the white floor. It reminds me of the sun in my dream, soft and golden, shining down on me, while the echo of that male voice lingers in the back of my mind.

I walk into the infirmary and almost bump into Doctor Herbert. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

She shakes her head, giving me a gentle smile. “No little dove, do not worry. Our minds can sometimes wander to faraway places and we should let them.”

Another reason why I love helping here, Doctor Herbert is so kind and caring. She might be one of my favourite people here, second to Amira of course.

She seems somewhere in her late twenties, maybe early thirties. Her platinum hair, swept into a high ponytail, stands in bold contrast to the deep, reddish-brown warmth of her mahogany skin.

I honestly have no idea why she decided to work here. I’ve asked her once before, and she said she felt a calling while passing by during a trip a couple of years ago, one she couldn’t ignore.

“I’ll check if I need to replenish any medical supplies.”

“Thank you. I’ll call when I need you.”

In the infirmary, there are three units separated by thick walls, each with an examination table and a locked medical cabinet. There have been moments where a needle or a pair of scissors went missing, only for someone to end up with a stab wound days later.

Keeping everything locked up is a wise, safe and much needed decision. After I’ve entered the code that changes every couple of hours, I take the keys out of the locked up safe and walk to room number one. I make a list of everything that needs to be replenished and grab what I need in the storage room across the hall.

Pounding feet echo against the walls, right when I’ve gathered the supplies. Another escapee? It wouldn’t surprise me. Who wouldn’t want to run —

A scream covered in fear shatters the quiet. I drop my supplies and rush into the hallway, seeing Doctor Herbert already on her knees next to someone.

“Maily, get me some gauze, now!”

I don’t think, I just run into the infirmary and grab as much gauze as I can carry before hurrying back to Doctor Herbert. The sharp, metallic sting of blood fills my nose.

Oh, this can’t be good.

“What happened?”

Blood oozes from between her fingers that are pressed against the neck of the girl. I place the gauze across her red hands and apply pressure, the Doctor's hand quickly retreating.

“I am not sure… Can you handle this?”

I nod and focus my gaze on the girl's face. She is around fourteen years old, her skin quickly losing its colour. She’s not going to make it. This amount of blood in such a short time can only mean something vital is hit.

Big brown eyes meet mine, wide with fear, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

“You’re okay, love,” I murmur, even though we both know it’s a false reassurance.

“I don’t want to die,” the girl whispers, her voice cracking.

I stroke her blonde hair that is already sticky with blood whilst I keep applying pressure to her wound. “I know, it’s okay,” I whisper again. “I’m here, you’re safe now. Rest.”

She closes her eyes and without the blood, one would think she is asleep. It’s then it hits me. I know why she looks so familiar, she is the girl from yesterday, the one that tried to escape.

She will leave this place, just not in the way she wanted to.

It breaks my heart. I move closer to her, placing her head on my lap.

“I visited the most beautiful place last night. Would you like to hear about it?” She manages a small nod, barely noticeable. “I was in a meadow full of wildflowers and huge trees, their branches reaching high into the blue sky. The sun was shining down on me, the rays giving me energy. You could smell how pure the nature was there. Even the animals could talk, they were discussing the most interesting gossip and stories.”