Late Night at the Hospital
Apr. 11th, 2015 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gregorioThe doctor who padded down the hallway from a lounge towards the pediatrics wing looked nothing at all like any of the doctors on staff. His long hair was pulled neatly back into a ponytail. The white lab coat was new, as was the nametag on it, proclaiming him to be "Doctor D'Ambrosio". The ID pinned to his coat proclaimed him to be a doctor from the Alberici Group research center in Venice, Italy. It was late and most of the children were asleep, but he stopped at one particular door and smiled it its occupant.
"Clara, you should be sleeping." Gregorio's English was good, but his Italian accent was strong, and she smiled at him wanly, as she usually did.
She sat up in bed, reading a book. Harry Potter, the title said. He smiled. When Gregorio had learned it was one of her favorites, but she didn't have them in the hospital, he'd bought them for her to read. She was more tired today, he noted, but she still sighed at him. "I can't sleep, I've tried. I'm too restless." Her arms bore fading marks from when she'd been more energetic, clawing at herself when she couldn't move around. Her neck was dotted with strange marks that most of the doctors thought were needle marks. The race was on to identify the poison she was given and save her life.
Gregorio knew the truth, that a vampire had been using her to feed upon and the only reason she'd been spared worse was because her parents grew alarmed and demanded their doctor do something for her. He cupped her cheek in one of his cold hands. "Shall I sing you to sleep again?"
She laid her book down, but bowed her head. A tear fell down her cheek to the blanket. "What's the point?"
"Bella." His nickname for her, spoken in a reproachful, cajoling tone, made her look up at him. He stroked her hair back from her face. "We always fight, even when it seems hopeless. I've seen your results. You feel worse, but I think you're going to get better soon."
"But...they don't even know what's wrong with me." She sniffed, and Gregorio reached behind him to hand her a kleenex.
Gregorio smiled. "Trust me, bella. You'll be back home in no time. But you do need rest." He reached over to close her book and set it carefully with the others, then held her hands in his. His singing was more of a chant, in a language that was neither Italian nor English. For a moment, her skin shone with health, even as her eyes closed and she surrendered to sleep. As long as he continued to chant, she appeared perfectly healthy. His voice faded away after a few minutes, when he was sure she was asleep, and he turned to leave the room.
And nearly smacked straight into one of the hospital staff. He bowed his head. "Ah, sorry. I was just checking on her."
"Clara, you should be sleeping." Gregorio's English was good, but his Italian accent was strong, and she smiled at him wanly, as she usually did.
She sat up in bed, reading a book. Harry Potter, the title said. He smiled. When Gregorio had learned it was one of her favorites, but she didn't have them in the hospital, he'd bought them for her to read. She was more tired today, he noted, but she still sighed at him. "I can't sleep, I've tried. I'm too restless." Her arms bore fading marks from when she'd been more energetic, clawing at herself when she couldn't move around. Her neck was dotted with strange marks that most of the doctors thought were needle marks. The race was on to identify the poison she was given and save her life.
Gregorio knew the truth, that a vampire had been using her to feed upon and the only reason she'd been spared worse was because her parents grew alarmed and demanded their doctor do something for her. He cupped her cheek in one of his cold hands. "Shall I sing you to sleep again?"
She laid her book down, but bowed her head. A tear fell down her cheek to the blanket. "What's the point?"
"Bella." His nickname for her, spoken in a reproachful, cajoling tone, made her look up at him. He stroked her hair back from her face. "We always fight, even when it seems hopeless. I've seen your results. You feel worse, but I think you're going to get better soon."
"But...they don't even know what's wrong with me." She sniffed, and Gregorio reached behind him to hand her a kleenex.
Gregorio smiled. "Trust me, bella. You'll be back home in no time. But you do need rest." He reached over to close her book and set it carefully with the others, then held her hands in his. His singing was more of a chant, in a language that was neither Italian nor English. For a moment, her skin shone with health, even as her eyes closed and she surrendered to sleep. As long as he continued to chant, she appeared perfectly healthy. His voice faded away after a few minutes, when he was sure she was asleep, and he turned to leave the room.
And nearly smacked straight into one of the hospital staff. He bowed his head. "Ah, sorry. I was just checking on her."
no subject
Date: 2015-07-01 11:25 pm (UTC)Shaking her head, she breathed out a sigh of frustration. "I had to speak to a couple of the day nurses. Because of where the poison was injected, and the fact that there were two injection sites, they suggested getting silver crosses and giving Clara garlic tablets of all things." Dr Nuttal met her fellow doctor's eyes for a moment, shrugging before she turned away.
"I had to put an end to that kind of talk. It was neither professional, nor conducive to a healing, helpful atmosphere." Her voice had hardened as Anika spoke. Besides, she privately said to herself. She'd met vampires before, the real thing and not some hollywood construct. They had almost killed her when they overran her hospital back in California. Vampires were raging, near-mindless beasts that ripped throats out; they did not leave delicate little holes in their victims' necks.
no subject
Date: 2015-07-01 11:42 pm (UTC)"The cross would probably just distress her unnecessarily until she's fully healed. No child likes to find herself on the wrong side of God. Children have so much more faith than adults."
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Date: 2015-07-02 04:43 pm (UTC)Her writing stopped, her hand still as AnikaAmadi attempted to make sense of those words he'd just uttered. Was this some sort of joke? Was there a problem in the translation of words between Italian and English? Her mind seized on the first thing she could think of.
"Her parents are agnostic, so I really doubt that she's made that sort of connection between the cross and god." Deliberately Anika put the pen down, sliding her hand under the desk as she raised her head up to the neatly dressed, highly articulate doctor standing in the office with her. He wasn't joking. There was nothing humorous showing through his - were they red? - eyes.
Anika chose her next words very, very carefully. "That doesn't mean that the cross, or other symbols of faith won't work, however. Does it fall under the label of 'god believes in you even if you don't believe in god?"
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Date: 2015-07-02 05:20 pm (UTC)"I am truly a doctor, Dr. Nuttal. I mean you no harm. I could use your help. One of our kind was slowly poisoning Clara, feeding on her a little at a time. There may be others who haven't come to my attention yet. I need to track the vampire down before this gets out of control."