The Immediate Future

The nurses’ station was pretty quiet at 11 in the evening. Nurse Lee Yoon-Ah knew she should be grateful—the peace, despite the odd timing, was something her floor rarely experienced during her stay.

Finally, she thought, I get time to myself.

The sound of the emergency room opening to her ward, however, burst her bubble. The rush of footsteps, squeaky wheels, and urgent cries indicated break time was over—not for Nurse Lee, at least. But still, she gets to see everything first hand.

Everything happened so fast but given the years she’s worked in the hospital, her quick eye caught every detail of the scene.

A team of five doctors and three nurses were rushing a stretcher from the emergency room; one of the doctors was on top of the patient, attempting rigorous CPR. Judging from their urgent chatter, the patient was a victim of a crash.

The hand limply hanging from the stretcher, dripping in blood, was enough to describe the extent of the damage.  

Nurse Lee’s chest tightened. She was never a big fan of these instances but as a nurse, she had no choice but to witness it every day.

The tragic scene had come to pass as the group rushed towards the nearby operating room. The entire rush was so overwhelming, the humble nurse almost missed the person trailing behind—drenched in blood, sweat, and tears.

She said nothing but one look at her said it all.

Another nurse told the woman to stay put and that they will take care of the patient. She made no sound or words at all; she just stood there. The woman was still in shock.

Nurse Lee found herself approaching the young woman.

“…you need some medication,” her co-nurse Kwon Hee-Jin was saying, “Hello? Miss?”

The woman failed to respond; her eyes were still dead straight at the operating room’s door. Hee-Jin looked at Yoon-Ah, beseeching her for help.

“Hee-Jinah, go and help them inside,” she told her fellow nurse, “I’ll take care of her.”

Nurse Kwon nodded and patted the girl’s shaking shoulders before running inside the operating room, leaving Yoon-Ah with the speechless young woman.

Her years in the hospital introduced her to various faces of grief; this young woman’s was no different, albeit it was a silent one. Her face (which might have been lovely without the blood) was paler than the snow and her round eyes showed dilated pupils. She was trembling, probably suppressing the urge to cry again.

Yoon-Ah held the young woman’s shoulders.

The latter then looked at her. It was then Nurse Lee saw a better view of her bloodshot eyes.

“You’ll be okay,” she said, even if she was unsure of what lies behind the operating room.

The girl’s trembling worsened.

Eventually, she broke down.

The nurse had to support the young woman who broke down on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably while reaching for the room ahead of her. Her hands touched the blood stains on the floor.

“I’m sorry…” she cried, “I’m so…sorry…”

And then she fainted.

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A/N: I don't usually put author's note on interludes, but I figured you might want one. As always, the Interlude is connected to the first Interlude and the Foreword. If you've watched How To Get Away with Murder, you'd know how that works.

Again, I ask: do you trust me? 

I hope you do.