Community Service
Krystal Jung; Class 2B
Assignment: Candy Stripe
Location: Willow Brook Hospital
Hours: Sat-Sun; 11:00am-4:30pm

Krystal Jung stared down at the sheet of paper in her hand with mild annoyance clouding her eyes.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” She said out loud, earning snickers from several students around her. She looked up, sending a glare to all of them before turning her attention to the front of the classroom where the teacher stood at the podium.

“Mrs. Cho? Is there any way that we can get our community service assignments changed? This hospital is too far away from my house, and my parents work so they won’t be able to drive me,” She called out, a pretty smile gracing her delicate features.

The class was silent, and all eyes were on her. Everyone knew that Krystal Jung got what Krystal Jung wanted; she had a way of naturally getting people to bend to her every will. But much to the shock of her peers, and the displeasure of Krystal herself, Mrs. Cho merely smiled and shook her head no.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to find a way, Ms. Jung. Might I suggest the bus or subway station?”

Krystal huffed loudly and crossed her arms tersely; and the classed laughed joyously; because it was common knowledge that Princess Krystal had just gotten a brand new, red convertible for her sweet sixteen, and she bragged about it every chance that she got.

“What am I even supposed to do at a hospital? Is that even legal to send underage students there, when there are all sorts of diseases in the air?” Krystal continued on, her voice unwavering.

 “That’s enough, Ms. Jung. Class, remember you must log forty hours of community service to pass this semester. This counts for thirty percent of your final grade, and since most of you are – “

Krystal stopped listening and glared at the top of her desk.

This just wasn’t fair.

When Saturday morning arrived, Krystal found herself standing in front of Willow Brook hospital with a less than pleased expression on her face. At sixteen, the young lady wanted to spend her weekends shopping at the mall and hanging out with her friends; not visiting the ill citizens at the local hospital. She could only remember a handful of times that she had ever been to the large building; the first was when she’d broken her wrist while rollerblading when she was nine, and the second being when her cousin had given birth two years ago.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh, spring air, Krystal nodded her head and began to descend towards the main entrance, keenly moving to the opposite side of the pavement when a nurse rolled out a young man in a wheelchair.

Maybe that’s the sort of thing that I’ll have to do, just take the patients outside for some fresh air. That doesn’t seem too bad, and at least there’s cell phone service here, she thought, trying to keep her outlook positive.

Because at least at the end of the day she got to go home, back to her family and to her nice house; everyone here was trapped within the walls for one reason or another.

Stepping inside, the first thing that Krystal noticed was the scent.

It smelled like sick people and the overall hospital whiff of medicines, antiseptic, and plastic; she crinkled her nose at it as she walked towards the help and information desk.

“May I help you, dear?” said the lady sitting behind the computer desk.

Krystal nodded swiftly and forced out a fake smile.

“Yes, my name is Krystal Jung and I was assigned to this hospital for my sophomore community service hours. I’m not quite sure who I’m supposed to speak to about my assignment,” She said in a sweet voice.

“Krystal Jung? Yes, one moment please,” The lady said, turning her attention to the computer.

As she typed away, Krystal slowly glanced around the main lobby of the hospital, taking note of everyone that was walking around. There were a few adults lingering around the gift shopping, and a couple of nurses that were chatting like old friends as they walked towards one of the hallways. But what she could only see were the three young people sitting in wheelchairs by the front doors, each dressed either in a hospital gown or some sort of personal sleepwear.

“Ah, Krystal Jung, from Kyunghee High School. Head down the first hall here and then look for room 108A.”

“Thank you,” Krystal answered, giving one final smile before she turned and walked away.

There was no turning back now.

“You look like you’re about to cry.”

Krystal looked up from where she was leaning against the wall in the woman’s restroom. In her crossed arms was a red scrub shirt; her new “uniform” that she was supposed to wear every time she came for service. It was so the doctors knew that she had permission to be wondering the halls, and the patients would know that she was someone that could be trusted. But it wasn’t the ugly shirt that had Krystal teary eyed, but where she would have to wear it.

“The stupid director…this isn’t community service, it’s hell,” She spit out, clenching her teeth to keep from crying.

“I take it you got stationed in the cancer ward? All the candy stripes cry, so don’t feel bad. Besides, the doctor’s here are great, from what I’ve heard. Almost all those patients come in and out. They’ll be okay, I think.”

Krystal glared at the girl in front of her.

“I’d rather be stationed with a bunch of physically ill people! Because at least they will get better, and there’s medicine to make them better! You’re lucky. I got stuck with the crazies in the loony bin!” She ranted, flicking the hair out of her face. “I mean look at us, we’re young and free! We shouldn’t be forced to mingle with people in places like this! Whatever is in the air, it could be catching.”

There was a pause of silence, and the girl shrugged her shoulder before answering.

“I suppose so. I have to get back now, but I’ll see you around, Krystal Jung.”

Krystal’s eyes widened slightly as she stared at the retreating girl.

“I never told you my name…”

The girl giggled, her tingling laugh sending chills up Krystal’s spine, and turned to point at the bundled shirt in Krystal’s arms.

“Your name tag is showing, silly.”

The First Weekend

Krystal sighed as she sat in the playroom with a little boy named Pierce, who had not said a single word in the two hours they’d been coloring. Eight year old Pierce who did not speak was her charge, her forty hours of community service. All she had to do was read him stories and draw with crayons, maybe teach him a song or two, and that was it. She could handle that, he was an easy little boy; but it was boring.

“Don’t you want to go outside and play?” Krystal asked eventually, staring longingly out the window. At least if they were outside, there wouldn’t be any overseeing doctors or nurses and she could take out her phone and text.

“Didn’t the doctor tell you? Pierce doesn’t speak; he’s a selective mute.”

Krystal looked over at the doorway and saw the girl from the bathroom.

“I thought you were in the cancer ward? Whatever, I could use some company. Why doesn’t the kid talk?” Krystal said, beckoning her over to sit on the floor next to them.

“I just told you; he’s a selective mute. It’s on the autism spectrum. He doesn’t even acknowledge his own mother, but sometimes he’ll speak with me.”

“What’s your name, anyway?” Krystal asked suddenly, realizing that she didn’t even know the girl’s name.

“It’s Sulli,” She, Sulli, answered with an amused smile.

“Oh, hey. So how long are you stuck here until?” Krystal pressed on, knowing that there were a few other candy stripe girls from different high schools here as well. She’d had lunch with two of them earlier, and much to her pleasure they’d gotten worse assignments than she had.

Sulli shrugged her shoulders and reached for a piece of paper and the purple crayon.

“I’m here until they decide I can leave. Unlike you, I’m not here for a school assignment, but as a punishment,” She answered bitterly, drawing a purple square.

“That like, seriously ! What did you do?” Krystal queried curiously, desperate for any form of gossip. She placed her elbow on the table and leaned against it, watching Sulli in fascination.

Sulli tilted her head to the side, letting her long caramel colored hair fall against the table as she stared at the multi-colored crayons scattered across the surface.

“Well,” She began slowly, mindlessly drawing squiggles on her paper. “I got in an argument with a dear friend of mine and in the end she got hurt. Instead of going to a juvenile detention hall, my lawyer got my sentenced reduced to this place.”

Krystal laughed at the absurdity of the explanation.

“Wow, that’s really crazy. You don’t look like the type of girl who would get in trouble though,” She said with a grin.

At this, Sulli’s eyes lit up and a wide smile spread across her face, showing off her two perfect dimples.

“Thanks, Krystal! You don’t look like the type of girl that would be stuck inside babysitting children. Maybe when we have free time we can go down to the little stream behind the hospital. It’s really pretty out there,” She said, her smile still in place. “Isn’t it, Pierce?”

“Yes.”

Krystal’s eyes widened and she looked at the little boy in shock.

“Oh my, God! You just got Pierce to speak!” She exclaimed, astonished. Scooting closer to Piece, she placed her hand on his shoulder and said, “Will you talk again? I want to hear your voice.”

Sulli giggled and stood up, brushing off her knees.

“I have to go now. See you next time, Krystal.”

The Second Weekend

Krystal shut the door to the small locker in the woman’s dressing room at Willow Brook Hospital, securing her purse and jacket behind the metal door. Sighing heavily, she sat down on the bench between the rows of lockers, and closed her eyes. Spending the next four hours with Pierce was the last thing she wanted to do today. Her abdomen was cramping with the upcoming menstrual cycle that was due any day now, and her mood was half an inch towards being cranky.

It’s just four hours of sitting and watching him color. You can do this, Krystal encouraged herself. In all honesty, but not that she would ever admit this to anyone, this wasn’t turning out as horrid as she’d thought it would. When she’d first read the word candy stripe and hospital, her initial picture of it had been spoon feeding sickly people on their deathbed. But instead, she got a silent boy that was hardly any trouble.

“Did you hear that one of the wards in the psychiatric hall bit a doctor last night?”

Krystal lifted her head slightly, and glanced near the end of the locker row where she could see two shadows.

“I only have one guess who that was. You’d think with patients like her they would just send away to a sanitarium. She’s never going to get better; her mind is completely lost.”

Frowning slightly, Krystal stood and quietly exited the room.

Gosh, I’m glad I didn’t get assigned to a crazy like that girl. Biting a doctor? Thank goodness Pierce is a good kid, she thought, shaking her head in disbelief.

Upon arriving at the psychiatric ward, Krystal showed her I.D card to the registering nurse at the desk and waited for a moment while the door was automatically unlocked for her to enter through. She walked the few feet to the end of the hallway and stepping inside the playroom, she found Pierce sitting on the couch playing with two Ninja Turtle action figures.

“Hey, Pierce! Whatcha got there?” She greeted in the brightest voice she could muster through the agonizing pain in her lower stomach. She perched next to him and smiled continuously, knowing there would be no answer today.

Except, there was.

“I got toys from my sister,” Pierce whispered, not once looking up from his play things.

Krystal was just as shocked as she was the other week when he’d spoken, but something inside of her said not to make a big fuss