A Host of Shadows by Shannon Harry

Author:Shannon, Harry [Shannon, Harry]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dark Regions Press
Published: 2010-10-12T04:30:00+00:00

_______________

“The memory of the just is blessed;

But the name of the wicked shall rot”

—Proverbs 10:7

Night Nurse

Bud was speeding down the Hollywood Freeway in the fast lane when the pain came. He knew what it was the second he felt it, a sharp blow to the solar plexus, quick as the kick of a mule. His upper gut contracted into a burning fist that wouldn’t, couldn’t relax. He groaned, doubled over, took his foot off the gas. The asshole behind him leaned on the horn. In agony, Bud managed to hit the turn signal. He forced himself to sit up a bit, checked the rearview mirror. Fortunately there was room in the lanes to his right. Everyone in LA was rushing to get home before dark.

Bud had already been hospitalized for stomach pain earlier that month, and the gastro guy assigned to him—a nice Indian fellow with a lilting accent and an irreverent attitude—suspected he’d passed a stone. Since the guy couldn’t prove it, they called it acute gastritis and sent him home.

Bud pulled off the freeway and headed for the same hospital, wondering if he’d throw up or pass out before reaching the ER. A friend had told Bud that this condition was kind of like having a baby, but worse. Maybe she was right.

Damn it to hell…

Sunset was an ugly orange and red smear of smog when Bud reached the hospital, pulled into the parking lot, found a space. He opened the door and promptly barfed on the pavement. Two PAs were outside smoking cigarettes. One sprinted for a wheelchair and the other rushed to Bud’s car. Bud realized he was shivering now, sweating up a storm. His shirt was soaked through, even his underwear felt damp. He was clearly running a high fever. The two men got him into a wheelchair, raced him across the pavement and through the sliding glass doors. The shopworn ER was packed, primarily with flu sufferers, many of them poor and likely uninsured. The walls were ogre green. The room smelled like a cattle car. Bud’s stomach rolled over, but there was nothing left to expel.

The PAs wheeled him to Admissions. The overweight female behind the desk appeared indifferent, or perhaps just burned out.

“I think it’s my gall bladder,” Bud wheezed. He gave his name, let them know he’d been in the hospital only a couple of weeks prior for the same condition. He told the woman that this experience was worse, far worse, than the last attack. She pulled his file, found the necessary insurance information. A male nurse, some kid festooned with tattoos, was asking a lot of questions. Bud heard himself answering as if from another dimension. His fever was rising steadily. He was drenched. Concerned about a heart attack, the overworked staff rushed him down the hall and onto a gurney. IVs were inserted, a blood pressure cuff attached. A balding man in white came in, scanned the file, ordered drugs and mentioned scheduling surgery once the fever had gone down.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.