“Are you sure? Without anesthesia?” Erwin was in doubt.
“Please do it, Janette needs our help before the sun sets,” Steve replied as she looked on Janette who was sleeping.
Erwin sliced the skin then Steve cried in pain. He asked Erwin to hold his right arm and open it gently then he saw the bullet. Using his other hand, he pulled it out with the tweezers and Steve howled in pain again. Steve was breathing hard and immediately instructed Erwin to wrap his wound with gauze and reminded him to put pressure on it.
“Are you alright?” Erwin asked.
“Yea, let’s go. Please help me save Janette.” Steve answered, and they both stood up. Janette was already sleeping because of weakness. Steve thought that it was best not to wake her up, so she won’t feel the pain. They moved the operating bed to the sunlight which was already near the door. The sun was setting, and the light turned into yellow-orange.
Steve quickly pushed Janette, so she’s lying on her front. Then he checked Janette’s wound on the back of her shoulders. The bullet wasn’t that deep, but the shockwave sent trauma that shut her brain for days. Steve was still feeling the pain in his open wound, but he pushed himself to do the surgery.
“We’ll do the same. Could you hold Janette in that position while giving me an extra hand?” Steve asked, and Erwin agreed. Then Steve sliced Janette’s skin, but she suddenly woke up in pain.
“Shhh. It’s Steve. Please bear the pain, and try to be still.” Steve said as he cupped Janette’s face. He continued slicing then he slightly opened the wound and saw the first bullet. Steve pulled it with tweezers, as Janette yelled in pain then Erwin tried to hold her position. The second shot was farther than the first but on the same location. Steve had to cut another layer of the tissue to remove the bullet. It was difficult to see the second one as blood was already flowing, but Steve immediately pulled it and asked Erwin to wrap the wound because his other arm can’t give enough pressure.
“Let’s move out of here. I know a place.” Erwin suggested, and they left the Surgery Center.
It was already evening when they moved Janette to one of the recovery rooms on the third floor of the West Building. It’s been Erwin’s new hideout. There were a few bottled water and canned foods on the table, his remaining supplies. They were both standing behind the door while talking. Steve mentioned everything that has happened to him and his group. When they met the intruders at the parking area, he played dead when one of them shot him in the arm. The intruders’ attention diverted when Joseph drove his car. Steve chose to continue pretending because he wanted to find Janette’s body. The other survivors forgot about him and followed Joseph afterward. Steve stayed in the parking lot for a day then searched inside the hospital, but he didn’t find Janette because she hid behind the big garbage metal dump. Then his wound started to make him weak, so he decided to go to the Surgery Center with the hope that there are tools that can save him.Erwin also told his story of how he survived. He was so afraid to fight for his life, so stayed inside the hospital then moved from one place to another.
“By the way. I haven’t thanked you yet for bringing Janette in here. And I’m Doctor Steve.” Steve said and offered his hand.
“I’m Erwin. I work here as a janitor.” Erwin replied, and they shake their hands.
“So what’s your plan?” Steve asked again.
“I want to get out of here,” Erwin replied.
“Likewise. Do you have a family?”
“They’re all dead.” Erwin is in his mid-twenties. He didn’t finish his education because his parents died, so he decided to work to live. Steve recognized the similarities between him and Erwin that’s why they got along well. They apologized for beating one another earlier.
“Why did you carry a gun without a bullet?” Erwin asked Steve sarcastically.
“It was for protection. You know, to threaten people. Unfortunately, you weren’t scared. You hit me hard, by the way.” Steve answered, and they both laughed.
“Both of you are too loud,” Janette spoke in a muffled voice then Steve hurried to her side.
“How are you feeling?” Steve asked full of concern.
“I’m fine. Thanks to the both of you.” Janette smiled at Steve and Erwin.
Nurse Janette introduced herself to Erwin, and Erwin did the same. She asked why Steve wasn’t on the farm, and he told her everything that had happened in the parking area and went after her. Nurse Janette blushed while Steve smiled back at her.
“Okay, enough with your love story. What’s the plan?” Erwin asked awkwardly.
“First, we get out of here. Then we follow Joseph and others to their farm.” Steve suggested.
“How do we get out of here?” Nurse Janette asked.
“Through this.” Steve showed the remaining two-way radio that his group gathered before. Steve and Erwin started to search for channels on the radio, and they requested for help, but there was no response on their first try. After attempting several times, a man finally answered on the other radio.
“Milington Naval Air Station, may I know who’s this? Over.” The man.
“Doctor Steve. We are survivors at the Southcrest Community Hospital, and there are Marauders nearby. We can’t go out. We need help. Over.” Steve reported.
“Hold your positions. We’ll provide support. Over.”
At nine in the evening, a chopper was flying around the hospital, and the station also called the Army. Milington Naval Air Station notified their presence, so Erwin, Steve, and Janette hurried at the entrance. They entered the Army truck, and the medical team attended to their wounds immediately. The Army brought them to the base office, but the General was still on his way. Colonel Eaton talked to them instead.
“You’re all from Southcrest? Do you know Joseph?” Colonel Eaton asked.
“He’s my best friend, Colonel. Do you have news about him?” Steve replied.
“We’re neighbors. They’re on the farm in Humvees, and he brought your car. He mentioned about saving his best friend’s precious toy.” Colonel Eaton answered and Steve smiled.
“We wanted to go there. Can you help us?” Steve eagerly questioned.
“I wanted to help, but it would be difficult with the General. He wanted to summon you back at service.” Colonel Eaton explained and advised the survivors to avoid mentioning about the farm because it means more trouble for Joseph and his group.
“That’s why he helped us? For the show?” Erwin angrily asked, but The General entered his office, and he saw the survivors talking to Colonel Eaton.
“Good evening, everyone. You’re you the survivors?” The General greeted.
“Yes, General,” Steve answered calmly.
“I assume you’re all aware of the Vice President’s order to recall all public servants back in service?” The General smiled at them. Steve and his group just nodded.
“General, can we give them some days of rest? It might not be helpful for them to work with their current situation. Besides, they’ve just been in a riot and got trapped inside the hospital. It must be traumatizing.” Colonel Eaton interrupted the General as he tried to protect the survivors, but the truth was that he wants them to be on the farm. The General got disappointed at the Colonel for interfering his decisions. In the end, the General allowed Steve, Nurse Janette, and Erwin to stay in the base camp while they are healing.
Steve felt relieved that they escaped the hospital, but he knew that they would eventually need to pay the price of asking for help with the Military. They were lucky to be in a room with three beds, food, water and security in the whole area. However, he was still unsure about their relocation. He looked at Erwin and Nurse Janette who were peacefully sleeping. Drowsiness hit Steve, so he decided to get some rest. Instead of going to his couch, he went to Nurse Janette’s bed and hugged her tight from behind.