Dust and Rocks
Another man--obviously the main guy--answered, "No. We
will continue. Tell your men to come to the infirmary every morning for a
pain pill. It will be fine."
I imagine the other man sighing and walking off.
It's now early morning. Just after dawn. There is still
a chill in the air and yesterday's clouds have not yet dissipated. Two
woman walk toward a building. One is about twenty, and the other is one or
two decades older. They are wearing scrubs, so I assume they are nurses.
As they walk across the field of dust and rock and enter the infirmary, they
have a timid, worried look on their already tired faces.
Inside, there is a van. Something across from a big rig and an
ambulance. A man appears from the other side of the van. He has a
cut on his forehead and a gash on his arm. He extends his arm showing the
gash as a query for help. The two women--though confused--begin to wrap it
up.
The eldest nurse's head is wrapped in a towel and is resting on the
youngest nurse's lap as she kneels on the floor holding her co-worker's wrapped
head. The man is still standing near-by still holding his injured arm.
The eldest nurse's head and face are bleeding. For an unknown reason the
youngest nurse's head has a towel draped over it. She realizes something
and looks up to the man, "You're not supposed to be here!"
He looked confused.
She continues, "You're supposed to be [someplace...I forgot
what she said in the dream.] helping the others!" She then looked
down and begin to weep, "I'm so scared. I'm so scared." As she
said this she rubbed the head that lay in her lap. The elder nurse's eyes
suddenly shot open and she fell limp. The still-living nurse raised her
head eyes wide open knowing a life has just ended. She leaned forward as
strong weeping overcame her. The towel fell off revealing short, graying
hair.
10-22-99
Lori Cox
