When They Found Out
Maggie Doyle
By Elena Ridgeway
spunkie_2003@yahoo.com

Lakepoint's trauma was closed, so I was free. I was off at midnight, but decided to stay and finish up my charts while I had the chance. It's a lot quieter here than at County General, but I do miss the excitement. But Lakepoint has one quality that makes it superb: no Romano. I was walking out, at about 4 in the morning. I was off the next day so I really didn't care. I climbed into my car and tried to turn on my Indigo Girls tape, but it didn't work. I decided to turn on the news and catch up on some of the days events.

-"We have a big update on the stabbings at Cook County General." I heard that and pulled my car to the side of the road. This was major news to me. I worked there for years, after all. Maybe Romano had been hit, and I could be happy about it. But miracles don't come true. -

"One of the stabbing victims has died, and both of the names have been released to the public. Lucy Knight, a fourth year medical student, died from complications stemming from stab wounds she received to her neck, chest and stomach. Dr. John Carter, a third-year emergency resident, is in Critical but stable condition after surgery to repair wounds created after he was stabbed twice in the back. The details leading up to the attack are still confidental and should be released at a press conference at approx. 10 am. The name of the attacker, supposedly a patient in the hospital, is still unknown. Stay tuned into..."

I snapped the radio off, and put my hands to my mouth. Cute, perky, little Lucy gone. Forever. John Carter, a guy who had hit on me (like a gentleman) was in critical condition. And right inside County General, a place where I had worked. I think about how much of a blessing it was that Romano was such a horrible person. He made me quit. If he hadn't, it could have been me. Sobs over came me, as I realized I would never get the chance to tell Lucy I thought she'd make a great doctor, and that I would miss her. I thought about what must be running through John's head, and wondered how it happened. And I thanked my lucky stars that I was alive.