Chapter 2
After what seemed like an eternity of sobbing her heart out (how stereotypical and cheesy, she thought) Scarlet’s resolve eventually flooded back to her. Years of living in the woods had made survival her second nature.
If I don’t escape this hospital, I’ll go half-mad! Maybe, maybe if I can shake off this IV somehow...
She glanced around, looking for something sharp enough to sever the IV in half. All she saw were crisp, white corners- the bookshelves, the corners of the room- and then her eyes fell on something perfect to cut herself free. A thick, ancient volume of Shakespeare sat, all alone, on the bookshelf farthest from her. It was caked in a fine layer of dust, a frayed yellow book mark tucked between the weathered old pages.
If I could just reach it..
Quite suddenly, Scarlet’s concentration was broken by the sharp “click!” of shoes on tile in the outside hallway, as if someone were walking up to her door. Scarlet quickly dropped onto the bed, her heart pounding.
Right on cue, the door swung open.
A nurse, clad in a dismal uniform of all gray, strode into the room. Her expression was stern, sour, and pointed, as if she were scorning every person she had ever laid eyes on. Scarlet suppressed a gulp.
“Ah, so the young patient is awake,” the nurse rasped, folding her arms. A shiny silver pin on her crisp white blouse read: Nurse Eveliyn. “It was quite a bad idea of yours, young lady, to sleep outside in the cold. You caught quite bad hypothermia, you know.”
“H-hypothermia?!” Scarlet gasped. “Oh, ma’am… I’m afraid I didn’t really have an alternative.” She gulped, bracing herself for what was to come.
“What do you mean?” Nurse Eveliyn asked with cool, scornful curiosity. “Surely you don’t-”
“I’m orphaned.” Scarlet responded briskly. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Oh really?” Nurse Evil asked, arching an eyebrow. “You MUST have a home somewhere.”
Scarlet bit her lip. “No,” she carefully, lowering her eyes to her lap. “No, I don’t.”
“Well, I see only one solution.” Nurse Evil said. “As soon as you can walk, we’re going to have to send you off to an orphanage. They’ll pay for your hospitalization there.”
Scarlet’s jaw dropped open. “No! No, I can’t leave!” She quickly amended her words. “I mean, I can, but I have a pet dog! There’s no way that I’m going to leave him behind!” I sound so childish, she thought. I have to seem more firm, more serious.
“Mmm, well I don’t think that they accept mutts at the orphanage,” the nurse sniffed. “You’ll just have to leave your filthy little pet here.”
“He’s not filthy.” Scarlet gritted her teeth. So much for being civilized and serious. “I take good care of him.”
“Ah, I defer.” Nurse Eveliyn snorted. “If you’re both homeless, he can’t possibly be under proper care. Where is this mutt of yours?”
“I don’t know.” Scarlet said firmly, jutting out her chin. “What do you want to do, send him off to the pound?”
“Actually, yes!” Nurse Evil exclaimed, a cruel smile tracing her lips. “He should be treated to… accordingly”- she let out a small cough- “there.”
“I’m not sure,” Scarlet replied, her voice strained,” I want to find out what you mean by ‘accordingly.’ At any rate, I feel much better now. It is only fitting (and civilized, she added in her mind) that you let me go.”
“I don’t think that that will be happening anytime soon.” Nurse Evil said smoothly, as if she were amused with Scarlet’s childish antics. “I’ll be back shortly with your lunch-” She paused, her eyes narrowing. “What did you say that your name was?”
“Colette Lindse,” Scarlet lied. “And I’ll have you know, my father is quite famous. He left behind a fortune for me, but I’m not old enough to have a claim to it.”
She paused, gritting her teeth in the silence and hoping that Nurse Evil would believe her.
“Oh,” Nurse Evil replied with a small sneer,” then you won’t have any problem with the orphanage taking custody of you and your little.. ‘fortune.’” She let out a small, spine-chilling laugh as she breezed out the door, leaving ‘Colette’ all alone with her worries.
---
Scarlet didn’t stir when a different nurse walked in an hour later with a plate of eggs and some steamy, freshly baked apple fritters. A glass of creamy goat’s milk was precariously balanced on the edge of the tray. Though Scarlet didn’t want to show it, the delicious meal was making her mouth water. She hadn’t had anything to eat in what felt like an eternity. Her stomach gave a growl, as if to agree.
“Hello, there.” the nurse said, setting down the platter on Scarlet’s bedstand. “What put you in here?”
“Hypothermia.” Scarlet replied shortly, feeling very fed-up, though at the same time trying not to be impolite. “My name is Coletta Lindse,” she added, just in case the nurse was going to ask.
“I’m Nurse Heather. I work in the kitchen and deliver meals,” she replied with a warm smile, trying to coax a flicker of happiness onto Scarlet’s face. She could tell how overwrought the girl was.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Scarlet replied vaguely. Her voice was soft and distant as if she wasn’t quite there, and there was an almost robotic quality about it. Nurse Heather began to feel a bit unnerved.
“You seem upset.” she said suddenly. “Would you like me to bring you in a book or something to do?”
“A book would be lovely,” Scarlet replied, her tone brightening several shades. “Thank you.” She hesitated a moment before adding,” Would you mind handing me that thick volume of Shakespeare on the bookshelf over there?”
Good, she’s feeling better thought Nurse Heather.
Scarlet thought, Freedom.
A/N: *dramatic music blares through the room*
Heheh, sorry. Anyways, don’t worry, Scarlet’s life will get easier in a few chapters, because right now I feel awful for her. :c Can you guess what she’s going to do with that book? *coughlookatthebeginningofthechaptercough*
