The Nurse by Rebecca Berry (popular e readers txt) 📖

The ground trembled beneath her feet; a vibration that shook her to her bones. The ceiling tiles danced, and she held her breath as she watched, wondering if this was the last time they would shake. The tremor stopped, the lights still flickering, dust from the ceiling floating down onto her head and shoulders. It had had held up for another day, but for how much longer no one knew.

Through a broken window light streamed through, dancing on the floor. The same window offered her a small view of the ever dying world, the sun long buried behind ashy grey clouds. A few distant sirens wailed accompanied by the closer sound of screaming. She gave herself a few moments to catch her breath again; only a few. She was all too aware that another tremor could rumble through again at any given moment. It was the end of the world after all.

Her patient moaned, and she turned to him checking his pump for what seemed like the millionth time in the last couple of hours. It was still working; one of the few things that relied on electricity that still was, still feeding him a cocktail of painkillers and water to keep him hydrated. He moaned, his breath coming in rasping gasps.

She could see in the grimace in his face and the short rapid breaths coming from lungs that were too full of blood to do anything but feebly pump the last bits of oxygen into his body that he was in pain. But she could do no more for him; the last of the medication had been stolen the other day. What remained in his pump was all she could provide.

"Nurse," he called out in a raspy voice. "Nurse, please, I'm thirsty."

Sighing, she picked up a cup and soaked some swabs, wetting his lips as she tried to clean the dust and blood as best as she could.

“I’m going to die aren’t I?”

“We’re all going to die someday soldier.” She said, trying not to sound like she was giving up, she stood, and filled the cup again, fitting a straw against his mouth. He sighed as he stared at her, his blue eyes seeming to bore into her.

"Nurse," he said suddenly, his death rattles increasing. "Don't leave me."

She grabbed his hand as she promised to remain even as another rumble could be felt shaking the building. Outside, the sirens could no longer be heard above the gunfire and the roar of the tanks. His hand slipped slowly from hers, and a tear made its way down her cheek as she felt the life leave him. She paused as she looked at him, closing his eyes as she gently stroked his face.

She stood finally and sighed covered the sheet over him. The world continued to end but that could wait. Next door was another patient.

Publication Date: 07-10-2011

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To Anita, the best friend I ever had, and whose heart I broke because I felt I didn't deserve her. Forgive me?