A Shot of Morphine [open]

[ASTRID FINN]

[style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 26pt; letter-spacing: -2px; text-align: center; color: #989898; text-transform: lowercase; margin-bottom: -6px; ]say yes to pull the trigger[/style] [style=background-color: #cccccc; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; color: #989898; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 2px; ]ALL HEADS BOWED IN SILENCE, TO REMEMBER HER LAST SENTENCE[/style] [style=font-family: ms gothic; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: -2px; text-align: CENTER; color: #CCCCCC; text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: dashed 1px #666666; margin: 7px 7px 0px 7px;]
[/style] [style= font-family: tahoma; text-align: justify; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 10px; font-size: 10px; color: #989898; margin: 0px 7px 0px 7px;] The skies were gray that day, dark clouds that were about to shed thunderstorms have draped the sun away. The air was thick with humidity, whispering signals of an impending doom, carnage was just around the corner.

Ash was fanning herself with a piece of cardboard, two of the top buttons from her uniform were unfastened, her apron, removed. I wish It would rain already, she thought as she glanced outside where everything was tinged with gray. She just finished changing the linens of the several typhoid patients in the ward that were under her care that day, and sent it away to be laundered. The disease might have started among the slums in the Broken End, how increasingly distasteful life have been progressing there. The threat of the illness was lingering on the atmosphere, there was no known medicine against typhoid, only constant nursing to ease the distress and keep the temperature down, some fluids in the body and the will of the victim to live.

The rain started to pour, it did not come with a soft warning, instead, the initial downfall was angry, with loud thunderclaps and hurling winds bringing about an immediate change of temperature. Ash was a bit pleased, at least the uncomfortable heat was gone now. But, all of a sudden, the sound of ruckus and shrieks of pain became audible just nearby. Ash rushed to the emergency department to see what she could do to help and saw the most unpleasant sight.

Blood mixed with rain dripped all over and muddy footprints smudged the floor. A man was already lying on the bed, his shirt soaked with blood and there was a knife sticking out of his abdomen. An open wound was just between his neck and his shoulder where blood spurt out every time he exhaled. He had several bruises in the arms and one blackened eye. There was also blood spilling out of his mouth, his eyes were partly open and seemed he to be in daze. His breathing was shallow but he was still responsive and crying for pain. Her quick judgement have lead her to a conclusion that this guy is yet again a victim of mugging and stabbing which was common in Brack. A doctor and a nurse were tending to him but obviously, with the severity of the man's injuries they were outnumbered. Ash rushed to the bedside to help, quickly grabbing a gauze bandage and applied direct pressure on the man's wound.

"I am Astrid Finn, I am also a nurse. Hang on, we are here to help you" She reassured the man. [/style] [style= font-family: arial narrow; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 1px; font-size: 10px; color: #989898; border-top: dashed 1px #666666; text-transform: uppercase; line-height: 14px; margin: 6px 7px 3px 7px;] AND I WILL PULL THE TRIGGER[/style]

[ERVIL HUMMINGBIRD]

two by two
we march for victory / armed with the greatest book in history

ervil just knew coming here had been a bad idea. heavenly father was surely testing him, having his mission location be brack! ervil had been almost certain that if he prayed enough, he'd get sent to his favorite place - orlando, i love you - but alas, it was not to be. he supposed that maybe it was because he was only the smartest, best, most deserving elder the center had ever seen, and they really needed him to work in this tired place, but... didn't that also mean he deserved the best places? and didn't orlando need him just as much as brack? maybe not in exactly the same way, but... certainly florida could use a little latter-day sunshine?

anyway, the point was that poor, beautiful ervil had only been arriving in brack when some guy found out that he was from the lds. (maybe it was because ervil kept saying, 'heavenly father, why did this have to be my mission?' under his breath or the fact that he was in his missionary garb - he liked the cleanly-pressed shirts, it wasn't his fault.) anyway, the point was that the guy found out he was in brack for missionary work and suddenly that made it a viable reason to try and attack him.

the nerve of some people! ervil thought angrily, marching into the hospital. heavenly father is definitely testing me with this place. my luggage was stolen, and the police officers wouldn't even give me a ride down to this hospital... the blonde gave a little sigh and waited in the lobby for a few moments, growing increasingly impatient as time passed and his head continued throbbing. the mugging had been short and sweet, but painful enough for sweet ervil, who had never experienced anything quite as vicious as brack.

that was when he spotted the nurse. what a relief! a friendly (sort of) face in this godforsaken place - oops, sorry, god.

"excuse me!" he said, a little noisily - his ears were ringing, so he was speaking very loudly because he couldn't tell precisely how loud he needed to talk - "excuse me, miss? my head really hurts and i can't really hear anything. excuse me? can you hear me? excuse me? i'm a missionary and i really need some aspirin or something."

he watched her for a moment, and then added a little louder, "my name is ervil hummingbird. elder hummingbird, actually!"

[ASTRID FINN]

[style=font-family: georgia; font-size: 26pt; letter-spacing: -2px; text-align: center; color: #989898; text-transform: lowercase; margin-bottom: -6px; ]say yes to pull the trigger[/style] [style=background-color: #cccccc; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; color: #989898; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 2px; ]ALL HEADS BOWED IN SILENCE, TO REMEMBER HER LAST SENTENCE[/style] [style=font-family: ms gothic; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: -2px; text-align: CENTER; color: #CCCCCC; text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: dashed 1px #666666; margin: 7px 7px 0px 7px;]
[/style] [style= font-family: tahoma; text-align: justify; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 12px; font-size: 10px; color: #989898; margin: 0px 7px 0px 7px;] The wounds of the man her team was tending severe and chances of this poor man's survival was slim. The blood that was oozing out of him was becoming thick, and was already clotting, a sign that he doesn't have much blood volume circulating in him already. Several nurses and doctors have come to help, stitching and bandaging here and there.

Ash stood up straight after several minutes of bending while tending to the injured man, she grabbed a towel and wiped off her bloodied hands, taking care not to smear some on her clothes just when she heard a man's voice, a little too loud, the tone of distress in him was apparent. She immediately turned to his direction and disinfected her hands.

Oh dear! What happened to you good sir.. err Elder Hummingbird?" She smiled reassuringly at him and carefully assisted him to a nearby chair.

He must be a victim of another street crime, she guessed. He was donned with unusual clothes, basing from it and how he addressed himself, Ash guessed that he was a clergyman. The thought of it angered her. Those street thugs won't even spare a man of God like him? Oh poor man, she thought.

"Aside from your head, what else hurt?" She ask, partly turning her back to him as she fumbled things he cannot see, medicines perhaps. "Pray tell me what happened so I can help you" She said as she turned back to him.
[/style] [style= font-family: arial narrow; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 1px; font-size: 10px; color: #989898; border-top: dashed 1px #666666; text-transform: uppercase; line-height: 14px; margin: 6px 7px 3px 7px;] AND I WILL PULL THE TRIGGER[/style]

[ERVIL HUMMINGBIRD]

two by two
we march for victory / armed with the greatest book in history

oh, thank goodness someone was finally coming around to help him! ervil had been afraid, for a while, that he would just be left to waste away in this waiting room. he didn't know how this town worked, and so he couldn't be blamed for his general ignorance of it; his recent "welcoming" had been more than enough to convince him that even the hospitals would be unwelcome, unfriendly places that wouldn't bother with taking care of him.

not to mention there were people that had been just bleeding on the streets! where had heavenly father sent him? more importantly, where had the president of the church sent him?! he wasn't fit to be here - sure, he was handsome and talented and really really nice - but he wasn't going to fit in here. he was better fit for somewhere else, somewhere that would welcome him warmly and refreshingly devoid of muggings like oh i don't know orlando.

come on, ervil, he thought, trying to boost himself up a bit. you're better than this. you were sent here because the president of the church and heavenly father believe that you can make a difference. obviously you could, you just won't flourish here as well - and, let's face it, these people are lacking terribly in manners... but we've got to make due, right? right.

at any rate, the pleasant nurse-lady seemed happy enough to help him, which was a pleasant change from the usual "get away from me, kid" he'd gotten when he'd asked for help on the street.

"what?" ervil said, loudly (his ears were still ringing). "your skirt? i don't understand what you're asking me!"

he sat down and sighed. some people were entirely incompetent - so, he figured if he just tried telling her everything that was wrong, she'd understand. little did he know that was precisely what she was asking him.

"my head hurts," he said, loudly. "some guys took my luggage. my sides hurt, too. and my ears are ringing. and it's hard to hear."