Mount Mercy

by Helena Newbury

  Corrigan flung aside the curtain of an exam room and stalked across the room.

  I took a step back. Everyone took a step back. Corrigan’s face was twisted with rage and every muscle was straining with tension. Each step he took seemed to shake the floor and when an empty gurney got in his way, he shoved it halfway across the room. “YOU!” he thundered, pointing.

  Everyone followed his finger to a guy in a suit. The guy’s face went pale.

  “You did that!” Corrigan bellowed. The Irish in his voice was sharp and hard as an axe blade. “You twisted his arm until it snapped. Because he was late for school?!”

  The elevator doors started to close. I shoved them open again.

  “That’s bullshit!” said the guy. He took a step back, then another, but Corrigan was coming too fast. “I told you, he fell. He was running—”

  Corrigan reached him. “I saw the burns on his back,” he spat. “Did he fall onto two dozen lit cigarettes?”

  And he slammed his fist into the guy’s face.

  14

  Amy

  THE PUNCH had all of Corrigan’s fury behind it. The guy in the suit staggered backwards, hit a gurney and tumbled over it, tipping it over with an almighty crash. For maybe the first time ever, Mount Mercy’s ER went utterly silent. I stumbled out of the elevator and stood panting in shock.

  Corrigan stood over the felled man, his breath shaky with anger, his chest heaving. I’d never known he was capable of this. He wasn’t a violent man, he was gentle. But this came from somewhere down deep, something he couldn’t fight. It was a father’s protective rage.

  I thought of the night before, in the bar, when he’d called Rebecca Rachel. What if it hadn’t been just a random slip? What if he had a daughter? It would explain why Rebecca’s injuries got to him so much. There was definitely no ring on his finger, so...he must be divorced. I wonder how often he sees them?

  The guy in the suit slowly got to his feet. Blood was dripping down his face from a broken nose. At the same moment, Bartell rushed into the room along with a security guard. “What the hell is going on?” he bawled, already glaring at Corrigan.

  “This son of a bitch hit me.” The guy in the suit stabbed his finger at Corrigan. “I’ll sue!”

  Corrigan’s breathing slowed. He looked around and then his shoulders fell. He knew he’d screwed up. He’d likely wind up with an assault charge which could lead to him losing his license, plus the hospital would be sued. Worst of all, the assault would be used to make the father look like the victim in court and he might get away with the child abuse. Unless…. “He hit me first,” said Corrigan, his voice loud in the silent room.

  “Bullshit!” snapped the guy in the suit, his hand to his nose to try to staunch the bleeding.

  Bartell looked around the room. “Did anyone see what happened?”

  Everyone had seen what happened. And most of the people standing there had been in the Krüger’s the night before, drinking on Corrigan’s tab. But… I watched, horrified, as one by one they all looked at the ground. No one was prepared to lie for him and put their own career on the line, even if it meant a child abuser went free. Now I knew how he’d made so many friends so easily: he hadn’t. Just a load of hangers-on who were happy to drink and laugh with him but turned tail when he needed them. And Corrigan didn’t look surprised. This is how he likes things, I realized. At each new hospital, he’d build a reputation as a party animal, a fun guy to know... but he’d make no real friends.

  He was as lonely as me.

  “You’re through, Corrigan!” Bartell snapped. “Clear your locker!”

  Corrigan drew in a deep, shuddering breath and for a moment I thought he was going to yell. Then he just nodded. I saw a few people glance at each other, upset but not surprised. I remembered Krista’s book on how many days he’d last. But this isn’t right! He’s a great doctor!

  “I saw it!” I blurted.

  For once, it was quiet enough that I could be heard in the ER. Bartell slowly turned to stare at me.

  I swallowed. I’m a terrible liar. Even for dumb little things like Krista’s surprise birthday party. This was huge. “That guy hit Doctor Corrigan first,” I said.

  Bartell’s eyes seared into me. He knew. I felt like a kid being stared down by the principal. I’d never been in trouble with him before, not once, in two years—

  I glanced at Corrigan. Then I looked back to Bartell and nodded stubbornly.

  Bartell ran a hand over his face tiredly. And then, just for a second, I thought I saw him soften. He pointed the security guard towards the guy in a suit. “Watch him,” he ordered. “And call Child Services and the police.” He glared at the rest of us. “Everyone get back to work!”

  Everyone made themselves scarce. And suddenly it was just Corrigan... and me.

  15

  Dominic

  I STOOD THERE for a second just gaping at her. Then, without willing it, I was crossing the room, eating up the distance between us in huge strides. I had to force myself to pull up when there was still space between us or I would have grabbed her right then.

  My eyes searched her face. What did you do? I wanted to rage at her. She shouldn’t have put her neck on the line for me!

  But she just lifted her chin and stared back at me, resolute. The woman everyone overlooked, the one everyone underestimated. A few strands of copper hair hung down out of the front of her surgical cap, her soft lips pouted up at me in stubborn defiance and... fuck. I’ve never wanted to kiss someone so bad. My fingers actually throbbed: I knew now what her skin would feel like in my hand, knew how easy it would be to whip that cap off her head, unpin her hair and set her free. Tilt that chin up just a little and bring my lips down on hers….

  But I couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to Chrissy and Rachel.

  I shook my head at her. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  She crossed her arms. Her slender forearm accidentally brushed my abs and we both pretended it hadn’t happened but I could feel my muscles tingling from the contact. “You saved me from that Colt guy,” she said.

  Just the mention of her in danger made me come over all protective again. Someone wheeled a gurney in through the doors and the blast of cold air made her gasp. I wanted to grab her, pull her against me and shelter her with my warmth.

  But I couldn’t. For her sake, I had to do the opposite. “Well, Beckett, I guess that makes us even,” I said, fighting to keep my voice level.

  She looked up at me, confused. She could hear the finality in my voice.

  I forced myself to stare back at her, stony-faced.

  She nodded, turned and hurried off to the elevator without looking back.

  When the doors closed, I watched the indicator climb all the way up to Surgery, my chest tight. This whole time, I’d been desperate to get her out of there, thinking she was wasted in the OR. Now I was glad she was up there where it was safe, where no one would pull a knife on her or make her lie and jeopardize her career.

  She was back where she belonged, far away from me.

  16

  Amy

  BACK UPSTAIRS, I got started on the first operation of the day, a routine appendectomy. Head down, Brahms plays over the speakers, I tried to get into the zone. But I kept snapping back to Corrigan telling me we were even. He’d said it like he was slamming a door shut. Why? Because I’d walked away the night before? Because he’d realized I didn’t want a one-night stand? It felt like more than that. There’d been real conflict in his eyes. And the way he’d punched that guy, to protect a child... there was more to him than anyone else was seeing.

  But it didn’t matter. He’d made it clear that we were done.

  “You okay?” muttered Krista.

  I looked up, then looked at Adele and Lina. All of them were watching me. I realized my hands had slowed to a stop and I was just staring at the wound without seeing it. “Just figuring out my next move,” I lied.

  But like I said, I’m a terrible liar. Krista ca
ught my eye, worried.

  I pushed all thoughts of Irish doctors out of my head and finally managed to get into the zone. An hour later, I finished and closed. “Good job,” I told everyone. Lina wheeled out the patient and—

  An electronic scream split the air, so loud and so sudden it jolted right the way up my spine. Thank God I hadn’t been working on a patient. Adele, Krista and I stared at each other. What the hell’s that?!

  It rose and fell: a klaxon. After ten seconds or so, it mercifully stopped. Then a woman’s voice, recorded and tinny. “All staff, report to the ER. This is not a drill.”

  The three of us stared at each other, then joined the flood of people running down the stairs. “Have you ever—” I began.

  Krista shook her head. “I never heard that before.”

  We burst into the ER to find it rapidly filling up with people. Save for a few nurses who stayed behind to monitor critical patients, everyone who worked in the hospital was there.

  Bartell started to speak, then paused and climbed up onto a table so his voice would reach the back of the crowd. I could see sweat beading on his forehead despite the cold. “A few minutes ago, the state issued a critical weather warning for this area. The blizzard that’s been hitting Denver is heading right for us. The road between us and Denver is already impassable.”

  That was bad. We got most of our supplies from Denver. But that was only the beginning.

  “With the amount of snow the storm’s bringing,” said Bartell, “all the roads out of Mount Mercy are going to be blocked within the next few hours. We’re going to be totally cut off. And the blizzard could last for days.”

  The crowd erupted into worried chatter. The town was no stranger to snow, but we’d never been cut off before. Only a handful of staff lived here in Mount Mercy. Most people commuted in from one of the bigger towns. Some were already grabbing their coats. Unless they left now, they’d be cut off from their families, their kids.

  “We have no choice,” said Bartell. “We have to shut down.”

  I blinked. “What?!” I looked around, confused. It seemed crazy: the snow wasn’t even here, yet. “OK, so some people need to leave early but we don’t need to—”

  Bartell shook his head. “The next shift can’t get in!”

  Oh crap. I hadn’t thought of that. We’d have no staff!

  “Here’s what’s going to happen,” said Bartell. “All surgeries and procedures that aren’t actually in progress are cancelled. All non-critical patients are to be sent home immediately. Anyone who’s critical gets put in an ambulance and transported to Colorado Springs: that’s the nearest hospital we can still reach.” He raised his arms. “Go!” He climbed down off the table.

  The crowd started to move around me, but I stood frozen, disbelieving. “You think it can really be that bad?” I asked Krista.

  She nodded. “Back in 2003, they got three feet of snow in Denver. Up here, with the wind blowing it around, we got drifts seven feet deep. It can get down to ten degrees: colder, with wind chill. Complete white-out. You won’t be able to go outside, never mind get to another town!”

  I nodded slowly. I suddenly wished I’d paid more attention to the news over the last few days. The blue skies here had fooled me. The bad weather had seemed so far away...I knew that Denver had already been brought to a standstill, that’s why Rebecca’s parents—

  Rebecca!

  I launched myself through the crowd towards Bartell. “Wait!” I yelled. He was already talking to a cluster of doctors, trying to organize twenty things at once. “We can’t shut down!”

  He reluctantly turned to look at me. “We have to. We can’t function without staff.”

  “But there’s a little girl, Rebecca Kemple! She had a splenectomy yesterday, and she’s still in the ICU with an open Tib fib fracture. I need to finish what I started before we can risk moving her.”

  He winced. “She’ll have to go in an ambulance to Colorado Springs—”

  “That’s a three hour drive! She won’t make it!”

  Bartell opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn’t offer me anything. He spread his arms wide, helpless. “I’m...I’m sorry, Beckett. I have to do the best I can with what I have. If we don’t evacuate the patients, they’ll have no care at all. More will die.”

  My shoulders slumped. It wasn’t his fault. He was doing everything he could. I turned and stumbled away from him, feeling sick. I was remembering the promise I’d made to Rebecca’s parents. I’ll keep her safe.

  For a second, the room blurred behind tears. As I tried to blink them back, I saw Corrigan watching me, looking as agonized as me. We’re going to lose her.

  And then I remembered something I’d read when I first came to Mount Mercy. That might work. But to have a chance of making it happen, I’d have to—

  I looked around at the massive crowd. I’d never felt so small, so shy, in my whole life. I can’t!

  But if I didn’t, Rebecca was going to die.

  On shaking legs, I climbed up onto the table where Bartell had stood. “We can keep the ER open!” I said in a strained, hesitant voice.

  No one heard me.

  I took a deep breath and yelled. “We can keep the ER open!”

  Everyone stopped and stared. I think it was the surprise of me raising my voice as much as anything else.

  “Beckett, what the hell are you doing?” snapped Bartell.

  I stared down at all the faces looking up at me... and froze. I don’t know how to do this! I needed to not just talk to them, I needed to convince them to join me and I was the world’s least suitable person to give a speech.

  “Well?” Bartell’s voice was strained. Not unkind, but he was trying to get the evacuation going and I was holding everything up.

  I felt my face go hot. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out…

  And then I saw Corrigan, at the back of the crowd. He nodded and mouthed something to me: Go on, Beckett!

  “It’s in the emergency handbook,” I said in a rush. “If the hospital is shut down, we can keep just the ER running for emergencies and critical care. It needs way fewer staff. Rebecca could be moved down here.”

  Bartell gawped at me and then put his hand to his face and shook his head. “Trust you to have read the emergency handbook. But we’d still need doctors.”

  “I’ll stay,” I said immediately.

  “You’re a surgeon, not an ER doc!”

  “I did my ER rotation when I trained, the same as everyone else.”

  “Years ago! And you hate it down here!”

  “I can handle it,” I said. And prayed that was true. That ER rotation had been the worst six months of my life and this would be way worse, an ER with a skeleton staff. But if I wanted to save Rebecca, I had no choice.

  “That’s one doctor,” Bartell said grudgingly. “You need more.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  I caught my breath. The voice was a low rumble, shining with Irish silver. I looked to the back of the room and found Corrigan gazing straight at me.

  “You’ve been here one day!” said Bartell in disbelief. “You barely know your way around!”

  “Beckett can show me,” said Corrigan, gazing steadily at me.

  “Me too,” said a young, blonde-haired woman.

  Bartell sighed. “Taylor, you’re a med student!”

  “She’s a quick study,” said Corrigan. And I saw Taylor’s face light up with pride.

  “This is crazy,” said Bartell. “You’d need nurses—”

  “Right here,” said Krista, pushing her way to the front. Adele and Lina were right behind her and a handful of other nurses joined them.

  “I’m staying too,” said Maggie. “Got to keep things running.”

  Bartell opened his mouth to protest... and then let out a long sigh instead. “You’re all crazy,” he muttered. Then he shook his head ruefully. “Guess I’d better call my wife and tell her I won’t be home for a few days.”

  I blinked in disb
elief. “You’re staying?!”

  He looked embarrassed that he’d been caught being nice. “Someone has to make sure you don’t burn the place down.” He did his best to scowl.

  I wanted to hug him. But he saw the look in my eyes and put his hands up defensively. “Yeah, yeah, okay,” he said. “We still need to evacuate everyone who can make the journey. We’ve got less than two hours before the blizzard hits.”

  I nodded gratefully... and ran.

  The next two hours passed in a blur as we discharged all the patients we could and transferred all the ones we couldn’t to ambulances for the long trip to Colorado Springs. I made sure to check in on Rebecca and it was a good thing I did: she was watching all the other patients being wheeled out. “Everyone’s leaving,” she said as soon as she saw me.

  “Not me,” I told her. “I’m staying right here with you. And I’m even going to move you downstairs, so I can keep an eye on you.”

  “Back to the ER?” She actually sounded excited.

  “Back to the ER,” I said. I was operating on adrenaline and the reality of what I’d signed up for hadn’t fully sunk in yet but the fear was already starting to churn in my stomach.

  I moved her bed downstairs to the temporary intensive care area we’d set up in one corner of the ER, then ran to help with the other patients. It was a frantic, breathless panic: all of us could feel the blizzard breathing down our necks. We had to work so fast, in the final half hour that it turned into a production line: gurneys flowed out of the elevator and kept moving all the way to the ambulance bay with doctors running alongside to check charts and nurses loading supplies and hanging fresh IV bags. At last, we were down to just four patients who needed to be evacuated.

  “Come on!” yelled Bartell. “The blizzard’ll be here any minute!”

  Krista and Adele grabbed the first patient’s gurney, Lina and Bartell took the next and Maggie and Taylor the next. I grabbed one end of the final gurney—