Chapter 3
Todd was over the moon. Not literally, metaphorically.
This would be the moment of moments. The time of most prominence. His wisdom and ingenuity will be the talk of the realm.
He sat on his favorite cloud chair overlooking the Pool. It rippled at first before becoming pitch black. Then without preamble the Pool showed the image of a man sitting atop a woman being rushed down the hallway on a stretcher. His strong voice, impassioned by the moment, demanded life even as his compressions were proving fruitless.
They hurried into an exam room, the doctor jumping off the woman, demanding paddles from a machine in the corner. The life-saving electricity ready to jolt this woman back to life.
"Clear!" The doctor cried aloud.
One hit. Nothing.
"Increase the voltage," the doctor demanded.
A second hit. Still dead.
"Doctor we should call it." One of the nurses said.
"Never! I won't let this woman die." The doctor said melodramatically "Come on, come on dammit," he raised his head looking at the ceiling. "You won't take this one from me God, you can't have her! Give me more voltage," said the doctor with no small amount of bravado and overacting. "Clear!"
With one last shock the sound of rhythmic beeping began while a monitor kept track of a rising and falling green line.
The doctor's shoulders sagged. He turned to the nurse. "We don't call it until I say so," he said angrily.
"Of course Doctor Benton," the nurse responded meekly.
With that the Pool went black again before the letters"ER" flashed bright green across the screen. Scenes flickered quickly one after the other. A stretcher wheeled out of an ambulance, gloved hands cutting away a patient's clothes, doctors hovering around an x-ray. Each moment was accompanied by intense nut catchy music. The mood was set for life-saving drama.
Todd pulled the bowl of Doritos closer before slurping out his can of soda. He was absolutely captivated by the going-ons of the Pool.
The Pool cut to the scene of Doctor Granger signing off on Mr. O'Reilly's discharge. A most unfortunate man this O'Reilly, Todd thought. Of all locations for a can to end up inside, it had to hit perfectly into his anus, Todd shivered at the man's misfortune.
The screen changed scenes to the two continuing down a hallway.
-
"No I don't know where I'm going Fleur, would you stop asking me that?" Hermione's tone doing little to hide her frustration.
The intercom started, "Doctor Granger, Doctor Greene, Doctor Delacour please report to trauma. Again Doctor Granger, Doctor Ross, Doctor Delacour please report to trauma."
Both of the girls' eyes widened. But before they could say anything, a door they were passing flew open and a tall, balding man with glasses appeared in frame.
"Do you know what time it is doctors?" He asked while taking off his glasses to rub both his eyes.
"Uhh.." Hermione said with little suspicion.
"Nevermind, I've been here for twelve hours already, what's another two? Come on, let's go save some lives." he said while walking away.
With one last look at each other, the two hurried behind.
Before they knew it the man flew open a twin set of doors and they were met with utter chaos. People in different colored scrubs were quickly moving about. Gurneys were being wheeled quickly to each room. Sounds of machines beeping and voices rattling off stats were heard.
A long, black haired woman in pink scrubs motioned the three over to what looked like the command center. Computers with shelves of files behind them sat behind counters.
"Doctor Greene, we have a gunshot wound in Room Three," she said as the man rushed behind the counters and into a yellow room where nurses hovered around a man on a gurney.
"Doctor Granger, Doctor Delacour, we need your expertise in Room Four. Suspected heart attack, we can't spare any nurses so you'll be on your own," she said while pointing to the room next to the one Doctor Greene entered.
"Yes of course." Hermione said quickly, grabbing Fleur's arm and dragging her to the room's entrance.
"Fleur I think we're supposed to save this man, I think that's the game." Hermione whispered.
"Clearly Doctor Granger. 'owever we 'ave no wands and know nothing of muggle 'ealing methods."
"Maybe you don't, Doctor," Hermione said exaggerating the title.
"Then by all means, Doctor," she replied with derision. "Lead the way."
-
Todd leaned closer to the Pool. This was the moment. This is when it'll all come together. They'll work together to save this man's life. They'll bond over this life or death situation. They'll realize the value of each other, their intelligence and worth.
This is that moment.
-
Entering the room they found a man sitting up on the stretcher. He gave the doctors a wave.
"Hi docs," he said casually. "My wife wanted me to come in. She thinks I had a heart attack but really just sign me off, it was only heart burn."
"Maybe, but we must check mister...?"
"Bradley, Chuck Bradley. You guys can call me Chuck." He said jovially.
Hermione headed to the chart at the end of the man's bed, flipping through the pages.
"Do you even know 'ow to read such a thing 'ermione?" Fleur whispered.
Chuck frowned.
Ignoring Fleur, Hermione set the chart back down and grabbed a stethoscope from the counter.
"Let's take a look at that heartbeat shall we Mr. Bradley." Hermione said approaching.
Chuck sat still as Hermione placed the end of the stethoscope down the collar of his shirt, above his heart.
Fleur rolled her eyes. "'eartburn, yes?" She said to Chuck. "Anything to bring on this burn in your 'eart?"
"Yes, Spicy Indian food. I know I shouldn't and each time I do I get heartburn. This really is nothing, my wife just worries. This'll pass by the time I get home." Chuck said with a shrug.
Fleur nodded. "There we go Doctor Granger. 'e ate spicy food."
"You don't know that Fleur."
"It is doctor, mademoiselle Granger."
"Well then Doctor Delacour." Hermione said, emphasizing the word "doctor" mockingly. "You know nothing of muggles or what can cause them harm, do you? This is just you taking the easy way out. Something I'm not surprised you're doing."
-
Todd frowned.
-
"Well, Doctor Granger," Fleur said, she too heavily emphasized the word "doctor." "You on the other 'and? You presume to know everything without taking the time to listen to other's. Even the patient 'imself said it was 'eartburn, something 'e regularly gets, who are you to say differently."
"I certainly know more than you Doctor," "doctor" said with yet even more emphasis than Fleur.
-
Todd's frown deepened.
-
"Now, from my muggle experience, doctors often use that machine over there," Hermione said while pointing to a machine with paddles, a defibrillator.
"Now wait a minute-" Chuck began nervously.
"So I will use them then. To show you I do not take the easy way out." Fleur said with a flick of her hair, approaching the paddles.
"Ladies I'm pretty sure I don't need-"
"No Fleur, what do you know of technology? You'll probably break it before we can save this man's life." Hermione said scornfully.
"I'm pretty sure that's only used if my heart actually stops-" Chuck said with a nevous chuckle, looking more and more towards the door. His voice overshadowed by the women's bickering.
"Fleur just give me those," Hermione said yanking the paddles out of Fleur's hands. "Just sit there and look pretty, you'll just be in the way otherwise."
"Oh you think I am pretty?" Fleur raised her eyebrow.
"Figure of speech." A scoff and an eye roll before continuing to bring the paddles and defibrillator to Chuck's side.
"Now ladies I really don't think I need that," the Chuck said, beginning to rise from the stretcher."
"SIT DOWN." Both yelled, not bothering to spare Chuck with a look. Still too caught up glaring at the other.
Hermione turned and switched the defibrillator on, it's whirring indicating it's activation.
"Just lay back Mr. Bradley, all will be well soon." Hermione reassured an increasingly desperate Chuck.
-
Todd's jaw slowly fell open. They were going to kill this man.
Their idiocy was going to Kill. This. Man.
As the Pool showed Hermione gradually moving the paddles closer to Chuck's body, Todd snapped his fingers. The two disappeared followed quickly by the screen going black.
He sighed, worse yet, he had dropped his chips.