Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse-Chapter 122: Trapped in the Medical Department
Evelyn Ford was stuck in the medical department. Other than the occasional broadcast, no one knew what was happening outside.
The medical department gave Kevin Holloway a comprehensive examination—blood tests, various CT scans. There was nothing wrong with his body; in fact, because he had been eating so well, he was even a bit over-nourished.
But he was adamant, repeatedly insisting that he had worms inside his body. Researchers from the lab had come to check on him several times, and they even brought the newest medicine for him to take, but his attitude remained unyielding.
"Evelyn, a young girl was just brought in. Go take a look, quickly."
"Okay, right away."
Evelyn Ford adjusted her protective suit and mask, and when she arrived on the emergency floor, she saw Rachel Xavier lying on the ground, crying and screaming.
There had been four people in Evelyn Ford’s college dorm: Evelyn Ford, Jill Lynch, Rachel Xavier, and Flora Scott.
Flora Scott had been taken by vultures. A few days ago, Evelyn Ford had seen Rachel Xavier and Jill Lynch in the plantation. They had changed a lot. In her memory, Rachel had been a little chubby, and Jill had a baby face, but the Rachel before her now was so thin she was unrecognizable.
Evelyn Ford walked over and began to check Rachel Xavier’s condition.
"When did you start feeling unwell?"
"Yesterday afternoon."
"Did you drink any unboiled water?"
"I drank warm, boiled water."
Evelyn Ford started an IV for her, administering a short-acting drug recently developed by the medical department.
It wouldn’t kill the worms, only temporarily alleviate the pain.
The medical department had also prepared a large pot of traditional Chinese medicine for every patient to drink. It was very painful after drinking it; they might vomit or have explosive diarrhea. The goal was to expel the worms.
But Evelyn Ford hadn’t seen any effect.
Rachel Xavier’s case was relatively mild. She likely hadn’t ingested a large amount. After taking the medicine, she vomited twice.
"Doctor, I’m not going to die, am I?"
Evelyn Ford didn’t say anything. That was a promise she couldn’t make.
"I think your voice sounds a little familiar. Doctor, do we know each other?"
"Women’s voices can sound similar. Maybe my voice just resembles someone else you know."
Rachel Xavier nodded. Just then, Dr. Miller beckoned to Evelyn Ford from a short distance away. Evelyn got up and walked over.
"Don’t go, Doctor! You can’t just leave me here."
Evelyn Ford glanced at the hand gripping her arm and pried the fingers away.
"There are other doctors here. Just stay on the IV for now. Call me if there’s a problem."
Evelyn Ford went over to Dr. Miller. His gaze was somber.
"Evelyn, of the people who have died in the last two days, one-fifth were children. There were so few children on the base to begin with. What are we going to do?"
"Does the base have a solution?"
"I haven’t received any notification."
"Evelyn, they’ve brought in another child. Go check on them, quickly."
Serena Lynch was so tired she swayed as she walked. Evelyn Ford told her to go rest in the utility room for a while, but Serena Lynch waved her hand dismissively. After Nurse Reid’s incident, no new staff had come to the surgical department, and Serena was the only nurse on the entire floor. If she took a break, everyone else would be even busier.
"Here, this is for you." Evelyn Ford pressed a piece of candy into her palm and immediately hurried away.
When Evelyn Ford saw Wendy cradled in Officer Graham’s arms, her expression changed instantly.
"Mr. Graham, what’s wrong with Wendy?"
"Wendy said she wasn’t feeling well, so they brought us over. But when you had Quincy give us the medicine, we took it right away. Wendy even took an extra one. It’s probably just a cold, right?"
Evelyn Ford took Wendy from him and went straight to the utility room.
"Lock the door from the inside."
Once inside, Evelyn Ford laid Wendy flat on the floor and began to examine her.
"Any sharp pain and vomiting?"
Officer Graham shook his head. "No. Wendy just said she felt bad, uncomfortable. When I ask her, she can’t tell me where it feels bad."
"Wendy, tell Miss Ford, does it hurt here?" Evelyn Ford pressed on her chest, and Wendy shook her head.
"What about here?" Evelyn Ford pressed her lower abdomen and stomach area.
She still shook her head. To Evelyn, it really didn’t look like a parasitic infection.
"Has she eaten anything unusual in the last couple of days?"
Officer Graham scratched his head, thinking hard. After a long moment, he slapped his forehead.
"A few days ago, I bought Wendy five cans of food, and she ate them all."
’Canned food?’
Evelyn Ford recalled the fishy smell from the cans, and her own stomach churned uncomfortably.
"The can didn’t say what kind of meat it was made from, nor did it have a production date. I suspect Wendy ate an expired can," Officer Graham guessed.
’But canned food has a long shelf life.’
"Well, you two wait here for a bit. I think it might be an allergic reaction to the canned food. If it’s just an allergy, you’ll be able to leave soon." Evelyn Ford got up and took a glucose tube from her pocket, handing it to Officer Graham.
"Give this to Wendy. I’ll come back to check on her later."
After leaving, Evelyn Ford locked the utility room. It was a good thing Wendy’s symptoms didn’t resemble a parasitic infection, otherwise, Evelyn truly wouldn’t have known how to save her.
"Doctor, I don’t feel well," Rachel Xavier started yelling as soon as she saw Evelyn Ford.
Evelyn Ford walked over and crouched in front of her. Just then, a woman resting with her eyes closed nearby suddenly began to convulse. Evelyn reflexively dragged Rachel Xavier to the side.
The woman convulsed for a few seconds and then started vomiting blood. The ebbing of a life, though it might only take a few minutes, always feels agonizingly long, both for the one afflicted and for the onlookers.
Some people were terrified and started wailing. Others couldn’t bear to watch and wanted to step forward to help the woman.
But the sight of the worms in the blood still sent them recoiling in fear.
She died slowly, struggling in agony. With her last shred of consciousness, she watched herself being dragged away.
"I don’t want to die! Doctor, save me, save me!"
"The base has abandoned us! The doctors won’t save us! Let’s rush in and find medicine for ourselves!" someone started to shout. The others fell silent for a moment, then began to join in.
They pushed their way into every room and started rummaging for medicine. Evelyn Ford and Dr. Miller were shoved into a corner. Neither of them tried to stop it. They knew better than anyone that, faced with the threat of death, rushing in to grab life-saving medicine had become these people’s last straw.
To be precise, they had lost their minds.
The security guards outside noticed the commotion and opened the door, stepping inside.
"Everyone, stop!" they roared, but it was completely useless.
The patients saw the weapons in their hands, and a crazed light glinted in their eyes. With a shared understanding, they lunged forward. Even when the first person was shot and fell, the ones behind didn’t stop.
A gun was snatched away by the patients. The security guards panicked and tried to bolt for the door, but they were dragged back by the surging crowd.
Evelyn Ford quickly pushed through the crowd, pulled up Dr. Miller who had fallen to the floor, and spotted Serena Lynch cowering in a corner, trembling. Evelyn yanked her up. Grabbing one person with each hand, Evelyn ran toward the utility room as fast as she could.
Evelyn Ford’s hands were shaking so much as she unlocked the door that she nearly broke the key off in the lock.
Opening the door and seeing Officer Graham and Wendy, Evelyn Ford breathed a sigh of relief.
She bolted the door from the inside. Dr. Miller and Serena Lynch collapsed to the floor, their hands trembling and their eyes filled with terror.
