Short short story 1: Blood Bonors

Two women entered the clinic in animated discussion. The woman in white doctor’s coat looked exasperated and the woman in the matron’s uniform looked agitated. Dr Syarifah said that her companion should be more understanding and relax a little. Matron Tanuja voiced her concern again. Nurse  Aida recently had a nervous breakdown, she reminded the doctor.

“Yes.” Said Dr Syarifah, “that is why we should be more understanding and let her get back to work. That is exactly what she needs”

“But she works in the children’s ward”, reminded Matron Tanuja, fingering her prayerbeads.

The duo entered the doctor’s clinic. It was empty. The duo looked at each other with their eyebrows frowning.

There was a note on the table. Matron Tanuja picked it up and read it. Beside the note was an empty pill bottle.  

The note read, “file all done, doctor. Going to get the blood samples”. It was in Nurse Aida’s handwriting.  Dr Syarifah swallowed hard. Matron’s Tanuja dropped the note.  The two rushed out of the clinic and ran to the children’s ward.

They ran.

As they turned the corner they met Nurse Aida. She was filling out some forms on her clipboard. “Matron! Doctor! What’s going on?” Asked, sounding surprised.

 The two asked what she was doing. Nurse Aida said she had just finished getting the blood samples from Dr Syarifah’s patients. “The samples will be ready in a few minutes,” said Nurse Aida.

Matron Tanuja rushed past the nurse and entered into the childrens’ ward.

Dr Syarifah heard the matron scream.

Dr Syarifah pushed the ward’s door. Inside she saw the matron passed out in the corridor. Beyond the matron, the patients were all in their bed, their limbs tied

“I had to give them all sleeping pills, Doctor” Said a voice from behind Dr Syarifah, “or else they would try to run away if I tried to take their blood.

The children were in their bed. One arm draped over the side of their bed. Their wrists have all been slit and beneath their hands were buckets that held their lifeblood. The blood had stopped dripping from the cut. 

Dr Syarifah rushed to the first bed. Colleen Chu, 11. The pediatrician touched Colleen’s carotid arteries.  There was no pulse. She opened Colleen’s eyes. The girl’s eyes started back at her, lifeless.

“What’s wrong, Dr?” Asked Nurse Aida.

Dr Syarifah barely felt the scalpel on her neck.