Like before, Grace had been working round the clock. She was jumping from one patient to another. While doing so, she noticed Tara and Cecilia entering tents eventhough they were not supposed to do so. There were schedules and it seemed they were not following them. They were also bringing vials and syringes, as if injecting people with something. Again, they should not do so unless it was part of the procedures. It did not feel right for her but due to what happened few days ago, she decided not to interfere with them.
Grace also observed their patients were getting more sickly each day. The camp was supposedly to accommodate patients with mild illnesses but the growing concerns in Subangdaku urged the authorities to make drastic decisions; hence, they accepted severe cases. To her wonder, the severity was getting grave. Just that noon, two patients vomited blood and pus. An hour later, two more suffered extreme allergies that rashes appeared on almost every corner of their skin. They had not rested yet when several others suddenly had convulsions and suffocations. It came to a point that they had to send them immediately to the emergency room in nearby hospitals. By afternoon, Grace was worn out.
She still had one hour before her shift for the day ends when one of the doctors in-charge called her to the office. The doctor went straight to the point and told her that she would be relieved from duty. The skirmish she was involved in last Friday had reached the higher ups and the mayor was particularly disappointed with how the camp was handled. Based on the story, Dr. Alvarado was severely reprimanded and one recommendation was to relieve her.
Grace was dumbfounded. She did not expect that the little confrontation would end that way. She was sad and hurt but she could do nothing but obey. She wanted to implore but the doctor was only following orders. After saying her thanks to some new friends she met in the camp, she immediately packed up and left.
Alex was already waiting for her outside the campus. His presence soothed her grieving heart. Since the camp started, Alex fetched her at night so she no longer have to ride her bike in going home. Though she rejected his offer at first, Alex persisted so she agreed in the end. Seeing him at that moment brought tears to her eyes. Alex saw her sadness that he hurriedly went up to her and embraced her.
"What's the problem?" he asked after kissing her head.
"I'm not allowed to go back to work in the camp again," she answered which made her cry.
Once her emotions subsided, she explained everything that happened. Alex was partly sad and partly happy. Sad because he knew Grace really loved the work and giving her service in such time meant a lot to her. Happy because she would not be anymore exposed to different threats from the outbreak patients. He comforted her and fortunately, Grace relaxed and smiled again. Alex was stroking her hair when he noticed a piece of paper sticking out of her bag.
"You should place that carefully inside your bag," he commented.
"What do you mean?"
Alex pointed at the piece of paper and Grace was perplexed upon seeing it. It was something taken out of a doctor's notepad where prescriptions were written. She was certain she did not put anything like it during the day. Immediately, she took out the piece of paper.
"Be careful, Grace. You should know your place, or else....." the note said.
Grace gasped. She read the heading and only then she noticed it was a paper from the school physician's notepad. It could not come from her superior Dr. Gatbunton. She knew his handwriting so someone else must have written those words. Besides, the doctor had not reported since the isolation camp became operational. Seeing her shock, Alex took the paper and read.
"Who could have written this?" Alex whispered angrily. "This is a serious threat."
"I don't know. I don't understand why I got this."
It was already dark by then and the couple felt that the note was more chilly than the night breeze. They were still in a state of worry and puzzlement when Grace saw Cecilia and Tara exiting the school gate. Instinctively, she ran up to them.
"Guys, I would just like to apologize to the two of you," Grace said to them. "I could not believe it would reach this point."
"What are you talking about?" Cecilia asked coldly.
"Our dismissal from work."
"What dismissal?" Tara snapped.
"I was relieved from work beginning tomorrow. It was an official order. Didn't you receive the same notice?"
"Nope," Cecilia answered.
"And why are you dismissed?"
"It was about what happened to us last Friday. So I thought the three of us were relieved."
"Why include us?" Tara exclaimed. "It was not our fault. You caused the trouble."
"We were just doing our job," Cecilia added, "while you were being nosy about other people's business."
Grace could not answer them. She felt humiliated.
"Too bad for you," Cecilia said.
"Yeah, really too bad," Tara mocked. "You must learn to mind your own business."
Without waiting for her rebuttal, the two turned around and left. Grace was shocked. Alex saw it and hurriedly put his arm around her and led her away. After consoling her, they entered his car and left. Meanwhile, the two nurses could not also help but wonder about Grace's case.
"That's odd," Cecilia said when they were some good distance from Grace. "The doctor must have worked on her dismissal."
"You mean Dr. Alvarado?" Tara asked tactlessly.
"Who else? Tara, you should be careful in mentioning names."
" Whatever," Tara said and rolled her eyes. "Good riddance, anyway."
Silence.
"Are you riding with me?" Cecilia asked when they were already closed to her car.
"I'll pass, Cecilia," Tara answered. "I think I'll have some sip of coffee first."
Tara waved goodbye and continued walking. There was a popular coffee shop three blocks away. Young professionals enjoyed hanging out in the place.
Soon, Tara entered a lonely street. The darkness caused by busted lights in some posts made the walk even lonelier for her. But more than the loneliness, Tara felt something scary in the ambience. She had just turned around a corner when some strong arms grabbed her from behind. She fought and wrestled but the man overpowered her. He pressed her against a concrete fence and she suddenly felt a prick on her neck. It was as if something sharp was pinned quickly on her. But everything happened so quickly that she was uncertain of what really took place. In fear, she screamed hard that the man immediately threw her. He ran fast, living her lying confused and dazed on the ground.
Things became a blur for Tara. Fortunately, people heard her that they went out of their establishments to find out about what happened. By then she was unconscious that an ambulance took her to the nearest hospital....