Clementine Mira:
"This is all you will need to make a tourniquet," Professor Hadley says, picking and holding up a piece of string.
We all look at each other, wondering if what Professor Hadley said is true.
"Hey," Honey says, covering her mouth and leaning in close. "What's a tourniquet?"
"A tourniquet is anything used to stop or slow blood flow," I answer. "It's used often when someone is badly cut."
"How do you know," Chadd asks.
"When I was a novice fighter, I took a lot of classes in medicine and medical training."
"Also," Honey says. "So this must be, like, review for you. Awesome! We got this!"
Honey smiles and punches her palm.
"Uhhh," I say, moaning before clearing my throat. "I don't know if it would be that simple. Yes, I did take classes but it has been a while. I doubt I remember everything."
Looking down at the medicine supplies on the table in front of us, I feel someone tapping on my shoulder. Turning my head, I see our team captain. Holding out his holo-display, Corentin types in a message. He flips his holo-display around and shows it to me.
"You got this," his message reads. Seeing his message, I look up at Corentin and see him nodding.
"Thanks," I say, smiling at Corentin. Corentin then lowers his holo-display and points at Professor Hadley.
"Watch this," Professor Hadley says, typing the piece of string around her arm. "Now the trick with a tourniquet is to tie it tight but still be able to take it off easily. That's why you do it like this."
We all watch as Professor Hadley wraps the string around her arm. Once it wrapped around, Professor Hadley then folds one of the ends.
We all copy her. We grab the pieces of string on our tables and wrap them around our arms before folding one of the ends. As I fold one of the ends, I start to remember what I learned.
Taking the folded end, I squeeze it underneath the string and tighten it.
"Hey," I say, smiling and raising my arm. "I did it."
"Awesome job," Honey says.
"Not bad," Chadd goes on.
Corentin nods his head.
"Excellent," a voice says from behind me. Turning around, I gasp when I see Professor Hadley standing right behind me. "May I?"
"Uhhh," I say before someone bumps me. "Ouch."
Looking behind me, I see Corentin raising his arm.
"Uhh, sure," I say. I bring my arm closer to the Professor so she can examine it.
"Hmm," Professor Hadley says. "This is excellent. In fact, it's almost flawless. The way you tied it. It's tight enough to slow blood flow but can still be easily pulled off."
Professor Hadley grabs and pulls the end that I didn't fold. When she does, the whole tourniquet falls right off.
"You know what," Professor Hadley starts, handing me the string. "With the late start, I have to teach all of you really fast, and could really use an assistant today. What do you say?"
"Oh. Uhh. Thank you for the offer, but I think I'm--"
"She'll do it," Honey shouts, cutting me off.
"Wait. No! I--"
"She'll do it," Honey shouts, cutting me off again.
I open my mouth to protest but stop when I feel someone tapping my shoulder. Turning around, I see Corentin holding his holo-display, and written on his holo-display is a new message.
"You should do it," the message says.
"Oo-okay," I say. "I guess I can help."
Corentin nods his head again before I get up and follow Professor Hadley. Walking to the front of the classroom with her, I look at everyone as they look back at me.
"The next thing I want to show all of you how to make is called a splint," Professor Hadley says. "A splint is another thing that can and will save you in the Wild. Splints are used when you or your fellow fighters have broken bones, cuts, or when your joints feel unstable. They can be made from almost anything. Even these."
Bending down and disappearing behind the counter, Professor Hadley comes back up with two long sticks and a roll of fabrics. Placing the roll on the table, Professor Hadley grabs her holo-display.
"Ms. Clemetine Mira. Can you please help me with this?"
"Yeah. Sure. Of course."
Clearing my throat, I grab the two sticks and hold them up. Trying to remember how to make a splint, I look at the two sticks. At least, I try to. I try to look at the two sticks but all I can see is the eyes of everyone.
"They're looking at me. They're looking at me. Waiting for me to do something. Waiting for me to make a choice. I have to make the right choice, but what is that? What is the right choice? What is it? What is it!"
As I ask myself this, I see the sticks shaking in my hands. Seeing this, I try to put them down. I place them on the table in front of me but when I do, I hear a snapping sound.
"Oh no," I say, raising my hands. When I do, I see four sticks instead of two.
"Oooohhh," a student with short brown hair says. He points at me as he laughs.
"I'm sorry Professor Hadley," I say. Turning away, I quickly return to my seat. The whole time, as I run back to my seat, the same student is still pointing and laughing at me. He still does it, even after I sit down.
Feeling tapping on my shoulder, I turn around and see Corentin showing me a new message.
"Are you okay," he writes.
"Yeah," I answer. I sigh and lower my head. Corentin lowers his holo-display but not his head. He's looking right at the student who is still laughing at me. Putting down his holo-display, Corentin gets up but before he can do anything, the student stops laughing and pointing.
"Ahhh," the student screams as he falls to the floor all of a sudden, his string, sticks, and fabric rolls also falling with him. When he falls, all of us, even Corentin laugh at him. "Ouch. What was that?"
Looking around, I notice the seat the student was sitting on. One of the legs is broken. No, it's not broken but melted. Looking around again, I see another student with short black hair sitting nearby.
He has short black hair and tanned skin. He's wearing long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. When I look closer, I see a holster and a smoking gun.
The student, whoever he is, smiles when he sees me. He puts his finger to his mouth before turning away.
"That's enough," Professor Hadley says, walking over to the fallen student. "That's enough. Get up."
Crossing her arms as she stands over him, the student grabs the table and pulls himself up. Meanwhile, all of us stop laughing and return to our table.
Grabbing the two sticks and the roll of fabric, I look over them before feeling another tapping.
"My arm is broken," Corentin writes. Putting his holo-display down, Corentin then offers me his right arm.
"No," I say, putting up my hand and shaking my head. "I can't do it. Did you not see me up there?"
Corentin erases his message and writes a new one.
"No one is watching," he writes. "Everyone is too busy putting a splint on their teammate's arm."
To prove his point, Corentin nudges his head at everyone. Looking all around me, I see all the other students practicing putting splints and tourniquets on each other.
"Okay," I say slowly, grabbing the two sticks. Placing them along Corentin's lower forearm, I then use the fabric roll to keep them in place. Finishing the process by tying a knot, I pull back.
"How does that feel?"
Corentin moves his arm up and down. He stretches his fingers and rolls his wrist. When he is done, Corentin smiles.
"Excellent job," Professor Hadley says again from behind me. Doing my best to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest, I turn around and see Professor Hadley smiling at me.
"Oh no," I say, looking at Corentin's splint. "This--this isn't anything really. It's just--"
" Don't worry," Professor Hadley says. "I won't make you my assistant again."
Professor Hadley nods her head before leaving to check on her other students.
"Hold still, Chadd," Honey shouts, typing the string around Chadd's arm.
"Honey," Chadd screams. "You're typing it too tight! I can't feel my arms!"
Seeing the two, Corentin nudges.
"Hold on," I say, getting up to help Chadd. "Honey!"