"She is probably not going to make it. The bleeding was too extensive. I stitched the wound, but it will not do much for her at this point. She is experiencing shortness of breath and her heart rate won't lower. Her lung may have been damaged. She may have a concussion after a fall like that as well. She has been passed out since she arrived.
Her arm is also completely crushed. Even if I set it, it won't heal properly. She needs to get out of here to have a fighting chance or we will lose her." The circus doctor said with a furrowed brow.
Aeson was contracted by Damien to take care of any medical issues that emerged at the circus. He was paid illegally so no one could track the payments. Aeson didn't like the deal, nor did he need the money, but he stayed to help regardless.
His parents left him a very large inheritance when they passed away. If he didn't ever want to work another day in his life, he didn't have to, but he had a huge heart and loved helping others.
Aeson stood about six feet tall, lean, and always well dressed. His short dark hair slightly curled, matching his dimples. His look was so inviting and handsome. Trusting him was easy and that's exactly what Ansel did, trust him to look after the most important person to her. She had no choice but to listen to his opinion.
"What do you mean she won't make it, Aeson? She has to make it!" A worried Ansel, spoke. "Ansel, this girl is really damaged. I am surprised she has lasted this long. She needs to get better care than I can offer her here. You need to speak to Damien and get her out of here now!" He said.
Ansel looked over Zia's injuries. Her white hair unraveled from her braid and was saturated with blood. With Aeson's help, she was able to clean most of the blood from her body after removing her costume.
They replaced her costume with a blue, cotton nightgown, hoping that it would make her more comfortable if she woke up.
Her stitches were perfectly sewn on her side, and her harm was wrapped in a bandage as it rested between two flat, wooden sticks to prevent her from further damaging herself. Aeson stitched her forehead as well, leaving a bruise from the impact of hitting the ground.
Ansel's heart ached at the sight of Zia in such conditions.
"You know Damien won't let her leave this place. That is not an option." Ansel said, looking away as she began blinking away her tears. "Yeah, he is a dick sometimes." He said.
"Now, now, that is no way to talk about me," Damien said, revealing himself from the shadows as he smiled, seemingly unbothered by the situation. Both Ansel and Aeson looked up, surprised. No one heard him enter the darkroom. Damien moved swift and quietly, like a creature stalking its prey.
"What is going on here?" He asked, looking down at Zia's unconscious, injured body, ignoring the obvious.
"Zia won't make it if we don't get her out of here, Damien." Ansel said, nervously. "What do you mean? That's why we have a doctor here." He said confidently.
"Damien, she won't make it. I can't offer her the treatment she needs here. Look at her!" Aeson said impatiently.
"I can see perfectly fine doctor." Damien said, sarcastically. "I don't pay you to tell me you cannot fix someone. I pay you to get the job done. So, fix it!" He said, raising his voice as if he was trying to hold back a beast inside of him.
Damien looked a Zia and grabbed her face by her chin aggressively, looking at her closely as he moved her head from side to side. "Be careful Damien." Ansel pleaded. "Don't tell me what to do, Ansel." He said, releasing Zia's face.
"Damien, she may have a concussion and possible neck or spinal injuries and we don't have a neck brace for her. You can't mover her around like that. You will cause more harm to her." Aeson said carefully. He needed Damien to understand the severity of the condition Zia was in.
Damien became very quiet as he analyzed her injuries. He slowly stalked around the table she lay on.
"So, I am guessing she won't be able to dance anymore, even if she recovers from her injuries?" Damien asked. "Her legs are ok, but her arm will be useless without reconstructive surgery. Without an x-ray, we won't know if she has sustained any damages to her spine. She hasn't tried to move. There is so much that she needs right now, Damien." He pleaded.
"Fuck! Damien spat as he ran his fingers from the front of his hair to the back of his head as the gravity of the situation set in. "Take her to the holding area downstairs. I will be back." He said turning away to leave.
"Damien, she needs help now." Aeson pled. "Do as I say, or you will both regret it!" Damien barked. "But, can't she stay in one of the rooms near your office Damien? The holding area is dark and cold. She needs to be comfortable and warm." Ansel begged.
"She doesn't deserve comfort, Ansel. She had one job to do, and she screwed it up. She is supposed to be a professional. Do you know how much it will cost me to fix the damages?" He said, annoyed.
"Damien, that could have happened to anyone. Zia was terrified. She didn't know what to expect. She is still a child, barely eighteen and you treat her like an unruly animal!
Zia has always done all you ask of her, and she tried to do so tonight as well! You even rented her out the other night like she is some whore! How can you treat her like this? She is a beautiful soul, Damien. You will ruin her if you continue this way!" Ansel yelled, letting all her frustrations out, as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Damien's blue eyes turned dark as the deepest trenches of the ocean as he drew his arm back hitting Ansel in her mouth with the back of his hand. She fell to the ground, with her hand covering her mouth. "Ansel!" Aeson shouted as he moved towards Ansel, picking her off the ground.
Blood seeped from Ansel's mouth when she removed her hand from her face. Aeson glared at Damien but said nothing as Damien moved closer to the duo. His face began turning red with anger.
"Treat her? I have taken care of her from before she could walk. You of all people know this, Ansel!" Damien shouted. The least she could do is pay me back for my investment. This was her fault, not mine. I owe her nothing!" He said, with a growl walking away, slamming the heavy, metal door behind him.
Ansel silently buried her head in Aeson's chest as he held her securely. Her knees felt weak, and her mouth was in pain. "We have to help her Aeson." Her muffled words were barely loud enough for him to hear.
"It will be ok Ansel. Go get some blankets and socks for her. We need to keep her warm. I will see what I can find to brace her neck. We need her to be still in case she wakes up soon. The pain medicine should help her a bit. I will do all I can for her, Ansel." He said.
Ansel squeezed Aeson tightly, hugging him. "Thank you." She said as she walked away to gather things for Zia as instructed.