Lia stood in front of a long mirror that hung from her bedroom wall. She fiddled with her necklace while practicing different smiles. Today was her first day as a surgeon resident in a hospital. She had studied for so many years to be a doctor and the day had finally arrived.
It wouldn't be easy. Studying something and doing it were two completely different matters. It did not matter to Lia that she had been top of her class, and had graduated with honors. All that mattered was that she had a good, if not decent, day.
Taking a deep breath, Lia gathered herself and walked out of her room. She thought about drinking coffee, but that would probably give her shaky hands. Grabbing the car keys off the kitchen counter, she walked out of the tiny house her mom had left for her and walked to her car.
The car wasn't brand new, but it took her to places and that was all that mattered. While Lia had been attending one of the best college's on a full-ride scholarship, she had still needed a job to cover other bills. She took a job as a barista at a coffeeshop, and her elicit affair with caffeine had begun.
Lia saved up enough money to buy herself a car and she was proud of it. Getting into her car, she backed out of the driveway and started the route to the hospital.
Grey clouds started to gather in the sky, and she hoped rain didn't fall until after she had made it inside the hospital building. She sped up a bit and hoped there were no cops around.
From the corner of her eye, she saw a car left on the side of the road, and slowed down. Turning to look, she saw an unconscious man sitting in the backseat with his eyes closed.
Should she help? Maybe the ambulance was already on the way, she didn't want to be late on her first day. But no, she had to help. The Hippocratic oath she took would not let her turn away from someone who was injured and in need of help.
Lia had already passed the black, sleek car with the injured man, so she hoped there really were no cops around her as she did an illegal U-turn.
She parked behind the car and got out of her car. Jogging to the car, she noticed the drivers door was open but the seat was empty. Traces of blood were splattered on the steering wheel. She opened the backset door and the mans bleary eyes opened. He glared at her, and she ignored his obvious disdain, or what she thought was disdain.
Lia searched his body for injuries, and saw two bullet wounds on his body. One bullet wound had entered his abdomen and the second bullet had pierced through his shoulder.
"Sir, can you tell me your name?" Lia asked while ripping a big stripe of cloth from the mans dress shirt. She then proceeded to rip it in half and press it against his wounds to stop the rapid bleeding. She looked up at him, only to find him staring fixedly at her.
His eyes were a shade lighter than his black hair. He had sharp eyebrows, a tall nose bridge and full lips. He also didn't answer her.
"Sir, can you hear me? Have you already called an ambulance?" Lia kept asking.
He simply shook his head.
"Okay, I am going to need you to apply pressure on one of the wounds so I can take out my phone and call an ambulance."
He nodded and reached out his hand to hold the piece of cloth against the wound on his abdomen.
Lia took out her phone and called for help.
Atlas stared at the strange woman who had appeared out of thin air and had decided to help him. She was lovely, with her black hair that fell in waves to her thin waist. Her eyes were a mesmerizing amber. Her upper lip was slightly fuller than her lower lip, looking like it could drip with honey.
He watched as she talked to the emergency call-taker. He had already sent one of his guards to call for his doctor, Dr. Lou.
From behind the young woman, Atlas saw one of his guards approach and he shook his head. Atlas watched as they disappeared from sight and relaxed. The guards would know to send the doctor to whichever hospital he was sent to.
The woman did not think it suspicious that all the other cars ignored him? Or did she simply not care? He had his guards build a perimeter around his car so no one would attempt to approach, but no one had even tried. When he noticed this slight woman do an illegal U-turn, it had amused him.
Atlas had let her get close to him, and like a little bee she had flown into the honeyed trap. An indecipherable emotion rose up inside him when his eyes were on her.
"Okay, I have called them and they will arrive shortly." Lia informed the man.
Atlas nodded to her in response and looked down at his wounds. He knew he had lost a lot of blood and his chances of survival kept decreasing. He coughed and tasted iron in his mouth. His skin started looking paler and clammy.
The loud sirens pierced through their ears, and Lia let out a breath full of relief. Atlas felt the corners of his vision going blurry and dark. Before he lost complete consciousness, he heard her give out information.
"Two gunshot wounds, one through the abdomen and one through the shoulder. He most likely has internal bleeding, and he's losing blood quickly." Lia shot out quickly to the paramedics.
"Alright, thank you. We've got it from here." One of the paramedics said without much sincerity.
Lia watched as they placed the man in the ambulance and asked, "Which hospital is he being treated at?"
"Novak Hospital." The paramedic quickly mentioned the name of the hospital and drove away.
That's where Lia would be working, she realized. She then quickly followed behind the ambulance.