Sir Thursday

Thirty

LEAF WOKE IN a panic, choking. Before she could work out where she was and what she was choking on, a stream of clear fluid gushed out of her nose and into a bucket that was being held in front of her, and her head was held over it.

"Keep still," said a calm female voice. "This will last about five minutes."

"Eerggh, ick, eurch," spat Leaf as the stuff just kept coming, flowing fast enough that some of it washed back down her throat. That was what made her cough.

"You've just come out of sedation," the voice continued. "This clear fluid is a mixture of an agent we've used to flush a foreign … well, fungoid, out of you and the denatured fungoid itself. Once it's out, you'll be fine."

"Oh ish sho horrigle," gasped Leaf. She felt weak and flaky and very disoriented and her sinus cavities really hurt. She was in a bed, that was clear, but the roof was green and very low and kind of saggy, and there were clear plastic walls everywhere.

She turned her head and saw it was a nurse holding her head and the bucket. A nurse in a biohazard suit, her face indistinct behind a double visor.

"You're in a field hospital, set up on the oval at what I believe is your school," explained the nurse. "Everything is going to be okay."

"How longsh "ere?"

"How long have you been here?"

Leaf nodded.

"I think it's been a week. Things have been very hectic, though they're picking up now. At least they caught the terrorists who spread this thing."

"Shwat!?"

"Well, not caught exactly, as they were all killed in the raid on their headquarters."

Leaf shook her head in disbelief, till that motion was stopped by an even firmer grip.

"Don't do that, please. Keep it in the receptacle."

A week, she thought in disbelief. I've been under sedation for a week. But Suzy must have got the pocket to Arthur, or I wouldn't be here …

"Air ow my parents?"

"How are your parents?"

Leaf had meant "Where are my parents?" but she nodded gently anyway, making sure this did not disrupt the cascade of fluid.

"I'll have to check. No visitors here, of course. They're probably home, I should imagine."

"Ay woor in Est Eerea Hopital."

The nurse's hand holding the bucket shook.

"They were in East Area Hospital?"

Leaf nodded slowly.

"I'll get a doctor to check for you," said the nurse carefully. "I'm sure they're okay, but there were a … a number of casualties at East Area. After the helicopter crash, and the breakout attempt, the Army … most of the people inside … most were fine."

"Wat day iz?" asked Leaf, two tears running down her cheeks to drip unnoticed into the bucket.

"What day is it? Friday, dear. It's Friday morning. Oh, there's the doctor coming in the end now, she must be wanting to check up on you. You know, the funny thing is, her name's Friday too and she only works on Fridays! Doctor Friday, imagine that! We call her Lady Friday on the wards, because she's so … so beautiful and refined … Oh, do stay still!"