The Curse Conduit

Simian and Casta were already at the reception desk of the emergency unit of the hospital as Uriah arrived to hear a nurse say she could not give them any other information about Derek expect that he had also arrived. Uriah nodded to his friends but looked straight at the nurse. “I am the one that called the ambulance for my brother miss. If we can’t see him could you at least tell us how he is?”

As three of the four members of Synergy stood in front of the nurse, it jogged her memory. She wasn’t a fan but she knew of the group. She stood and smiled at them. “I’m sorry I just realised who you all are.”

They all thought that would be it. They would have no hope of getting any information or even seeing Derek as they were not family.

“Look. I am not supposed to do this but if you wait I’ll make a call and see what I can find out.” As she picked up the phone and dialled an internal number she looked back at Uriah. “You’re not really brothers are you?”

Uriah took hold of her hand. “We are as close as you can be without being brothers. Please see what you can find out.”

The nurse held up her hand indicating she had a connection. “Yes, front desk here. I am enquiring about a Mr Derek Mailer for his brothers.

Simian, Casta and Uriah looked at each other when she said this but remained silent.

“Yes they are with me at the moment…. Yes…..okay……yes.”

The three men listened intently but were none the wiser as the nurse hung up, except that her expression was grave.

She looked at each one of them. “He’s in a very bad way. The doctor informed me that it looks like he has lost a lot of blood.”

She looked to each of them. “I don’t suppose one of you ‘brothers’ is the same blood type?”

Simian and Casta shook their heads and answered “No.”

Uriah surprised them all. “I am.”

The nurse looked back at him with the same surprise as the other two. Looking down at the paper where she had scribbled her note she looked back at Uriah.” You mean to tell me you are both RHnull?”

“Yes miss I......... we are.”

“Do you know that is a rare blood type?”

Uriah nodded his head and the others just looked at him.

Simian said something in French then English. “Uriah. I don’t even know what blood type I am how could you know about Derek?”

Uriah shrugged his shoulders. “It came up in conversation not to long after we got together. We both were amazed at the fact that we had the same rare blood type.” Uriah looked back at the nurse. “Does this mean I get to see him?”

She smiled. “Sounds to me like they want you to give him some of your blood.” She handed him a form. “Fill this out while I double check. Sure going to be much easier passing you off as brothers with this little piece of information.”

Again the nurse got on the phone and before she had hung up another person came through the security doors to the trauma ward. “Janice you said we have a donor?”

“Yes. Mr Mailer and one of his brothers have the same blood type.”

The trauma nurse took the forms from Uriah and looked them over then looked back at Uriah. “Burner, your last name is Burner?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“And you are Mr Mailer’s brother?”

Before Uriah could answer Janice stepped in. “Don’t ask just be grateful he is the right blood type.”

The trauma nurse looked at each of them and then back at Uriah. “Are you willing to undergo the test to make sure this information is correct and if so then give.” She paused just a little. “Your brother blood?”

Uriah pulled his shoulders back and stood as straight as he could. “You just tell me where and how much.”

“Then come with me.” With that the trauma nurse began to walk back to the security doors with Uriah following.

Casta shouted after them. “Tell Derek we will be there as soon as we can.”

Janice’s voice was caring as she spoke to the two concerned men. “Your friend, mmmm your brother is in the best care.” Again she handed them forms. “Fill these out and I can put you on the system as family. As soon as he is out of danger you will be able to see him.”

Both men took her hands and kissed her, thanking her for everything. Casta kept hold of her hand for a little longer. “Thank you Bella. We really are more like brothers you know.”

Uriah sat quietly but a little nervous in a small cubicle while yet another nurse all be it a male nurse placed a needle in his arm and took a quantity of blood. Once the vile was full the nurse smiled, placed a small band aid on Uriah’s arm. “This must be some special blood. I’ve never been summoned from the lab before.”

Uriah sighed. “How long before you know if I can give Derek my blood?”

“Not long but I am guessing they will start him on plasma in the meantime to keep his volume up.” The nurse left and Uriah wondered what he was supposed to do. He was just about to leave the cubicle when the first nurse came back.

“The doctor wants to have a word with you Mr. Burner.”

“Can I see Derek? How is he? Is he awake?”

“Come with me, the Doctor is the one to answer those questions.”

Uriah followed the nurse down a corridor and into a private room. He stopped in his tracks just inside the door. Derek lay in the bed looking so very pale. Uriah swallowed hard. How could his friend possibly have ended up like this because of a dream? The Doctor’s voice broke Uriah’s thoughts.

“Mr. Burner, I’m Doctor Horton.”

Uriah shook Dr Horton’s hand in silence, staring at him not sure what or if he should say something.

The Doctor gave him a weak smile. “Your brother was in a bad way.”

Uriah was surprised at the Doctors words. “Was, you mean he is okay?” Uriah looked back at Derek in the bed as the Doctor continued.

“Well. I’m not exactly sure. All his signs point to the fact that he has lost a lot of blood. But when we checked again he hasn’t lost any at all.”

Uriah looked at the Doctor speechless waiting for an explanation.

“He has a nasty cut on his hand which we have dressed but he did not lose enough blood from that wound to make us think he needed a transfusion and the bruise on his side. All be it a nasty one is not the cause. Frankly I don’t know why they told us he had lost a lot of blood. We don’t need you to give him any, he is fine.”

Again Uriah looked from Derek to the Doctor. “But he looks terrible. What’s wrong?”

The Doctor sighed.” Like I said the results keep coming back as if he needs a transfusion but he doesn’t. He has enough blood. I can’t figure it out. The other thing is his brain activity.”

Uriah shot the doctor a horrified look. “What do you mean? He’s in a coma or something?”

The doctor shook his head. “No that is just it. His brain is so active. It’s like watching the brain of a person awake and.”

The realisation of Derek’s situation hit Uriah like a thunder bolt and he grabbed hold of the Doctors arms. “You have to wake him. NOW, before it is too late. You have to wake him!”

The Doctor pulled himself away from Uriah. “Young man what your friend needs now is to rest and regain his strength.”

Uriah pulled his hand through his hair. How did he make the Doctor understand that was exactly what he didn’t need? His eyes were wild and his body language showed all in the room he was agitated and worried. “Doc, I know you have no reason to believe me but if you want to save your patient you need to wake him up and now. You said yourself you don’t understand. Trust me, you need to wake him.”

Again Uriah looked from Derek to the doctor. “Please! Do something.”

Dr Horton stood at the side of Derek’s bed looking from the man to the monitors. Nothing made sense. He should be giving him a blood transfusion but he couldn’t, his patient already had enough blood. His brain patterns should have been much, much slower, he should have been near death but he wasn’t. Dr Horton looked back at Uriah.

“I promise Doc. You wake him up you save his life.”

The Doctor took a deep breath. “You better be right. Nurse hand me the adrenalin.”

The nurse looked at Dr Horton confused. He had his hand out waiting. “Now nurse.”

The nurse did as she was told and they all waited as the Doctor pushed the needled into Derek’s IV.

They did not have to wait long. Derek took in a large gulp of air, sat bolt upright in the bed and shouted. “Uri! Urian! No. I can’t No!”

Uriah was at his friend’s side in an instant. “Derek! It’s me Uriah. Derek!”

Derek’s eyes fell on his friend. “Uriah.” He gripped his hand. “God Uriah I can’t do this anymore. I can’t. They’re dead, they are all dead. We are all dead!”

The doctor was now at Derek’s side. “Knew this was a mistake. I need to put him back under.”

Both Uriah and Derek shouted at once “NO!” And Uriah grabbed the Doctor with his free hand. “No. Just give him a minute to figure out where he is okay. Let me help him.”

The Doctor nodded and Uriah turned his attention back to Derek.

“Derek, look at me. It’s Uriah. You’re back it’s okay, you’re back.”

Derek’s eyes settled on Uriah and some of the fright left him. “Uriah?”

Uriah smiled weakly. “Yes it is me Derek.”

Derek looked around the room. “Where am I?”

“In hospital. Do you remember what happened?”

Derek looked at his friend. “The phone. I was talking to you on the phone.”

Uriah smiled at him. “Yeah and then you passed out. I had to call an ambulance.”

Derek looked from Uriah to the Doctor.

“You gave us all a bit of a scare young man. You have a very strange body.”

Derek looked from Uriah to the doctor again not sure if he understood but the doctor continued. “We were all set to have your brother here give you some blood but your body didn’t think that was such a good idea.”

Again Derek looked at Uriah. “Your blood?”

Uriah nodded. “I guess I get to keep.”

“I don’t understand.” Derek looked back at the doctor.

“Frankly Mr Mailer neither do I. Right now you should be recovering from a blood transfusion and close to being in a coma. Your brother here convinced me the best thing to do was wake you up. That goes against everything I have learnt but then again I have never come across anyone like you.”

Again Derek looked at Uriah. “You got them to wake me up?”

Uriah nodded and Derek squeezed his hand. “Thank you. Now all I have to do is stay awake”

The doctor shuffled a little uneasily at Derek’s comments. “Mr Mailer is there something I should know?”

Derek and Uriah looked at each other and then back at the Doctor.

Uriah sighed. “Yes there is Doc but I think it best if we told you in private.”

Dr Horton didn’t like the sound of that. He had been around for a while and was pretty good a picking people. That is why he had taken Uriah at his word that waking up Derek was the right thing to do, even when it went against everything he knew. He looked at the nurse. “Okay. Nurse could you leave us please. I’ll call if I need you.”

The nurse left in silence.

Once she had gone Dr Horton turned his attention back to Uriah and Derek. “Okay. What is it that you want to tell me?”

Derek went to speak but Uriah cut him off. “I think the rest of the family need to be here for this as well.”

Both Derek and the Doctor gave Uriah a bewildered look. “Our two brothers are out in the waiting room. Dr Horton. You need to hear it from them as well.”

Dr Horton dialled the reception from the phone on the wall, looking at Uriah the whole time. “Janice do you have Mr Mailer’s two brothers in reception? I see…Can you send them down to his room please.”

Derek looked at Uriah. “Simian and Casta are here?”

Uriah nodded. “I called them as soon as I called the ambulance. They got here before I did.”

Dr Horton was about to say something when in a flurry of French and Spanish Simian and Casta burst into the room heading straight for Derek’s bed. Derek had to smile at his friends. “Nice to see you too.”

Casta was the first to get his English under control. “You scared us. Are you alright Derek?”

Before Derek could answer Simian spoke up. “Yes Derek this talk of blood transfusions.”

“I am fine, no blood transfusion.”

Dr Horton cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, now that all of you are here there was something you wanted to tell me?”

Casta and Simian looked at Uriah suspiciously.

“We need to explain to the good doctor about Derek’s condition.”

Casta raised an eyebrow. “Do you think that is wise?”

“Probably not, that is why I wanted you to be here. You have seen what happens; you didn’t believe us in the beginning. I want the doctor to release Derek, not send us all to the psych ward.”

At the mention of the psychiatric ward the Doctors interest was piqued.

Both Simian and Casta sighed and the four men looked at each other and the doctor waited for them to tell him what was going on. He was not prepared for what he heard.