Garcia watched as the two discussed the monsters beyond the wall, shaking her head softly, reflecting on the past three days. The insanity when the System hit – She'd been an hour into her shift, and every single patient, every single member of staff, has grabbed their heads and moaned in pain as it hit – including those who were sedated, and the two patients presently being operated on.
The joy of suddenly getting all the medical knowledge she could ever want poured into her head, without having to spend a penny of her savings on going back to Med school: the shock as every patient was healed, restored to a healthy state – again, including the two presently in surgery – and the discovery, a short while later, that she was only one of about half a dozen who still knew how to treat patients: Two of the janitorial staff, one of the former patients, and two other nurses had joined her in gaining immense medical skills and magic. The doctors? They'd spent their points on flashy magic, seduction, or improving their golf game. Almost everyone seemed to have invested in their dreams and hobbies, flashy magic and movie-star skills that had no place in a hospital.
The anger at this as – still on her shift – new patients poured in over the next few hours. People who had hurt themselves with their new powers were the minority: a cascade of car accidents made the shift a bloody nightmare – the cars hadn't stopped while the driver were getting their points, and it seemed most of them had forgotten how to drive while still on the motorway. Grimly aware that most of the ambulances were now being driven by the few volunteers – from former patients, who showed a lot more responsibility than the damn doctors! - who knew how to drive, unable to help much on the way in since all the EMT's had forgotten how to do their damn job.
They did what they could, as the hospital filled back up again – and with their new knowledge and skills, they were barely able to keep up with the influx of injuries: half-aware of the news, as it spoke about airliners being landed by passengers who had poured their points into flight – because who, flying, wouldn't want to know how to fly the plane? While she and her few colleagues tried to do the work of a complete emergency department, saving those they could – but not enough. It was those you lost who haunted you, not those you saved.
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The nightmare shift as they put everyone they could back together, finally staggering into bed after thirty-six hours of consciousness, her mind dizzy with horror at those who they had failed, while exulting in her own ability to do the damn job. Waking up to the news alerts about impending chaos: The confusion and terror of fleeing the city, seeing others hurt in the panic, the confusion, exultation, and insanity upon finding that twelve year old kid opening portals for everyone to flee through, a half mile every five seconds or so.
Watching beyond that vomit yellow wall as people were torn apart, screaming in agony, some even eaten alive: trying to put those who made it within back together, with that insane AI demanding she bow down and swear loyalty when she had god damn lives on the line, and needed full access – reliving her shift, almost, but all alone this time.
Seeing these... She wasn't quite sure what to call them... Talked about it like a game: Lord Fucking Jonathon, casting that spell on her without consent – reminding her far too much of the way Doctor Martinez had treated her, all those years ago, when he cornered her at the office party.
Still. Today... today had improved. She had to admit, now the spell had took effect, she felt better than ever: the ache in her back was gone, her skin rejuvenated – it was like a spa day, manny pedi, and her eighteenth birthday had all hit at once.
As for Jonathon? He'd apologised – not like one of those arrogant, misogynistic pricks she was used to dealing with, the drunks who would try and grope her, the doctors who saw her as just a skirt to chase: He was one of the best teachers she'd ever met, he'd helped her with her magic, he was respecting her opinions.... And she had to admit, he was pretty easy on the eye: With a little reflection, she had some hope that they might be able to survive this nightmare, even with these kids in charge – though she supposed she was something of a kid herself now. Still, what they were discussing.... how the hell did they plan on fighting it?