LIGHT IN DARKNESS

By Tessa Harvey


    The doorman glanced again at his watch. 5am. Dawn. He would be relieved soon. He thought of the slow, sombre watch of darkness and chided himself for his unease.
    The woman had clicked up to the hospital entrance around 3am, her low heels harsh sounding and abrupt. She was tall, angular looking, dressed all in elegant black with a flash of white blouse at her neck. She had flicked a laminated card at him. He saw words and a photo on the plastic card. But the moment had been brief.
    She tucked away the black lanyard and hurried on.
    "Social Worker" - the words had been flung back over her shoulder. "High level." The words were as clipped, authoritative and precise as she looked herself.
"I shall be back soon and I expect clearance. No delay!"
    Not long after, she had returned, a small bundle under her arm. The tall woman stalked away, not even giving him a glance. Still, he felt uneasy. The guilt returned tenfold. The small bundle had moved. Sweat broke out on his brow. What to do? He couldn't afford to lose his job.
    "Hi Bill,"  drawled his replacement, "all quiet on the western front?" He sniggered at his joke, then stood there in surprise as his coworker hastened away without a word.
    "What's eating him?" he thought sourly, then forgot as the busy morning began.

    The doctor approached his patient's bed. "Ms. Roberts," he said, "you may go home today. Have you someone to collect you?" The young girl looked bewildered.

 

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