赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Bell entered the room, and Ashleigh already sat on the bed. Her blood-soaked shirt had been replaced with a hospital gown.

“Been a while since we’ve done this,” Bell smiled as she gathered her supplies.

Everything was neatly laid out on the tray. Bell turned on a bright light just above the bed, and Ashleigh closed her eyes, naturally turning her head away.

“Sorry, bright light,” Bell said. “I’ll need you to turn toward the door so I can see everything clearly.”

Ashleigh did as instructed, and Bell put on a fresh pair of gloves before removing the bandage she had placed in the field.

It was a deep cut, but no significant damage was done. Stitches would be required, and there would be scarring, but otherwise, the wound was clean and straightforward.

Bell began by cleaning the wound again and swabbing it. Making sure there was nothing that had gotten inside. There was no sign of foreign debris or poison on the blade that made the cut.

There was a commotion in the hallway. Shouting and things hitting a wall, then more shouting. Ashleigh tensed up and focused on the door. She was ready to jump up and fight at a moment’s notice. She tilted her head slightly, trying to give her hearing a better angle.

“If you move like that while I’m stitching, we’re gonna have a problem,” Bell sighed.

Ashleigh turned and looked at Bell. She furrowed her brows.

“Aren’t you concerned about what’s happening out there?” Ashleigh asked, looking back at the door.

“There are plenty of people out there to be concerned about it. I’m concerned about what’s happening in here,” Bell replied.

She reached up and grabbed Ashleigh’s chin, forcing her to turn so she was back in the proper position and lighting for the procedure.

Ashleigh took a deep breath through her nose.

“How are you so calm?” she asked, staying as still as possible. “I still can’t wrap my head around what happened out there…”

Bell let out a soft chuckle.

“Calm?” she asked, focusing her eyes on the wound. “My son is trapped in a panic room underneath his school, with a barrier blocking anyone from reaching him, including me. My husband is being physically attacked by people who have known and respected him his entire life. I went out and essentially hunted people down to shoot them with tranquilizers…”

Bell sat back and smiled at Ashleigh.

“The world around me is on full tilt right now,” she said. “Inside, I am screaming, crying, shouting, and throwing everything within reach.”

Bell paused and took a breath.

“I can lean into fear and anxiety. Let it out into the open, just like those people out in the hall right now… and create even more problems for even more people,” she said softly. “Or I can do what I’m really good at.”

She smiled again.

“Make jokes and fix all the ouchies and booboos you silly crash test dummies bring to my door.”

Ashleigh sighed and gave a weak smile.

“Weren’t you the one that told me I couldn’t do that…” she said quietly.

Bell smiled and nodded.

“Yeah,” she said. “Avoiding your pain and fear isn’t really a healthy choice.”

“But it’s all right for you to do it?” Ashleigh asked. Looking at Bell with a sad smile.

Bell thought for a moment about how to answer. But no matter how she phrased it, the answer would still be painful for Ashleigh to hear.

“I don’t do that,” Bell said. “Not anymore.”

Ashleigh furrowed her brows.

“I put it away, here, right now. While I need to take care of my patients and those around me,” Bell continued. “But, later… at home… I’ll fall apart. I’ll let it out. I’ll scream, I’ll cry, I’ll throw things. I’ll feel the things I feel and put in the work to get past it.”

Ashleigh stared at Bell. It was like she had become a different person. For so long, Ashleigh hadn’t even known about the scars that Bell carried on her body and on her heart. She hid them well and kept them a secret by burying them deep inside herself.

“You can do that now?” Ashleigh asked, almost unintentionally.

Bell smiled and nodded.

“I can fall apart,” she said gently. “Because I know Galen will always help me pick up the pieces.”

The pain in Ashleigh’s chest stung again. The empty feeling in her belly seemed to stretch even further.

“Luna Ashleigh!” came a shout from the hallway. “Luna Ashleigh! Please! We need her!”

Ashleigh clenched her jaw and closed her eyes as the air thickened.

The shouting continued but slowly got quieter as the patient was subdued and taken away.

“Are you all right?” Bell asked.

Ashleigh took a deep breath and then another. The air slowly returned to normal, and she relaxed just a little.

“I just don’t understand any of this,” she sighed. “Why are they focused on me? I never even acted as Luna…”

Bell sat back and looked carefully at her friend. She could see the frustrating confusion that Ashleigh felt. She meant it when she said she didn’t understand.

The war had brought so many changes to their world and caused so much pain and loss. But Ashleigh could not see beyond Caleb.

Bell took a deep breath.

“Have you ever heard any of the stories these wolves share about you?” she asked.

Ashleigh furrowed her brow and looked at Bell.

“You mean the rumors?” she asked.

Bell shook her head.

“No, I mean the stories. The way they describe the events before and during the war, the things you did, that you could do.”

Ashleigh sighed and looked away again.

“Why would I want to hear that?” she asked. “I was there, I lived it. I know what happened better than anyone.”

“Yeah, you do,” Bell nodded. “But I didn’t say that they know everything that happened. I said they tell stories.”

Ashleigh glanced back at her.

“Do you know the purpose of a story?” Bell asked.

Ashleigh took a deep breath and let it out in an irritated sigh.

“Didn’t you say this needed to be taken care of now?” she asked, pointing to her jaw.

Bell scoffed gently and nodded.

“You’re right, and I should get to work.”

Bell leaned forward and grabbed a small syringe from her tray. She held it up so Ashleigh could see it.

“Numbing shot,” she said. “To make this all a little easier on you.”

Ashleigh nodded and turned to give Bell better access. She took a sharp breath through her nose and closed her eyes as the medicine was injected.

“There we go,” Bell chirped. “Now I can stitch you up. Go ahead and lay back. Get comfortable.”

Ashleigh nodded and laid down so that Bell could easily reach her wound.

“Just remember, you gotta hold still,” Bell instructed. “No moving, no shaking your head, no talking. Your mouth needs to stay shut through this whole process.”

Ashleigh gave a thumbs up. Bell smiled at her obedience.

“Good,” Bell smiled. She grabbed the suturing needle and got into position. “Now, just relax and listen to the story.”