OPEN WOUNDS

My sister arrived at my school at the same time Hannah arrived. She was in a black Mercedes Benz ML 350 with her aunt. She lowered the window and energetically waved at me as if we weren't going to see each other in class. I waved slightly, carried my backpack, and alighted from my sister's car.

My sister slightly stretched her head from the driver's seat and said, "Have some fun, kiddo. After all, life is bullshit."

"Only Dad calls me 'kiddo'," I replied, struggling to put a smile on my face.

"I'll come pick you up later," Emma swerved back to the main road.

Emma blew off with hyper speed. She always did that whenever she wanted to go have some fun. I could tell she wasn't going to go home till I closed from school.

"You can stop looking at the road now," Hannah twinkled. "Your sister's gone."

"Hey, Hannah. What's up?" I gloomed, walking into the school hall.

"What's up?" Hannah asked. "You seemed dull. Forced to school if you ask me."

I sighed and said, "I only came to school today because I want to clear my head. Nothing more."

"Family issues? I can help you with that. Since our families are almost alike."

I smiled slightly and said, "It's more than family." I opened my locker when I reached it. "I'm really tired. Yesterday was pretty rough for me."

"Extremely rough," Hannah raised my left hand where she sighted a wound. "What happened to you?" She sighted another very close to my right ear and added, "We need to go to the school clinic right now." Hannah closed my locker and gently tugged me to the school clinic.

I just knew for certain that Mrs. Elizabeth would interrogate me with questions when I got there.

Upon reaching the school clinic, I was greeted by the anesthetic smell and the sight of one of the clinic's doctors, Mrs. Elizabeth. She was draped in a blue long-sleeve shirt and blue trousers. Her entire outfit was covered in a white lab coat. Her dark brown hair was tied meticulously and, she had a stethoscope around her neck. Her light brown skin intertwined with her brown eyes. She smiled and asked, "Hannah and Emily, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Good morning, ma," Hannah greeted. "My friend here has multiple injuries and would love to have her checked and if possible, protect the wounds from harmful micro-organisms."

"Okay. Have a seat, Emily," Mrs. Elizabeth gestured, with her right hand, towards a hospital bed.

"Good morning, ma," I greeted.

Mrs. Elizabeth put on some white gloves and requested, "Let me see."

Hannah took her seat on a chair, and I showed Mrs. Elizabeth the wounds I had sustained on my hand, face, and leg. She looked at them carefully and asked, "Mind telling me what you did yesterday?"

"My uncle stopped by. He's a farmer, so I followed him to get some wood from the woods. I tripped. Guess that's what caused the injuries," I answered.

"Didn't he see the wounds and the need to visit a hospital?"

"Well, after the visit to the woods, I didn't see him much again. I just went to go stay in my room."

"Emily, you're aware that air is saturated with thousands of organisms ready to infect any open wound. Why would you take such a risk? You didn't even intend to visit the clinic today, right?"

I swallowed and said, "I'm sorry, ma."

"You don't have to be sorry; it's your health. I feel you should take it as serious as you take your studies," Mrs. Elizabeth explained. "Nevertheless, let's get you cleaned up."

Mrs. Elizabeth extracted the particles she found in the wounds, cleaned my injuries, and dressed them up. She took a minute sample of my blood to test for micro-organisms. She also gave some analgesics to ease the pain.

"During lunch, I want to see you," Mrs. Elizabeth stated.

"Okay, ma," I said.

"You both can go now. Hannah, thanks for being a caring friend," Mrs. Elizabeth patted Hannah on her right shoulder.

"Thanks, Mrs. Elizabeth," we both exclaimed, slightly as we left the clinic.

Mrs. Elizabeth, the Black American, has been our school nurse since when I could remember. She was a single mother of three kids and was very compassionate. Since her husband died from lung cancer, she dedicated her life to helping people resolve health issues. Even if it means doing it for free.

"Woods from the woods? Seriously? Is that the only excuse you could come up with?" Hannah inquired. "That doesn't even make sense."

I smiled and said, "Does anything make sense in Westify High? Is it the broke girls that behave rich? Or the bullies that are suffering from an identity crisis?"

Hannah shook her head and said, "You always have an excuse."

The class was boring, so I wasn't surprised when the whole cafeteria was full almost immediately.

Henry placed his tray, which had two huge sandwiches and a bottle of soda, on the table. He glanced at me for a while and asked, "What have I been missing?"

"Apparently, Emily went to pick up some wood from the woods with her uncle and tripped. In the process, she sustained injuries and didn't tell anyone till I noticed them this morning," Hannah explained, gulping her bottle of water afterward.

"Woods from the woods?" Henry widened his eyes and took his seat. "That doesn't even make sense."

"Thank you," Hannah stretched both hands.

"You don't look so good. What really happened to you?" Henry questioned.

"I'm just tired, that's all," I answered, playing with my salad.

"Tired? There's more to the story, Emily. You aren't telling us everything," Henry insisted.

I hit the table and exclaimed, "Can we just change the topic now?"

My action made the whole cafeteria turn their attention to our table, and the whole room was filled with murmuring for a minute.

I remembered I had an appointment with Mrs. Elizabeth so I stood up to head to the school's clinic.

"Emily, where are you going?" Henry asked.

"None of your business," I answered.

"Leave her alone," Hannah said.

"And I thought I was weird," Henry said.

When I reached the school's clinic, I saw Mrs. Elizabeth looking at some blood samples I presumed were mine. When she noticed my presence, she said, "You made it. Welcome. Please have a seat."

I took my seat on the hospital bed and asked, "Anything wrong?"

"Are you scared? They're just minor wounds."

I shivered and said, "Many great warriors have died from minor wounds."

"Well, you ain't dying soon, Mrs. Noah," Mrs. Elizabeth said. "There is something though. Your blood samples show the presence of a weird entity. One I've never seen in my many years of medical practice. Fortunately, it's not harmful and its presence in your blood is minute. I mean, it's not in large quantity."

"So, how does this entity affect me?"

"Well, it can't kill you, and it's not showing signs of multiplying or causing adverse effects, but I strongly believe it might affect a part of you."

"What part?"

"Physique, strength, stamina, or habit. I can't say which one for certain but you and I will discover it together. You don't have to be scared," Mrs. Elizabeth comforted.

"How do you think it got into my blood?"

"Transfusion or contact, perhaps. Put it this way: there's water on the table and there's also oil. The oil mixes with the water and they form a mixture while retaining their individual properties."

Mrs. Elizabeth's words caused me to experience a flashback. When I had shot James, some of his blood splashed on me. I believe I must have had open wounds before then.

The thought of becoming a werewolf hit me. I had read somewhere that if a werewolf bites a human, he would turn to one. I feared being a prey for my family. I feared being harsh and different.

I was jolted back to reality when I felt Mrs. Elizabeth's tap on my shoulders.

"You're gonna be okay, Emily. Trust me," she said.

I nodded and sighed slightly.