Little Lights in the Darkness, Part 2 (2/2)

[i]...and now the conclusion.[/i] Twenty minutes later Natela burst into the ER lobby demanding to know the whereabouts of her sister. It took two then three nurses to calm her down and lead her to a seat in the waiting area. They only managed to get away from her with the promise that someone would speak to her soon. That someone turned out to Dr. Eman, a young ER doctor not all that much older than she was. “Ms. Murk? You’re Luminita’s sister and guardian, correct?” “I am,” Natela said, standing and shaking his hand, not really sure why she was doing it. “What’s happened to my sister, is she hurt?” “Not… exactly,” the doctor told her. He indicated that she should sit, then took a seat across from her before speaking again. “Your sister arrived in a kind of shock. Her body had begun to shutdown due to a rare enzyme deficiency. We’ve stabilized her for now, but I’m afraid her long term prognosis is… hard to predict.” “What do you mean?” The young doctor took a deep breath, then explained, “We’ve seen this condition a few times before but have never cracked what exactly causes it. A patient’s key enzyme levels will vary higher and lower over the course of weeks or months or sometimes even years. They might be stable for long stretches, then dip for a few days, and then return to normal. A small dip might show as fatigue or weakness, but a larger drop…” “Wait…” Natela said. “Would this… she’s had poor health all her life. She’d feel bad some days, and get sick… tired mostly… every few months. Once a couple of years ago she got real bad. I thought she was… I thought I was going to lose her. She slept for three days straight but then came out of it.” Natela looked down at the floor for a moment then speaking more quietly said, “I don’t remember it that well… but I think it’s how our mother died.” “It would likely be a genetic condition,” Dr. Eman confirmed. “But Luminita is going to be all right now, isn’t she?” “In the short term, yes,” Dr. Eman said. “We can synthesize the enzymes her body needs easily enough. Long term though…” he said, “…the hospital doesn’t have the resources to treat her long term. Nobody does.” “But you just said…” Dr. Eman took a quick glance around the waiting room checking for anyone in earshot. “You’re a Guardian, right?” He asked in a hushed tone. “Not Luminita’s legal guardian, but an actual Guardian of The City?” “Yes…” Natela answered, unsure what he was leading up to. “The only way to synthesize the injections your sister needs is by reprograming Glimmer. The hospital has an emergency supply, some of which we used to stabilize your sister, but now that we know her condition is long term we can’t afford to… to waste our supply on someone with a terminal condition. But, if we had…” “…if there was an outside supply it would be possible to keep her healthy.” Natela finished, getting it. It sounded simple, Natela realized, but the weight of what she’d just suggested pressed down on her, dampening her spirits. She crossed her arms over her chest as she considered the ramifications. Glimmer was essential to The City and to the war effort, that had been drilled into her time and time again over the past two months. A large percentage Guardians found outside the walls was marked for their use in the defense of The City. The rest was doled out in specific, highly controlled amounts. With such limited supplies, too much going to any one industry could be disastrous, or might be used for profiteering… something The City, Humanity itself even, just couldn’t afford. Therefore, any unauthorized Glimmer smuggling was considered to be highly illegal. Beyond permanent induced coma style illegal, even. “I know what I’m asking is… difficult,” Dr. Eman said, “but it’s your sister’s only long term hope.” Natela nodded, but then her hand brushed over the two nutrient bars she’d stolen earlier and she smiled a small smile. “You’re right, it is difficult, but that’s never stopped me before. I’ll do it. Can I see my sister now?” “Of course, right this way,” Dr. Eman replied. He led her back to one of the emergency triage rooms. Inside, Luminita was awake and responsive. She smiled as she saw her big sister approaching. “How are you feeling?” Natela asked as she sat in a chair next to her sister’s bed. “Better, I think. My head still hurts though…” She paused then worriedly said, “I don’t know what happened…” “It’s ok,” Natela replied gently, “I do. It was your sickness again, but the doctors and I think we know how to fix it now.” Her sister smiled and Natela smiled back. Three days later, with her sister recovering at their home, Natela stepped off a FOTC transport in the midst of Old Russia. Before, she’d held back, she’d been afraid. Agreeing to become a Guardian had simply been a way to get her and her sister off the streets. But to actually commit to it, to stop holding back, to put her life on the line… that had taken something more. Before, she’d needed a reason to go beyond The City’s walls. Now, she had one.