“Where are the drugs?” The man shouted, not the least distracted by the sick men and women around him and focusing in immediately on Doctor Miller and Samuel, identifying them as the two most senior and useful people on the ward. The other doctors had left not long ago to tend to patients elsewhere in the hospital, Samuel’s assistance meaning Doctor Miller could get through the bulk of patients quicker than either of them could manage.
“There’s a whole cabinet full over here boss,” another man called over, he and another going through the cabinets where Doctor Miller had previously loaded up on sedatives. “It’s the powerful stuff too.”
“Fill the bags,” the leader replied, “make sure you get all of it.”
Doctor Miller had watched the situation unfold until that very moment, a syringe already held in her hand that she was ready to inject into the next patient in need. Three people still writhed around in the room amidst what was happening, Samuel watching them carefully as well as the men with guns, noticing one man whose seizures were becoming less and less, likely as his lungs started to collapse in on themselves and he struggled to keep fighting for breath. If something didn’t happen soon, he would die along with the other two patients they were yet to reach.
“I need that medicine for my patients,” Doctor Miller announced loudly, startling both Samuel and the lead man with the handgun. It didn’t look like anyone had argued with him so far, and a smile crept onto his face.
“Sorry doctor,” he replied, mocking her status. “But that’s not going to fly with me. We need the meds too. All of the meds,” he specified, looking at the syringe in her hand. “Hand that over.”
“No chance,” Doctor Miller scoffed. “You’ve got more than enough.”
“Maybe you didn’t hear me properly,” the man continued in a menacing voice, walking slowly closer to Doctor Miller and Samuel. “I want all of the meds. That includes what’s in that needle there. Now hand it over, or I’ll be forced to take it from you.”
“Just give it to him,” Samuel whispered, frightened by the lengths this man and his group were willing to go to in order to get what they wanted. He’d heard several gunshots since they arrived in the building and while there wasn’t any proof that they hadn’t all just been fired into the ceiling, that wasn’t a risk Samuel was willing to bet his life on.
“I’d listen to your friend if I were you,” the man smirked. “I’ve asked you nicely, now give me the drugs.”
“I’m sorry, no,” Doctor Miller shook her hand and stood firmly in place. “I can’t do that.”
“Fine,” the man sighed. “Have it your way then.”
Before Samuel or Doctor Miller could react, he raised his handgun and fired directly at the doctor’s chest. She fell to the ground, the syringe falling from her hand as blood started to pour from the wound, flowing thick and fast onto the clean hospital floor.
“I did warn you,” the man in leather snarled as he leaned down over Doctor Miller’s body and picked up the syringe she had been holding. “Should’ve listened.” He made a tutting sound with his tongue and turned away, walked back to the rest of his group and dropped the syringe into an open bag.
Samuel couldn’t believe what had just happened. He stared after the group as they disappeared as quickly as they had arrived, leaving the ward in disarray as Doctor Miller choked on her own blood. He rushed over to her, occupying her field of vision and immediately putting pressure on the bullet wound just like Austin had done with Daveed on their way into the hospital.
“What do I do?” He pleaded with the dying woman, desperate for her to respond. But Doctor Miller was already too far gone. Her skin was pale and her eyes fluttered between open and closed. She barely had a minute left, unable to string a sentence together in response as blood gurgled in her throat.
Samuel held his breath and fought back against the tears that threatened to pour from his eyes as he gripped her hand. He knelt over Lucie Miller as the life left her body. The doctor had been a strong woman right up until her very last dying breath. Through everything that had happened she had stayed loyal to her cause and done everything she could to save her patients. Samuel admired her a great deal and felt saddened by her passing. She was an inspirational human being who hadn’t deserved to die – if more people were like her in the world, he was sure it would be a much happier place. As her eyes closed for the last time, Samuel whispered a small prayer and hoped that somehow, it would help to ease her passing.
Chapter 7
“Samuel. My God. Are you okay? What happened?”
When Austin finally found Samuel again, he was in the same position that Doctor Miller had last seen him in—cradling her body. The woman had died in his arms and Samuel had remained there, slumped against a bed in a now silent ward. All the patients that he and Lucie Miller had failed to reach were all motionless now. It had been left too late.
Samuel was covered in the woman’s blood, the puddle that had oozed out from her chest soaking most of his clothes and cordoning off the area like a warning sign. As soon as Austin
