POV

Claire

           7:45. The coffee machine flicks on and starts brewing my father’s coffee. The dark roast slowly drips into his mug that I set out the night before.

I watch as two finches hop from branch to branch outside of the kitchen window, and my father walks in and places his files on the table. As I set the steaming coffee in front of him, he looks up at me. “I hear Addison has roped you into helping her in the labor and delivery unit.” He grins. I laugh to myself. “Yep.” His face becomes serious. “Claire, I just want to make sure you’re not under too much pressure. I mean with the summer internship at the hospital, and running the barn and now-” I interrupt him. “I’m fine, really. This is an amazing opportunity. The more real hospital experience the better. Right?” He gives me a look. “Since when is wrapping injuries, and assisting your old man not real experience? Besides, I thought you were interested in pediatrics.” I sigh. “Dad. I’m interested in pediatric surgery. Even though labor and delivery is part of a whole different field it is still good to work in a professional, high- risk, demanding environment.” He smiles. “Well if you really think this is a good idea.” I grin. “Thanks dad! I’ll be home by five!” I yell before heading out the door.

The gravel outside crunches under my feet as I head to my truck, and the cool morning breeze sweeps over the pasture causing the horse’s tails and the grass to sway. In late spring and summertime we turn the horses out, and they eat from the round bale. They love the time outside, especially knowing that fall and winter will be coming soon to take that all away. As I get into my truck, Fauna, one of our mares, comes trotting over. “Sorry Faun, I have to go!” I yell. She huffs seemingly frowning, and walks off. Whoever said horses can’t think for themselves has obviously never seen that mare.

My tires rumble down the winding road, and I watch as the sun rises to its final position right above Applecrest acres. The sun, unlike most things, is here day after day. It never fails to rise and set. I wish everything was like that. Even so, there is no use in wishing. I continue driving several miles until I reach the reservation. I pull into the parking lot of the small hospital and Addison greets me. “Hey Claire, thanks for coming, I’ve been really swamped lately and your assistance is greatly appreciated.” I step out of the truck. “I’m glad I can be of some help.” I respond. 

She gives me a quick smile, and then leads me down the bustling hallway into her unit. I look around in awe, this looks and feels a lot different than my father’s general medicine unit. “What do you think?” She asks with pride. “Maybe you would consider changing your field?” I smile. “I’m not that easy to snatch.” “Well anyway, let me lead you to the patient.” She opens door 303 and we walk inside. I instantly recognize the woman sitting next to the patient. “Claire, Claire Williams, is that really you?” She asks. “Yes, I didn’t expect to see you here Mrs. Irving.” She looks up at me in disbelief and rises from her chair. “I haven’t seen you since you were a little girl.” She gasps. “Oh, you look absolutely gorgeous, even with those tacky scrubs on.” My face turns bright red. “Well, Mrs. Irving, I’m sure Claire would just love to chat for hours with you but I can’t let my new assistant wander off.” I give her a look of gratitude and she winks at me. “Oh I suppose so.” Mrs. Irving replies.

Alex

           I sit at the bench outside of Hailee Memorial Hospital, trying to collect my thoughts. My dad, my mom, they were never going to change. So why would I expect them to? They’re completely apathetic about everything unless one tiny, normal, thing sets them off. My swarm of thoughts are interrupted as one of the nurses walks out. As she gets closer I notice her, Claire. She sits next to me on the bench, and shoots me one of her smiles. Dark shadows encircle her eyes, and her usually neat hair is in a loose twist with several strands sticking out. “You look exhausted.” I tease. “Well, eighteen hours in the labor and delivery unit kind of does that to you. I even got to sleep in the on-call room.” She jokes. “Yeah, I heard your dad talking about it when he came over last night. But I didn’t know you had been working for eighteen hours.” “Helping.” She corrects. “Right, helping.” I laugh. I can almost see something leaking through her facade, but she catches me. Her face flicks like a light switch, sadness to joy. Seamless. 

Her stomach grumbles, disrupting the everlasting silence between us. “Do you want to get something to eat?” I ask. “I know a good burger place.” I watch her weigh the options in her mind. “Sure, I could use something to eat.” She smiles, for real this time. We drive about two miles before she breaks the silence. I find it best to let her be the one to break it. “If I didn't know any better, I could think of you as an ax murderer trying to lure me into the woods.” She jokes. “Would an ax murderer take a pit stop at Larry’s Burgers?” I ask, as I pull into the crowded parking lot. “A dumb ax murderer would.” “Well, I can assure you that I am neither.” I joke back. We both open our doors and walk inside the small hole in the wall restaurant. 

We walk up to a waitress to get a table. “How many?” She asks. “Two.” I reply. She takes us to a table near the window, and hands us each a menu. As we sit, a notification from Claire’s phone pings. She reads it, then looks up at me. “Hey are you going to Cheyenne Falls later?” She asks. “Yes.” I reply. She sighs. “It’ll be great to know at least two people there. Especially after Amika practically forced me to come.” “So, what are you going to order?” I ask. She looks confused, her eyes rummaging through the menu. “I don’t know what any of these are, and there are so many.” She says exasperated. “Yes, well these menus are usually understood well by the locals. This restaurant is actually considered a hidden gem.” I say, obviously adding to her annoyance. “Well, maybe you could be of some help.” She retorts. She’s just about as angry as light-hearted. I laugh. “How about this one?” I point to the Sam-wich. “It’s just a normal burger, no frills.” She smiles. “No hidden codes, no special local knowledge needed?” “Like I said, no frills.” I repeat. “Okay.” She replies, suspiciously. 

                  When we finally get our food, I watch her practically destroy the burger. She looks up only to catch my glance and her cheeks flush red. “Sorry.” She says wiping ketchup off her face. “Did they feed you in there?” I tease. “Hospital food is uh- not very appetizing.” She laughs.

Claire

          By the time we leave, it’s almost 4:00. My body aches and a headache starts forming. “Hey Alex, can you drop me off at the hospital? My truck’s there and I don’t exactly think scrubs and sketchers are dress code.” He laughs, “Sure.” We pull into the hospital parking lot and I hop out. “Thanks for the early dinner!” I shout before hopping in my truck and driving home. 

         After bathing the ache of my muscles away, I fall on to my bed. The covers are soft and cool, and the sun’s gentle rays peek through the curtains allowing warm glimmers of light. I fight to stay awake, to go help my dad with the chores I’m sure have piled up over the time I’ve been gone, but my attempts fail. My eyes close blocking out the light, the business, everything.

           After a few minutes, I open my eyes. The sheets are now warm and ruffled and the sun’s golden glow is beginning to move. No, not move- fade. I jolt up. Upon looking at my phone, I quickly realize it’s been a lot more than a few minutes. It’s almost 5:30, I’m supposed to be there at six! In only fifteen minutes I manage to get dressed, style my hair, and get out the door. As I’m approaching my truck for the third time today, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve forgotten something. Sandals, towel-. That’s when it dawns on me, I was supposed to buy a new swimsuit after my shift at the hospital. I must have forgotten in all the commotion. Unfortunately, swimsuits that you wear in eight grade don’t exactly fit you in tenth grade. 

I finally come up with a solution. I won’t swim, I will just watch. The more I think about it, the worse it sounds, but I would rather not keep everybody waiting because I can’t find a swimsuit. As I start pulling out of the driveway, my father pulls up, tractor and all. I roll down the window. “Hey! Where are you off to?” He yells barely loud enough for me to hear him over the roar of machinery. “Um, to Cheyenne falls? Amika-” I start to explain but he interrupts me. “As long as you’re not working or volunteering, You need a break.” He says, this time even louder. “Helping.” I correct. “Right, helping.” He teases. “Anyway, have fun!” He shouts. “Okay, love you!” I shout back. 

Just when I start to get the feeling of being lost, I see the small wooden sign leading to Cheyenne trail. I haven’t been down here in a while. I sit in my truck even after I park it and pull out the keys. The perfect time for anxiety to creep up on me. I try to keep it under control, to shove it away, anything. Anything to keep me from feeling, this. My attempts are futile. No matter what I try I can’t shake the ensnaring thoughts, the feeling of helplessness. I turn the key and begin backing out, allowing my cowardice to take over. I just can’t. I don’t even know them, and how would I even excuse myself for accidentally forgetting a swimsuit? I just want to go home. I don’t want to talk, to-. I watch paralyzed as Alex comes running over. 

“Hey, what are you doing?” He asks, confused. “Oh um, uh trying to p-park better.” worst excuse, ever. “Oh really? Well I wasn’t informed there were even specific parking spots here. I’m pretty sure it’s just gravel.” He teases. “R-right, sorry to keep you waiting I’ll just park here if you’re sure it’s fine.” “Trust me, it’s fine.” He waits for me to get out of the car, and before he can ask to help me I grab my bag out of the passenger seat. I’ve stitched up lacerations smoother than this. “Right this way.” He points to a group of people I’m sure are his cousins, and we start walking towards them. 

Amika immediately runs up to me and pulls me into one of her inescapable hugs. “Claire! I haven't seen you in forever!” I smile. “I’m pretty sure five days don’t count as forever.” She sports a fake frown. “They do to me. Anyway these are our cousins; Hana, Cynthia, Sam, Jacob, Tim, Elijah, and Nick.” She looks over to me. “This is our friend Claire, she helps her father run Hailee Memorial Hospital, a few miles down the road.” I feel myself blush bright red. “No, I just volunteer sometimes, no big deal.” “I wouldn’t call working in the general medicine unit and helping deliver babies no big deal.” She continues. I shoot her a half angry half desperate look. “Anyway… we should get ready to go.” She says, finally taking the hint. When we walk into her house, she eyes my outfit. “Where’s your swimsuit?” She asks. “Oh I um, my old swimsuit is from eighth grade and well, you know.” She smiles. “Say no more.” After about three minutes of watching her fish something out of her closet. She emerges from the piles of clothing, belts, and of course, heels. “Try this.” She holds up a neon pink bikini barely bigger than my old swimsuit. “So, what are you waiting for?” She asks. “N-nothing I’ll go try this on.” Though the swimsuit fits much better it still feels a little light. I walk out of the bathroom, and immediately Amika’s eyes light up. “Oh my gosh, it looks absolutely perfect!” I don’t want to say anything to disappoint her, and besides once she makes up her mind it’s difficult to change it. “Thank you, really, you didn’t have to do this.” She smiles, “Of course!”. 

Soon, Hana and Cynthia finish changing as well and we head to Amika’s cousin Sam’s minivan. I fidget with my swimsuit, and look down at the ground. Even during the summer, tiny bikinis were never something I wore. Alex walks over and raises his eyebrows. “I didn’t know this was your style.” “It’s not.” I whisper nervously before shooting a fake smile to Amika. “Here, it seems like you need it.” He tosses me an oversized t-shirt. I sigh a huge breath of relief. “Thank you.” I whisper again. Alex smiles. “No problem.”

Amika

We finally get to Cheyenne falls, and all of us pile out of the van. The falls crash loudly and a mist sprays up coating the foliage and stones with water. I look over to see Claire looking over the bridge overlooking the falls. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” I say watching her face in pure awe. I like her like this, happy. “It’s- it’s gorgeous.” She barely utters. The serenity is broken by Elijah and Nick sprawled on the mossy ground, horse playing. Alex separates them and gives them a fake look of disapproval. “You couldn’t have waited five minutes?” “Boys will be boys.” I laugh. “Boys will be boys.” Claire replies, shaking her head.

The next hour is a blur of swimming, laughing, and the boys fishing lizards and frogs out of the small pools. As the sun sets, the sound of laughter is replaced by shivers. I watch Claire try to warm herself by rubbing her arms and sitting on the dry grass. “Hey Claire, are you ready to go?” I ask her. “N-no, I’m f-fine.” She replies. I give her a knowing look. “You call freezing to an icicle fine?” She sighs. “H-how do they stay in this water so long? I-it’s f-freezing.” She shivers. “They’re from Alaska.” I reply, trying my hardest to keep from laughing at her attempts to convey that she’s completely fine and unaffected. “I think we should head back.” “W-well I guess, but don’t you dare tell them it was because of me. Only if they want to as well.” She pleads. I roll my eyes. “Fine.” 

“Hey Sam, I think we should head back. Some of us are getting a little cold!” I say, almost yelling in order for him to even hear me. “Sure, we should probably head back before it gets dark anyway.” He replies. He signals for everyone to get into the van, and in a matter of minutes we’re all in the warm vehicle and Claire gives me a look of gratitude. “You’re welcome.” I whisper.

Claire

When we get to Amika’s house, Sam and Alex work to build a bonfire and I help Nick and Elijah get folding chairs against Amika’s protests that I should just let them do it. Good thing because apparently they were too scared to go into the shed, and they just fought like tweedle dee and tweedle dum the entire time. We all sit down by the fire, even through being attacked by mosquitoes and stray embers, it feels oddly familiar and comforting. I can feel myself spacing out, when I suddenly get pulled out of my haze. “Hey Claire, you work at the hospital. I bet you have some crazy stories.” I look up to see their expectant faces. “Well one time there was this guy who got in a motorcycle accident at 1 am, and had a ten inch laceration across his chest. He actually walked into the hospital. There was blood gushing all over the lobby and you could see some of his internal tissue the receptionist almost threw up.” I stop myself just in time to watch some of their faces turn green. “I thought you were a nurse or something you know that gave lollipops to kids.” Tim says in shock. “Well I’m actually interested in being a surgeon so bodily fluids kinda come with the trade.” I laugh.

After a while, the fire starts dying down and Alex and Sam go back into the woods to get some more kindling. A shriek pierces through the air and Alex calls me over. I run over to see an unconscious man lying on the grass next to the water. Amika and the other girls look like they’re about to faint. I run to his side and search for a pulse. “He’s alive, barely. There are multiple injuries; broken ribs, a stab wound, bruises, and many more I’ll have to examine more later. But what’s important now is that we get him to the hospital. Try not to move his position too much.” They all pick him up and set him in the back of Tim’s truck. Tim and Sam sit in the front and drive to the hospital, while Alex helps me in the back.