Snippet #1218134

Laura was reaching into a drawer full of applications, when what sounded like every patient on the floor began to act up. When the screaming reached an unbearable height, she turned to Teresa. “Aren’t you going to do something?!” Her shout was met with a sharp glare that was even more terrifying than the screaming.

Teresa grabbed the desk phone and dialed in a code that allowed her to speak over the intercom, there were more than thirty members of hospital staff on duty, all assigned to different floors. Just to make sure help was coming, Teresa made an announcement requesting assistance from any and all available staff members. This wasn’t the first time there’d been multiple patients having an episode, but it was one of the loudest. Teresa pulled up her sleeves, told Laura to remain at the front desk, and disappeared behind a set of double doors that led to patient rooms.

Laura turned back to the man in front of her, and remembered the form. She spoke loud enough to be heard over the clamor, “Just fill this out with your basic information, and sign here. It might take a few days for you to get approved but...” Just then a loud crash and subsequent yelling echoed down the hallway. About five nurses stepped off a nearby elevator, one of them gesturing for Laura to follow, before opening the double doors and joining Teresa.

Laura frowned, the last thing she wanted to do was go in there, after all she’d only signed up to be front desk help. Stupid internship. “Okay just wait here, I shouldn’t be gone too long.” She braced herself and threw open the double doors, mumbling under her breath.