#zooologist

    She uses her knees to get on the bed, her hands preoccupied with holding small little photos that had seen some mild wear and tear over the years. She splayed them out over the comforter, revealing several old memories that had been stowed away. Some remained in her hand, turned over, but she didn’t allow the hidden photos to be a distraction. 

x 

"I know, Jaime, I know it does," Ellie's words are quiet and soothing, but the pace of them betrays her facade. She's on her knees beside him, leaning over him to keep the sun off his face, one hand combing his hair back and the other fanning him with a notebook. She's scared -- no, terrified. 

"It'll be alright, okay? We're gonna get you help." Tears spring to her eyes and she lifts her head, blinking furiously as she looks towards the open office door. One of the volunteers is speaking rapidly to an emergency line on the phone, the other two nervously on standby. She wants to do something, wants to be able to make the pain in his chest stop, make the sun go down and the temperature drop and for his heart to stop seizing. "Get us some water?" She asks (almost snaps) to the nearest volunteer, and immediately they're off. 

"Please tell me that's not what I think that is."

"---Hear that?"