“And when I got here I realized some of that blood was actually mine!” Rosaline said as she tucked in the bandage around her arm. “Not that much, but you know how Dr. Brook feels about open wounds.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Replied Antonio, who was not paying attention. It was amazing how much he wasn’t paying attention. He was clearly reading the newspaper, and even lifted up enough to use it as a shield between him and Rosaline. Yet she continued, her own focus far from the doctor’s office they were sitting in.
“Still! I wish he had lingered long enough to tell me his name. I think he may be related to you.”
That got Antonio to lower the newspaper. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re both-” Rosaline waved her hand in the air. “The dark complexion. Wavy black hair. Brown eyes. Weird little bump on the bridge of his nose. Sort of like the one you have!”
Antonio rubbed said odd little bump. It was, he knew, his punishment for actually asking a follow up question to Rosaline’s normal ramblings. At first he had been worried when Rosaline shown up at the doctor’s raving about angels and covered in scratches. But no. Of course it was just Rosaline being Rosaline. He dropped the newspaper onto the doctor’s desk, knowing that there was no way he was going to get back to it anytime soon. “So you didn’t get this mystery angel’s name?”
“No, I didn’t.” Rosaline said, her eyes distant as always. “They just asked if I was alright and ran off. Oh. They also asked if I had children.”
“So you were saved by a madman?” Antonio muttered. “He sounds perfect for you. You should have married him on the spot.”
“Hush.” Rosaline frowned. “I will not have you speaking about my guardian angel that way.”
“And now he’s your guardian angel?” Antonio asked.
“Maybe he is!” Rosaline begun packing up the various medical supplies she had laid out to patch herself up. “This is the third time I almost died this week, after all!”
“You didn’t almost die three times.”
“First there was that fire at Moors-”
“There was a minor fire in the kitchen and it was put out instantly-”
“Then there was that bale of hay that almost landed on my head-”
“Your own fault for walking under someone trying to lift a bale of hay into a second story window, which I still don’t know why they were doing that-”
“And!” Rosaline said sharply, “This runaway carriage makes three!”
“Fine, fine.” Antonio grumbled. “You met your guardian angel and now he’s off bleeding somewhere in the snow. Truly a poetic image to behold I’m sure. One that would make the great artists of old weep. Now if you’re done patching yourself up we really need to finish cleaning before Dr. Fisher returns and-” He paused, his eyes meeting Rosaline’s.
She was frowning.
“No-” Antonio started.
Her lower lip was trembling.
“No no.” Antonio stood up from Dr. Fisher’s desk. “We are not-”
“We have to go find him!” Rosaline slid off of her stool. “You’re right! He could be out there! Bleeding! Freezing! Dying! Oh God! What a fool I’ve been! Grab your coat, he might not have gone far!”
“Rosaline-” Antonio recoiled as Rosaline slammed the doctor’s black bag into his stomach. “Rosaline, Dr. Brook said to stay here unless it was an emergency-”
“This is an emergency! Someone out there needs medical help!” Rosaline grabbed her heavy wool coat off of the coat rack and tossed Antonio his overcoat. He didn’t catch it.
“We need to at least close up the office, post a notice to let people know they can visit Dr. Fisher down the street if needed, and WHY are you taking the axe?!”
Rosaline leaned the rusted axe against her shoulder. “Because I might need an axe, Antonio.” She replied, giving his name the same inflection of the word idiot. “And you’re going to be busy carrying the bag. Now hurry up before the tracks are covered!”
“What if someone comes here for help? Rosaline! Wait” Antonio shouted, but it was too late. Rosaline was already running out the door into the snow-covered world.
aughtpunk 