HIS hay-colored hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. The creases in his brow never softened, and his fatigue had permanently stained the area around his eyes black. But his fierce blue eyes had shone as brilliantly as augite from the dark shadows of his eyelids. He had been burning with a painful sense of duty that he had to save as many lives as physically possible.
A sudden major earthquake had ravaged the region around Yezero, and the town had been its epicenter.
“I’ve decided not to run away any longer,” Hereh had declared to himself.
He treated the injured alongside Milosh without sleep or rest.
“Milosh, how’s his pulse?” Hereh asked in the midst of surgery, without stopping his hands for a second. His voice came out muffled through the cloth covering his mouth, but the nervousness in his voice was like a taut string.
Zola wiped away the beads of sweat trickling into his eyes with a towel.
“It’s recovered somewhat, I’d say,” Milosh answered.
“His breathing?”
“Regular.”
Placing the tool on top of the metal tray with a clink, Hereh sighed. “He’s not out of the woods yet, but it’s safe to say we got over the biggest mountain. We might be able to save him if his condition remains stable until morning.”
Zola sunk to the ground before Hereh finished speaking. She called out Simon’s name through the flood of tears streaming down her face.
Joyous cheers erupted from the line of people waiting for their turn to be treated behind Unen, who was standing in the doorway attentively watching over the surgery.
Hereh’s medicine must have been very effective, because Simon continued to sleep peacefully.
Watching Milosh take his son’s pulse while he quietly shed tears, Unen thought, Milosh and Zola both truly care for and love Simon. What would Mom have done if I were in Simon’s position? Seriously pondering the question, all she could come up with was, she probably would’ve decided she had no need for a disabled daughter and would let me die in front of her.
“Unen, it’s your turn next. You must be in so much pain. Thank you for bearing it so patiently.” Hereh came over to Unen and smiled at her. His augite blue eyes were so kind, she almost cried.
Ahhh, if only he were my real father.