A bottle with growing mold went misty as the parched moistures escaped the ground. While sheltering my figure from the heat, a large cloud advanced towards the eastern sky. It was approximately large enough to shelter an entire village or two. Otherwise, it would turn into somewhat like that. The wild grasses caressed my shin on every step. Sweat dripped from my temple, tapped by a towel, and wiped off from my skin. After I reached the end of the lush pavement from a 20-minute walk, a towering entry made an appearance. A large stone border that was concealing the interior view of the private property gave me a soothing tightness. After mustering a smile, I informed the security guard about my community service, and he instructed me to proceed further.
Saint Ciara Sanatorium is known for sheltering patients with the Decline-thermoregulatory disease. The medical facility is restricted from public access since most residents tend to create disturbance in its therapeutic space. The only way to gain access around the area is by directly requesting a document from the municipal government. In the early twenties, it didn’t live up to its purpose since several treatments emerged and subjugated the mortality risk of Tuberculosis. Surprisingly, the decline-thermoregulatory disease suddenly appeared when the health professionals were about to abandon the facility. It immediately became a subject for renovation. Later on, it was gravely criticized and avoided by disapproving residents for treating patients with a perplexing disease.
Most residents are brought up and told that the disease is contagious, but that’s not really the case. In fact, the Decline-thermoregulatory disease is an inherited condition in which the thermoregulatory system of a patient is damaged. The thermoregulatory system is responsible for maintain the ideal temperature for the body. Human temperature is often considered normal when ranging from 36-37 degrees Celsius. For patients with such conditions, the normal body temperature is above 50. The temperature will suddenly start to decrease at some point of their lives. It will decrease the temperature until the patients lose their external heat. Once their external heat floored the subnormal, it will result in hypothermic death. For now, it is impossible to increase their body temperature once it started decreasing. That’s why electrical hot compresses and thick cloths are important for maintaining their lives.
As much as how little we know about the disease, the sanatorium and its residents are equivalently mysterious. The information rarely get outside, so nobody talks about it. Most people that dwelled outside the area were so snooty about it that they ruined its reputation. There were few instances in which some delinquents trespassed the area, but it ended up with a legal trail. In contrast, the property didn’t felt like an out of place forestry at all. If anything else, the region seemed like a conservation zone than a sanatorium’s area. This is merely a portion of accounts that proved how undeveloped our social norms was.
In our small hometown, young individuals are designated to undertake community services. Common community service works revolve around promotional, environmental, medical and social management of the municipal. Our designations are based on evaluative test, so students aren’t allow to choose their community service. As far as I know, this community-based project consumed months of the summer break. It is pointless to think that students could spend their summer break on their volition. I tried to escape once, and then community service committee extended my service. At any rate, the project was a tedious and terminal experience. This active learning project was considered by the local theorists as a perfect solution for enhancing the abilities of young residents and filling up the vacant duties. After some revisions, the educational department transformed the idea into a concrete arrangement. The project continues to exist up to this day.
During the announcement of the community service designation, the students from different classes started to receive their formal appointment letters. Some students groaned in disappointment, while few students celebrated it with teary eyes. As my finger pressed against the tattered notebook, I had been taking glances at the presenter. The community service committee didn’t even mentioned my name. If I wouldn’t be a part of it, then this was fine too. When the complaints started to surface, my homeroom teacher secretly called for my attention. Miss Laura was a woman in her early twenties. Despite handling a troublesome class, she epitomized youthfulness out of her appearance. She had a fair-skinned body with long black hair. Without spouting a word, I followed her to the faculty’s lounge.
As if it was anticipated, she explained the problem involving the absence of volunteers for Saint Ciara Sanatorium. The school department were desperately searching for student volunteers, but they couldn’t convince anyone to participate. Most of these people was arguing that the sanatorium meant for these patients alone. The argument has no room for dispute when it comes to this people. Due to these constructive feedback of our community, students became skeptical about the safeness of the place. If not, then they probably didn’t want to spend their days treating patients away from their gadgets and parties. Once a year, the school department is requesting the teachers to convince their students to participate. It is common for most of us to reject the designation. Most teacher are probably thinking the same thing. It’s not safe there. Nothing comes good from helping those people. But I accepted my teacher’s request anyway.
After reaching the mouth of the forest, I came across a stream with a stepping stone. The stream whispered murmur as it traveled along its trail, splashing over rocks and branches. The trees got thicker, and the shade became dimmer. Several leaves fell alongside the trail, masking the gravel pudding, and vanishing towards the atmosphere of bright lights. An unfamiliar stench touched my nose, and making me slightly sneezed. The meadow was stretching towards the bases of myriad hills, quivering on the airstreams, and dipping my head into a dizzy spell. The sound of the cicadas and cricket rang in disarray against my small ears.
In search of a destination, my chest gave another layer of flesh. I increased my pacing on every step, until sweating happened from here and out. A tall perennial grass was on my collar, tickling the corner of my nape. As if a drowning person struggling to touch the surface, I swayed my arms against everything blocking my way. I approached a side of the distant sanatorium beyond the tall grasses. A wall, imbedded with enormous creepers and flowers, stood nearby and attractive. Those butterflies with handful colors swarmed the wall like moths allured by a lit candle. The whole structure was captured by the imaginary frame inside my head.
The midafternoon sunlight got through the thin grass of the fresh lawn. Flowers with charming smell were placed by the nature in their respective bedstead. The sun, which deemed as the brightest, tuned down its scorching warmth. Few clouds were complemented by the vibrant tone resting upon them. Without a thinking about the dirty, I removed the bag off my shoulder and extended my arms to its highest stretch. I reached the building before afternoon as luck would have it. The darkness of a forest was crammed by dangers beyond imagination. If I came here a little late, I might end up nowhere to be found. This building with a sun-bleached paint was a three-story building. It unnerved the fright I once had, and put my head at ease. There was nothing but a distant splashing of waves resonated the hill. Like an arm of a clock hitting a revolution, an idea suddenly clicked inside my head. I nearly overlooked my business in this place. A wooden door with translucent glass released a soft creak. I knocked over the surface of the door for permission, but the door just opened wider. I entered the opening of building with reluctance.
The structure had a narrow passage leading into a reception room, which was interconnected with two opposing hallway—making a crossed intersection. Like an old pottery left to crumble, a ligneous staircase fastened on the far corner of the vacant counter. As the probing sunlight passed through the large glasses, the different shades of the polished vase casted on the table, reflecting the small pigments on the shadow. In the opposite corner of the counter, a large monitor displayed a monotonous series about a man with a pained smile pleading for forgiveness. Since the pedestal fan was still working, somebody must be watching it recently. Fed up by the exhaustion, I gave myself a good rest. Just wake me up when you’re ready, I thought.
“Mister?”
“Huh? Where am I?” startled by an unacquainted voice, I impulsively made my physique straight.
“Are you alright? You looked pale.”
“I’m fine. Just a little dizzy.”
The sleepiness distorted the shape and color surrounding my sight. It took at least seconds for me to fully adjust. Little by little, the speaking silhouette started to take shape. A female nurse in a white medical uniform scrub was leaning down at my face. Her stunning eyes darted the corner of my evasive gaze. Those chocolate-brown hair wavered along her shoulder blade. I pressed my head against my palms to windup my stirring temple. After a moment, she offered a bottle of water and took a seat beside me. My throat lose the infuriating aridness as the water gushed out from the tip.
“Nice to meet you, mister?” she whispered. “Keith. Keith Wang.” I said.
“Keith, I’m sorry for taking you in such a long notice. There are plenty of emergencies lately, and we’re quite understaff. I was requested by the management to leave the reception duty for a while. By the way, I am Melanie Nadia. You may call me Nurse Melanie.”
“Nice to meet you. I signed up as a community service volunteer. May I help you with anything?”
“Oh, right! We are expecting you! Keith Wang, was it? I almost forgotten. There are still duties that I have to attend to, but I can at least take you to the cafeteria. I bet you’re hungry. Come with me. I’ll show you around.”
After writing on attendance and record sheet, we proceed into the eastern hallway. The reception area remained quiet as we ventured away from it. Several stench of disinfectants frazzled my nostrils. It was all over the place. Speaks of powder flew around the piercing sunlight as if glitters suspended above the sky. On the eastern side of the hallway, the small quarters mounted perpendicular to each other. The writable charts with different names were hanging on the clasp. We reached the end of the hallway in a matter of minutes. Melanie pushed the handle of a hollow metal door. It was a clean, simple cafeteria, with large horizontal tables, flashy counter, and a shiny white floor. As I waited from her return from the counter, I kept my eyes on the distant window.
“I hope it didn’t take forever. Here’s your food.” She insisted as she placed the meal on the table. “The medical department have a rescue operation on the mountaineering campsite today, so it took most of the staff who operates the place. There are some kind of irregularities appeared on a patient while the doctor and nurses in charge went to the operation. We’re working on their behalves. Both obligations are particularly important after all. I heard that you’re coming here alone.” She smiled, faced and focused on my direction.
“I’m not sure about that. Our school department personally asked for my designation. I’m probably the only one who participated in my class. I think the other schools department may possibly send some of their student volunteers.”
“That isn’t likely to happen. You are the first volunteer after two years of vacancy. We used to have a group of five active volunteer way back then, but all of them already graduated high school.” She mumbled.
“I see.” I said. “I can’t promise you to make up with the work for five. But I’ll help the sanatorium as long as it is within my reach.”
“Then that’s decided.” She giggled. “By the way, Keith. I would like you to stroll around sanatorium for a while. My 30-minute break will be over soon, and I have to get back to work. Since your work will officially start tomorrow, you don’t have to worry about it. For now, take your time to get use of the way around here. This place consist of three large building. It will be unwise for you to get lost though. If you have any problem, you may visit me at reception area after my working hours. And that will be 4 P.M.”
“I’ll try not to get away farther than this building.”
“Here’s your volunteer card. As long as you know how to ask about direction, you’ll be fine. Take your stroll with ease. I’ll escort you to your quarter later.” She clipped the ID on my collar. “Thank you for assisting me. That’s more than enough.” I said in hushed tones.
“Well, then.” She clasped her hands together on her chest.
Melanie stood up, waved her small hand, and finally went to the opposite corridor that we entered through. Although the cafeteria was intended for covering a large number of people, there wasn’t a single group of people. A patient who was sitting on his wheelchair gave me an intimidating stare, yet his stare was directed on somewhere else. I hurriedly left the cafeteria after chewing the last scoop of the meal. I passed through few quarters around the different corridor. Some of those patients inside the quarters didn’t notice that I’m roaming here, as if the eyes are preoccupied by thoughts that could make them neglect a foreign existence. I’m sure those eyes somehow are.
I found a door leading into a long narrow hedge tunnel. The soft braces that were arching the path supported the weight of the veins. The sunlight penetrated the small gaps between the grass bows. At the time I reached a small garden with a natural sunshade, my shirt was already sopping in sweat. I sat on the steel chair near the cliff. In the distant horizon of the ocean, a bundle of foamy white clouds formed an intimidating yet calming shape. It appeared like an elevated mountain with an unusual figure. The sunlight enhanced the light blue color of the salted water—it sent the entire ocean sparkling. I forgotten about the Three Days of Happiness inside my bag. I wanted it to read it here, but the reception area was too far away here. The regular working hours would end at 4 PM, so there were still time to roam around. It was so hot. I didn’t want to move anymore.
I shook my head in irritation, then I found a figure standing near at the casement window on the second floor. I narrowed my eyes to catch a clearer glimpse. A girl who was most likely about my age stood. Her dim silhouette bounced every bright color of a blinding sun as if a faint silver-lining thriving for its existence. The hot breeze coming in from the window touched her dark-colored hair, throwing my perception into a perpetual trance. Her brown leather jacket blended in the murky space. Before long, she noticed my presence and turned towards my direction. Her eyes which tinted with the colors of a sparkling ocean was shedding a tear. I kept staring at her for a moment when I realized that the leg of the steel chair was standing near my blurry vision.
