I dragged my feet down the steps while tying my hair into a bun.

"Morning mom, Kaden", I said entering the kitchen. A noisy hum refrigerator, old stove, a cabinet with no door. A table with a short leg. But my mom tried to make it all look nice and comfortable for us.
I sat on a stool we had as an extra. In case anyone came to visit. We rarely had any visitors though. Fear kept people locked in their homes. It kept people from trusting anyone out of their family.
Mom placed a plate of scrambled eggs and smoked ham, in front of me. I devoured it in seconds. Kaden stared at me with wide eyes, and a smile. "Wow Ena, that was fast. You were really hungry weren't you?"

I nodded, wiping my mouth with a napkin. "Are you excited to come with mom, and me to work"?

"You bet I am".

Today was just Tuesday, Kaden had no class today since he only takes class three times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Sometimes he will come with us to work or go to a nearby bookshop. "No honey, remember Sienna he can't come with us today. There's lots of work to be done. Next time". Kaden pouted his lips in disappointment. I ruffled his hair.

"Aww buddy, at least you can bring me another book to read to you in my spare time".

"Okay! Everyone get ready or we all going to be late", my mom said. Kaden and I dashed out the kitchen, and up to our rooms.

My mother pulled Kaden into a big hug. "You better be good now okay? Don't give Mr. Greg a hard time". My brother looked up at mom. "You know I don't". She let him go, and he took a step back.

"Okay let's go, let's go," I said, opening the book shop's door. We all stepped in.

"Morning Mr. Greg", we chanted.

"Morning Vivian, Sienna", he said lifting his gaze from the book he was reading. The old man had a fringe of grey-white hair around his balding scalp. He had a gnarled face and a back slightly hunched.

I glanced around the store. The bookshelves seemed like they would collapse any moment under the pressure of the numerous books. Each one with a label organized in neat rows on the shelves.

"Here's your little helper". Mom gave Kaden a slight push.

"Yes come on in Kaden. I have a few books I need you to stack for me". He slowly got to his feet with the support of his cane. "This old man here doesn't have the strength anymore".

"As if there's any more room", I mumbled. My mother stomped my feet, making me groan a little.

"What was that dear"? He said looking over at me.

"Nothing! We must be going. Have a nice day Mr. Greg".

"You too", He waved. Kaden followed him to the back of the small store.

Mother and I exited the book shop. I suddenly stopped. That feeling when someone is watching you came over me. I looked around but didn't see anyone.

"Are you okay?" Mom asked as she searched my eyes. Wondering how I suddenly became so tense.

"You know that feeling- never mind. Yes, I'm fine".

"You sure honey?".

"Mom," I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine let's go before we are late".

"Right, right" she replied.

We continued through the same path we usually took to get to the hospital.

At just a few yards away from reaching the entrance, a massive war truck had made its way past us, parking on the emergency entrance. We stopped suddenly, watching the troop who was in the passenger seat jump out of the truck and make his way to the back. He opened the double doors, and another two soldiers jumped out. We watched, as they carefully took out a stretcher with an injured soldier laying on it. A group of doctors had already come to his aid. Another stretcher was taken out with another injured soldier. It continue like this until we had counted six injured soldiers. At the last one, a male doctor gestured my mother to come. "Vivian we need you in this one". My mother nodded at him.

"Forget your list for now Ena, another nurse can fill in for you. I need you at my side today".

I tried to hide my emotions. All there was to know was this moment, my chance to finally help an injured man. Not just some regular man, a soldier who is fighting for our country. My excitement was then filled with fear. Would I not be able to succeed? No, I need to face fear with courage and with confidence. I can not let fear enable me to succeed.

I took a deep breath in, "yes mom".

My mother and I followed close behind the stretcher with the man laying on it. It was being pulled by the doctor who had told my mother they needed her. The man was bleeding out. My mother quickly took out a scissor and started to cut through his uniform. The man was shot on his stomach and leg.

"Doctor Johns"! A nurse bustled into the room. "We need you, one of the men is bleeding out too much. His leg has been blown up by a grenade".

The doctor gave a reassuring nod at my mom. "You got this!"

"Doctor!" My mom called. "There's no way I can do this on my own".

"You got your daughter at your side". As soon as he said that he was out the door, followed by the nurse.

My mother took a deep breath in. The man started to twist and moan in agony. I placed my hand on his head, and the other on his arm. "Everything will be okay", I told him. "Mom?" I looked up at her.

My mother placed over his mouth and nose the supplementary oxygen mask. To help him get oxygen into his lungs. "Okay, Once a bullet enters the body, it crushes and forces tissue apart. This becomes serious if a major organ or blood vessel is hit. let us just hope this is not the case".

"He's losing a lot of blood due to two wounds, he needs a blood transfusion. I'll get it right away. I need you to press pressure on those wounds, to stop the bleeding". My mother ran out of the room and I quickly got to work. I slipped the gloves on and taking a bandage I pressed directly against the wounds using the palm of my hand. I checked the location of the wounds re-positioning myself. Adding new bandages over the old. One hand was putting pressure on the wound on his stomach, the other on the leg.

Keep it together Sienna, you can do this. I kept repeating this on my head until my mother arrived with the bag of blood. "Here", she said handing me the bag. I removed my hands from the wounds, she took my spot, and I took the bag. I was drenched in sweat, my hands trembled as I took the needle, closing in to inject it into his vein.

"Hurry up Sienna! I need you!".

I nodded, taking in a deep breath I injected the needle into the vein. Then I quickly hung the bag on the saline stand.

"The leg wound has not stopped bleeding.
The artery passing blood supply from the heart needs to be pressed to inhibit blood supply from the heart so that bleeding can be controlled". She removed her hand to let me do the work. I pressed the area on the front leg, before the knee bending.

"Elevate the leg, Ena".

I elevated the leg, to put the wound above the heart level.

"Remember, putting wounded leg to the higher level from the heart is essential to inhibit blood pumped to the wound site. This will be able to minimize bleeding as well as the swelling effects".

"Yes, mom".

"Now tape the bandage firmly to give the leg an adequate pressure to stop the bleeding. Remember though, do not tape it too tight as it might stop the blood passage completely".

My nerves were getting the best of me. I have never done this in my life. I nodded as I taped the bandage.

"The level of consciousness is not doing well!"

"What!" I started to panic. The wound to the abdomen is more severe than we thought. My mother started to check for his pupil response, rest rate, pulse, and respiration.

"We need a surgical intervention here!" My mother shouted. "Go get a doctor-", in that instant Doctor Johns ran into the room.

"We need to do this fast".

He nodded. Another doctor and two nurses ran into the room.

"Ena out".

"But mom!", I cried. She turned me around, dragging me out of the room.

"I can help!".

"No Ena".

"But-".

My mother clasped unto my shoulder a little too tight, whirling me around to face her. "Sienna! You did enough, now let the true professionals finish the job", she scowled.

My words were unwilling to take flight. She let go of me and ran back in. The two nurses closed the door. I looked down at my bloody gloves. Enraged and disgusted, I removed them and threw them into a nearby glove disposable bin. Wiping the few tears that streamed down my cheek I made my way to the bathroom.
In there, I splashed water on my face. Refreshing me from all the sweat that had run down my face.

"Leave it to the professionals? Am I not one". I glared at my reflection in the mirror. Who am I kidding, I'm not a doctor like them. Taking a tissue I wiped the water droplets from my face.

In a world of chaos, pain, and suffering I started to understand that I couldn't let these things bring me down.

Even though I'm not a doctor like my mother, we shared the same passion. No degree or certificate can change that.

My worry right now is that man in that room. My exact thought is, will he survive or die? The first thing I want to do is head back to that room and speak with my mother.