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“Six weeks. And no jumping off of roofs. What were you thinking?”
His gaze cuts to another boy about his age he came in with. “Samual dared me.”
I look scoldingly at Samual. “No more dares. He could have got hurt way worse.”
“Sorry, Dak.”
“Don’t apologize to me!” I bite back a smile.
I walk to our supply drawer and pull out a black Sharpie. For some reason, we have boxes of them. I hand it to Samual. “After it’s dried, you can write a message to Omari here on it. And have other people sign it as well.”
His eyes light up as he takes it. “Thanks, Dak!”
The boys walk off chatting excitedly about what is going to be written and how many people they can get to sign it.
I chuckle and head to the children’s ward.
I see Kwame sitting reading a book, but his eyes droop like he’s about to fall asleep. “Hi, young man. Feeling about the same today?”
He looks worse and I cringe inside.
“Very tired, Dak.” He attempts a weak smile.
I put my hand on his arm. “Well, I have good news. I talked to someone in America. We have some medicine coming, but I’m gonna need you to hang in there, okay?”
“I promise,” he says weakly, then closes his eyes. I listen to his heart and lungs as he rests and his heartbeat is weak.
I look at Nurse Amari. “Answer me this: Have you guys ever just dropped a patient off at the main hospital in town? Even if they try to refuse?”
She looks at me apprehensively and shakes her head. “We not allowed to do that. They told us not to, that they already too crowded with patients and not enough beds or medicine.”
“Well, I was told that shipments of chemotherapy drugs were sent here two weeks ago. I don’t know exactly where, but I’ll ask when I get the email I’m expecting. An American company is going to be sending more drugs and possibly some narcotics, too.”
Her eyes widen and she smiles. “Really?”
I nod and squeeze her shoulder. “Yes. In the meantime though, I think Kwame needs treatment now, like today. I’ll run it by Dr. Alsworth but I think I’m going to transport him to the main hospital. This is ridiculous. He shouldn’t be suffering like this.”
She frowns and shakes her head. “That is not allowed.”
I smile at her. “I don’t give a shit. His life is more important than their rules. Surely there can’t be so many people more sick than him that there’s not room. You and I both know he doesn’t stand a chance here. We have to try.”
She nods. “Okay. I help you.”
I finish my rounds and then find the doc.
“What’s up, Eric?” Jack asks cheerfully.
I decide I’m going to tell and not ask. “I’m going to transport Kwame to the main hospital in town. Can I have the van keys please?”
He shakes his head. “The hospital’s full.”
“I don’t care. That kid is gonna die if we don’t do something.” I tell him about my conversation with Mr. Anco.
His face gets red. “Those supplies were supposed to come here. The main hospital has to share whatever comes in from the pharm companies. That’s infuriating!”
“Which is why I’m moving Kwame there. They want to take our drugs, they can treat him with them.”
“Agreed.” He reaches into his pocket and plunks keys into my hands.
