We Are The Cure : The Plague Doctor's Tale.

Chapter 4

When she woke up, she was lying in her bed covered with blanked. She no longer worn a plague doctor's mask or a scarf wrapped around her neck, but felt the ache there. With difficulty she sat on her bed and looked around. Nothing has changed in her room, her over clothes were lying on the chair and on the bed side table there was a tray with breakfast and water. She knew it must have been Doctor who has brought the breakfast there. She wanted to eat but when she swallowed the first bite of her food, she felt like her throat is clenching and she had to spill out what she wanted to eat. She tried to drink water and it was way better than eating. However, it didn't make her less hungry. She stood up and looked out of her window. The weather was gloomy and the sky was cloudy. It looked like it was about to rain soon. She looked at colourful stands and dreamed of an opportunity to go there and buy some herbs which would help her cure aching throat. One of the best cures for that kind of ache would be the broadleaf plantain. She noticed a piece of mirror on the wall and approached it to take a closer look of her neck. It was covered with every shade of bruising and ached as hell. She sighed and approached the door and when she opened it, she saw Doctor who was just about to knock. He was holding a small jar in one hand and some old books in the other. 

"Oh, hello there. I hope you had a good rest." He said and entered her room without permission.

"S-sure I had." She answered with hoarseness in her voice what surprised her. 

"You better don't say much today. Your throat have to rest." He put the books on her bed and sat on the chair in the corner waiting for her to come closer. 

"Are you m-mad?" Rosalynn asked warily looking at him as he clasped his hands.

"About yesterday? Pretty much, you caused me to worry about you and I had to deal with that man. He was ready to choke you to death, you know? With this kind of people you should talk briefly before they trigger. Besides, that is why I emphasised in the contract that you should not question my choices."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-..." She wanted to explain when he interrupted.

"Well, at least you know what other dangers you can encounter while treating people... Now, here are some books and medical records concerning bubonic plague and other diseases which you will definitely come across throughout your medical practice and career. I would recommend you to familiarise yourself with them." He was still sitting in the same place carefully observing her with his two round glasses which imitated eyes. Rosalynn approached the books and looked at them. 

"B-but they are all written in Latin..."

"So?" Doctor seemed unbothered."Don't you know how to read?"

"Well, I know but... I don't know Latin." She said looking at him annoyed. 

"Oh... If that's the case, I will read and translate them to you then." He stood up, grabbed the chair and approached her bed by which he put down the chair and sat on it. "Shall we start?" By the tone of his voice she could tell he was still angry at her but eager to help with education. When she sat on her bed near his chair, he took the first book and started reading it to her explaining the title and contents of the book. 

...

They have spent all the three days on reading medical books and learning about anatomy and diseases. Despite the overflow of knowledge she managed to remember few things including symptoms of plague and gangrene. She was also educated on the matter of hygiene and the importance of avoiding physical contact with other people. 

"Do you ever take off your mask?" Rosalynn asked one day after he has finished reading to her. 

"Not really." Doctor admitted timidly closing the book. "Only when I'm eating or drinking but not entirely."

"What about sleeping?" She looked at him surprised. "Are you sleeping with a mask on?"

"Yes. I have done that ever since I was a child... I think that's enough questions for now." He spoke coldly standing up and moving towards the door. "Make sure you have packed all your belongings. We are leaving tomorrow morning." And he left her room without even waiting for her to answer. She was surprised with the change in his behaviour but she felt like she might have become too curious about him. Maybe he is not comfortable talking about himself? Or is there something he wants to hide? Is he truly so obsessed with sterility? She was posing these questions in her head all the remaining night and in consequence couldn't fall asleep. 

In the morning, she heard knocking on her door and Doctor's voice.

"Rosalynn, I hope you are packed and ready to leave."

"Wh-what?" She asked still sleepy finishing packing her things. After the sleepless night she could barely process anything that was surrounding her.

"Rosalynn?" Doctor asked and knocked again. "Do not tell me that you are still sleeping!"

"No, no. I'm almost done, Sir." She spoke louder and hurried. 

Not so long after she has left her room and together they went downstairs to pay for their accommodation. Outside they headed the tailor's workshop to collect the ordered plague doctor costume. Rosalynn could have been very excited if it wasn't for the tiredness she was currently experiencing. Doctor was marching in his usual pace sometimes looking if she is keeping up with him. He noticed the eye bags on her face.

"Did you have some troubles with sleeping tonight?" He asked finally.

"Just a little." She admitted yawning.

"You know that for this profession, sufficient amount of sleep is required?" By the tone of his voice she could tell he was annoyed. 

"I know. I'm sorry, Sir." He didn't answer that. All he was focused on was the dim workshop they were entering.
There were nobody inside, just a big box on the counter. They both guessed it was their package with Rosalynn's new clothes. Soon a young man with blonde short hair entered the room. He was wearing usual clothes of Nottingham people which were linen shirt with puffed arms, a greenish jerkin and a pair of brown breeches. On his wrist he had a pin cushion and a measuring tape wrapped arround his neck. They both assumed he was the tailor.

"My apologies, dear customers. I suppose you've come to collect the order, am I right?" The blonde guy asked politely.

"Yes, exactly." Doctor answered briefly. "Can we pay for the order?"

"Of course, here is the bill..." Before the man finished his talk, Doctor put on the counter a medium sized sack of coins. "Oh, Sir. That is definitely too much..." 

"I think that the amount in this sack is reasonable for the work done." He took the package and turn to the door. " Thank you for your service and stay in good health." After he left Rosalynn nodded at the tailor and quickly rushed after him. 

"Hope you will come back soon." The tailor said confused and later came back to his work. 

Rosalynn was rushing after Doctor but she has lost him in the crowd. The bag she was holding in one hand was really heavy and she was so tired that the task to find him seemed impossible. From time to time someone bumped into her and she almost lost her belongings, so she decided that the best thing she could do was to move out of the crowd's way. She spotted a nicely looking building with blinded windows and a bench outside. With effort she forced her way through people and relieved she sat on the wooden bench. She was breathing heavily and didn't notice when somebody put a hand on her arm.

"Are you lost, my lady?" She heard a voice of a fifty-year-old man and when she looked at him, she saw he was wearing a nice and tidy clothes.

"Uhm, yes. I'm looking for a friend, he looks quite-..."

"Oh, don't worry little one. I can be your friend." The man smiled at her but it wasn't a nice smile.