Straight Shot ➳ Oliver Queen

24. Curare

C H A P T E R   T W E N T Y - F O U R

CURARE

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A/N: I'm pulling this medical stuff out of my ass. Go with me on this one.

Tommy's POV:

"Curare? What the hell's curare?" I asked Dr. Lamb as we stood just outside of Karter's hospital room. I was at the hospital with her for the second time in just a few weeks and I was left with what felt like a permanent sick feeling. I had imagined rushing to the hospital, hurrying to find her room, but these weren't the circumstances I had in mind. I had envisioned the birth of our child, or children, even. Those plans were quickly put on hold when Thea had texted me an SOS saying that Oliver had been arrested, Moira was having a breakdown, and worst of all: Karter was in the hospital again.

"It's a neurotoxin. We found it in Miss Mitchell's system." Dr. Lamb responded, keeping his voice low. Clearly, he wasn't avoiding being heard by Karter since she had been in another coma for almost a week. He was likely keeping his voice down to keep her privacy, as well as not stir up any rumors as myself and Karter weren't exactly nobodies in Starling City.

"How did it get there? Was she poisoned? Maybe someone spiked her drink at the stock auction?" I listed frantically, nervously crossing my arms over my chest.

"It's more likely the bullet Karter was shot with was laced with the neurotoxin. Unfortunately, the bullet fragments we removed have already been disposed of so we can't send them to the lab to make sure."

I swallowed hard, a million answers and curses swirling through my head like a whirlwind of confusion and grief. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as a horrible thought dawned on me. I braced myself and sent the doctor an expression begging for his honesty.

"This... curare stuff... is it lethal?" I wondered carefully, looking to the ground, debating whether or not I really wanted to know the answer.

Dr. Lamb let out a careful sigh and my stomach dropped even deeper. "Unfortunately, yes. A lethal dose was introduced into Miss Mitchell's blood."

"There's gotta be some sort of– I don't know– counteractive drug or something? An antivenom or antidote!" I demanded. "There's gotta be something you can do!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Merlyn, but very little is known about curare. The only viable option is a blood transfusion and I'm afraid the curare may have destroyed certain antibodies and introducing foreign blood into her system could cause Miss Mitchell to go into a catatonic state and then–"

"She'd die even faster than she already is." I finished for him. I didn't need to be a doctor to know he was attempting to deliver the news no one ever wanted to hear: the person they love is going to die. "How long does she have?"

"To be completely candid with you, Mr. Merlyn, I don't know. Like I said, not much is known about curare. It's powerful. Stronger than pit viper venom."

"So what are you trying to say?" I snapped, beginning to grow impatient with the doctor.

"I'm trying to say you should start getting in touch with her family soon so they can say their goodbyes." The doctor held a ginger moment of silence. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Merlyn." Just like that, Dr. Lamb left me alone in the hall. I anxiously rubbed my hands over my face and ran my fingers through my hair.

A wave of anger washed through me and every nerve in my body ached. Karter couldn't die. This wasn't her time. I declared it wasn't before pushing open the door to her hospital room with the palm of my hand.