Ore was immediately rushed with an ambulance to the University of Portharcourt teaching hospital. As they rolled her on a stretcher to the emergency ward, the doctor on duty took a good look at her dazed pupils and cold, stiff fingers.
He realized she had gone into hyper volemic shock and he set to work infusing an IV drip in her vein and giving her shots of pain relief.
Ore was unconscious all the while they gave her the injections. Martha had to wait pensively at the area reserved for friends or family members. She first made a quick call to Mercy telling her of the situation and she promised that she'd arrive in no time. Next, she informed Ore's mother who panicked and said she was already on her way to the park to take the last bus to Portharcourt.
Martha assured her that everything was fine and there was no need for her to stress in coming. The doctors had the issue under control but her mother insisted so she blew out a breath and began giving her directions as to where they were.
As soon as Martha terminated the call, Mercy rushed in looking agitatedly around the busy environment for Martha. She spotted her by the receptionist desk and raced to engulf her in a comforting hug.
The minute she heard the distress call, she hurried out from church as the father was about preaching and flagged down a taxi. That was how much she cared about Ore.
"I just hope she's okay," Martha croaked pressing her head on Mercy's shoulder.
"She will be," Mercy muttered and lead them to an empty seat by the far corner. She spotted doctors in their white coats shuffling here and there, some called for the family of their patients and handed over the bad or good news. Mercy linked hands with Martha and they bowed their heads in prayer.
"Who is here for Oreoluwa Adedokun?" A middle aged doctor announced scanning the area. Mercy tapped Martha who was already asleep, she jolted awake and glanced at Mercy questioningly. They had been waiting for what seemed like years to get an information on how Ore was faring.
"Doctor, how is she, is she alright now?" Martha asked releasing a pensive breath.
"Who are you guys to her?" The doctor asked assessing them.
"We're her roommates," Mercy gestured between her and Martha. "But her mum will be here any minute now."
"Alright, she has regained consciousness and is partly stabilized. You can go in to see her but could you get food outside first? She was previously injected with strong dosage of drugs."
Mercy and Martha nodded simultaneously and sighed as they made their way through the exit door in silence. Mercy was thanking God in her heart for keeping her roommate alive for her. Martha raced to a food stall nearby while Mercy stood by the side of the road to usher Ore's mum in.
It was nighttime already. The dark sky was dotted with twinkling stars and a silver moon shedding an insufferable amount of light on the Earth.
Night flies danced around, the toads were croaking in the grassland and a hooting of an owl was heard in the far distance. Mercy rubbed her palms together because of the cold as Martha rejoined her on the sidewalk with a black paper bag in her hand.
"Have you seen her mum yet?" Martha asked worriedly.
"Nope," Mercy said popping the 'p'. "I just hope she hasn't gotten lost. You know that Portharcourt is a big place."
"No, she won't," Martha stated confidently. "She told me that she'd lived with her brother in the town before so she knows her way around."
"Let's hope so." The slam of a car door made Martha to surge forward taking a peek at the almost empty road. She sighted a woman hailing from a taxi and hurrying to get something from her bag.
"Told ya." Martha simply shrugged. Then they both crossed to greet Ore's mum.
Ore's mum, Madeleine Adedokun, was a tall dark skinned lady with barely an ounce of extra flesh on her body. Martha couldn't say where Ore had gotten her plumpness from. Tears clouded Madeleine's vision as the nurse ushered them to the private ward they had admitted Ore.
Ore turned to her side as she heard the sliding doors open and she blinked her eyes weakly.
"Mummy?" She managed. Her voice was raspy and her throat parched. Madeleine gasped seeing her daughter's form and walked over to grasp Ore's pale, trembling fingers in hers. Martha and Mercy closed in on her, watching the sight with compassion.
Madeleine seated on a chair opposite and planted a kiss on Ore's knuckles. "How are you feeling honey?"
Ore tried to smile. "Doing well. Did you come with baby boy?"
"No," Madeleine replied in the negative. "I had to drop him off at one of his friend's since your dad travelled.
"Okay mummy, I am glad you are here now." Tears trickled down Ore's chin as she tried to sit up with Martha's help. Mercy uncovered the jollof rice and salad she bought for her, rinsed a spoon and placed it carefully on Ore's lap.
"You have to eat now Ore, you are gonna need enough strength to see Dami," Martha leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"Wait, is he back?" Ore struggled to remember how she'd gotten to the hospital but her brain was fuzzy.
"Yep, he is badly bruised or so I heard." Madeleine caught onto her last sentence and she frowned.
"Who is injured?" She looked from Martha to Mercy concernedly. Ore laughed to ease the terse moment but ended up coughing and spewing the food in her mouth on the floor.
The doctor came in just then and requested to see Madeleine. Madeleine kissed Ore's forehead and headed out throwing Martha a glare at the way she was dressed. Martha didn't even notice she was wearing a short with her baseball t-shirt.
As soon as Madeleine left, Ore enfolded her roommates in a hug. Some of the strength she had lost previously was now coming back to her. She enquired on what had happened to her but Martha couldn't say. The only thing she could vividly recall was Ore lying lifeless on the floor and her rushing to call an ambulance.
"I can't even pinpoint the exact moment you passed out, but baba God took control of everything. I am glad to have you back." Martha grazed a thumb over Ore's now hollow cheeks and she grinned.
"Awww, that was so touching," Mercy sneered. "I prayed for you too oo. So I am supposed to join in on the fun."
Ore laughed and tickled Mercy. "So, you want a peace of the action huhn?"
Mercy squirmed and fell on the floor. She couldn't hold her loud giggles. Ore finished up her food under her roommate's watchful gaze and leaned back on her bed to rest.
The nurse came in to do a routine check and give her some injections. Ore was scared of pointed needles, she winced and wrestled with the nurse before she managed to get a shot.
Martha who tried to hold Ore still, snickered. She never knew Ore had a hilarious side to her. The nurse packed her things ready to leave when Madeleine re-entered the room with a shocked expression on her face.
"Ore, what have you done?"