Artificial Heart

31

'Okay, so I'm just going to do a few simple assessments,' Katie said.

Prisha was sitting on the edge of an examination table situated in the middle of the room. It was definitely a medical room. There were shelves of medical supplies. Ear and eye lights on the wall. Oxygen. A defibrillator. There was a monitor.

'I don't want him to be here,' Prisha said, looking at the soldier. 'This is private.'

'Go and stand outside the door,' Katie told the soldier as she shone a light in Prisha's eyes. 'I'll let you know if I need you.'

'Just keep the door open,' he said gruffly.

'Why does he have to be such an asshole?' Prisha said, loud enough that he could hear.

'He's just doing his job.'

'What job?'

'Protecting me.'

'From what?'

'From you.'

Prisha laughed. 'Yeah, okay.'

The doctor didn't say anything more as she moved on to measuring Prisha's blood pressure and an assortment of other things. She checked around Prisha's throat. 'No recent illnesses?'

'No.'

Then she lifted Prisha's arms. 'What's this scar?'

'Er ... I'm not sure.'

The doctor prodded it. 'It looks unusual.'

Prisha shrugged. 'Dunno.'

The woman looked at her with narrowed eyes. 'You seem remarkably fit for a woman your age.'

'I'm not that old.'

'Are you going through menopause?'

'Started. Yes.'

'Any problems with that?'

'Not yet.'

Next, the doctor moved on to preparing for a blood test.

'So, this dizziness, any associated chest pain, shortness of breath, visual disturbances? Other than fainting, I guess.'

'No.'

'When did they start happening?'

'Er ... a few weeks ago.'

'Any reason why?'

'Do you think there might be a reason why?' Their eyes met. Prisha tried to suss her out. How much did she know? But her face was smooth and calm. The man outside the door hadn't moved from his spot.

Katie didn't say anything.

Prisha shrugged. 'Just getting older, I guess.'

There was a sharp prick in her elbow and Prisha watched the tube fill with blood.

'Okay. Finished. That's all we need to do.' The woman turned away, placed the blood in a plastic bag, then turned back and handed her a yellow cup. 'Almost finished. Urine, please.'

Not long later and Prisha was back sitting on the hard metal bench back in the first room. Katie had been nice enough to lend her a wet towel to wipe away all the grime, and even gave her a pair of fatigues and a shirt. The pants were baggy and the shirt oversized, obviously meant for a man. But they were clean. She suddenly realised there was a camera in the top left corner near the ceiling. Prisha shook her head with a sigh.

She was there probably twenty minutes, alone and uncomfortable. She gripped the khaki jacket tightly around her. She spun around at the sound of the door opening.