Dancing With Mortality by Mark McKay Read Free Book Online Page B

lighting could assist
in illuminating his visitor. O’Donnell saw a well built man around six feet
tall, with a pack on his back. And he had his left hand pressed to his right
shoulder. The face was turned toward the front door, and the light wasn’t
revealing much beyond the silhouette of a youngish man.
    He tapped on the sash window to attract the young man’s
attention then slid it down from the top. A chilly sea breeze swept through the
gap.
    ‘The practice is closed. If you need a doctor I can give you
a number for the person on call tonight. Or go to the local hospital.’
    ‘Doctor O’Donnell, I’m from Fitzpatrick Carpentry. I was
here a while ago with a friend who needed treatment. Do you remember?’
    O’Donnell took a long look at the face now fully turned
towards him. He grunted in the affirmative. ‘That’s different, lad. Stay there,
I’m coming to let you in.’ He slid up the window and went to the door.
    Michael came inside. O’Donnell noticed his pale and drawn
expression. He saw what looked like padding under the right shoulder of
Michael’s jacket. And the bloodstains on the outside.
    ‘I cut up some towels and wrapped them around the wound,’
said Michael. ‘There’s no exit wound, so the bullet’s still in there, but I’m
not bleeding too much. Just tired. It’s cold out there.’
    ‘Follow me to the consulting room.’ O’Donnell led him down
the hall and opened a door halfway along. He switched on the light. ‘Lie on
that bench. Take your jacket and shirt off first. Leave the padding on for
now.’
    Michael did as he was told. In the meantime O’Donnell
manoeuvred a spotlight into position. He wheeled over a stainless steel trolley
containing various surgical instruments and disinfectants.
    ‘Right, I’m going to unwind these towels. Just stay as still
as possible, and we’ll take a look at you.’
    ‘Sure you’re up to it Doc? Seems you’ve had a few this
evening.’
    O’Donnell held up a hand for inspection. ‘See this? Rock
steady. It’s when I’m stone cold sober you can start to worry. Now don’t talk.’
    Michael’s shoulder was now revealed. There was coagulation
around the bullet’s entry point, and O’Donnell gave a snort of satisfaction.
    ‘You’re not losing any more blood, which is obviously good.
And it means no arteries were involved, or you’d not be here with me now. I’m
going to give you a local, then I need to take a look around.’
    He administered the local anaesthetic and waited a few
minutes. Then he prised open the entry point and inserted a small pair of
forceps. After about a minute of poking around he withdrew them.
    ‘Nice clean hole, but I can’t feel the bullet. I think it’s
lodged in the muscle. If I go deep enough I will probably be able to get it out
for you, but I think that might start a haemorrhage, and I don’t want to take
that risk here, so I’ll disinfect it and stitch you up.’
    ‘Whatever you think best.’
    ‘As long as you have mobility in that arm, you’ll be ok.
You’ll need a surgical procedure in hospital if you want the bullet out though.
And I take it that isn’t an option.’
    ‘It’s not.’
    O’Donnell did as promised. He suggested that Michael stay
the night to recuperate. The offer was gratefully accepted.
    Early the following morning the doctor walked into his
kitchen to find his patient sitting at the table with a glass of water.
    ‘How’s the arm?’
    ‘Stiff, but I can move it.’
    ‘Good. I’ll give you some bandages and antiseptics to take
with you. Change them every day for the next week. But you should really rest
for at least another twenty four hours. You can stay here one more day, if you
don’t mind being shut up in my back room while I go about my business.’
    ‘Thanks, Doc, but I need to see someone. I can’t hang
about.’
    ‘In that case, let’s get some breakfast organised. And by
the way, where do I send the bill?’
    ‘I thought you helped people like me out of