Work Text:
The sweltering heat pounded into Cleo’s very sense of consciousness. Ok, maybe that was a bit of a hyperbole, but it certainly felt like it. The city of Aztlán has been suffering severe drought and heatwaves since recorded history, which to be fair, started again after the Cataclysm. Being generally fair skinned and a red-head, Cleo did not do well with this weather, which was an unfortunate coincidence, because it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. Thankfully, the hospital where she worked was just a few blocks away from her apartment. And unlike her apartment, it actually had a semi-functioning air conditioning system and water that was safe to drink from public utilities. But still, she wasn’t exactly looking forward to going to work.
It wasn’t that she disliked her job, in fact, she actually found it was her calling in life, it's just that it's a little demoralizing to work day in and out in a hospice ward. And it's not like she could find another job, because the Aztlánian government mandated that all Hun- and Vucub-Came-born must work in the hospice and EMT services in the local hospitals. Cleo couldn’t really argue with them, not only because they held absolute power over the city, but because it made sense as well. Her skills were uniquely suited to helping those in pain peacefully pass on. When they focused, her eyes clouded over with a jade green color and she was able to sense the cause of the persons suffering, as well as easing their pain while they moved on. But she didn’t very often use it, only when it was necessary.
That thought led them to their next normal recurring pattern of thought on her daily walk. The discrimination against her kind. Not only Hun-Came-born, but all other-born in Aztlán. If you were born into the world that clearly did not want you here, and had been chosen by the gods, you were then forced by those that feared your powers to hide yourselves. Unless you were useful of course. Cleo laughs joylessly as she sees the adobe monstrosity of her workplace rise above them. Another day where she passes through time like one of the ghosts she helps move on.
As the automatic doors slide open with a creak to let her through, the man like a ray of sunlight that never seems to dim pops out from beside them. Cleo thinks that it’s a pretty apt comparison considering where they live.
“Cleo! You doing ok?” Jimmy smiles down at her, his height in direct juxtaposition with just how much he looks like a golden retriever hoping for a treat from Cleo.
“Hi Jimmy. How do you think I’m doing?” Despite her dry tone, Jimmy is one of the few people that helps Cleo get through the day on a regular basis.
“Were you getting in your head about our societal issues again? I know you want to make a difference, and I think you will someday, but there's not really anything you can do immediately, so there's no point in worrying about it so much.” Cleo bristles a little at the naïvety of her coworker but decides to leave it today. They’ve had this conversation with him too many times to count, and she's not in a “rehashing the same argument for the 20th time” mood right now.
“I guess you’re right. Let's just get to work. I’ll see you for lunch?” Her tone tilts towards a hopeful stance, almost pleading with Jimmy.
“I don’t know Cleo, you know how my job is. But I’ll definitely try.” He quickly corrects course when he sees Cleo’s face fall. But it is true. Jimmy is one of the Vucub-Came-born, her other half. And as such, he was forced to go into EMT work at far too young of an age. Because they are able to sense violent and unplanned deaths and stave them off for long enough to get medical attention, they were all quickly abducted by the government and pretty much forced into slave labor in the hospitals. The work situations have gotten slightly better for most other-born in Aztlán, through the valiant labors of many unions and protests, it still often included far-too-long hours and pay that was nothing compared to the work they put in every day.
The two of them split off into their separate wings with a wave and a “good luck.” Little did they know, they would need that good luck to get through today.
-
The day had already been going roughly when he had been brought in. She had already seen off 3 people, their families pleading with her to let them stay for just a little longer when they saw her eyes flash. She had had to explain to them how her abilities work, but they were grieving families, they didn’t listen to a word she said. Between seeing three separate people die today and getting verbally abused by their families, she was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Of course, that was when a sickly looking man with a red t-shirt and jeans stumbled into the hospice ward after one of the nurses and was gestured to lay in one of the beds in her section. He was far too young to be anywhere near this place. He only looked in his late 20’s. Cleo had to close her eyes for a second before abandoning her desk and politely stepping towards the man’s bedside. The nurse quickly handed them the patient's notes and shuffled out of the room, leaving the man and Cleo to stare at each other.
“Hi, I’m Cleo, your nurse. I’ll be sure to get you anything you need.” Trying to smile cheerily down at him, she can’t help but swallow a little after the sentence.
“Hi Cleo, I’m Ren, I sure am glad I’ve got such a good nurse looking after me. I’m sure you’ll be great.” A cough interrupts Ren’s sentence, but he continues on just as intently afterwards, smiling softly. That's when Cleo notices something that causes them to pause. His fingers were twitching uncontrollably.
“Are you alright? Dumb question I know, but your fingers look like they're spasming.” She leans in closer and he hides them behind his back, causing him to jolt in pain.
He steadies his breath and says, “yeah I’m fine, just nervous y’know.” Cleo narrows her eyes. No amount of nervousness causes that amount of tremors. She can feel the energy her ancestor god gave her course through her and focus around her eyes before her vision is taken over by the shimmering green light she’s seen too many times already today. Normally she only reserves this for when the person is actively passing away, but Ren is hiding something from her and she is going to figure it out.
At the center of Ren’s chest, a cluster of long, tubular tan flowers flanked by two wide leaves appear. Glowing green lines stretch from it all the way to his extremities, slowly pulsating and growing stronger. She tries to jog her memory of plants, maybe he accidentally ate something he wasn’t supposed to?
A gasp breaks through the barrier of her lips when she finally recalls the shape of those leaves. Strychnos toxifera, or the devil doer plant. Also known as one of the most toxic plants on this side of the world, one that was supposedly wiped out by the government long ago to stop deadly poisonings from happening.
“Excuse me.” Cleo rushes from Ren’s bedside, seeing a confused look in her periphery coming from the man. Trying not to trip over their feet in haste, she speedwalks over to the phone. Punching in Jimmy’s work line, she holds up the phone to her ear with trembling hands. The phone crackles a bit before Jimmy’s panicked voice comes over the line.
“Cleo‽ What's wrong?” Jimmy knows that if Cleo is calling him during the workday, something has gone horribly wrong.
“Jimmy. Someone named Ren was just admitted to my ward with strychnine poisoning. I don’t know why he wasn’t transferred to you, but you need to come down right now before it gets worse.” Cleo can hear the phone be slammed down on its receiver as the call is suddenly cut off. Jimmy knows how deadly strychnine poisoning can be.
Rushing back out into the main patient room, she can see Ren. His whole body is shaking now, his pained grunts echoing around the room. Darting over to him, she quickly places their hands on his forearm and focuses her energy into him. His pain seems to lessen somewhat, but his shaking still hasn’t gotten any better.
Cleo can hear the doors slam open and Jimmy’s shoes pound towards her. When Cleo looks up, Jimmy’s eyes are already bright yellow, his breaths coming quickly as he places his hands on Ren’s other arm.
“Cleo. Do you have any activated charcoal in here?” She can hear Ren scream as her hands lift from his body when she rises to grab the small box from one of the medical cabinets. “Also get phenobarbitol!” Cleo rushes to the other cabinet on their right after grabbing the small cardboard box of the top shelf of the cabinet she just opened. Dashing over back to Jimmy, she hands him the activated charcoal and sets the small pill bottle on the bedside table while putting her hands back on Ren. The pulsing veins are getting longer and thicker when she enters her world again.
Jimmy grabs a spoon from in his apron and dips it into the grey powder and stuffs it into Ren’s mouth. “Please tell me your diaphragm hasn’t already contracted. Vucub-Came protect him.” Ren swallows and Jimmy and Cleo gasp with relief. “Here, take these.” Jimmy hands the now semi-conscious Ren some of the anticonvulsant pills and helps him swallow them. Ren is still shaking and coughing just a bit, but is calming down now. Jimmy and Cleo almost collapse on top of the man in the bed, instead opting to awkwardly hug over the obstacle, both of them still keeping one hand on the man. They just stand there, silently thanking whatever god gave them enough time to react to save his life. If Cleo and Jimmy hadn’t gotten him after the first hour, he would be dead right now. Settling in for a long hour, they both pull up chairs beside the now sleeping Ren.
-
Cleo has their head in their hands when Jimmy pokes them with his fork.
“Hey, we saved him, that's all that matters.” Her head snaps up and fixes the man in front of them with a stare.
“No. That is not all that matters.” Cleo leans in over the table and begins whispering. “Why was he admitted to hospice? Doesn’t that strike you as strange? He should’ve gone to you. Also, when I noticed his shaking hands, he wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. Don’t you think he would notice if he had ingested strychnine? Especially if he was already beginning to shake? Things don’t line up.” Jimmy’s eyebrows furrow as he takes in the information.
“Maybe he didn’t know what was wrong and didn’t want to bother you?” Jimmy brings up a weak excuse. Cleo’s eyes darken as she decides it’s finally time to thrust Jimmy into the real world.
“You know what strychnine poisoning feels like. If you were in the presence of a medical professional, you would tell them if you were at that point. I’m honestly in awe of Ren’s pain tolerance.” Cleo only somewhat regrets their words as she sees Jimmy flinch and breathe in sharply. She softens her gaze somewhat when she sees his eyes well up slightly. “I’m just saying, it doesn’t make sense for him to hide that from me.”
Jimmy seems to give up his argument and relents. “I suppose you’re right. Let's just finish our lunch and go up to check on him.” Cleo nods and gets back to eating.
-
After cleaning up their trays and boarding the rickety elevator, they finally arrive at the hospice wing.
Except somethings not right. The door is slightly ajar and the lights are off. The two of them slowly creep inside and fumble against the wall to find the light switch.
Cleo is knocked aside as a body slams into them and rushes out the door just as Jimmy flicks on the lights. He rushes over and helps Cleo up.
“Who was that? Why were the lights off?” Jimmy’s worried gaze flicks around the room. “Wait. Oh gods.” Jimmy breathes out as his eyes flash yellow. Sinking to his knees, he starts sobbing. Cleo rushes to kneel in front of him. “What is it?” She has a sneaking suspicion, but does not even want to think about it before her fears are confirmed.
“They’re dead. All of them.” All the air leaves Cleo’s lungs at once. Not one for crying, she immediately gets up and rushes to the nearest bed.
An old woman lays peacefully, far too still.
A weak moan raises Cleo out of her stupor. Almost crashing into a bed, she rushes over to the other side of the room.
Ren is stirring, rolling onto his side.
“Oh my gods. How?” Cleo is rendered speechless as she sees the man open his eyes and try to scrape the sleep out of them. Suddenly, Jimmy is by her side, tears tracking down his cheeks.
“What happened my dudes? You don’t look too good, my guy.” His eyes lock onto Jimmy’s tearstained face.
“We need to get you out of here. Right now.” Grabbing Ren by the lapel, Cleo yanks him out of the bed with a yelp. “Jimmy, do you know the way to the back entrance? Grab anything you need and meet me there. Try not to get noticed.” With only a nod as confirmation, Cleo rushes a bewildered Ren out of the building into the blistering heat.
Soon they are joined by an almost-catatonic Jimmy and they set off into the never-ending streets of Aztlán