1

Work, as usual, was tiring. Being a nurse, I always had something to do, but on nights like this, I worked myself to the bone. I worked hard, until I was exhausted, and I still had to keep going.

The end of my shift seemed like such a long way away, but once it was time for me to clock out, I was reluctant, because I had several days off planned. Now, usually, this would be something to look forward to, because it meant I could get some rest, but I had prior engagements that I wouldn’t have minded getting out of.

“Hey, Julia. You’re off now too, huh?”

I turned around to see a fellow nurse and friend, Patty, coming up behind me. She looked about as exhausted as I felt, and I remembered we had most of the same shifts this week.

“Yeah. I’m about ready to drop,” I admitted. I patted down my blond hair, twisted into a French braid, and knew it probably showed signs of how my day had gone.

She chuckled. “It’s the price we have to pay to do our jobs. You have a bunch of free days coming up,