Read Online Medical Mission by George Ivanoff - Free Book Online Page A

down. She connected a plastic bag full of liquid to the drip and hung it from the metal rod attached to the top corner of the stretcher.
    â€˜I’m giving you some painkillers and anti-nausea medication,’ said the nurse. ‘It should make you feel a little better.’
    Pete came running in clutching a mobile phone. The nurse glared at him and he sloweddown, handing the phone to Ratchet, who was standing uncomfortably in one corner. Her bulk made her look and feel quite awkward in the small space.
    â€˜I’ve been talking to your dad,’ said Pete. ‘There’s no way he’s going to be able to make it here before you’re flown off. He said he’d ring your mum in Adelaide and that she’d be at the hospital waiting for you.’
    â€˜Did he say anything else?’ asked Josh.
    â€˜Something about your aunt not being there anymore,’ said Pete. ‘She’s gone home, he thinks.’
    â€˜Anything else?’ Josh’s voice rose.
    â€˜No,’ said Pete. ‘Sorry.’
    Josh felt disappointed. Empty. He was hoping that his dad might have said more. That he loved him? Just something.Or that he would at least try to get here before the RFDS took him away.
    The orderly came back. ‘Okay, time to go,’ he announced, taking hold of the stretcher.
    â€˜We’ll go to the airport too,’ said Ratchet, emphatically. ‘We’ll see you there.’
    â€˜Thanks.’ Josh smiled. He felt strangely assured by her presence and was happy that she was also coming to see him off.
    And then everyone was moving – Josh and the orderly to the ambulance; Pete and Sally with Ratchet to her ute.
    Josh was pleased to be met at the ambulance by Matt. Even though he didn’t really know him, it was good to see a familiar face.
    His mind drifted back to Mum. But this time, the images that played were calmerand more pleasant. He realised that he’d be seeing her soon – for real – and that made him feel better. He had missed her so much that even the snakebite now seemed like an acceptable price to pay for getting to see her.
    â€˜Can I have that?’ asked Matt, indicating the sick bag.
    Josh realised that he was still clutching it to his chest. He nodded and let Matt take it. His nausea had eased off, and his leg wasn’t hurting as bad.
    He closed his eyes as he was loaded onto the ambulance.

It seemed to Josh that a blink was all it took to get to the airport, although Matt told him the drive had taken ten minutes.
    Ratchet, Sally and Pete were already there, waiting as he was taken out of the ambulance. He barely had time to say anything to them as Matt wheeled him towards the tarmac.
    â€˜Good luck, mate,’ said Pete.
    â€˜Take care.’ Sally leaned forward and gave him a little hug.
    â€˜Don’t you worry,’ said Ratchet, patting his shoulder. ‘These RFDS people are the best there is. They’ll look after ya.’
    Josh nodded. He was too scared to say anything in case his voice betrayed how emotional he was feeling. He had a choked-up sensation in his throat and a prickling at the corners of his eyes.
    As he was wheeled out onto the runway, he caught his first glimpse of the plane. Josh held his breath. It was the same plane that had come to the station that night for the birth of his brother. Well, the same type of plane, anyway. Now he was able to get a good look at it.
    The sight of the plane, combined with themedication pumping through the IV, was numbing his worry as well as his pain.
    It was a small aircraft, with only one propeller. The body was white, with a red undercarriage and a curved blue stripe above that, which extended all the way to the blue tail. The wing tips were angled up – Josh thought it made the plane seem sporty.
    Matt wheeled him to the open rear hatch, where a guy in a light blue shirt and pants was waiting.
    â€˜Hey,’ said the guy, with a little salute and a