Page 2 of Beauty and the Baker
She had a white hat made of stiff material that branched out like wings on either side of her head. She wore a white dress with a white apron.
Her hair was the color of honey that his mother liked in her tea and her deep brown eyes were surrounded by long lashes.
Charlie could see several other women behind her that were dressed similarly. One even had a red and blue cloak.
They must be nurses.
He closed his eyes again. The light was so bright.
“After the doctor comes and sees you,” she chirped again. Charlie looked back to her, but she was already gone, her heels clicking against the floor. Even her movements were very bird-like. She flitted between the beds down out of sight.
She came back shortly, thereafter, escorted by a man in dark pants with a dark suit jacket. They stopped at the end of his bed.
Charlie couldn’t see them, but he didn’t hear the footsteps go any further than that.
His vision was blocked by a dark object, which Charlie realized was the man in the suit. He pulled a chair over and sat down, looking at Charlie. He had a board in his hand, with papers attached to it that he was flipping back and forth.
“How about we get you a drink of water?” the man asked, his attention returning to the papers in front of him. His voice was very soothing. Charlie tried to nod. “No need for you to move, son.”
Charlie heard the nurse move behind the doctor and then the sound of water being poured in a glass caught his attention.
“That will be all, nurse,” a man’s voice said.
“Yes, doctor,” the angel chirped, and Charlie could once again hear her shoes clacking down the room.
The doctor held a rye straw to Charlie’s lips, allowing him to take sips of the cool water. Charlie swished the water around before swallowing. The doctor put the glass on the side table and leaned over so he and Charlie were nose to nose.
“I’m glad to see you are awake. It was touch and go for a while,” the doctor said, pushing his glasses back up his nose. “I’m Dr. Wagner. I’ve been taking care of you, along with my colleague, Dr. Acker.”
“Where am I?” Charlie croaked. “And why am I laying on my stomach?”
“All in good time, young man,” the doctor said. “A few answers first, especially given you’ve been unconscious for nearly three weeks.” He picked up the board and removed a pencil from his pocket. “Can I get your name?”
“Charles.” Charlie took a deep swallow. “Charles Stockton. I go by Charlie.”
“And what is your occupation, Mr. Stockton?”
Occupation?Charlie thought about it for a minute. “I guess I don’t have a job.”
Dr. Wagner looked over his glasses at Charlie. He made a sound and then turned back to his paper. “I am going to say you are around, what? Twenty-five?”
“No.” Charlie tried to shake his head. “Only twenty-three.”
“Do you know how you got your injuries?”
Images of fire, screaming, burning skin invaded his thoughts. If he closed his eyes, he could almost relive the smell of his flesh burning. A tear leaked out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t even lift his hand to wipe it away. His arms seemed heavy and useless. He tried to wiggle his toes.
There. At least he was able to move something.
The doctor must have seen the movement, as his gaze was now directed to Charlie’s feet under the sheet.
“I don’t know,” Charlie finally said. “I don’t know how I got them.”
“Well, you were lucky that someone came by and heard you. The other boy you were with wasn’t so fortunate.”
There were two boys. That much Charlie remembered. Ian, his best friend and James, one of the younger boys assigned as a runner between departments. Both worked at the factory with him.
“How old was the boy?”
