The Knife

"What kind of lettuce is blue?" Sky asked as she plunked her tray down across the table from Lemon.

"Today's salad, apparently," Lemon answered. "Why didn't you just get an apple or something?"

"Ech, too fruity. And I didn't see this up close until I got in the light. Yuck!" Sky settled herself at the table and stared at her plate. Around them, the noise of the cafeteria was deafening. Doctors and technicians in white lab coats bumped and jostled for seats at the long tables. The surgical teams in soft green caps, booties, and coverings moved in groups searching for places together. Weary relatives of patients sat in hushed isolation as the hectic parade of tray-bearing hospital workers swirled around them.

"Could I borrow a couple of those balloons you had this morning?" Lemon almost had to shout as she leaned across the table and explained to Sky about Tick Yearling. "Maybe they'd cheer him up--if the kid in 901 WOULDNT mind."

"He wouldn't even miss them," Sky said. "Just open his door, and the toys fall out. I'll get you a few gallons this afternoon."

A stethoscope dangled above Sky's plate as a nurse leaned over her shoulder to grab a packet of sugar from the center of the table. Sky pushed her salad away and stole a potato chip from Lemon's salad plate. "How many raffle tickets did you buy so far?" Sky asked, crunching the chip and reaching for another.

"Just one," Lemon answered, sliding her plate away. "I'm selling them, though, if you want more."

"I've already got the winning one. I'm sure of it! I'm going to put that statue in a case as soon as I win!"

Hundreds of Stalliongrad residents were competing for the gold statue on display in the hospital lobby. It was the prize in a raffle to raise money for the Flash Fear Wing. It was a statue of a filly in an upright position, leaning over slightly with her right hind leg up and sticking out. The right foreleg was sticking out but angled to point behind her while the left foreleg pointed forward. In short, the statue looked like a pure gold filly ice-scating on one hoof like a pro.

Lemon had already sold four books of tickets to neighbors and people in town who found her hard to refuse, even if they had already bought a hoof full.

"Don't buy the case until they hand you the actual statue," Lemon warned. "What are you doing this Saturday? You got a date?"

"Two dates. Falcon Cry and Pin Drop."

"Not again!" Lemon exclaimed. "No fair." She disapproved of Sky's habit of accepting two dates for the same night, then deciding which one to break.

"I know," Sky shrugged. "I'd trade them both for Art Price, whenever you get tired of him."

Lemon sighed. "Like, how about now? I'm seein him Saturday night. I wish I knew how to break up with him."

Sky slurped her drink and nodded. "Yeah, I can really see why you'd want to dump him. He's just too good-looking, and too much fun, and his dad is only Dr. Rebound Price, just about the most prominent stallion in Stalliongates."

"Dr. Price is his strpfather," Lemon reminded her.

"Gimme a break!" Sky narrowed her eyes. "He's also the administrator of this hospital, so you'd better not rock the boat with Art while you're working here. What's so wrong with Art?"

"He's just so aimless, such a goof," Lemon said, jabbing her hoof at her salad.

"Not EVERYPONY wants to be a doctor like you." Sky really admired Lemon, but sometimes she thought Lemon ought to lighten up a little.

"I don't think Art is serious about anything," Lemon stated, chewing thoughtfully.

"He's serious about you," Sky offered.

"That's part of the problem. He's, well, clutchy. I don't like him trying to tie me down all the time. I have lots of interests, and sometimes I'd like to spend time with other guys."

The white-coated orderly sitting next to Sky gathered up his dirty dishes and left the table. Sky was reaching for another of Lemon's potato chips, when she stopped, hoof in midair, and sat up straight in her chair. "Oh, wow! Speaking of other guys, guess who just walked in."

"Who?" Lemon refused to turn and stare.

"Would you believe Prince Blueblood!" Sky whispered ecstatically. "It isn't! It couldn't be!"

Lemon had to look. "Right on both counts. It isn't and it couldn't be.Prince Blueblood is older, and he doesn't have red hair."

"It's not red."

"well, reddish. Sky, stop staring at him!" Lemon exclaimed. "He may not be as old as Prince Blueblood, but he's too old for you. I bet he's in college. He wouldn't be interested in us."

"You make it seem like we're freshmen or something! I turn eighteen next year so it wouldn't even be that much of an age difference if he's in college," Sky hissed and turned to look at Mister Handsome again. "He's coming this way!" she said breathlessly.

"Is this seat taken?" a deep, pleasant voice asked.

Sky smiled. Up close, the guy was every bit as good-looking as the Prince, maybe even cuter. He was tall, with dark blue eyes, and he had on a tight T-shirt that showed he probably was an athlete or somepony who worked out with weights. The T-shirt was comical--white with black letters that said: Wrong Way. Go Back." Over one shoulder he had slung the telltale tan tunic that marked him as a fellow student volunteer.

"Be my guest," Sky said, making room. "We were saving it for any student volunteer who wants to join us in taking over the hospital."

"Count me in," he said, laughing as he set down his hayburger and coffee. He was taking to Sky but looking at Lemon. He sat down and leaned across the table to be closer to her. "I'm Racer Subaru, a three-day veteran on the surgical floor."

"I'm Lemon Mint, on the Children's Floor this week." She blinked her blue eyes and realized she was suddenly very warm. The source of heat was definitely Racer Subaru and his smile.

"Me too," Sky said. "Ninth Floor--Kids and Construction. I'm Sunny Skies, but call me Sky. Hey, I really like your T-shirt!"

Rick turned to her. "You do? I've got the world's largest collection of T-shirts. It's my only claim to fame." He took a bite of his burger and turned back to Lemon. "How do you like it here?"

"It's great!" Lemon chirped, responding to Racer's interest. "It's what I've wanted to do all my life; work in a hospital. My aunt warned me I might get bored, but I love every minute here!"

"Lemon's going to be a doctor," Sky explained. "If we ever graduate from Stalliongates High."

"No kidding!" Racer said, his eyes fixed on Lemon as he sipped his coffee. "I'm going into my second year at Saddlebank College, and I'm thinking about going to medical school."

"I thought I'd better get some hospital experience before I made any heavy plans," Racer said to Lemon. "Why did your aunt think you'd be bored? Is she a doctor here?"

"No," Lemon answered. "A financial consultant. She raised me after my parents died, and she always worries about me." Above the cafeteria, a sudden, urgent announcement blared out over the paging system: "Code Blue, Room 903. Code Team to 903, stat." Several doctors jumped up and ran out.

"Uh-oh," Sky frowned. "Code Blue. They just called a code."

"Huh?" Racer raised a brow and looked to Lemon in confusion.

Lemon explained. "That's when a patient goes into cardiac arrest, like the heart stops, or there's some other terrible emergency. There's a special medical team responsible. They can save a life if they get there fast enough. You just saw some of them running out."

"I guess I have a lot to learn. I didn't hear or see anything." Racer's expression suggested that he hadn't heard or seen anything except Lemon. The announcement repeated: "Code Blue, Room 903, stat!"

"You'll get used to it--" Lemon told him. Her mouth fell open in shock. Room 903 was little Tick Yearling's room. The Code Blue Team had been called for him! She pushed her chair and ran out of the cafeteria.