LAVELLE
I woke up right on time and got to my destination right on time. Which was usually rare knowing how much I adored sleeping in. Sometimes I have missed important events due to this but not today. Today was too important for that to happen.
"Your appointment letter, please," the receptionist asked me as the last step in my Job process. After going through it and putting the information into the system, she looked up at me with a friendly smile before saying, "Welcome to Lumini Hospital, Doctor Lavelle"
I smiled back taking my letter back, "Ellle is enough. I hope we have a good time working together"
"Likewise," the receptionist said. Then she gave directions to the department I was supposed to work in before going back to her seat.
'Primary care Department' was the board I saw after taking the final turn. I wasn't some kind of surgeon or specialized in a specific condition, but practiced General medicine, which provided primary care to all sorts of ailments. I, like all doctors, had wanted to specialize in something, but my financial condition prevented it from happening.
'Don't think about it' I murmured to myself. I was already lucky that I had a chance to work and be independent. I wasn't going to burden myself and downplay what I had achieved till now for something more. Greed Kills Joy, and I wasn't going to give in to an ugly feeling like that.
Taking a deep breath, I entered the department by scanning my newly received identity card. As soon as I entered, the people inside looked up at me making me somewhat awkward. To ease that, I decided to introduce myself.
"Hello, I'm Lavelle Smith. The newly appointed General practitioner"
Recognition seemed to pass my future colleagues as they gave me a curt nod before going back to their work. What a warm welcome. I was at a loss for words. Maybe the workers in Lumini were too workaholic to even say a Hi? Not wanting to embarrass myself by dragging it any longer, I went to my assigned seat. It was easy to find with my nameboard on it.
I settled making myself comfortable before taking hold of that chart sitting on the table. My time in my residential internship made it easy for me to get into work instantly. Wearing my coat, I got up from my seat to make rounds in the ward and to hopefully get familiarised with the hospital' layout to not get accidentally lost. The place was big and confusing being built like a labyrinth.
From what I knew, this building was more than a hundred years old and had been a prison before but was renovated into a hospital only a few decades ago. I appreciated the hustle as I took in the layout. Although confusing, this was a great building for a hospital with its sheer size and capacity to hold more than a thousand patients. It would be very difficult to run out of beds during emergencies. The previous pandemic had really taught a lesson to the healthcare providers.
As I walked following the directions, my leg suddenly stopped when I heard something like a conference being held. A chance of hearing a medical conference on my first day felt like a blessing. I hesitated a little because I wasn't invited, but my desire won, which made me walk towards the sound. Soon I saw a large open auditorium with many gathered in their respective seats. Seeing some empty ones gave me the final push making me take the far end chair nearest to the exit. I could leave easily without any mishap.
"Genetic engineering is the future of medical science," I heard the person on the mic say. A gasp threatened to leave my lips. The person was Professor Leonal Sullivan. The famous scientist specialising in Genes and Genetics. I never thought scientists were present in Lumini. It was a bigger institution than I had thought. The man was a genius in his sector. I made sure to read every study done by him, it was so fascinating. The way he thought about Genetics and using it was very unique from anyone I had heard before. From his works, I could deduce that the man believed in risk-taking to further his vision.
"We humans have built the present with our intelligence and tenacity" Leonal continued, "It is in our Genes to do wonders and explore things beyond comprehension. With Genetic engineering, we can achieve much more"
I saw him taking hold of the mic before moving to the centre of the stage, "Just think about it, if we have done this much with only a few geniuses, what could we do with all of us being geniuses? Genetic engineering can do that"
I saw a doctor in the audience raise his hand, "Aren't we all supposed to be different, Professor? Nature made us like this for a reason"
"And who says we can't change that?" The professor countered before looking at the audience, "Who is gonna stop us if we decide to do this? The God?"
"You don't believe in God, Professor?" Asked another.
"I believe in science" the professor's answer was quick, "Science is bigger than your God, it's bigger than everyone else. There is nothing we can't achieve with science"
I didn't believe that notion. Yes, there were many things that science has achieved over the years but there were still some things that it couldn't explain. Putting one above everything else felt wrong to me. Balance in every aspect was what I believed. Science and God could exist correspondingly, there was no need to condemn either.
I, as a Doctor, would do my duty treating patients according to science, and their loved ones would pray to God they believed in to make the treatment a success. Two polar things coming together to do what is right is what I believe in.
"Selecting and Splicing our Genes will create the pinnacle of humanity," the Professor said.
The conference went on for some more time before Professor Leonal had to leave citing that he had other busy matters to attend to. I, too, got up from my chair before making my way out of the auditorium.
"He is reacting very violently today for some reason, Professor" I stopped in my steps when I heard someone say that. Maybe they hadn't seen me across the corner and started talking more. One who seemed like Professor Leonal's assistant continued to say, "It started at about 9 today, he suddenly tore through his confines and started to attack the guards"
I saw the professor frown, "Did you tranquilize him?"
Tranquilize? I felt like I had heard wrong. They were clearly talking about a person, or was it some kind of animal? I found it difficult to comprehend that Lumini had animals in here. Maybe a lab rat? But then again, I couldn't imagine a tiny rat tearing through its confines or attacking the guards. That made me strain my ear to hear more. I was a nosy person. I admit that.
"Will double the doses" the assistant said, "And that too barely worked after hours of him thrashing the lab. He seemed almost desperate, like he had somewhere to be"
"That is an interesting development" Leonal chuckled with mirth dancing in his eyes. He looked excited by what he heard, contrasting the serious tone his assistant talked in, "From that day on, he had not once tried to escape, and suddenly he is now? What changed today? Did something new happen?"
I reported to duty today at 9 o'clock. That sudden thought briefly crossed my mind.