Trust NOT (Tarot Tales 3, The Knight of Cups Reversed, #56 of the 100 Story Challenge)
Just because someone can do it doesn’t mean they should.
I leaned against a mossy granite boulder to think. I supposed that starting off in any direction would be better than sitting still. However, I was tired and in pain and had no supplies other than a single match.
I saw a flash of color among the trees to my right. A young man in a dark blue tracksuit appeared. He raised a hand in greeting and smiled.
“Hi. You lost? We get a lot of lost travelers here.”
He seemed nice enough, so I nodded.
As he approached he looked at the bandage on my leg. “Looks like you could use a doctor. There’s a health clinic about a kilometer to the south.”
“Which way is south?”
He turned toward the sun and pointed a little to the left of it. “It’s a pretty easy walk, but I could take you there if you like. My car is just over that way.” He pointed in the opposite direction.
I hesitated and studied him. He had a patch of psoriasis behind his ear and a few flakes of skin from it on his shoulder. His short hair had been trimmed recently and he had no whiskers. His tracksuit had a logo I didn’t recognize and his shoes were nondescript. I couldn’t see anything objectionable about him but I felt reluctant to accept his help. I sighed inwardly.
“I’d be grateful for a ride. Thank you.”
He waited until I took the first step then accompanied me. Within a minute I could see a red car alone in a small parking lot. By the time we reached it, I could hear other vehicles in the distance.
A short time later we arrived at a single story brick building. He escorted me to the entrance. Once inside, a woman seated behind a counter spoke.
“Hello, Dr. Knight.”
“Hi Delores. Please prep OR 1. We have a patient.”
First, I was surprised that he was a doctor and hadn’t mentioned it. Then I thought it strange that he wanted an operating room readied. I told myself not to worry.
We entered an examination room and I hopped up on the bed as he directed.
