Fandom High Dormitories

"Hello, everyone," Dolf said. He was looking a mite bit sheepish today. "So last weekend was really weird, I think we can all agree on that. And a little, uh, unexpected. We had to run around and take care of a whole bunch of people and we hadn't expected to, which can always be a rough thing. I used to do it a lot when I was in the past, but you have to know what you're doing. And not just if it's kids, either. Anyone who needs your help. It's important we know where to begin with that. Like making sure they have water and food, and a place to stay. If they haven't eaten or drank much, then you should be careful how much food or water you give them. Sometimes it can be too much and hurt them. Small amounts."

He gestured at the table that had all the food resting on it. "Like two cookies, and some water, or what else you think is reasonable."

"It's also important to make sure that whoever you're taking care of is and remains as healthy as possible," Karla added. "Both on their own behalf and to help protect the rest of the group. If they are sick or injured, they may not always be able to communicate that to you--perhaps they are too young, or don't speak the language, or they may be unconscious and it's up to you to determine why. Keep an eye out for obvious indicators, like fevers, difficulty breathing, bleeding, and pain. Make sure to institute good sanitation practices and stick to them. One sick kid can infect dozens more, and people who are already hungry or exhausted or injured are also more susceptible to illness."

"And even if you're really nervous about being with them and don't know exactly what you're doing," Tara chipped in, "it's important you stay calm. It's like with animals -- being upset will just make them more upset. Just relax and try to kind of go with the flow once you've taken care of whatever's immediately wrong. Maybe watch a movie or something so you can all rest."

"While we use these meetings to try to best prepare ourselves for things such as this, many of our classmates do not," Raven said. "If they are suddenly thrust into the role of caring for a child or having someone else totally dependent on them, they may easily become overwhelmed. We are here to provide support for our fellow students and all who live and work on the island, and in this matter, they may need it just as much as in an invasion. So, please, keep an eye on your fellow students and offer them aid if you think they need it."

Dolf flashed the group a smile. "So today we will practice with working together, and taking care of people," he said. "But we thought that it might be easier working with animals. ...In the Danger Shop, so they aren't real. Or really hurt. Just pick one and make sure they have food and water and are feeling okay."

There was an adult man standing near the reserve leaders that afternoon. John Watson was keeping to himself, for the time being - he'd been invited here by Raven, but he had no intention of interrupting the children. Instead, it was Dolf who started to speak at first, a smile on his face like he hadn't just spent two days running around looking like a girl. "Hi," he said, "We have talked about being hurt before, but it is also a good idea to pay attention to what to do if others are, and you can help. We have a doctor here who will be telling you all some things about first aid. Bandaging and so. I know some of you have magic to heal people. You can talk about that too."

He was nodding, maybe subconsciously, at his fellow reserve leaders on that score. They knew more about that.

"As with everything, magical and regular healing require a balance," Karla said with a nod. "Regular healing isn't instantaneous and requires supplies that you may or may not have on hand: bandages, splints, silk and needles, stuff like that. Magical Healing, however, may also require supplies--which may be harder or more esoteric, depending on the magic user--and usually takes a heavy toll in energy from the caster, the patient, or both. Debating which is more appropriate to the occasion is important, even if you are a magical Healer."

"It might be a good idea for those of us who can heal magically to note our limitations," Raven said. "If there are any types of injuries you cannot heal or have difficulty with, or how much of your strength or resources are consumed. Perhaps there are ways we can teach one another. I would certainly be interested in such an exchange of ideas." Though her own gifts were without limit. Well, almost.

John had watched and listened until it sounded like they were through. Then he coughed. "My name is Doctor John Watson," he began, "I'm a clinic worker. I'm here today to demonstrate some first aid." Pause. "Non-magical first aid. Bandaging, the use of anti-septics, a few basic steps, mouth-to--" Wait. Teenagers. "Nevermind that." He coughed. Again. "You'll be practicing on each other, I've brought some supplies," he gestured at the table, where there were bandages and iodine and other such things. A few basics up front: the point is to preserve the wounded person's life until professional help can arrive at the scene. Don't move the wounded too much. Ensure that they can breathe, and if possible, that they are in the recovery position."

"Always make sure a wound is clean, by use of, say, ethanol or an equal antiseptic." He then picked up a bandage and motioned for Dolf to come closer. "There's a particular technique to bandaging a wound. You don't want to cut off the flow of blood by packing the layers too close..." He proceeded to go through all the steps of bandaging a pretend wound on Dolf's arm. The boy held still and attempted to smile through the enforced standing-upright, though his arm was quickly starting to protest.

Though it was done, after a few minutes. Dolf's smile became real then-- "It might also be important to know how to make a sling for a broken arm..." --and promptly fell again. Sigh.

Tara couldn't heal magically, so she'd been quiet (and, all right, a bit jealous) as Raven and Karla spoke, but she watched the demonstrations with clear interest. She'd taken a first aid class, but refreshing her skills was always a good idea. "For our activity today," she said, once Dr. Watson seemed to be done torturing Dolf, "we're going to pair up and practice bandaging each other. There are supplies over on that table, and, uh ... please give it a try. This could all be really important someday."

She just hoped that day wasn't soon.

"Hi," Dolf started, waving at everyone before any of his fellow leaders had a chance to really get a word in. (It wasn't that he was trying to be first, but he'd gotten the hang of it a little, last week, and-- well, it was just easy by now, to take point when he could.) "So today we want to talk about being sick. Other people being sick, and being sick ourselves. It can happen that sometimes someone just gets sick and passes it on to everyone else, and then people start dying. Sometimes at the worst possible moments. We have to be prepared, if it happens, to do the necessary things."

He looked pretty serious about the whole thing, too. He still remembered the outbreak at the children's camp, over two months ago. "If a sickness is contagious, then we need to seperate the sick," he continued, "Find a comfortable camping place. Don't deal with them without putting something over your mouth. Burn their things if they die or go away so the sickness doesn't jump to anyone else. Wash a lot." He took a deep breath. "Of course every sickness is its own thing. Sometimes people are very warm, burning. They need to be cooled, until it stops. With water. Good food and water for everybody anyway. Sometimes people cough, then you really have to make sure you have something for your mouth. They can have problems walking, or their tongues can turn strange colours, or they'll get spots-- different sicknesses, some dangerous, some not."

"It used to be different, and maybe it's different for some of you, still. This time is very clean, so sickness that used to kill doesn't, anymore. We learned to separate people and look after them. That's what we are trying to teach you now. To recognise sickness, and to take care of it." Which was about where he'd realised he'd just set in and started talking, so he fell silent and looked to the other leaders.

Karla was happy to pick up where Dolf had left off. "Keeping everything as sterile as we can is key," she added. "Anything that has come in touch with infected fluids or tissues needs to be burned, bleached, or boiled before it is used again. If we're not yet sure what is causing the illness, boiling water for a goodly amount of time before drinking it is important: there are many diseases that travel in water. Fevers can kill if they get high enough, so watching someone's temperature might mean the difference between life and death. You don't need to be a doctor or a Healer to help combat sickness. You just need to be careful and smart."


"You should also," Tara added, "make sure sick people are eating and drinking, if they can keep anything down at all. Toast is good, and tea or ginger ale. Orange juice. Chicken soup. Bananas. There's a reason they call it comfort food, right? If you have access to any drugs, you could give them some penicillin if it's the right kind of infection, or Tylenol to bring a fever down. Just be careful 'cause it won't work on everything, and some people will be allergic to it. "

Which reminded her of another point. "Remember not everyone in Fandom has a totally human biology, so don't do anything if you aren't sure it's safe."


"And keeping the spirits up of someone who is ill is very important as well," Raven said. "They may be upset or frightened, and they will need someone to talk to or just a hand to hold. Tending to their emotional needs can be as critical as their physical ones."

Dolf had been nodding along with all of that. Once silence fell, he started to speak again. "Today we'll work on recognising signs and dealing with them," he said, earnestly. "We have a list of possible symptoms. Find a friend, and one of you will pretend to have symptoms, and the other should deal with it. And you can add new symptoms, if you can think of others."