The Decoder - Chapter 6

Edith

4 days later.

“You will be stationed at these wards, Ward A and B.” The head nurse, Dr. Maia gestured at the large ward which housed sixteen cots, eight on each side. The ward was brightly lit with its curtains pulled back to allow the sunlight to shine through the tall windows. There was a man lying on the first cot, drown in his book that he held before him. To the far corner of the ward, there were four wooden cupboards, which Edith assumed it contained all the medical equipment and medicines. To her right of the doorway, there was a wooden table with a young nurse seated behind it, scrutinising her.

“Nurse Lynn here oversees Ward A and B. You will be reporting her. Nurse Lynn, Edith is our new addition to the Health Department.” Dr. Maia directed her second sentence at Nurse Lynn who rose to her feet.

Edith extended her hand to shake Nurse Lynn’s hand.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Edith.”

“Pleasure to meet you as well.” Nurse Lynn gave a curt smile and clasped her hands.

“We have five nurses in total, including you, for Ward A and B.” Dr. Maia said and led Edith out to the vast hallway of the hospital.

“It’s good to have you here, Edith. We have been understaffed for a few weeks. With you around, our burden will be lessened.” Dr. Maia smiled; the corners of her eyes crinkled with age.

“Thank you, Dr. Maia. The gratitude should go to Caden as well, for introducing me to the job.” Edith said as she scanned the entire hallway of the Health Department. She had yet to explore the entire compound of the Militia and she planned to do so during her free time. The Health Department was located in the West Wing of the Militia and dorms were located in the South Wing. The East Wing belonged to the soldiers and Elites, and the main administration including the High Commander’s office were located at the Administration Building next to the East Wing, in another building separated entirely from the Main Building, a section for high officers only.

Edith had been amazed by the structure and vast compound of the Militia. Its grey stone walls were well-maintained, free of vines and graffiti and there was a large foundation in the centre of its compound. Upon her arrival yesterday, she had spotted a large garden to her right and a large field to her left. There were several soldiers lounging about at the field and some were enjoying a friendly match of football.

The application process had been surprisingly easy as Edith had expected several processes that she would need to go through after filling in her application three days ago. Her final decision was made after deep consideration for her finances and the sustainability of Uncle Vern’s clinic. With Caden’s recommendation, the process had been shortened. She wondered if it was thanks to Caden’s recommendation or their desperate need for a new nurse. Since her arrival, she had yet to spot Joel, Caden and Merille. After briefly learning the map of the Militia, Edith knew without a doubt that Joel’s main station would be at the East Wing. As for Merille, she had guessed the main administration department would be her station. Deep down, her desire to obtain some information on her father’s death had fueled her reasoning to work in the Militia. A reason she did not disclose to Uncle Vern and Caden.

“Yes, Caden. Our charmer and hardworking field medic.” Dr. Maia chuckled.

“There are four wards in total. Ward A, B, C and D. Wards A and B are the largest compared to the other two. Ward D is specially for the sick.” Dr. Maia continued as they strolled along the hallway. Some nurses cast a curious glance at Edith, probably wondering their newcomer as they bustled about with their duties.

“How many nurses are there for Wards C and D?” Edith asked out of curiosity.

“There are six nurses stationed in Wards C and D.”

Edith nodded her head in acknowledgment to Dr. Maia’s answer. She would need to make some friends and understand the processes of the Health Department. Like Uncle Vern had mentioned, this would be an all-new experience to her.

“I forgot to mention the Recreational Building of the Militia. It is located in the building next to the Health Department. That’s where the ballroom, music room, game room and the library are located. That’s where you’d find most of the employees of Militia after their duties or on weekends.” Dr. Maia stopped at a window and pointed at the two storey white building located diagonally from the West Wing. It was the only building that was painted white and it was as large as the Administration Building. Like the Administration Building, it was separated from the Main Building.

“I will check it out. Thank you, Dr. Maia.” Edith gave a polite smile. There are lots of exploring to do. This is exciting.

The rest afternoon was spent alongside Dr. Maia who taught her the processes and procedures. Edith had to mentally note things down even though her brains could only process so much information. Dr. Maia had introduced her to her colleagues and guided her to the medicine room. While most of the nurses are friendly, there were a small number of them who displayed some hostility towards Edith. She mentally shrugged it off and thought nothing of it. At least for now.

By the time dusk arrived, Dr. Maia had handed her, her uniform which consisted of a navy-blue collared dress which ends right below the knee, a white apron and a nurse cap.

“You are to report to duty at nine tomorrow morning.” Dr. Maia said and left Edith to her own devices for the rest of the evening.

Feeling exhausted, Edith left the Health Department and headed to her dorm, in hopes for a good bath and sleep when she spied a familiar figure walking across the compound to the double-iron gates. She wanted to call after Joel, but she stopped, contemplating her actions. “He must be heading out for his night duties.” Furthermore, calling after him from her where she stood at the South Wing, might draw unwanted attention. She could see there were some soldiers and nurses milling about, and she wasn’t taking the risk of appearing too familiar with Joel in the Militia, at least not the first week.

For the whole week, Edith busied herself at the Health Department, learning the outs and about of the wards. By end of the week, she was beginning the grasp the mundane duties, from treating the soldier she’d met on her first day to recording the inventories and ledger book. She had learned that most of the soldiers who were brought to Wards A and B were soldiers who had injured themselves during practice or employees who had a misfortune of injuring themselves. Once, she overheard Dr. Maia speaking to one of the senior nurses.

“We should be lucky a war hasn’t break out. Or, we will be extremely busy, and the wards would be full of wounded soldiers.”

The conversation had brought her thoughts to Lady Ada and the Hathagian refugees at Eder Street. She hadn’t visited them for a week now, and she wondered how they were faring. She ought to visit them this coming weekend.

During lunch, on her way to the cafeteria, which was located at the South Wing, Edith had passed a group of nurses who were looking out at the field from the open corridor. She noticed among the nurses, they were the ones who had showed hostility towards her on her first day. There was, however, one lady that stood out from the group. With her back facing Edith, she couldn’t see her face. She was dressed in a special uniform that was similar to the Elites, except it was the colour of mocha brown. The uniform accentuated her slim waist and the skirt ended just above her knees. Her blonde hair pulled into a tight bun.

“I really dislike her. How dare she approach our Caden.” One of the nurses spoke.

“I wish Colonel Wright would fire her.” Another nurse responded with a hint of anger in her voice.

At the mention of Caden’s name, Edith couldn’t help her rising curiosity. She approached the group, standing a few inches away and tiptoed to look past their shoulders. Out at the field, she saw Caden sitting with Merille on a bench, eating away at their lunches. “So, the ‘her’ they are referring to is Merille.” Edith mused to herself. Caden was popular among the ladies here in the Militia for his charm and good wits. Edith wasn’t surprise if the ladies were pining for his attention, and apparently that attention belonged to Merille, the Militia’s decoder. However, the nurses’ hostility towards her was uncalled for.

“I heard she’s not doing a good job.” One of the nurses continued.

“Why?”

“She takes a long time to decode a coded message. Colonel Wright isn’t happy.”

Edith was surprised at their words. Though she hadn’t spoken to Merille for the entire week nor does she know Merille well enough, she knew Merille was an intelligent lady. “Or have I perceived wrongly?” Not wishing to entangle herself with this group, she took a step back until the blonde hair lady spoke.

“Well, at least she isn’t eyeing Captain Kainz.”

Edith had learned Avery no doubt had many ladies pining for his attention as well, second after Caden. She had heard the nurses mentioning his name and Caden’s from time to time as they conducted their duties. Among the other names she had heard was Lucien and Zach. For the entire week, she had yet to speak with Avery, Caden and Merille. Edith couldn’t help feeling lonely when she returned to her dorm, to her tiny room. The fact that Caden hadn’t look for her even though they work in the same department, saddened her. She shook her head of the thoughts and decided to head to the cafeteria.

“I should pay a visit to the music room.”

Unfortunately, her job does not allowed Edith to pay a visit to the music room that day. She was required to finish her report and submit the ward’s logbook at the Administration Building when it was past eight. She was already exhausted by today’s task and she longed for a good night’s rest. Lucky for her, tomorrow was a weekend. She could pay a visit to the music room in the morning before heading off to pay a visit to her uncle and Eder Street.

Edith made her way to the Administration Building, passing the East Wing and she arrived at the administration department. An older lady with streaks of grey hair sat at the counter. Edith passed the logbook to her and after signing off the visitor book, she left the department. Thankfully, the older lady had been swift and efficient in her job.

Edith stood at the hallway and glanced around. She hadn’t explored the Administration Building and now was a good time. She knew the Administration Building was off limits to regular employees, but since everyone was off duty at this hour, it wouldn’t hurt to explore a little. She turned to her right, away from where the entrance, and strolled along the quiet hallway. She passed several locked rooms and stopped in her steps when she stood before a brightly lit room. Of all the rooms she had passed, this was the only room with lights on. The door had been left ajar and curiosity took the better of her when she saw the signage that read “Decoding and Encoding Department”. “This is Merille’s department.” Edith thought.

Before she could peak through the slits, a frustrated groan was heard from inside the room. Edith stepped closer to the door and peaked through the slits. She could see Merille seated before a large table. Papers were strewn about, but Edith was more concerned with the individual who was hunched with her hands covering her face. Merille groaned louder and leaned back against her chair, arms crossed over her chest. Edith had never seen this side of Merille, and she was compelled to help. When she made sure no one else was in the room, Edith decided to knock on the door and stepped into the room.

“Edith? Why are you here?” Merille looked up from her seat, her eyes widened at the sight of Edith, still in her nurse uniform and braided hair. Edith noticed the exhaustion that lined Merille’s pretty face, which made her look slightly older.

“I came to hand in the logbook at the Administration Department and decided to do some exploring.” Edith closed the door behind her with a soft click.

“The Administration Building is off limits to employees who are not officers…But, I don’t mind your visit here.” Merille quickly cracked a smile, a smile that would soften a man’s heart.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come to visit you earlier or give you a tour around the Militia due to my job. I heard about your employment as a nurse from Caden.”

“It’s alright. I was equally busy myself. Trying to remember the terms and procedures of the Health Department is a challenging task.” Edith moved to sit in the unoccupied chair next to Merille and studied the parchments scattered on the table. They were filled with combination of binary numbers, symbols and several alphabets line by line, familiar ones, which Edith’s father had taught her.

“Are you alone?” Edith asked, her gaze fixed on the parchments.

“Unfortunately…I’m the only one in this department. My colleagues have resigned.” Merille said in a deflated tone. Edith looked up at her, eyebrows raised.

“Have resigned?”

“Yes, they couldn’t stand the difficulty of this job. Said they will go crazy if they continue looking at numbers, symbols and alphabets.”

Edith could immediately relate to those colleagues. When her father had taught her cryptography, learning to memorise the numbers and symbols and its meanings, Edith had detested it at the beginning. But after constant coaching from her father, she began to see the logic behind those numbers, alphabets and symbols.

Edith returned her gaze to the parchments and picked up the one Merille had been studying. Her brain began analysing the binary number combinations and symbols and it’s a good thing she had been reading her journal during her free time. With nothing else to read, she had resorted to her journal, which she had brought along with her. In it, were all her notes she had acquired from her father when he’d taught her cryptography. Her journal was like her holy grail when it came to references and notes pertaining to codes.

“Do you know how to decipher those codes?” Merille asked.

“Yes, but I’m trying to remember some of the number combinations.” Her brain whirring and working like cogwheels.

There was a minute’s silence before Merille started speaking again. Edith averted her gaze to her again and realised Merille was gaping at her, her brown eyes wide with surprise. Edith had expected that reaction and the corners of her lips lifted up into a smile.

“My father was a decoder. He taught me these codes when I was younger.” Edith explained before Merille could ask.

“I see…But, why don’t you make use of it?” Merille asked, her voice soft, laced with curiosity.

Edith contemplated her answer by not revealing too much.

“Because I prefer to learn medicine with my uncle. It’s much more useful.” Edith returned her gaze to the parchment and picked up a pencil and empty paper. She started writing down the alphabets, which formed words after words. Edith did not stop until she reached the end of the number combinations and finalised the entire message. The entire process took her roughly fifteen minutes. She lay down the parchment and read out the decoded message she’d written on the paper – “There are possibilities of spies in Rayard.”

Edith blinked at the message and quickly passed the paper to Merille. It was a highly confidential message and she bit her lips at reading it aloud.

“You’re amazing, Edith. Thank you very much for your help.” Merille said excitedly. Her face brightened with joy and she exhaled a sigh of relief.

“You’re welcome. I hope you don’t mind I read the confidential message.” Edith said though she couldn’t get the message out of her head. “There are spies in Rayard?” She shook her head. “No, it’s not confirmed. “It’s only a possibility.”

Merille shook her head and smiled. “I’m really glad you are here tonight, Edith.”

“Let’s head back to the dorms.” Edith gave a dismissive wave of her hand and stood. After all that brain-cracking activity, she felt exhausted more than before. Her eyelids were beginning to droop.

“You go ahead, Edith. I need to finish a few more tasks before I could leave. Don’t worry, these tasks are simple and doesn’t require the use of one’s brain.” Merille gave a lopsided grin.

“Alright. Don’t stay too late, Merille. Caden will be worried. Good night.” Edith teased and moved to the door. She noticed the reddening of Merille’s cheeks at the mention of Caden’s name and knew she had hit bullseye.

“Good night, Edith.” Merille said shyly and Edith left the room, closing the door with a soft click. She grinned to herself and strolled back to the way she came from. “Merille is cute in her own ways.”

As Edith opened the main door that led out of the Administration Building, a cold breeze blew, and she shivered. She folded her arms and closed the door with her back. If her uncle were to see her manners, she would be lectured immediately. “Edith, where are your manners?” But she couldn’t care much as there was no one around, or so she thought.

“Hello Edith, what are you doing in the Administration Building?” The familiar deep voice startled Edith and she looked up to find Avery sitting on the wall sill to her left, fiddling with his gloves. She knew the building was off-limits to employees like her and she had knowingly broken the rules. Edith hoped Avery will close an eye and let her go. Deep down, she knew he would let her go, but with his serious penetrating gaze and a frown, she wasn’t sure anymore.

“How did you know I was in the Administration Building?” Instead of answering his question, she tried to evade his.

“I spotted you entering the building from afar.” He gestured at the direction which led to the iron gates.

“So, what are you doing in the Administration Building?” He repeated his question with greater emphasis this time, there was a hint of irritation in his deep voice. Edith bit her lips and averted her gaze. Knowing Avery, he would not back down if he really wanted answers. So much for trying to evade his question. This was the first time in the week she could see him, yet it didn’t go smoothly. She couldn’t help feeling something akin to disappointment.

“I came to hand-in the Health Department’s logbook.”

“And it took you more than twenty minutes to do so?” Avery raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t sure how to tell him that she was helping Merille without revealing her knowledge in cryptography.

“Edith?” He prompted when she didn’t answer. The use of her formal name on his lips sounded cold and distant as she was used to him calling her by her pet name.

“I was helping Merille with her task.” Edith said in a low voice, her gaze lingered on a potted plant to her right.

“Help Merille?” Avery stood and took a few steps toward her.

“Do you know cryptography to be able to help her?” His question hit the mark, which Edith had been avoiding earlier. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable and rubbed her arms. Not only was his question gave her pressure, but the cold wind was not helping either. The fabric of her nurse uniform was thin and doesn’t provide much protection against the cold.

“Yes.” She forced herself to answer.

Edith expected more questions from Avery, but to her surprise, he shrugged off his overcoat and wrapped it around her shivering body. He took her hand and held it gently before leading her all the way to the South Wing.

“Aren’t you cold?” She asked as they walked side by side.

“No. My uniform has two layers.”

Edith nodded her head.

“How are you faring in the Militia?” Avery asked, changing the topic. His voice gentler.

“I am faring well. Still learning the processes and I have yet to explore the Militia.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t welcome you earlier. I was overwhelmed with trainings and work.” Avery said, a tinge of guilt in his voice. Edith couldn’t help the sudden change in his attitude. It puzzled her.

“It’s alright. I was equally occupied myself for the entire week.”

“Say, would you like to head to the cafeteria for some coffee?” Avery asked and Edith realised he did not let go of her hand as they neared the intersection. Though she felt wary of the surroundings, she couldn’t deny that she liked the feeling of his large hand fitting around hers perfectly. She missed the childhood days where she and Avery had been carefree towards each other. Holding each other’s hands was a norm. Though, it did not mean anything but friendship back then.

“The cafeteria is open at this hour?” Edith asked

“Yes, but they are closing soon. We better hurry.” Avery glanced at his watch and quickened his pace, all the while pulling her along. Edith stared at the hand that held hers firmly. “His hands were the same size as mine before. But they are twice larger than mine now.” Edith could feel her cheeks warming up at the thought. She shook her head and allowed him to lead the way to the cafeteria. Just like the old days when he wanted to show her his interesting discoveries in the forest.

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