Era tensed up after what he said she looked at him worriedly. Was he serious? What exactly had he meant? Era's mind was spinning but she managed to choke up, "Oh I'm sorry to hear that".
Era frowned and put her head down, she felt bad for him. "Not something one should ever had to deal with or get used to for that matter" she said in a low voice. She walked slowly around the gurney to Charles and placed her hand on his lower arm.
Era took her hand off his arm and walked clumsily to the other side of the gurney. She felt bad now and wished she could just finish this up and go home. She lifted the girls head and poured a good amount of shampoo into her dark hair. She lathered it in watching the dirt from her last moments snake down the gurneys drain system.
Era felt uncomfortable and had a hard time focusing at the task at hand. She finished washing the bodies hair and wrapped a medical towel around the soaking locks. Era was embarrassed that she had touched his arm, she didn't Charles very well. She dared a glance at him and could see he was struggling to hold back tears. She sighed softly and pulled her gloves off, "I need some air".
Era rubbed the back of her neck, a twitch she had since she was a young girl, "Everything is um fine, the air , yeah that's probably it.". Era stood there ackwardly for a minute looking around the dim room that felt like it was closing in around her.
Era rubbed her elbow and stood up clumsily. "Yes I'm fine" Era mummbled angrily she straightened out her white lab coat and shuffled outside.
Era took in a deep breathe of the chilly air outside, she wanted to go home badly. She wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep the shivers from making her whole body shudder.
Charles sat down, searching his pockets for something. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
He walked outside, shivering as well. "You want?" he said with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
Era stared blankly out at the street around her, she felt so calm in this moment. She barely caught Charles' question, "I'm fine" she said taking a slow puff of her cigarette. She watched as the smoke lifted from her mouth melting small flakes of snow that came too close. "Do you think there's more than this?" Era asked Charles her eyes still locked on the street.