See How Deep the Bullet Lies { Essence

There were three things in life that were very similar, yet so different at the same time, and one of those things was a "hidden talent". A "hidden talent" is basically something some person is really good at, but it's a secret to most people, maybe even them. Usually people hide "hidden talents" because they're embarrassed about whatever it is. Sometimes people merely hide hidden talents because they don't want to be liked, used, or stuff like that just because that person knows they can make money off of them. One of the things related to "hidden talents" were "skills". Now, "skills" are a lot like "hidden talents", but they're different in some ways. A skill is something a person is born with, you can't really learn a skill, at least not a major one. A "skill" is also different from a "hidden talent" because a skill means that somebody can do something good, but not anything in specific (example; "Dude, you got some skills!").

The thing that's in-between both "skills" and "hidden talents" were simply "talents". Now, I realize "hidden talents" and "talents" sound really similar, but they aren't. A "talent" is something somebody picked up, and learned. Also, it isn't really a secret to anyone that person knows. Essence had a "skill", and some "talents", but no "hidden talents". Her "skill" was something well known around the district, something that stuck out in district ten, something that should have been used elsewhere. Her skill was medicine, healing, making people feel good, safe, secure. Of course, Essence always knew that she belonged in district two - district ten was involved with cattle, but Essence never had any interesting in ranching. And although Essence stuck-out in district ten with her gifted skill, she was still very grateful she had it.

Her "talent" was music. Something that she made money off of, something she found some fun in. Yes, she did find playing 'doctor-patient' fun, but she would never let people pay her for it - she just wants to let people live. Living was a great gift, and kindness goes a long way. Truthfully, Essence liked her "skill" more than her "talent". Little did she know, but her "skill" was needed. While eating a late breakfast with her mom, they heard a knock, a thud at the door. Enjoying her milk and toast too much, Essence yelled "Not it!" to avoid a trip to the front door. Essence's Asian mom rolled her eyes and she got off her chair and walked towards the front door. "Mkay..." Essence giggled and her ginger curls bounced around her head. Her mom's voice had always made her chuckle - it sounded young, high, and light.

Essence could easily hear the front-door open, and technically, Essence was the only one in the house at that time - Artemisa and her dad out somewhere to get farm equipment. And as easy as it was to hear the door open, it was seven times easier to hear her mom's high-pitched shriek. She had spilled her milk on the floor, but she was too scared to do anything about it. Getting out of her chair, Essence thought of what her mom could of saw. A dead girl? A rabid animal? A bee-hive? A space-cow? Essence had no clue about what she was going to see, and she realized it wasn't that bad. Well, it was deadly, but it would be easy to fix with her skills.

It was a boy with a bleeding upper-thigh.

This wasn't something unfamiliar to her, she was Essence Freaking Nemad. She was one of the best doctors in district two, a bleeding, injured leg was nothing. Somehow, Essence knew the boy had been kicked by an animal, or just shot in the leg, but guns weren't common in district ten, and how else would the boy of had such a bad injury that he fainted? The blood was seeping through his pants, and Essence could see down the grass-path stains of red. Did he seriously drag himself here? Essence must have been known by him, or else he wouldn't know she existed, and that she was a well-known doctor - or there's that slim chance it was an accident.

Essence's mom was now hyper-ventilating. "Mom, relax. Nothing is going to happen, he's just unconscious 'cause he took a hard kick." Essence tried to think of the easiest way to get him inside and on the couch. They could simply drag him there, from the looks of it, he looked over two-hundred pounds, it'd be easiest to just sort of slide him on the floor. Essence and her mom could of also just left him there, but Essence did what was best. "We're gonna have to carry him to the couch." Essence decided it was the best idea she had. Taken the boy's arms, she noticed her mom would not be able to put her clean hands near the bloody leg. "I'll take the legs," Essence moaned. "But you owe me!" "Thanks," her mom sighed. "I'll treat you to ice-cream sometime." Essence enjoyed ice-cream.

By the time Essence and her mom reached the couch, they were exhausted, the boy weighed a lot. Essence and her mom groaned in sync as they realized the boy onto the cotton couch. Essence's hands were barely stained, but still stained none-the-less. Essence's mom asked Essence is she needed anything, and Essence shook her head. If she needed something, she would go get it. She barely knew what was actually going on during those moment. As her mom left the room, Essence followed to go wash off her hands. After cleaning her hands, she got what she needed for now: some cream, some scissors, a washcloth, and a bottle of water. She took out the cream and puts on the wound, where the bleeding is by cutting the part with the scar with scissors. Oh well. She dabbed at the cream with the wash-cloth, and eventually, used the bottled water to wash off the extra blood.

Strangely, the boy wasn't conscious yet. Taking the extra water left that was used to wash off the extra blood, Essence pours some on the boys head. Nothing. surely there were other things that would wake him up, but none that Essence could think of. The only thing that seemed easy at that moment was to slap him across the face, which she did. Bang. The boy opened his eyes. "Hi, you passed out at my door," - coughing a bit to hide her chuckling - "and I'm going to help you. Stay right there." She turned around and found a heating pad, some more water, and a banana.

There was a lot of strange things, when she thought about it, that she could do with water, a banana, and a heating pad.

Walking back, Essence drops the banana a few times, but manages to keep it in her hands. She throws it on the boy's torso, and tells him to "Eat it. It has potassium and that will help your cramps." She didn't know if he had a cramp, but he probably did, his thigh was injured that bad, something had to hurt. Essence pulled a chair up next to the boy and lifted up his leg. "You're gonna have to cooperate with me here," - eying the heating pad - "tell me if it gets too hot, also, try to lift up your leg for a second." Essence took the boy's foot and lifted it, along with the whole leg - placing the heating pad under it, and, viola. Sigh. Even his leg weighed enough to trouble Essence.

Taking the water bottle and putting it on the ground next to the boy, she told him to "Drink it, but not too fast. Tell me when it's empty, and I'll get you another one." While the boy wasn't looking, she sneaked a sip of the water. I hope I'm not sick. Relaxing by sitting down, she looked at the boy's eyes.

The shock was only because they were dead.

They weren't exactly dead, they were flat. They had no color except for a pale blue. Essence wasn't scared by them, but it would have been hard for her to look at them and just notice nothing strange. Essence noticed a lot of things. Suddenly, Essence realized she was staring. "Uh- um..." Looking away, Essence twiddled with her fingers. She stared at the ceiling fan, and watched the seconds tick by on an analog clock. Essence needed to know hings, though. "For me to help me, you're gonna have to tell me what happened," Essence explained. "Everything."

Doing this again, her "skill", made Essence happy. She had remembered all the times when she wanted to be a doctor while younger. Learning how to cure stomach-aches, or how to treat a bee-sting. All her life, Essence had wanted to be a doctor, but this fact was drowned out for her interest to pursue in music. Essence was crossed between occupations. Essence didn't know what she was going to do.

For the first time in her life, Essence felt like her future was unpaved.