Mat didn't technically work the infirmary on Nortday, but he went anyway. He went most days now, except when he had to meet with Ms. Collins. He had planned to thank Charlie for help with physics homework, but he ran almost directly into Mr. Putyam.
"Mat can you run to the kitchen for more ice? We had a brawl last period."
Mat dropped his bag into a chair and headed for the kitchen. He wasn't sure he actually needed to run, but it felt good to do so and reminded him of the races his temple used to hold in the summer.
He reached the door as a student with a green jacket was walking in. "Are you alright?"
Mat panted slighty. "We need more ice at the infirmary."
The Liberty student walked in, and a moment later, Mr. Titchen came out with a glass of water and a lunch box. "You know you could've walked, right?"
Mat took the glass and drank. "I used to run races back home." Mat hadn't talked much about Illegate since he had left, and he was surpised to realize it actually felt good to talk about. "Temple champion two years in a row." He handed back the empty glass.
Mr. Titchen accepted it and handed Mat the lunchbox. "You ought to share that with Mr. Connor."
"I'll think about it." Mat took the lunchbox and ran back to the infirmary.
Inside, five students were spread out across the beds, including a girl Mat thought might be Tilli's sister. All of them were covered in assorted bruises and cuts. Charlie was tending to one, while Iona, who also worked the infirmary fifth period, looked after another. Mr. Putyam stood in the center of the room, looking so stern he resembled his wife. Matsias decided then and there to avoid Mr. Putyam's bad side.
He set about wrapping the ice in towels and handing it out to the students. As he reached the last one, a pained cry echoed from the other side of the door, which swung open and a freshman came in leading another who had been severely burned. His shirt sleeve was singed and through the holes in it, Matsias could see blood. The fire had burned his arm and even part of his face. "There was an accident in our fire casting class."
The smell of burning flesh filled Mat's nose and the sound of singing echoed in his ears. Charlie and Mr. Putyam hurried to settle the student on one of the empty beds and their footfalls sounded like hammers. Matsias brushed past someone as he stumbled forward and left through the main doors. His vision swirled as he managed to exit the infirmary and gasp for air. He calmed himself enough that he could remember where he was. But no matter how many times he told himself to go back inside, he couldn't make his feet move. His good leg shook, like it might crumple under his weight. He wasn't even sure he could go back in for his backpack.
Matsias jumped as the outside door opened. It was Charlie. "I wanted to see if you were okay. Looked like you were ready to flee for the hills."
Mat managed to shake his head, but couldn't seem to control his tongue.
"Hang on." Charlie went inside and returned with a chair. "Sit."
Still shaking, Mat managed to half-fall into the chair, where he felt solid enough to speak. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I know I shouldn't have..."
"You did exactly what you were supposed to. You have to take care of yourself first. If you can't do that, you're not going to be able to help anyone else." For a moment, Charlie disappeared back into the building. When he came back, he handed Mat a mug of tea.
Mat sipped at it and started to feel steadier. "Is he going to be okay?"
Charlie grinned. "Good thing Ms. Collins taught us to make burn salve, huh? Honestly, accidents like that are kind of routine at Faraday. I melted a glass ball all over my hands freshman year." Charlie wiggled his unscarred fingers. Mat got the feeling this was supposed to make him feel better, but it wasn't working. Charlie must have noticed because he spoke more seriously. "He'll be fine. Really. I need to get back inside, but take your time."
Mat nodded as the other boy left. He supposed Ms. Collins would want to talk about this on Sutday. But he realized the person he really wanted to talk to was Charlie.
