I Didn't Want Her To Take My Blue Splint Because My Dad Gave Me Those Colors...

Nurse didn't touch my leg again right away. She pulled small step stool closer, sat so eyes level with cot. Her hands rested on knees. Cool air hit shin where splint had been. I kept staring at blue splint on counter beside paper towel dispenser. Black straps hung loose over edge. Color looked too bright under fluorescents.

"You felt that?" she asked. Voice quieter than before.

I nodded. Didn't look at wound. Looked at splint instead. Dad gave me those colors. Said they'd keep me safe. Taking them off felt like breaking promise.

She reached for wall phone, pressed button. "Need second set eyes in exam two," she said into receiver. "Pediatric leg injury, photos and measurements."

I tensed. "Don't call him," I said.

"Not calling dad yet," she said. "Calling another nurse to help me document. So we get it right."

She washed hands again. Slow, deliberate. Then pulled rolling tray closer. On it sat clear ruler, small camera like one teachers used for field trips, gauze, bottle.

"Chart notes help doctors know how to fix this," she said. "Need measure and photo. I'll tell you each step before I do it. You can say stop, and I stop. Okay?"

My throat felt dry. I swallowed. Nodded once.

"First just look, no touch," she said.

She leaned forward, didn't contact skin. Eyes moved from knee down to ankle. Bruise spread dark purple and yellow-gray, dots where scrapes busted open. Blood dried at edges, fresh pink underneath. I could smell antiseptic and faint metallic.

She exhaled through nose. Micro-flinch at corner mouth, then smoothed.

"Next ruler beside leg, not on it," she said. Held clear plastic ruler next to shin, careful not to press. "Measuring length of bruised area."

Ruler hovered. Fluorescents buzzed overhead. I watched door window. No shadow passed.

"Need two photos from this angle," she said. Lifted camera. Click. Flash didn't fire. Another click. She kept talking while she worked, steady. "Second angle from side. Keep leg still if you can."

I tried not to shake. Hands gripped cot sheet. White sheet bunched under fists. Breath came short. She noticed.

"Breathe with me," she said. Inhaled audibly. I copied without meaning to.

Knock came at door. Short, two taps. Woman in navy scrubs stepped in, hair pulled into bun, badge clipped higher. She carried clipboard.

"Charge nurse Alvarez," first nurse said. "This is my patient."

Alvarez nodded at me. "Hey buddy. I'm just here to watch and help chart. You okay with me here?"

I shrugged. Eyes flicked back to blue splint.

Alvarez moved to foot of cot. Looked. Face stayed neutral, but eyebrows lifted slight. She glanced at first nurse.

"When did this happen?" Alvarez asked, voice even.

First nurse answered without looking away from leg. "History not yet obtained. Guard present is splint. Patient defensive about removal."

Alvarez knelt. "That's lot of discoloration," she said softly, almost to herself. "Abrasions extend past knee. Edges irregular."

"We thought simple fall?" Alvarez asked first nurse.

First nurse shook head. "Doesn't fit simple fall. Extent and depth inconsistent. Need guardian interview, but not yet. Placed on hold."

Alvarez wrote on clipboard. Scratch of pen loud.

I stared at blue splint again. Black straps swayed when vent kicked on. I thought if I kept looking at it, maybe it still counted as mine. Maybe dad wouldn't know I let them take it. Maybe they'd put it back and bruises would disappear.

"Done with photos," first nurse said. "Next clean just edges, not wound center. Will sting a bit. Want to hold gauze yourself?"

She offered folded gauze. I didn't take it. Shook head. "Don't take it," I whispered again, not sure if meant splint or gauze or pictures.

"We're not taking anything from you," Alvarez said. Heard shake in my voice. "Blue splint stays right there on counter. We logged it."

First nurse set gauze down. Didn't push. Capped bottle.

"Chart will say severe contusion and abrasion with open areas, size approx—" she recited while Alvarez checked ruler. "Photos captured, second witness present, patient alert, not yet cleaned fully, exam paused pending guardian contact."

Alvarez initialed bottom of page. "Agree," she said.

Door stayed closed. Counter still held blue splint. My leg stayed exposed, cold, uncovered. Nurse pulled thin sheet up to just below knee, not touching wound, leaving space.