Chapter 1

That spoiled brat almost killed the patient I was trying to save in the train car.

When I scolded him, his parents ganged up on me and beat me up.

Later, the kid fell from the top bunk and landed right on his head.

As the only medical professional on this train, I chose to just stand there and watch.

The parents knelt on the floor, begging me to save their child.

I just shrugged helplessly.

"I'd love to help, but you guys broke my hand."

1

The overhead announcement for an emergency in Coach 5 snapped me out of my exhaustion.

I didn't think twice before rushing over.

An elderly man in his sixties was suffering from a severe airway obstruction.

He hadn't breathed for over six minutes, and he was turning blue.

His wife stood there trembling, her eyes filled with a desperate, gut-wrenching hope when she saw me.

I had to act fast, so I decided to perform an emergency cricothyrotomy right there on the floor.

"I need a knife, some rubbing alcohol, gauze, and some kind of tube. A straw or even a ballpoint pen will work if that's all we have!"

The conductor scrambled to find the tools while I flattened the man out with a flight attendant's help.

My hands were steady as I made the incision and inserted the makeshift tube.

Just as everyone started to breathe a sigh of relief, a shower of sunflower seed shells rained down on my head.

I looked up and saw a seven-year-old boy leaning over the seat, making a hideous face at me.

"Hey kid, don't do that. I'm trying to save―"

Before I could finish, a thick glob of spit landed right on my glasses.

The little monster actually spat on me!

My hands were occupied holding the tube in place, so I couldn't even wipe my vision clear.

The spit blurred everything, and my temper finally flared.

"Whose kid is this? Get him out of here right now!"

The other passengers, who had been quiet until now, finally exploded in anger.

"What is wrong with you, lady? Control your child!" one man yelled at the mother.

"This doctor is saving a life, and your kid is spitting on her? That's practically attempted murder!"

"Conductor! Do something! Get these people away from here!"

It turned out this kid had been acting like a little terror since he boarded, screaming and running around.

His mother had been sitting on the top bunk with her noise-canceling headphones on, scrolling through TikTok like the kid wasn't even hers.

Seeing the crowd turn on her, she finally climbed down, looking annoyed.

She pulled the boy into her arms and started screaming back at us.

"Who the hell do you think you are? I paid for these tickets just like you, you can't make us leave!"

"Murder? Who said murder? I'll sue you for defamation, you hear me?"

"My son is only seven! He's just curious about the surgery. If he spat on you, he was probably trying to help you disinfect the wound. A child's spit isn't dirty, so stop overreacting, you stuck-up b*tch!"

It's true what they say―behind every nightmare kid is a nightmare parent.

The conductor realized she wasn't going to listen to reason and called the transit police.

Since it was a life-or-death situation, the officers forcibly moved the mother and son to the crew's rest car.

I could still hear her screaming threats as they dragged her away, telling me to watch my back.

I ignored her and focused entirely on my patient.

Luckily, the old man started breathing again.

I told the conductor he'd need follow-up surgery and to have an ambulance waiting at the next stop.

The man's wife gripped my hand, tears streaming down her face as she tried to give me her contact info.

"Ma'am, I'm a doctor. It's my job. Just be careful traveling alone next time," I said, declining any reward.

When we hit the station, I helped load the gentleman into the ambulance and briefed the paramedics.

Exhausted but relieved, I headed back to my car, desperate for some sleep.

But as I reached my seat, I saw a crowd of people whispering and pointing.

They moved aside as I approached.

Then, a smell hit me―a stench so foul it defied description.

It reminded me of my residency when a patient with a week-long bowel obstruction had a massive accident all over me.