The Power Of Radiation - 6 Hospital Geneva
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6 Hospital Geneva

After loitering outside for at least 5 minutes and getting quite a few odd looks from the patients shown through the windows and the many gargoyles higher up on the building, Mark enters. The first and most prominent area when Mark enters the hospital is true for most hospitals around the world. A large desk with the sign reception and a small golden door behind the desk and to the left which is contrasted by a much plainer and larger door to the right. The receptionist glances up at Mark with a bored and jaded look that seems to instantly know he is not injured, and starts to speak in a surprisingly low voice for a middle-aged woman. "We don't take solicitations or give handouts to anyone including charities." She said with an ease that implies regular use of the standard phrase. Mark answers with his prepared answer of "I was sent a letter to work here, I should be expected."

The woman raises a greying eyebrow with an ease and surety to suggest it might be a super power in and of itself and says, "Go through the right door and take the elevator to the second floor. Mr. Schaffenhauser, our Human Resources Director will meet you there.". Bertha, according to her name tag, then picks up the phone and presses a number to speed dial hat should be Mr. Schaffenhauser. Mark is dumfounded. Not just at the fact that she never asked his name and was so dismissive of him but the fact that she used a real phone that looks like it is a few hundred years old! After another minute of intimidation by the raised eyebrow of Bertha, Mark promptly follow her directions and enters the larger door on the right.

After entering the door, Mark continues to look around and sees a waiting room almost impossibly full with patients. Much of the patients have their rank cards around their necks which shows Mark that the majority are F rank with the occasional E rank scattered throughout the crowd. The only other oddity is one shabby looking D rank woman who is waiting for the elevator. Mark proceeds to join her in her wait as he looks out in almost disbelief at how many people are in the waiting room and how only one has proceeded through the double doors to the treatment room since he has gotten here. She glances up at him and says "Only D and C ranks are allowed to go to the second floor's waiting room" with a ease that comes from looking down on people constantly in today's society. Mark tries and fails to copy the receptionist's raised eyebrow to a light chuckle of the shabbily clothed woman as the elevator finally arrives.

Once inside the elevator, a machine scans both of their cards and queues for the second floor with the words restricted for both the 3rd and 4th floors which is understandable considering their ranks. After the elevator opens Mark lightly waves to the woman as she continues on to the slightly better waiting area and Mark walks slowly down a darker hallway which is labeled "Research" "Testing" and "HR" respectively. After walking for what should be only a hundred meters, Mark arrives at a door which is labeled with a bronze plaque saying the words "Human Resources Director" and Carl Schaffenhauser in smaller font underneath it. Mark proceeds to knock on the door as his heart beats faster and his palms grow sweaty in antic.i.p.ation. After a few seconds of silence, a gruff voice loudly proclaims, "Come in, it's unlocked.".

Mark enters and is shown the sight of an older man with a smile so business-like you could use it to grease a hundred different baking sheets. With a bright smile, born of practice and a sense of self-worth Carl proceeds to introduce himself, explain that he penned the letter and commented on how old fas.h.i.+oned is not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to impressing potential applicants to the hospital. Carl's smile only seems to grow wider and greasier as he sends a copy of the Employment Contract to Mark's ranked badge, which Mark quickly reads in its entirety. Mark like many people of lower social standing due to his rank is very suspicious of contracts and long gone are the days shown in history which people's rights are protected and they no longer have to worry about reading a long contract before signing it.

Mark's initial reaction to the contract is good but one thing in particular stands out in the new made contract. Many people would question the pay, working hours or even the insurance and other benefits first but Mark's question directly shows how ambitious he is in wanting to work here. "Why does the contract only say A POSSIBILITY at working at the actual hospital building?"