Day Two
The hospital is still alive, but there’s still a lot of worry. Susan tells the story of how everything went wrong in the first few days, and how they’re just trying to hold on as long as they can.
The hospital staff applause as the water is drained out of the aircon. Susan encourages the others to drink plenty of water.
The hospital director is considering whether to discharge some people to relieve the pressure on the hospital. Susan reminds them that the power is still out across the city, so dumping people on the street probably isn’t the best move right now.
The hospital is in a state of emergency and the water usage is quickly becoming unmanageable. The trash topped up with empty water bottles is a clear sign that this is not going to be the last time this happens. People are already starting to leave and the situation could become even worse if it continues like this.
Horace hears these rumours in the main atrium but he tells one of the patients that no one is being forcibly removed. If they have a problem, they can speak to him directly.
Rumours of a nurse being harassed and then raped have been circulating through the staff at the hospital. What actually happened was that two kids were eyeing up a nurse, but they turned their attention to harassing another person and it eventually led to an attack and rape. ..
In a time of crisis, people will do whatever they can to get what they want. That’s why it’s important to be aware of who is likely to take advantage of the situation and how to avoid them.
As the youths head into the hospital with their bags, Dr. Bryant King approaches them and asks them about stealing. He’s taken aback by them, claiming that they’re getting kicked out of the hospital soon, which leads him to realize that these rumors are spreading like wildfire. ..
With the city pumps out of action, the water outside is still at 18 inches and it’s not going down. With no aircon and impatient residents too, a calm before the storm descends over the hospital.
A woman named Jolene shows up at the hospital after being stabbed and assaulted. Horace speaks to her partner, Taylor, and explains that the police will need to write up a report on what happened. It turns out that Taylor’s mother was the one responsible for the stabbing and assault. ..
Anna and Vince are in the middle of an emergency situation. They refuse to leave because it would be unethical.
The soldiers come into the hospital with big news. Susan is unsure of what to make of it. She has heard so many rumours this episode and she is not sure if this one is true or not.
However, he implores them to activate the evacuation plan and get out of the hospital as soon as possible. The thing is, there is no plan to actually get out so she enacts a new plan of her own. ..
Susan sends scouts to check out the water rumours and see if it’s really true that everything is rising. Well, all they need to do is look out the window. The water starts to pick up and build momentum, which shows that something big is coming. This spells bad news for all involved, as it means that they will have to deal with more flooding and more damage. ..
The Episode Review
The editing and sound design for the final 2 minutes of this episode are absolutely fantastic. There’s a real sense of dread spreading across this hospital and it’s interesting to see how that palpable sense of fear can be made all the worst by rampant rumours that spread in damaging ways. ..
The staff outside discussing youths “eyeing up” a nurse and then eventually escalating to a gang rape is an example of how badly these rumours can spiral out of control.
The main issue with Anna’s subplot is that it feels like a cheap way to add more conflict and tension to the already tense and dramatic setting of Memorial. There’s not a lot of substance to it, which makes it less interesting and makes the book feel more like a soap opera than a true medical thriller.
Either way, the ending hints that drama is about to pick up and it will be interesting to see what direction this one takes next! ..
