• PM To Join • The Dead

[Levinia]

27 Ymiden, Arc 716

Cold.

It was so cold in the morgue but that was to keep the bodies from rotting and smelling worse than they already did. Levinia was used to it, and in the heat of the day it wasn’t bad working in the morgue. She looked at the body and raised a dark eyebrow as she studied the dead person before her. Her eyebrows were a contrast to the long snowy locks on her head which were currently held back by a handkerchief in order not to get them dirty. She not only wanted to keep her hair clean but did not want to contaminate her patient, however, as the patient was already dead that wasn’t really a problem.

The corpse suddenly moved, and let out a groan causing her assistant to jump and screech. Levinia only stared at it and frowned. “Gases.” She said, having seen dead bodies do that sometimes. “That’s all.” She assured the young man who was assigned to pass her the tools of autopsy. He would also help her cut if it became too difficult and sometimes human parts were difficult to cut.

The young man nodded, almost assured by her, but seeing that she wasn’t scared he had to man up and not be scared either. She had been away for months, helping her family out while her father and older brother went on an errand. Levinia had stayed to help her younger brother Douglas work the family practice. It had felt good to be back home, but at the same time it was stifling. She needed to be on her own again and was glad to go back to her little apartment that she shared with her cat, Biscuit.

Her hands moved forward, allowing for her assistant to dose them with potion that would prepare them for what she was about to put them through. After so many months away the only work she could find was working with the dead. She knew that she’d have her customers back soon, but for now she had to make a living and working with the dead wasn’t so bad. For one thing they wouldn’t complain or try to grab her backside.

Levinia studied the young face of the woman lying on the slab. The woman looked to be older than she was but that could have been the life she led. Levinia didn't know and she didn’t judge. At the moment she had a job to do. “Alright, pass me the fisher’s knife please.” It’s half moon designed to gut the scaly hide of fish worked just as well on the more soft epidermal layer of the human body. It was sharp and accurate and Levinia would have little trouble carving the usual Y-design on the torso. With a sigh she began….

[Faith Augustin]

Faith

She was here to collect the body that was to be taken to Kash'deel's Funeral Services. She was early, she knew, but that was how it was. Jamal had told her to leave and go to collect the corpse, and so she did. It was a fairly brief walk and Faith made her way to the address given without pausing or dallying. As she arrived, she opened the door into the morgue and a young man who was a little older than her literally charged out past her, his hand clamped over his mouth and retching sounds coming from him.

He pushed past her, not hard or cruelly, but as he exited and turned the corner, she heard the unmistakeable sound of him throwing up. Faith turned to look at the woman who was standing in the morgue, obviously about to perform some kind of investigation into a death. And the body on the table was a youngish woman who fit the description of the body that she was here to collect. She was very early, Faith considered. "My apologies, mistress. I am Faith and I have been sent from Kash'deel's funeral services for the body of the name Mohstha?" she explained and then she motioned with her head to where the sounds of the assistant regretting his full breakfast were very clear still. "Might I be of assistance?" she asked, not wishing to be forward but she really didn't think that the doctor's assistant was going to be coming back in here any time soon.

The girl who was speaking to the doctor was about five foot four, maybe five five with pale skin and long black hair. She wore black trousers which were ill fitting and very old and an equally ragged black vest top. Her hair was worn down her back, leaving visible her two slave brands. One on her shoulder which was old and pale and stretched, presumably since birth, but a newer one on her neck which was much more recent, maybe not a month old. She had piercing silver grey eyes and a friendly smile.

[Levinia]

At only five foot two, Levinia had to stand on a stepping stool in order to reach the body. She sighed as the boy ran out, the knife he was about to pass her fell clanging on the cobble floor. She was about to climb down her step when a dark haired young woman came in as if sent by the gods. Levinia smiled in relief her eyes briefly inspecting her before asking, “The knife please.” She pointed to the floor and returned the other woman’s smile.

“And please call me Levinia and if you’re not comfortable with that, then doctor will do.” Levinia’s violet blue eyes flickered on the woman’s slave mark then back at the woman's amazing silver orbs, “I’m no one’s mistress.” The petite doctor concluded and once again pointed at the knife. “Do you think you can help me with this autopsy? Since you’re from the funeral home you’re probably used to the dead.” Levinia lifted an eyebrow, it seemed to be something she did often, “I hope you’re not squeamish. As you can see, good help is hard to find.”

She chewed on her bottom lip. Levinia’s family were not slave holders and she was semi aware of the rules regarding them. “I could pay for your services if you like?” She furrowed her brow in concern not wanting to insult the woman but not wanting to take advantage of her either. “It won’t be much, but as I already promised the boy a wage and he failed, I could give it to you..er..or your master?”

Levinia decided to give the woman another option, again, all in the hopes of not taking advantage, “Dissection is quite interesting.” She began, “It was one of the first things my father showed me when I was training. You can learn a lot, and well, learning is more precious than gold, don’t you think?” The little doctor gave her a dubious smile, and shrugged. She was poor but glad she knew what she did. After all, no one could steal her knowledge, at least she hoped no one could....

[Faith Augustin]

Faith

Faith stepped forward, bent to scoop up the knife and handed it to the doctor, handle out so that she did not hurt herself in the taking of it. She held it, looking at what the woman was doing and when she gave her to two options, there was no doubting which one Faith would choose "As you wish, doctor" she said, quietly. As much as she did not wish misfortune on anyone ever, she could not help but be delighted and fascinated at what she saw here and she did not want him to come back any time soon, so that she could watch what the doctor was doing. And then the doctor asked her if she would help and Faith nodded, earnestly "It would be my pleasure" she replied most honestly. "I am not squeamish, doctor, not at all. I have sewn up dead before now, although never performed an autopsy. I would be honoured" and she stepped closer, making sure that she knew what equipment was there, looking and trying to consider what the doctor might need next. It was a very genuine tingle of excitement that she felt when she stepped forward.

The doctor offered to pay, then to pay Jamal and then... Faith beamed in delight. "My owner would instruct me to learn what I could and that would be more than payment enough. And I am delighted at the prospect" she said, lowering her head, making sure to not get in the doctor's way. "Thank you so much, I very much appreciate the opportunity to learn" she said, and she meant it most wholeheartedly. There were a lot of people who would not permit slaves to learn and who did not approve of it, so she was even more grateful that the doctor was not one of those and was, in fact, offering to teach her. That was, most certainly, a win-win situation as far as the young human woman was concerned. "What can be learnt from a dissection?" she wondered. And as uncharitable as it was, she had never been so glad to see someone else wuss out of taking care of a corpse before in her life.

[Levinia]

The woman handed her the knife and Levinia did a quick cleaning of it using her apron. There was no fear of actually infecting this patient. “Thank you...um….what can I call you, by the way?” She asked as she studied the other woman whose hair was a roaring contrast to her own. The rich darkness of her locks made her think of the rich black velvet she had seen noble women wear when it was cold. Levinia almost wanted to touch it instead she studied the body before her and prepared to cut into it.

"My owner would instruct me to learn what I could and that would be more than payment enough. And I am delighted at the prospect "Thank you so much, I very much appreciate the opportunity to learn" "

Levinia grinned at that and nodded. “Terrific!” She motioned to the slave girl with her knife hand, but careful not to point with the knife. “You just saved me money so I like you even more.” Never afraid to say what was on her mind, Levinia began to relax a bit more. At least this woman wouldn’t run off to vomit. “My father would say that a person that always wants to learn is richer than the richest king and smarter.”

She shrugged her lips, “My father is an unusual man and definitely did not serve many nobles with that attitude.” Levinia laughed at her little joke and then leaned forward to press the tip of the knife into the cold dead flesh. “Dissection of corpses was forbidden for a while, but….” She spoke as she worked, her little muscles were well conditioned to know how much pressure to exert in order to penetrate the layer of skin and fat.

She groaned slightly and continued, “Once it was allowed there was so much we learned from dissection you are very right about that.” After the initial cut the knife managed to slice through the skin easily and the little doctor went quiet as she performed the line down the woman’s chest. A human body was to be treated with delicacy and not as if it were a cut of beef or a slab of pig.

There was a sucking sound as she made the cut and Levinia was careful not to spray herself. Her eye watched as the layer of fat oozed an ugly yellow. No one said a body was beautiful on the inside while alive, while dead it was even more disgusting. “Come here, please.” Levinia requested, “See my cut? Do you think you can do the same here?” She motioned on the other side of the chest where she indicated a line that would intersect with her own to form a ‘V’. Her eyes studied the woman before her, wondering if she would be bold enough to try.

[Faith Augustin]

Faith

The Doctor seemed pleased with her help and Faith was delighted that this was the case. After all, if she could be useful then there might be a real possibility for learning here, and she loved nothing more than learning. She smiled as the doctor spoke of her father and Faith nodded "He sounds like a very wise man" she considered. Learning was very important to her, always had been and had been taught to her as important by her owners from the moment of her first memory.

"Why was it banned and what changed?" she asked, wondering about the situation and context which led to this in the first place and then to it changing. She had a deep and abiding curiosity which meant that she wanted to know the full story, if it was possible to do so. She listened intently, but her attention was immediately drawn to the cutting and she, too, fell quiet as she watched. It was fascinating watching the doctor work, her hands were steady and precise, slowly moving but not dallying.

Her eyes widened at the sucking sound and she frowned, carefully paying attention. The sound was surprising to her, because she had thusfar only dealt with dead bodies who were already 'open' so to speak, or she did not open them. But she looked at the doctor with wide, almost unbelieving eyes when she asked if she would like to make the second incision in the Y. Faith looked at the corpse and considered for just a moment and then nodded her head. "I would like to try, yes please. I will be very careful" she said and she took the knife. She looked at where the doctor had positioned the start and end of the cut on the other side, identified the places on the side as yet uncut and she first put the knife against the top most part, and she cut down, putting pressure slowly and carefully until she was at the right spot. She didn't know if there'd be another sucking noise and associated need to move her head out of the way, but she did it just in case and then she moved the knife, judging the pressure and changing it with the intention of moving the knife through without dragging but whilst keeping precision and control in her movements. She worked intently, and was always ready for the doctor to stop her or to stop if instructed.

But when she was done, she looked at the cut and frowned slightly "It is not as straight as yours, I think" and it was not - but it was nearly straight and she looked at the doctor for feedback.

[Levinia]

Levinia watched the young woman make the incision just as her own father had done. She was impressed with her steadiness, “Making it straight comes with practice. I did my practice on hog flesh.” Her violet blue eyes flickered towards the slave girl and smiled at her. “Its very similar to human flesh, you did well by the way.” She gently plucked the knife from the other woman’s hand and ran through the cut making sure everything was properly cut through. “Very good.”

“The purpose of this incision is to remove the organs without damage. We will open her up, crack the ribs and remove and weigh the organs.” She studied the woman and wondered what thoughts were roaming around behind those mercury eyes.

As she let that sink in she responded to a previous question, “It used to be sacrilegious to disturb a body after death. To cut into it was thought of as disrespectful and abuse against the gods.” Levinia shrugged her slim shoulders, “Superstition of the religions, is what my father called it. It wasn’t until universities and higher learning that the dead were able to be cut into. Then we discovered that the dead could tell their own tales.”

The young doctor pointed the knife blade at the woman’s sexual organs. “I can tell she was a sex worker, and that she had been pregnant at least three times.” She sighed at the possible history of this dead woman. “If it weren’t for dissection and study, we still would be ignorant of so many things. Are you able to read? Perhaps we can share a trip to the library and I can show you the history of surgery?”

Levinia gave her a hesitant smile, again she wasn’t sure how much freedom the woman had. She didn’t know much about slaves, only that they were people too. A little sigh escaped her lips at the unfairness of it all. People should not own other people and that was the end of it.

[Faith Augustin]

Faith

The idea of practicing on hog flesh made sense and, since Faith did all the cooking she would be able to do that - she had access to the raw ingredients, so to speak. When she told her that she did well, though, Fatih smiled at the doctor in pleasure and her silver-grey eyes twinkled with delight "Thank you, doctor" she said, softly and watched carefully as the doctor checked it - it was important that she knew how to check, also, in case she should ever be doing this alone. She listened intently as to why they were doing this - she had often wondered why the y-shaped incision was there sometimes and she nodded. "I see. Will the weight and colour and aspect of the organs tell us about how she died... or also how she lived?" she wondered. It was fascinating and, as the poor forgotten fellow walked home wiping his mouth, Faith grew more and more fascinated.

When the doctor explained why cutting the dead had used to be sacriligous and so on, Faith nodded. "I do not believe that the Immortals would ever want us not to learn." she said, quietly. But then, she watched and learnt everything that she could, committing as much of it to memory as she could. She looked at Levinia with some confusion in her eyes, though, and asked "What do you mean?" when she said that the woman had been a sex worker. In terms of the pregnancies, Faith nodded and questioned again "How can you tell and... how do you know how many times?" she wondered. That was wonderfully precise and she attended most carefully.

"I can read, doctor, yes." she said, with a smile. She had been taught that it was important that she could serve any and every way she could, and sometimes it would be necessary for her to read in order to be the best slave. And as for a trip to the library she looked at the doctor with delight in her eyes. "I would be more than happy to accompany you, doctor, if you would be willing to. My owner is clear that anything that makes me a better undertaker is something I should accept, if it is offered. I am sure that he would be willing to offer you my services in exchange for some of your time" she said, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice and failing dismally.

[Levinia]

Levinia was thrilled at how much the girl wanted to know and she reminded her of herself at that age. She was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet at the prospect of a kindred spirit. Her lips pulled into a grin and whatever sour thoughts had been going through her mind before suddenly vanishing like storm clouds giving way to the sun.

"I see. Will the weight and colour and aspect of the organs tell us about how she died... or also how she lived?"

“That’s right!” She responded, “That and it helps to keep a record, that way we can compare and make a reference. How else would we know what is normal and average and what is not?” Levinia smiled, hoping she was making sense. “What could be alright for one person may be completely not alright for another. That being said, yes, you can tell if something is terribly wrong. When an organ is just not right, know what I mean?” She turned to Faith and waited for confirmation before tackling the girl’s next question.

"How can you tell and... how do you know how many times?"

“Well that’s when study and comparison charts help.” She shook her head, “I cannot really explain it, it just takes practice, although I’m sure any midwife worth her weight could tell as well.” She leaned over and placed a hand over the dead woman’s abdomen. “Do you see how the skin stretched right there, and seems to have pulled a bit. Then again this woman may have been very fat and just lost weight, but I doubt it.” Levinia smiled and straightened, “But then again it's all guesses.” She whispered, “You’ll find out that many doctor diagnosis are just guesses which become better and better through experience.”

"I can read, doctor, yes." "I would be more than happy to accompany you, doctor, if you would be willing to. My owner is clear that anything that makes me a better undertaker is something I should accept, if it is offered. I am sure that he would be willing to offer you my services in exchange for some of your time"

“Excellent!” Levinia responded, quite happy to find someone as interested in books and learning. “I’m sorry if I assumed you didn’t know how to read.” She sighed, “I’m not too familiar with slaves, but I believe it all depends on what kind of slave and own their master?” Levinia decided to get her own questions in as a tit for tat. “Do you think you’ll be working for your master forever? What if he sells you, or he dies? What will happen to you? Will you ever be free?” The poured out like water and she bit her tongue to prevent more questions to spill out. Instead, Levinia waited patiently hoping she hadn’t overwhelmed the girl with questions she had no answer to, or worse, was not allowed to talk about.

[Faith Augustin]

Faith

She felt almost like she was home, here. Amongst the dead of the morgue and with an individual who sought knowledge and who loved learning for it's own sake. What was that, she wondered, because this was not her home. Her home was wherever Jamal was, wherever he told her it was. Yet here she felt... comfortable, she supposed. She decided that she would consider it in more detail later, discuss it with Jamal and see what he thought. She wasn't sure that he'd be pleased with it but she didn't know for sure. She would find out later, she supposed. She hadn't considered the importance of keeping records and she nodded her head, considering it carefully. "That makes a lot of sense" she said, with a frown of concentration. It had to be helpful for doctors, those who worked with the living, rather than those like her who worked solely with the dead. But it was information and, therefore, it was interesting to the young girl.

The stretch marks, though were particularly fascinating to her and she nodded her head, thoughtfully. "I see those often on the bodies we care for, and I have wondered why some of them have marks only on their stomach but every now and then we get one who has those marks on their thighs, too. I think the thighs might mean they lost a lot of weight?" she said and she studied the marks. "They are different colours, some more faded than others. Is that because they were from different pregnancies?" she wondered, thinking that might well be one of the ways that the doctor worked out that there had been at least three and, yes, there were three distinct types of stretch marks, determined by the colour and increasing fade.

"There is no need to apologise, doctor, it was a most sensible question. Many slaves are not able to read, but I was trained to be useful in a business, so my having that skill would be useful to my owner." But then, and it was only fair really, Faith considered, Levinia hit her with a series of questions. Faith decided to address them, one at a time and as fully as she could. "I don't work for him. He owns me. It is easier to think of me as a possession in that circumstance, perhaps? I think that he will sell me, now that my training is nearly complete and if he does then I become the possession of my new owner. If he dies, he has instructed me that I am to take myself to the nearest slave auction and give myself over to the slavers there, which is of course what I would do" which might seem odd, she supposed, if Levinia was one of those people who assumed that Faith wanted to escape, dreamt of freedom. But if she did not assume that, or come to that if she did, it was what it was. But then, there was that last question and she looked, it must be said, a little surprised at it. "Will I ever be free? I... I could not be. I have been a slave since birth. I can not be free" she looked at Levinia and her eyes told a truth of her words; the girl was terrified at the mere prospect of freedom. She knew no way to be other than how she was. "I am sorry if I speak out of turn, doctor, I don't mean to. But I think it might be different if you became a slave, having been free. But I was born as a possession and I will die as one" she couldn't really explain it any better than that. She looked at Levinia and wondered if that made sense to her or whether she had more questions.