One of my X-ray patients is missing a skeleton, and I'm dealing with it.

Oh, I see... Even though the space was cramped, she managed to make it again after a little stop. "Um... "

'Kajol, what are your thoughts?' Looking away from the X-ray findings and back to my supervisor's thoughtful expression, I asked for clarification. Still no word.

Is the patient in any discomfort? Are there any...signs?

This is not true. He hadn't felt anything before to his visit, but the doctor suspected a training-related fracture. "Just your average stuff."

The X-ray screen was the sole source of illumination for Carol; the blue light cast deep shadows over her delicate creases. As she digested, her jaw shifted ever-so-slightly.

This time, calibrate the machine correctly and run the method again. After that, make sure—

I am finished, Kajol. We've done as many scans as we can safely muster, and the machine has been calibrated by everyone. No problem at all; I even had an X-ray to be sure. My pulse was pounding with the sight of the consultant, and I wasn't accustomed to interfering in such a way. I pointed out the stack of films that showed my bones in textbook detail, juxtaposed horrifyingly with the patient's films that were sitting peacefully next door, more starkly than I intended.

After a few minutes of inspecting each one, Kajol's hmms turned into teeth grinding.