Letters He Will Never Read

by Flutterpriest


Nurse Redheart

There are three types of workers in this world. Employees who do what they are told, when they are told, but not much more. Then there are the ones who do more than the average, in hopes of being recognized for their hard work. Lastly... there's her.

8:00am - Foal birth
9:00am - Surgery assistance
10:00am - Check up on her floor of patients.
11:00am - Fill paperwork while drinking her third cup of coffee. Then maybe, she can sleep over her lunch hour before continuing onto the remaining 16 hours of her shift.

She didn't have to pull an unpaid all-nighter, but one of the new nurses didn't come in... and it's not like there was anything waiting for her at home. The words singed her, but just like every other patient, she had to brush it off. He's gone. Just like another patient leaving a room. Nurse Redheart's eyes were heavy as she attempts to focus her mind on the paperwork in front of her. Don't think about it. Stay professional.

For some ponies, their jobs are their lives. Take the sweet pony over at Apple Acres. She goes and breaks her hoof and first thing she asks is when she could go back to work. After Redheart told her two weeks, you find her back in a week and a half, with a worsened injury.

Hospitals are loud, fast, and most of all busy. You never have a spare moment to think about anything else, because when you are in a patient's room, it's all about them. When you are in surgery, there is nothing else but the end goal. When you are birthing the foal, every single part of the procedure must be perfect.

If there was one thing that Redheart excelled at, it was doing her job perfectly. Since she did it so perfectly, she got more hours. With more hours came more responsibilities. Responsibility brought more work. More work meant working more hours... and the cycle continued.

She hadn't cleaned her apartment in weeks. In fact, she could tell you the status of ten patients more accurately than what was currently sitting in her fridge. That wasn't spoiled already. Nurse Redheart's job and her life were one of the same.

That was... until she met a patient she will never forget. He wasn't a pony like the majority of her other patients. Her procedures were stuck in her head. Griffons need extra protein. Minotaurs needs simpler terms. Always check for changeling magic.

However, when she was entrusted the care of this patient, she was at a loss for what to do. The patient was just shy of six foot and male. He spoke completely fluently and had a very positive attitude. That was all Redheart could ask of a patient. Nothing was worse than a fussy sick pony.

However, this was far from a pony. This... thing, seemed to be almost like a monkey. A hew-man, he called himself. But Nurse Redheart knew that names didn't make a difference, they were all patients to her. He just had some simple broken bones that the hospital wanted him to stay for a few nights to get settled and to study his... odd physique.

She introduced herself politely and he responded in kind. As she gave him question after question about his medical history, he thought it would be fun if they went 'quid-pro-quo' as he said it. Nurse Redheart was confused, but shrugged it off as he claimed he forgot his humor doesn't always work here.

He just wanted to ask a question for every time she asked a question. "Do you know what your Blood Type is, Mr. Anonymous?"

"Type A. Why did you decide to become a nurse?"

"I specialize in helping people get better. What is your average dietary requirements?"

And so it went on, hour after hour as Nurse Redheart filled out her chart, documenting for the hospital what to do in the event of another hew-man. However, his questions seemed to get... weirder and weirder to the white pearl pony.

"I don't think I have any weird organs that you need to know about. Should be pretty normal. I think. So, what do you do in your free time?" he asked.

Redheart was taken aback and looked up from her chart, her focused attention finally broken. The idle questions about her profession and what she did around the hospital made sense to her. It was the patient's attempt at getting to know the nurse's qualifications better for their own peace of mind. She guessed that when he asked about her favorite color, or what her favorite season of the year was, that he ran out of questions.

"Uhm. Excuse me?"

"What do you do for fun? You know? I'm sure you don't spend all your time in the hospital," Anon asked curiously.

Redheart fumbled with her pen. "Uhm. I do. I spend all my time at the hospital, really. Have you had your teeth regularly inspected or do they need sharpening?"

"No sharpening... but I'm sure I could floss more," Anon paused, redoubling on his question. "You really don't take any time for yourself?"

"I already answered that one," She stated flatly, looking back to her endless list of questions.

"What about just... Standing outside and looking at the sky? Feeling the softness of the green grass... or-"

"My main concern is the health and well-being of my patients, Anonymous," she answered, flustered.

"Alright... sorry."

Why were his words so haunting? The rest of the day as Redheart did her rounds, she couldn't help but feel... empty. As if with a simple question, Anonymous had taken a part of her away and kept it with him. She did things. Yeah! She did all kinds of things! Like... read books! Medical books... At work. Well, she also enjoyed naps! In the rest area... Between shifts.


Oh for Celestia's sake, who was she kidding? She did absolutely nothing other than work at the hospital. Her life was consumed by it. And it made her happy.

But why did she feel so... empty and unfulfilled now. A sense of dread sat in the pit of her stomach and refused to tear itself away. She found herself having to re-read the same few sentences several times just to glean a sense of meaning from it.

She grabbed the hew-man's clipboard and stomped into his room.

"Checkup already?"he asked.

Redheart gently closed the door behind her and walked up to the bed reviewing some of the information being read on the monitors.

"Quiet this time," Anonymous answered. "Alright. I get it. I went too far. I'm-"

"I do all sorts of things," Redheart interrupted him. Anonymous was quiet and watched the nurse as her eyes darted from the paperwork to him. "Are you feeling any discomfort?" Redheart asked in a business tone.

"Nope. Without looking at the window, what color is the sky right now?" Anon asked.

Redheart looked at Anon hard and tried not to look out the corner of her eye.

“Blue. That's a silly question. Why would-" she pauses as she looks at the window.

Through the window of Anonymous's room, a wide variety of reds, oranges and yellows painted the sky a vivid, detailed landscape, dotted with trees, small homes and young playing fillies.

"You're right. It is silly. Isn't it?" Anonymous says. The Nurse looks from the window, down to the human.

"What are you trying to prove?" Redheart says to Anonymous angrily. "I'm an extremely happy mare." Anonymous looks up at his nurse and stares blankly. "I'm respected by all my peers... I'm considered one of the top authorities in this hospital..." she lists. The mare begins pacing beside the bed. "I save -lives- on a daily basis."

"I never said you weren't happy," Anon explains.

"Then what are you trying to do?!" Redheart exclaims.

"Make you smile," Anon answers calmly. The nurse's face blushed and she took a few steps away, nearly dropping the clipbook on the floor.

"You haven't smiled once since you came into my little room and... well, I don't like that. You should be happy. Just like all the other ponies here," he said.

Happy. Psh. She was plenty happy. Look at all the lives she was changing. Look at all the great work she was accomplishing. How could somepony who has done so much for her community, not be happy? So it continued into the next day. She would check up on him. He would ask her questions. She would respond in terse, short answers. Halfway into the second day, he gave up. He must have thought, what was the point? If she wasn't going to talk to him, it might as well be silent.

However, this didn't have the effect Redheart wanted. She thought she wanted him to be quiet. Instead, the quiet room ate at her and she found herself lingering, hoping he would say something. Anything.

Late into the second evening, Redheart steps into Anonymous's room with a clipboard and pen, ready to take his readings. He stares out blankly at his window, with the shades wide open, by his request.

"I'm here to take your vitals, Anonymous."

He was silent as she moves across the room and takes notes on his cast and the amount of swelling. She casts occasional glances at him, but remains professional.

"It looks like the swelling is going down."

He grunts in affirmation. Redheart looks back down to her clipboard, feeling defeated. What was she doing? She was getting too attached to this patient. This is wrong.

"Sixteen Hours," he says, breaking the awkward silence. She looks up at him, curiously. "I've been awake almost all day, and you've came to check on me sixteen times, once every hour," He says. "When did you get off work?"

Nurse Redheart thinks to herself carefully. "Uhm. Two... I think. Yes. Two hours ago."

Anonymous leans up and looks at his nurse dead in the eyes. "Go home, hon. Get some sleep."

“B-but-"

"You're a big girl, and I can't force you, but as a friend. Go home. Sleep. Do you work tomorrow?"

Redheart looks across the room as she thinks to herself. What WAS her schedule?

"I'm officially off for it..."

"Then I don't want to see you here tomorrow... got it?" he asked. She simply looked at him, mouth open and half shocked. "Got it?"


"Listen mister, I'm the nurse and what I say goes." She said to herself, as she sat at her kitchen table of her dusty apartment. It was such a simple phrase and well practiced by her. Why couldn't she say no? Idly munching on a bowl of stale oats from the cabinet, she ditched the hospital garb for a simple light-blue sweater. What was she going to do today? Nothing really stood out in her mind. Her thoughts drifted back to the hospital, but always rested on Anonymous. Well, he preferred, Anon. What was it that he suggested on the first day he arrived?


"Knock, Knock."

Anon turns his head from the table towards the door. "I thought I said I didn't want to see you in here today?" he said.

"Well, I'm not here for work, so I don't think it quite counts," Redheart replied, strolling into his room.

"Also, aren't visiting hours over?" he asked.

"Yes... but, medical personnel are able to come in whenever we want."

"Oooh," Anon said in a fake tone of shock. "We have a rules breaker on our hands." Redheart smiled and sat in a chair beside his bed. "Now that's something I've been waiting to see..." Anon said softly to his guest. "What gives me the pleaure of seeing Nurse Red-"

"Red... is fine, Anon," Redheart corrects him.

"Red?" Anon asks. "Hmm. I like Little Red more."

"Hey! Don't push your luck..." Redheart snaps.

"Alright, alright... I get it, but what made you smile?" he asked.

She looks up at the ceiling and thinks to herself. "Well, I started by going for a walk outside. I walked in the grass and felt it's soft blades under my hooves. I felt the rejuvenating winds breeze across my face and fill my lungs with fresh air. I had a fresh apple from the local Apple Orchard.” Anon smiled and listened to Red's every word and she told him her day. "I helped some fillies play jump rope... you should have heard their giggles. Such little angels. Then I smelled some roses in the park..."

"It sounds like a relaxing day," Anon observes.

"Yeah. Yeah it was," she answered.

"What was the best part?" he asked.


Nurse Redheart stares over her stack of unfilled out paperwork and sighed to herself, idly signing a prescription for rooms 302 and 401. She remembers clearly what she wanted to say. It would have been so easy. So simple.

"Being able to see you."

But those words choked on the back of her throat. And now she sat here, in the dark of the night in the hospital, doing the night shift. He's gone. His friends went and made some sort of portal to send him back to his world. She still went to see him before he left... and the two of them went on a walk.

Part of what was so great about it was that it was so... easy. Nothing was planned. No sudden surprises. It was all just so... relaxing. Being with him filled the little hole of herself that was missing.

And now he's gone.

She did her best not to quiver or feel overwhelmed at work... but it felt to her like her rock was gone. Just to hear his voice...

Resting her face on a hoof, she twirls a pen and eyes an empty sheet of paper. Twilight told her that Anon's other friends were writing him letters for him... in case they find a way to get in contact with him. Maybe she should write one too... What could it hurt? Redheart's heart leapt in her throat as she grabbed her pen for prescriptions and began to scribble a letter in her best handwriting.

Dear Anon,

How is life back on Earth? Things sure aren't quite the same around here anymore. The hospital has been low on help the last few weeks, so I've been filling in to pick up the slack.

With a sigh, Red looks over what she had written so far. Pressing to paper again, she continues.

I've been taking your advice and made sure I have a little time to myself every day just to meditate. I've began eating a lunch during my lunch hours. Hopefully this won't mean I'll gain weight. Although, you probably wouldn't tell me if I did or not.

She smiles to herself as she reviews the last few lines. Shaking to her head she scribbles out the last bit about eating.

I can't thank you enough for teaching me how to live a happier life... everything just seems so much better now...

Redheart looks back down at the paper and stares at her words. Are they really the truth? Sure, things were easier after he taught you how to take time for yourself, but not since he left. Things have been harder than ever. Plus, you've kicked yourself every day for not telling him...

She looks down at the paper in front of her.

The only thing that would make it better if you were here to enjoy it with me... I miss you. I miss you like a filly misses her stuffed animal on a dark and cold night.

Tears well up in the Nurse's eyes.

When you left... it felt like you took a part of me with you. I can't sleep. I can't eat. Everything just seems so... pointless.

She looks down at the paper and reads the last sentence. Pointless? Where did that come from?

A tear drips from her eye onto the parchment as she scribbles out the last line. The one thing that anchored her to Equestria and really helped you keep her cool was miles upon miles away. Vanished without a trace. How is she supposed to do her work now? Everything was too hectic, too overwhelming. She just wanted to be in a nice comfy sweater, curled up next to him by a warm fire But here she is... taking readings and saving lives. This used to make her happy. The widely respected and revered Nurse Redheart.

Yet, she feels more empty and unfulfilled than ever before. She would do anything to just see him again... talk to him.

I hope that where ever you are, if you place your feet onto the soft blades of grass, or feel the wind breeze through your hair... maybe you will think of me.

Red reads over her note again, sniffing in attempt to recompose herself. Folding the letter and placing it in her take home bag, she rises from her seat to dry her eyes. As she does, as small slip of paper falls from the desk onto the floor. Picking it up, she reviews it. It's an unfilled, signed prescription for anti-depressants. Red examines the paper closely. Pointless. Everything felt pointless. Is... is that healthy?

Just a single signature would do it. She has the authority to do it. She knows what the signs of depression are. She's written them for the lazier doctors who didn't want to do their paperwork before. Nopony would say a thing. Her eyes travel from the note, to the take home bag.

What would Anon say?

Tearing the note in two, she tosses the paper in the trash, and grabs her paperwork. There are three types of people in this world. Employees who do what they are told, when they are told, but not much more. Then there are the ones who do more than the average, in hopes of being recognized for their hard work. Lastly... there's people like her.

Doing everything she can just to look like she has a smile on the outside.