"Level 1! I repeat, level 1!"

Dr. Mario and Nurse Lucy rushed to the origin of the alert, which was Room 732. Ever since the virus Vect 113 spread globally, things at Harmony Hospital were nearly getting out of hand. Despite having advanced technology to treat patients, confusion was common during this time, not only among patients but also among the medical staff. 

The chief physician initiated new policies to overcome panicky situations like the system of levels. Level 3 was the lowest, which meant the person is experiencing the earlier symptoms of the virus, for example, a mild fever. Level 2 was where things started to get chaotic. Level 1 was the highest where the patient is at a high risk of organ failure and has pain whenever they try to move, eat, speak, or breathe. 

The irony of this system was that it was supposed to prevent disorder in the hospital when it increases it.

Lucy knocked on the door with a worried expression. Level 1 situations were rare, but when they happen, nothing ends well. The white door opened to reveal Dr. Tara with tears in her eyes. Mario and Lucy glanced at each other with a knowing look as they comforted her. 

She told the duo what a wonderful person her patient was, how he didn't deserve to die, and how she couldn't save him. Lucy and Mario tried to tell Tara that it wasn't her fault when she slipped away from their grasp as she sniffled and whispered words of discouragement to herself.

They were going back to their office when Dr. Jane walked to them with a message from the chief physician. It was to inform all medical staff who have been involved with Vect 113 to attend an emergency meeting at her office. Mario and Lucy followed her in the maze of corridors, unaware of the terrible news they were yet to receive. 

The trio reached her office at the nick of time and slipped in with the other doctors. The room was spacious, with chairs for every person in the room. Jane and Mario were able to recognize many from the crowd.Surprisingly, Tara also came to the meeting, despite what happened earlier. 

The chief physician's assistant gestured to everyone to keep quiet, once the chief physician entered her room using the back door. She made her assistant sit at his seat, and she began talking.

"Thank you for coming. I am not going to try sugarcoating what I want to say because it is so tragic that any attempt of a positive mindset would cloud the disaster currently happening. 

Vect 113 has caused a critical pandemic; patients keep rising day by day, terror has struck the general public, and no one has made a cure to this virus. And I am sorry to convey this to you all, but we cannot treat all patients we have at Harmony Hospital."

Gasps and whispers filled the room. Some felt shocked, others felt scared, and few of them knew this was bound to happen. The assistant clapped to catch the crowd's attention again before motioning to his senior.

"I know you're worried; I am too. But we cannot afford to help everyone, which is why I made a new policy to make sure we try to help any possible cases. 

We will not treat patients above the age of 60 having Vect 113, having prerequisite medical conditions before Vect 113, and having minor issues unrelated to Vect 113 like a cut on the knee. I need you all to start deciding who will stay and who will go. 

That's it for now. You may leave."

Two weeks later

Nurse Max was looking through some paperwork in his room. He tried to avoid choosing patients' lives after the new policy. Some selections went comparatively well like Lucy's. Others ended regretfully like Mario's. Tara never felt confident in her decisions, for she was still disturbed by her former patient.

"Max, I would like to speak to you."

He flinched at the harsh tone the unknown woman used. He turned around to see Miss Anna Smith, better known as the Chief Physician. Surprisingly, her assistant wasn't with her.

"Are you close with Dr. Jane Anderson?" she asked as she examined the room. Her assistant would never let her come there, and she could understand why.

"Yes, what's wrong?" said Nurse Max. He was friends with Jane when they were little, but they drifted apart in high school. He was shocked, yet happy, to see her again in Harmony Hospital, even if she was his senior. 

"I have a pair of patients, and I need you to determine who will get treatment. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me, my assistant, or your colleagues," she stated with a straight face.

"What does this have to do with Jane?"

"That is none of your concern. Just read the names of the patients."

He felt sorry for both patients because their respective families would want them to be safe and healthy. He hesitantly opened the file. The color of his face drained once he saw the names, and his hands got extremely sweaty.

"I am not doing this," he blurted as he took the file and rushed out the room. He knew Jane thought the system was horrendous, and he agreed with her. Hospitals were supposed to save lives, not take them away! 

Jane was one of the best doctors in the state, but this would affect her a lot. He didn't know if she could bear the pain of choosing the wrong person. Max knocked on her door, biting his lip out of nervousness. She opened it with a smile.

"Hi, Max! What brings you here?" she asked cheerfully. It hurt the nurse to see her like this; her attitude would change once she saw the file.

"It's time for you to make a decision," he said regretfully.

"Give the file to another doctor. I don't want to do this."

"You are the only person who knows both of them well. Jane, if you need to talk after this, I'll be there," whispered Max. He handed the file to her and left.

Jane was curious to know who the patients were. She opened the file, and tears spilled from her eyes. She loved the patients dearly and couldn't convince herself to kill them. 

"This cannot be happening," she shouted as she pulled her hair out of rage, and she threw her coffee mug on the floor. She sat on her knees as a single tear fell.

"What happened here? Is everything okay? Why are you on the floor?" inquired Mario after he opened the door and came inside with Lucy.

"Everything is fine," she fumed.

"Mar, get her a glass of water," said Lucy as she helped Jane stand up. Mario left the room, leaving the two women alone.

"Jane, we are here for you. No matter what is going on in the world, you can always count on us. All of us love you, and I hope you can tell us what is on your mind," soothed Lucy as she intertwined her fingers with hers. Her kind words worked; Jane had the confidence to tell her the truth.

"Max gave me a file that contains medical documents of the patients. I am not able to make a choice. I cannot choose between my father and my daughter. I love both of them deeply, and I don't want to be the reason for their deaths," mumbled Jane as she began to cry.