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All Stories © Sue Coulson 2016 All rights reserved.
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The Shroom of the Village Healers
The Hospice
South of the village green beside the road stood the Shroom of the village healers or the Hospice as it was better known. It was run very efficiently by Berta the head of the healers who was assisted by Ferah, her nurse and Gailing who was a skilled herbalist. Over the years the shroom had adapted itself to accommodate the growing needs of the village and now consisted of two main shrooms with a smaller shroom to the fore. The smaller shroom was now used as a store and contained all of the supplies, bandages and other medical paraphernalia which the Hospice needed and was also somewhere to hang drying herbs which Gailing needed to help treat the patients.
The left hand shroom could only be accessed via a long winding staircase which led from the stores stem, up around its cap and through a small door or through the main shroom via a bridge high up between the two shrooms. Access was made difficult to this side of the Hospice as this was where infectious cases were taken to be isolated from the rest of the patients. Only those with a good head for heights even tried to climb to the top. Those patients who were secluded there were usually too poorly to notice where they were being taken and were only too glad to be leaving that they did not mind too much about the climb down.
The right hand shroom held those patients who were there for more mundane matters, broken bones, tonsil removal and ingrown toenails and such. The village in general had a healthy population, the normal every day childhood diseases ran through the children, leaving only the odd chicken pox scar to show for it. Being somewhat isolated the village rarely suffered some of the more serious epidemics which swept through larger towns and cities and of course with dragon’s almost on the doorstep they did have something of an immunity to many illnesses, this being part of the dragons payment for pigment contracts and as a means of looking after the families of their familiars. However occasionally a member of the village would return from a journey or a traveller would enter the village bringing with them a sickness which would bring several of the villagers low. They would be taken immediately to the Isolation shroom where Berta and her staff would care for them until fully recovered.
Berta was dark haired and dark skinned and was a small woman and apart from the children was probably the shortest woman in the village. Berta’s hair was cropped close to her head and she was immaculately turned out in her neat uniform and cap. The Hospice was also immaculate and was scrubbed within an inch of its life every day. Although small she had the respect of the whole village and she stood no nonsense from anyone. Even Mother Redikin trod warily around Berta although she would never admit this to anyone.
Ferah too was dark haired but had a pale complexion, and unlike Berta she was tall and quite rotund. She bustled around the Hospice dispensing medicines as well as smiles and admonishments as needed to all who came within the walls, it mattered not that the person in front of her was some important member of the village council or just the village grocer boy, once they were in the Hospice they all became equal and received the same efficient treatment. She was much loved by all of her patients and many brought her flowers or small gifts in thanks for her efforts once they were well and had returned home.
Gailing was a ruddy faced man with a genial disposition. He was a herbalist and when duties allowed he could often be seen on the banks of the river or wandering in the woods collecting various medicinal herbs to restock the Hospices stores. Once collected the herbs and roots would be dried or steeped in various concoctions created by Gailing. Then sliced, diced or powdered and made into pills or elixirs depending on the medication needed. Gailing had been a herbalist for many years and was coaching two or three of the village youngsters in how to identify, pick and prepare the various items the hospice needed for making its medicines. He was hoping that at least one of them would eventually become his apprentice and carry on the good work he had started.
