Read Chapter 3: — THREE AGAINST THE WORLD

Medical school punished arrogance quickly.

Daniel discovered that electrical engineering had given him no special advantage in memorising the brachial plexus. Marcus discovered that neat handwriting did not make dissection less unsettling. Clara discovered, to her horror, that she became light-headed at the sight of blood.

The three of them survived by becoming a small alliance.

They shared notes, repaired malfunctioning lab equipment, argued over physiology questions in the cafeteria and took turns covering for Clara during the first seconds of any procedure involving a needle.

Daniel adapted fastest. He had a way of turning anatomy into systems and systems into stories. Blood flow became fluid dynamics. Nerve conduction became signal transmission. Imaging physics made immediate sense to him.

Marcus hated how natural it looked.

He was not a poor student. He was excellent. That was almost worse.

In engineering, the difference between them had been a few marks. In medicine, Daniel seemed to acquire a reputation before Marcus had worked out how to introduce himself to consultants.

Clara noticed the tension and refused to indulge it.

"He's not stealing your oxygen," she told Marcus after a practical exam. "You can both be good."

"Easy for you to say."

"Why?"

Marcus looked at her, then away.

Because Clara was the one thing he did not want to share.

She had changed since their engineering year. Medicine made her more focused. Piano made her visible. When she played at college events, people who had never spoken to the three transfer students suddenly knew her name.

Daniel seemed oblivious.

That, too, irritated Marcus.

One evening the three crossed campus under yellow streetlights after a late anatomy session. Clara linked one arm through Daniel's and the other through Marcus's.

"We made a terrible decision," she announced.

"You say that every Thursday," Daniel said.

"Thursday is when I understand the consequences."

Marcus laughed.

For a moment there was no rivalry, no illness, no future scandal, no career between them.

Only three young people walking home, exhausted and convinced that whatever came next, they would face it together.