Lisa Garland stirred in her sleep. She was dreaming of blood and puss. Of a world outside her own that was absolutely terrifying. She was dreaming of the child that refuses to die. The girl put a hand on her shoulder and whispered the words " I can't protect you now". Lisa woke up. She sat at the bed gasping for air. Cold sweat was running down her face. She couldn't stop shaking and she put a lot of effort to stand up. She pressed her hand against the cold wall and stayed like that until she regained full consciousness. " Just a dream" she whispered and mopped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief she took out of her pocket. Carefully she straightened her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair. She walked to the sink and splashed water on her face. Everything was in place. The mirror above the sink reflecting her pale face. Her red cardigan and nursing cap carefully placed on the chair next to the bed. The note on the refrigerator about storing food and not drugs. All the little details indicating that everything is okay. But something was bothering her. And she couldn't figure out what exactly.
She turned off the faucet and looked at her face in the mirror. She was pale. She was feeling cold and tired. But she thought it was only reasonable. Is been quite a long time since she had a good night's sleep. Usually she would take short naps at the nurse's station and when she was at home she would stay up all night. It was Kaufman's fault. It was him that wouldn't release her from her duties even though she begged in the end. She couldn't take care of that girl anymore. She couldn't watch her suffer. She couldn't understand what was keeping her alive. Her body was so horribly charred and no matter how hard she tried to relieve her pain she was unable to. Medication,constant care and words of comfort were not enough. Nothing could help the poor child. And then a few days ago the child was gone. Just like that she disappeared. Lisa tried to find out what happened but she was so tired,so exhausted. So when no one was around to ask she gave up thinking of it. She entered the nurse's station and as soon as her head touched the pillow she was asleep. It felt more like passing out than sleep. How long she was asleep anyway?
But now she was awake and tonight she was working the night shift. She walked to the chair and wore her cardigan. She then took her cap and secured it on her head. She took a quick look in the mirror and walked to exit the room. It was in the hallway that she finally realized what was bothering her. It was quiet. But too quiet. It was like the hospital was completely empty. She slowly walked in the corridor heading to the reception. Not a soul. Not a sound in the distance. Confused she looked around her and said "Hello? ". No answer. The only sound was that of her heart that now was beating faster in her chest. She was heading for the elevator when she heard a soft whimper coming from the director's office. She approached and carefully opened the door. The thing in the room was once Rachael. Another nurse Lisa worked many night shifts with. Her face looked the same as before. But her mouth was covered in blood and her eyes were red. A terrible snuglike mass of flesh was growing out of her back causing her to hunch forward while her arms were hanging dead at her sides. Lisa back stepped and gasped. The creature raised it's head and growled. Lisa terrified turned and ran down the hallway locking herself in the examination room. It was the only room she had the key for on her at the time. Still trying to realize what she saw she hid under a desk.
" What the hell is happening ? " she cried.