It's Not My Time
Chapter Four
The Morgue
The morgue was different from Kim's image of it. She expected a bloody room with surgical tools strewn everywhere and body parts scattered around the floor. Instead it was a clean room. Kim peered into the dark room and saw some medical examination tables. She wished she could turn the lights on; it was so dark she could barely see.
She stumbled around the darkness trying to find the boy, but the only voice she heard was her own. Then she bumped into something. She looked down and shrieked when she saw it was a body bag, complete with body inside. She recovered from the initial shock and continued to search the room.
Her eyes began to adjust to the light and she saw the rows of cabinets where corpses were stored. It gave her an uneasy feeling and she imagined what it would be like in there. After going around the morgue twice, she couldn't find the boy. He probably went through a wall and made his escape.
"Darn it!"
Kim turned to leaved, but stopped when she heard an unsettling sound. She turned back and saw the zipper on the body bag moving down the body. Kim couldn't move; she was too frightened. This was like a scene from a horror movie and she was the victim that gets killed.
The body bag opened and a disgusting sight emerged. The corpse was of a man whose face had been burned or something because it was severely scarred and almost unbearable to look at. Kim felt the urge to throw up.
The living corpse stood up from the table it was on and made a somewhat awkward limp towards Kim. Its gray flesh blended in with the darkness of the room and the creature's blood-red eyes were the only things that seemed to pierce it.
The corpse extended its hands at Kim like a zombie trying to grab its prey. It made a shrill cry that made Kim cover her ears in pain. She decided it was time to leave, but when she tried to push open the door, it wouldn't budge. She also couldn't walk through it.
She ran for a wall, but instead her body bounced off and she fell on her butt. She rubbed it and tried to find another exit. However, there was none. The walking dead man kept its slow pace at her. She could easily outrun it, but the room she was in was small and didn't give her that option. All she could do was moved to the other side of the room where the corpse would have to drag itself.
She could do this for a long time and that gave her time to think of a way out. She suspected that the boy she had tried to catch up to was behind this, but she didn't know why. Suddenly a new sound came to Kim's ears and it was just as bad as the zipper sound.
Kim heard the rattling of the body cabinets. The stored bodies were attempting to get out. Kim looked in a fearful awe at the cabinets, but she lost focus on the one corpse that was out.
It caught up to her and grabbed at her shoulders. She wrestled free, but the zombie-like man opened its mouth to try and bite her with its discolored teeth. Kim kicked at its head and heard a crack. The head was slanted slightly, but the corpse continued to attack her. She punched at the man's face, but his hands caught her arm and his nails dug into her skin.
The question as to how anything could grab and hurt her never crossed her mind because she was in too much pain and fear to worry about that. She kicked at the creature's legs and it let her go. She saw blood oozing from her wound and her arm felt like it was on fire.
She kicked at the creature's legs two more times before they both snapped. The man fell to the ground, but kept on coming. Now it crawled towards her. Kim was getting tired of this. She wished Ron was here. He would save her at the last minute, or after a series of accidental circumstances Ron would somehow beat the bad guy and she would be there to hold him.
She went for the door, but it still refused to open for her. She looked at the cabinets and saw them one by one opening and corpses started coming out. Kim slumped down in front of the door whimpering. She had never been this afraid before in her life.
She didn't know what the creatures could do to spirits, but if they could hurt her, then she fretted over what damage they could really do when they got her. Kim closed her eyes and kept repeating Ron's name. If this was the end, then she wanted to keep him in her mind. That way she wouldn't be as scared.
Kim waited for what seemed like ages, but after several moments nothing happened. Kim slowly opened an eye and saw that she was outside the morgue doors. She turned around and saw the boy she had been chasing looking at her.
He offered his hand to her. "Let me help you up." Kim's hand kept going for his hand, and then kept coming back. She didn't know who he was or what his agenda was, but in the end she took his hand and got up.
"Now," she said, "Can you explain to me who you are and what's going on?"
The boy smiled. "Gladly."
Ron took a drink of water from a fountain. Mrs. Dr. P was hard to find. Every doctor or nurse he asked gave him different locations of her doing multiple tasks. And odds were she was doing all those things.
"Kim's mom sure is dedicated." He saw Rufus in his pocket looking at him. The naked mole rat pointed at the hallway indicating that it was time to move on. He wanted to help Kim just as much as Ron. Nothing made him happier than to see his friend with his girlfriend.
"This way," the mole rat directed. Ron headed in the direction Rufus was pointing.
After almost an hour of searching, Ron smiled when he saw Anne at a doctor's desk with a clipboard in her hand.
"Yo, Mrs. Dr. P!"
Anne looked at Ron. "What's wrong Ron?" she asked concerned since he wasn't with Kim.
"Nothing, I just had a question I wanted to ask."
"Go ahead, but be quick. I have surgery in fifteen."
"Okay. Let's say someone is in a deep, deep, deep, deep sleep. You can't wake them up no matter what you try. Is there anyway to rouse them from their slumber?"
The doctor narrowed her eyes at Ron. "Why do you ask that?"
"Because I'm doing a report on different kinds of medicines and what effects they have." Anne was suspicious of Ron's question and he knew it.
Anne stared at the blonde teen for a few moments trying to see what his intentions were, but answered anyway. "There are some types of drugs that are designed for that. One in particular called, Ampichlorine, has been successful in reviving people who had been in comas for months at a time and even helped bring some people back to life after their heart stopped, but doctors only use it as a last resort. The drug is very dangerous and can potentially kill the patient if used incorrectly."
"Are there any side effects?" Ron asked. Maybe this could work on Kim.
"Not really. The drug is basically a big stimulant. It revamps the bodies organs and brain waves to kick start the body, but like I said, it's a dangerous drug and is only used in emergency situations."
"Of course," Ron grinned. Ann's eyes narrowed. Ron rubbed the back of his neck. "Well that was all I needed. I guess I'll go back to Kim's room and start working on that report now."
He waved as he left. Ron rounded the corner and as soon as he was out of view, he went in the direction of the pharmacy. "Only used in emergencies huh? Well this is an emergency in my book and Kim needs to wake up before she's called to the afterlife that she doesn't want to go to."
Rufus nodded in agreement and the two walked gingerly to the pharmacy.
"My name is Joel," the boy said taking a short bow. "And I just saved you from being eaten by those restless spirits."
Kim studied Joel's face; he seemed genuine so Kim let her guard down, but only a little.
"Those things were spirits?"
Joel nodded. "Sadly yes. Those were the spirits of people who have stayed on this earth for too long. I learned to avoid them, but you were busy chasing me and didn't see the danger."
"I didn't see the danger?!" Kim almost exploded.
"Please I meant no disrespect. I understand that you are new to this. Restless spirits collect at points where death has occurred or where death presides. Like a morgue. Once you went in they sealed you in and tried to eat you."
Kim shuddered just thinking about it. "Why did they think I was chow?"
"Restless spirits are crazy. They have no reason other than to fuel their insanity."
"Okay, but why did you run from me in the first place, and what kind of spirit are you; if are one?"
Joel smiled and put his fingers through his boyish hair. "I ran because I didn't know what your intentions were. It has been a long time since I've seen other spirits who have a mind. As for me, I am a wandering spirit. Someone who chose not to crossover and for that I am doomed to wander the earth forever."
"Until you become a restless spirit?" Kim asked. She saw him look at her with eyes of ages. He was older than he looked. He sure talked more maturely.
"Yes, eventually I guess. I am over two hundred years old. Lots of time to regret my decision."
What decision?" Kim asked curiously. She held her injured arm. Some blood dripped from her hand and onto the floor. Joel saw this.
"Focus on your arm," Joel instructed. "Imagine it getting better and concentrate all your effort on the wound."
Kim did as she was instructed and much to her amazement her injury was gone. "How did…"
"Spirits have more powers than you think Ms. Possible."
"How do you know my name?" Kim recalled never telling him it.
"I get around. I have heard about your famous exploits as a teen hero. Saving the world. It sounds exciting. You do a great service for mankind."
"It is very gratifying." Kim replied. She thought she would be getting a complement from a ghost.
"As for you earlier question, my decision to stay on earth. When I died of tuberculosis, I met my grandfather who I hadn't seen in two years after wandering around the cemetery I was buried in. I was so happy to see him. He told me that it was time for me to make a choice: crossover to the afterlife or remain on earth."
Joel took a moment of silence then continued.
"I was young and foolish. I chose to stay with me family and friends who were still alive. It was nice at first, but after I watched my sister grow old and die, my best friend being killed in a war, a girl I liked marrying and having children, I realized that I was alone. I would never see them again. They are probably all together in wherever it is we go to. I wish I could join them, but after you choose to stay you can never go back. I understand that you are at that crossroad?"
"Yes," Kim nodded.
"What is you choice?"
Kim looked down at the ground thinking about it. She only had one thing on her mind and that was getting back into her body, but after hearing Joel's story she began to have doubts. What if she couldn't wake up? Would she stay on earth forever or would she go to the afterlife and see her Nana and other family members? She didn't know. She couldn't make a choice yet.
Kim looked up to answer, but was surprised to see that Joel had vanished. She wondered if maybe her presence reminded him of the pain of his choice and that he couldn't bear it anymore. She wondered if she stayed on earth, would she become like those things that attacked her? She didn't think she would go crazy, but then again she didn't think that ghosts were real at first either.
Kim looked at the clock on the wall. It had been almost an hour since she left Ron. She didn't know how time could fly so much. She needed to talk to Ron; she needed comfort right now.
Ron and Rufus saw the pharmacy and discussed their plan for getting the medicine. When they were ready, Ron casually walked up to the counter where a nurse was smiling at him.
"My I help you?" she said brightly.
"Yes, I would like to buy some vitamins please."
"Why the vitamins are over there." She pointed to a series of shelves where common drugs or medicines were kept that were available without a prescription.
"Oh, right, but I can't find the ones I like. Maybe you could help me find them?"
At first the woman was hesitant. She was the only person in the pharmacy and it was against the rules to leave the drugs alone where anyone could potentially steal them. She was about to deny his request, but Ron whipped out his secret weapon.
"Pleeeeease?" His lips pouted perfectly into the Puppy Dog Pout. Kim had done it enough on him that he learned it and this was the first time he could try it on someone. The nurse seemed to be taken aback, then with a heavy sigh she left the counter to help Ron.
This was the opening Rufus was waiting for. The mole rat scurried across the floor and climbed the shelves and cabinets. He scanned the contents looking for the drug that Ron told him to get. He found it eventually, but it was locked behind a glass case. He looked over at Ron who was with the nurse and motioned with his arms that he need time.
Ron saw the signal. The nurse found the medicine. "Here ya go! Let me ring it for you." She started towards the counter. Ron had to think fast.
"Wait!!" The nurse turned startled by Ron's loud outburst. "I, uh…also need to buy some condoms."
Ron blushed at the thought. He thought it sounded stupid, but it was the first thing that came to his head.
"Condoms, sir?" the nurse asked.
"Yes, my girlfriend is being released today and I wanted to give her some TLC."
The nurse smiled. She had a respect for people who were devoted to their loved ones. "Alright sir, let's see…what type do you like?"
Ron stared at her. "There are types?"
The nurse shook her head. "First time buying?"
Ron nodded.
"Let me show you the different kinds we have available and see which one suits you the best."
Rufus watched the nurse lead Ron across the aisles. Ron waved at Rufus motioning him to hurry. The pink mole rat went into overdrive. He dug her teeth into the lock and began using them like a pick. He turned and twisted his little teeth until he heard a click.
Rufus opened the now unlocked door and grabbed the small bottle of Ampichlorine. After closing the door, he held it in his mouth and quickly dove for the ground when he saw Ron and the nurse returning to the counter.
Ron had no idea that buying a condom would be so difficult or embarrassing, but he settled on the basic kind. He had no intention of using it, but it would look suspicious if he put it back now. He would toss it later and Kim would have no idea.
As Ron turned the corner, he saw Rufus waiting for him with the drug in his mouth. "Way to go buddy." Ron pet his friend's head then Rufus went back into the safety of his pocket.
Ron carefully put the medicine into his pocket with Rufus and headed for Kim's room. This would save her, he just knew it.
Kim was filed with a series of emotions as she walked back to the room where her body was. She was scared of dying and being alone. She was angry that a group of psycho spirits tried to kill her, in a way. She was sad over Joel's story, and she was confused about her decision and that frustrated her.
She could always make the right decision in normal circumstances, but now she was faced with a choice that she didn't want to make. Part of her was screaming for her to give in, just accept the fact that she was going to die, and cross over with Nana. The other part was telling her to fight and never give up.
She saw what the consequences were for staying on earth, but her resistance to never give in and never surrender was pushing her towards that fate. She entered her room and saw Nana sitting by her body.
"Hello Kimberly, I hope you used your time wisely because it's decision time."
Kim stood frozen. "No, not now." "I need more time, Nana."
"I'm sorry my dear, but your body is nearing its end. I must ask you, will you come with me, or stay here."
Kim was torn between her two sides. She knew it the logical choice to cross over, but that Possible spirit in her was making her lose sight of that. She thought long and hard considering all the alternatives and other options.
Kim took Nana's hand and took a deep breath. "I have made my choice."
Anne Possible walked down the hall from surgery. She was able to get another doctor to take her place. It was a small procedure and any doctor could do it blindfolded. She was suspicious of Ron's actions and the questions he asked. She wanted to get some answers.
The doctor made her way to the pharmacy. She prayed that her hunch was wrong. She knew Ron loved Kim, but would he go that far? To Be Continued…
One more chapter coming up! What will Kim say? Will she cross over or will she stay on earth, or will Ron be able to bring her back? Find out in our next episode.
Please review and don't forget to check out my other story The Scarlet Maiden with pirates, adventure, and treasure! KingOAnime.