Ian was jogging along the quiet trail. Ever since he broke down at the theatre, he was determined to become a better man, and that began with losing a couple of pounds. A loud bark caught him off guard, and something black burst from the hedges, colliding into Ian's chest. Ian fell to the floor, ready to lash out, but stopped when he felt something wet on his cheek.
"Bella! Here!" Called out a voice from the bushes. Fred came out and saw Ian on the floor, with the great big Labrador licking his face. Fred almost laughed out loud at the sight. "Bella, Stop" He demanded of the dog. The dog obeyed and trotted to Fred's side and sat down. Ian stood up, dusting himself off.
"That you're dog?" He asked.
"Yeah, Beauty, isn't she" Said Fred, petting the dog on the top of the head.
"She's a she that size? Jesus, what do they put in dog food these days?" Ian brushed some remaining dirt off of his hair, and then pulled out a small ham roll from one of his pockets.
"I'd put that away if I were you ..." Fred warned, but the great dog had already jumped at Ian again. Ian's legs were comically stuck up in the air as he struggled with the dog, when suddenly Ian grunted in pain.
Clarice nodded in understanding. "I see, so that's your plan." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. "That just might work ..."
"Yeah, I hope so, but we need to contact Fred and Ian." Said Amy.
"It'll be easy to get Fred, but Ian might supply a problem" Said Clarice thoughtfully. "I got Fred's mobile number, so I'll phone him now." She got her grey mobile phone out of her pocket, and dialled his number. After a minute of talking, Clarice's voice turned to concern. "What, at the hospital? What's happened?"
Alice stared at her, afraid of whatever was happening, afraid that another person was dead.
Robert Burke sat at his desk, his legs up and his arms behind his head. He was whistling an out of tune song, Michael Jackson's Thriller. There was a knock on the door causing Robert to rush around organizing his messed up desk, putting papers in order and pens back in a jar.
"Robert" The faint voice could just be heard through the thick wooden door. Robert stopped rushing, calmed that is was Wendy. He stood, brushing his light brown hair out of his eyes, and straightened his tie. He turned the handle and opened the door, revealing the black haired girl.
"Hey, Robert" Greeted Wendy
"Hey, how're you holding up?" He asked, concerned that she'd have seen the recent deaths.
"Fine I suppose, I'm just having nightmares again." She revealed.
Robert was the only person she could truly trust, the only person who knew how she felt, and the only person she could talk freely about her woes. Robert Burke was the late Thomas Burke's brother. Thomas Burke had died two years ago in a wood chipper incident, and his death affected Robert greatly. Robert went into depression, often thinking about how much life would be better if he just killed himself. But Wendy changed all that. They had met in the police station, he had accidently revealed that he knew what she felt, and ever since then, then were attached.
"Nightmares!? What About?" Asked a very concerned Robert. "You know they could be messages, don't you?"
"Yes, but these were about the past, not anything new" Said Wendy, just as she said that, the image of a pole sprung into her mind, a pole with a specialised Logo. She knew that place, it was the front of the Curatio Hospital. "I got to go!" Wendy sprinted out of the door, leaving Robert
Ian held a bleeding arm as the doctors tended to it, wiping it clean and putting on tape. "Damn that dog, he nearly goddamn bit my arm off" He complained to Fred, who had locked Bella in his house while he took Ian to the hospital.
"He's nether done that before, but I'm sure it was an accident. You'll be fine" Assured Fred.
"Are you all right?" Came a voice from behind them, and Clarice walked in, followed by Alice and Amy.
"Yeah fine, Ian's just got a few scrapes." Said Fred, indicating Ian's arm.
"A few scrapes?" Said Ian Sceptically "I few scrapes?" He repeated.
"So, you'll all right then? You're fine?" asked Amy
"Yes, right as rain, thanks" Said Ian.
"Sorry, but I'm gonna go for a smoke" Said Alice.
"You smoke?" Asked Amy, slightly shocked that the usually shy Alice had taken up smoking.
Alice shrugged, then went to the outside.
Wendy was speeding, not caring about safety anymore. She was sure the brief image of the pole was a sign, for what, she did not know, but she knew she had the potential to save one of the five survivors. Her blue Honda created a blur as she turned the corner to the road for the hospital.
Alice was leaning against the wall, holding the cigarette with her teeth while she went to get some matches from her pocket. She was suddenly distracted by a crying child on the other side of the road, who was holding what looked like a dead kitten. Motherly instincts kicked into action as she walked across the road, prepared to comfort the child. To her side, a speeding car knocked over a pole with the hospitals logo on it. Alice didn't have any time to react as the car slammed into her. Due to the speed of the car, Alice flipped over, landing on the hard concrete, facing the sky. She didn't move, but could feel some crack bones, and her arm was defiantly broken. The car screeched to a stop and a black-haired woman shot out, her hands to her mouth. She ran over to Alice, but jumped backwards as the flag sped downwards. Blood splattered all over Wendy, soaking her clothes in a red tint. Wendy looked at Alice, to see the flag sticking out of her forehead. It would have been comical to see the flag waving in the wind like that, if it wasn't real.
A scream could be heard as the now four survivors came running out of the doors of the hospitals, having heard the thud of Alice's body. The two men stood back as the two women ran forward, hoping a false hope that Alice was still alive. They didn't take any notice of the driver, the blood-stained women, Wendy.