War of the Worlds, Chapter 8
by Lucky_Ladybug
Norman was in his office, reading a copy of "UFOs Exposed" magazine. Strange things had been happening in the hospital lately. Just this morning, he could've sworn he heard a ham sandwich talking to him in the cafeteria. "I must be working too hard," Norman decided, until several others reported hearing it too.
"It must be possessed!" one woman screamed.
Norman had never heard such nonsense before in his life.
Then there was the incident later that day, with Dr. Alex Martin discovering a strange egg-shaped object in one of the patient's rooms. Norman had called in security, but even they couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be, though they assured him it wasn't a bomb.
And then there was that strange blue-white light that Norman had encountered when he entered his office that had picked up his desk and carried it all around the room, before depositing it upsidedown on the floor.
Yes, there was definitely something strange going on. Norman didn't really believe in aliens or ghosts . . . at least that's what he had tried to convince himself as he had righted his desk and colleted up everything that had been on it.
Suddenly Norman's thoughts were interrupted by a frantic voice. "Mr. Briggs! Mr. Briggs!" Young Ellie, Amanda's lab assistant, burst into the office. Norman quickly shoved the magazine in a desk drawer.
"Yes? What is it?" he asked crisply.
"Mr. Briggs, have you seen Dr. Bentley?" Ellie asked. "There's been a catasthrophe in the lab!"
"No, I haven't seen Dr. Bentley," Norman returned. "Exactly what kind of catasthrophe has occurred?"
Ellie paused, looking embarrassed. "Well, Mr. Briggs, I hope you won't think I'm seeing things, but . . ."
"Well? Out with it!" Norman said impatiently.
"A dead body got up off the slab and is wandering through the hospital!" Ellie burst out.
Norman was floored. After the strange things that had happened today, he had thought he'd never be surprised at anything again. But never in a million years had he expected to hear something like *that* . . .
"A dead body?" he said finally. Ellie nodded furiously. Norman tried to appear unconcerned. "Well, obviously, the man wasn't dead."
"Oh no, Mr. Briggs," Ellie exclaimed, "Dr. Bentley checked him out herself when he was brought in. He was definitely dead!"
Norman was at a loss for words. If what Ellie said was true, then things had gone too far around here. He had to get someone to investigate.
******
Norman looked at the telephone number that had been scribbled down on a piece of paper months before. 555-2350. Dare he dial it? Maybe he had been working too hard, as he'd originally thought. After all, there weren't any such things as aliens, ghosts, and . . . zombies.
Suddenly he heard a commotion outside his office. Quickly he ran to the door and looked out.
A man wearing a sheet from the pathology lab was running madly down the hall, knocking over food carts and nurses without so much as an "Excuse me" or an "I'm sorry."
Norman gasped. Quickly he backed into his office, picked up the telephone, and dialed the number.
Isaac, Mr. Smith's evil twin, invisible to the mortal eye, watched and laughed. He'd created a lot of commotion today and congratulated himself. Whoever Norman was calling would never figure what was happening at Community General hospital. How could they? Isaac looked forward to meeting whoever it was. "Look out, world," he muttered.
******
Norman was in much better spirits when he hung up the phone. Someone was coming to investigate and they'd arrive within a day or two! Finally---a rational explanation for the goings-on would be found, and the ridiculous alien theories would be disproved! That was something to celebrate. Little did he know . . .
by Lucky_Ladybug
Norman was in his office, reading a copy of "UFOs Exposed" magazine. Strange things had been happening in the hospital lately. Just this morning, he could've sworn he heard a ham sandwich talking to him in the cafeteria. "I must be working too hard," Norman decided, until several others reported hearing it too.
"It must be possessed!" one woman screamed.
Norman had never heard such nonsense before in his life.
Then there was the incident later that day, with Dr. Alex Martin discovering a strange egg-shaped object in one of the patient's rooms. Norman had called in security, but even they couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be, though they assured him it wasn't a bomb.
And then there was that strange blue-white light that Norman had encountered when he entered his office that had picked up his desk and carried it all around the room, before depositing it upsidedown on the floor.
Yes, there was definitely something strange going on. Norman didn't really believe in aliens or ghosts . . . at least that's what he had tried to convince himself as he had righted his desk and colleted up everything that had been on it.
Suddenly Norman's thoughts were interrupted by a frantic voice. "Mr. Briggs! Mr. Briggs!" Young Ellie, Amanda's lab assistant, burst into the office. Norman quickly shoved the magazine in a desk drawer.
"Yes? What is it?" he asked crisply.
"Mr. Briggs, have you seen Dr. Bentley?" Ellie asked. "There's been a catasthrophe in the lab!"
"No, I haven't seen Dr. Bentley," Norman returned. "Exactly what kind of catasthrophe has occurred?"
Ellie paused, looking embarrassed. "Well, Mr. Briggs, I hope you won't think I'm seeing things, but . . ."
"Well? Out with it!" Norman said impatiently.
"A dead body got up off the slab and is wandering through the hospital!" Ellie burst out.
Norman was floored. After the strange things that had happened today, he had thought he'd never be surprised at anything again. But never in a million years had he expected to hear something like *that* . . .
"A dead body?" he said finally. Ellie nodded furiously. Norman tried to appear unconcerned. "Well, obviously, the man wasn't dead."
"Oh no, Mr. Briggs," Ellie exclaimed, "Dr. Bentley checked him out herself when he was brought in. He was definitely dead!"
Norman was at a loss for words. If what Ellie said was true, then things had gone too far around here. He had to get someone to investigate.
******
Norman looked at the telephone number that had been scribbled down on a piece of paper months before. 555-2350. Dare he dial it? Maybe he had been working too hard, as he'd originally thought. After all, there weren't any such things as aliens, ghosts, and . . . zombies.
Suddenly he heard a commotion outside his office. Quickly he ran to the door and looked out.
A man wearing a sheet from the pathology lab was running madly down the hall, knocking over food carts and nurses without so much as an "Excuse me" or an "I'm sorry."
Norman gasped. Quickly he backed into his office, picked up the telephone, and dialed the number.
Isaac, Mr. Smith's evil twin, invisible to the mortal eye, watched and laughed. He'd created a lot of commotion today and congratulated himself. Whoever Norman was calling would never figure what was happening at Community General hospital. How could they? Isaac looked forward to meeting whoever it was. "Look out, world," he muttered.
******
Norman was in much better spirits when he hung up the phone. Someone was coming to investigate and they'd arrive within a day or two! Finally---a rational explanation for the goings-on would be found, and the ridiculous alien theories would be disproved! That was something to celebrate. Little did he know . . .