Disclaimer: I have no ownership whatsoever of any of these characters... no matter how much I wish I did.

Suddenly, the boy's eyes snapped open. He looked around and shook his head, trying to free his mind of the dream.

It was nearly sunset – he could feel the night coming on. He smiled to himself. Soon he would have free reign of Kingdom Hospital. After dark, he was able to wander wherever he pleased – so long as the girl stayed out of his way.

No, not the girl, her pet. The monstrous creature that protected her was what he needed to avoid. Ansebeth – the only thing in the entire universe that could make the boy feel threatened.

Ansebeth stalked the boy, hunted him, and considered him both a form of prey and a source of food. Too many times the giant animal had nearly caught him. The boy was determined not to let it happen again.

Night set in and the boy began his nightly rounds, wandering the halls and corridors of the giant hospital. He knew every corner of it by heart.

"I should." He thought "After so many years –"

A noise ahead of him interrupted his thoughts. It was a bell. The soft ringing of a hand chime echoed hauntingly through the halls of Kingdom Hospital.

The girl was claiming another life – he wouldn't think of missing it.