"OK, I'm out of guesses." Al said as he walked with Luna through the hospital halls. "I've seen my share of hospitals, don't you think?"
"Oh hush yourself," Luna said almost teasing. "You want to get back to the world of the living or what?"
"I thought you said..."
"Never mind what I said. Listen to what I'm saying. You got a chance here, sugar. A real chance."
"A real chance at what?" Al said. "I still don't get it."
"Watch baby." Luna said. The halls were still busy, but somehow Al knew what he was waiting for. A young resident, his nose buried in patient files, nothing else seeming to matter in the world. "That's him, sugar. Michael McBain."
"I see him," Al stepped forward, his arms across his chest. "What's his deal?"
"He's your loaner, baby." Al turned back abruptly, staring at Luna. "You need to get back life and this guy's your ticket." Al shook his head questioningly. "You're gonna take over his body."
"I can just do that? What happened to the rules?"
"This is an exception." Al looked confused. "You don't have to understand it, just go with it. You get the body tonight."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. But listen, sugar. There are some rules to go along with the exception."
"An exception to the rule has rules?" Al was still completely lost. "I guess I can go with that. What rules?"
"Just a few. But they're pretty important. You take over Michael's body. Everyone's gonna be seeing Michael McBain, not Al Holden."
"So in other words, I'm a creep." Al said.
"However you want to look at it." Luna paused. "You want to win Marcie back... that's exactly what you have to do. But you can't even hint at the fact that you're you. She'll have to figure that out on her own."
"I can handle that," Al said. "Sounds easy enough. No problem."
"You get his baggage too, sugar. Everything that goes along with the name Michael McBain. You sure you still want to go through with this?"
"I have to. I have to do this. If I want to have any real chance at life... I have to do this..."
Nightfall. The cool breeze was blowing in off the water at the docks as she made her way back to the dorms from the community center. An average sized blonde, still wearing her leotard from dance class. She folded her arms around herself, holding her coat closed.
A chill crawled up her spine, turning at every sound out of nervousness and fear, brushing it off each time as her just being paranoid. Which was why, as she passed the docks, she was taken completely by surprise as the red cloth came around her neck, tightening. She struggled pointlessly, grabbing for the cloth, trying to claw at the gloved hands. She couldn't scream, she couldn't even breath. It wasn't long before her arms fell, her knees buckled and she went limp. It was over. Her lifeless body was propped up a bit hunched, as from the bag, a miniature music box was removed and placed strategically by the body. It was opened, allowing the soft melodic, yet mysterious music fill the air.
Without a witness yet again, the killer slipped away from the scene of the crime adding another name to his list of victims.
