Epilogue One:
"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"
Dr. Hill looked at the lady in the white coat in front of him. She held a sympathetic look on her face, as if she felt sorry for the man. He understood why she would have that look on her face. "I'm sure." The suffering from the cancer wasn't bad, but living with the choices he made was. He should have tried harder to stop Josh. He should have tried harder to fight against Sophia Bennett. He could have saved the lives of those girls. Instead he had to watch them die. He knew he shouldn't have taken the bait that Bennett was clearly laying out for him. What did he hope to benefit by watching this? Closure? A chance to see Josh? He saw Josh. He also saw creatures that he hadn't even been able to imagine. He wasn't supposed to see these creatures. These were creatures that were supposed to haunt the nightmares of his patients.
"Dr. Hill, the cancer is terminal, there is no doubt about that, but we can work on extending your life for as much as two years."
He appreciated the insisting of the younger doctor. She didn't want to lose a patient, but he was tired. He didn't want to look at this world anymore, so he gave a warm, kind smile to her. None of this was her fault. "What is two years in the grand scheme of things, really?" He shook his head. "I have done my job. I thought I was doing a good job, I thought I was saving their lives, but at least three people are dead because of my actions, maybe more." He took a deep breath. "Dr. Walters, do you believe in monsters?"
She looked taken aback by the sudden change in tone with she question, blue eyes wide with curiosity. Dr. Hill liked her. She was bright, willing to listen to whatever had to be said by her patients. She wasn't a therapist, but he had no doubts that she would have made a great one. He noticed how her eyes flicked side to side as she tried to think of an answer. "I believe everyone has monsters. What might be a monster to some might be a blessing to another, like this cancer that is attacking you."
Smart girl. Young, early thirties. She had to be good to be this high of a position in the hospital at this age. "Well, I have seen true monsters. I don't think I could live in a world where these exist."
He saw another wave of sympathy cross over her face. "We have time," she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He gave her a smile. "You know, I was a therapist, but I never saw one myself. I thought I was above it. Is anyone really, though?"
She gave a small laugh, a single chuckle, really, but it was enough to lighten the mood in the somber room. "Well, if you need me to, I'll listen. You've got your monsters, and I've got mine. Go ahead and tell me."
"Are you sure you want to hear?"
"I'm sure. Everyone has a story that deserves to be heard."
Dr. Hill looked into the eyes of Dr. Walters, a mix of reluctance and excitement spreading across his features. He was about to change this woman's entire world, and that scared him, but people needed to know. "Well, this starts with a patient, Joshua Washington."
The next epilogue will appear on Tuesday, and will be the true ending to this story!