EPISODE 1
Dahlia and Lucita skidded to a halt at the entrance, their escape thwarted by a terrifying apparition. The figure loomed before them, its eyes aglow with an eerie, otherworldly light, fangs bared in a menacing snarl. Lucita's voice trembled as she whispered, "What unholy abomination is this?"
The girls stood frozen, their minds reeling in horror. "This must be a sick prank, right?" Lucita asked, her laugh laced with nervousness. "Come out, come out, we're not afraid of you!" she taunted, her bravado faltering as the figure advanced with an unsettling, supernatural grace.
Dahlia's eyes widened as the creature drew closer, its presence all too real, all too terrifying. "Run!" she shrieked, her voice shattering the spell. Lucita's sprained ankle forgotten, she sprinted with a speed that belied her injury, Dahlia hot on her heels. The figure effortlessly kept pace, its eyes fixed on its prey with an unblinking gaze.
As they fled, the creature suddenly materialized before them, its presence sending them tumbling to the floor. "Ah!" they screamed in unison, their terror echoing through the hallway like a chorus of the damned. Dahlia cursed as she struggled to rise, but the figure hoisted her up with ease, its strength supernatural.
"Let me go!" she kicked and flailed, her legs dangling in mid-air like a puppet on a string. With a jarring motion, the creature slammed her to the floor, the impact leaving her dazed and reeling. Before she could recover, its fangs sunk into her neck, the pain stabbing and excruciating, like a thousand knives piercing her skin.
Dahlia's cry was drowned out by Lucita's frantic screams for help, her voice hoarse with fear. In desperation, Lucita grabbed a chair and struck the creature with all her might, freeing Dahlia from its grasp. The figure cast a malevolent glance at Lucita before vanishing into the darkness, leaving behind a trail of terror and a gravely injured Dahlia.
Lucita cradled her unconscious friend, blood gushing from the wound in her neck like a fountain of life. "Help!" she screamed, her voice hoarse with fear. "Somebody, please help!" The darkness seemed to swallow her plea, leaving only the echoes of their terror and the faint rustling of the creature's disappearance.
*
The hospital's corridors resounded with a haunting melody of infant wails and anguished moans, a poignant symphony that seemed to bridge the fragile divide between life and death. Dahlia sat on her bed, her gaze lost in the serene landscape beyond the window, a stark contrast to the chaos that ravaged the hospital's walls. She reached for the water bottle beside her, its coolness a refreshing balm for her parched throat. As she sat there, a nurse entered her room, her scrubs rustling softly with each step. "Miss Spivot, you're discharged. You can go ahead and leave," she announced, her voice a welcome reprieve from the eerie atmosphere.
Dahlia's response was laced with relief, but her expression soon turned concerned. "Thank you, but my friend was supposed to meet me here. Can I wait for her?"
The nurse nodded sympathetically, her eyes filled with understanding. "Sure, take your time. I just wanted to let you know you're cleared to leave."
With that, she departed, leaving Dahlia alone in the room. Dahlia's gaze drifted back to the window, taking in the vibrant sights outside. But her tranquility was short-lived. A sudden gust of wind swept through, sending shivers down her spine. She rubbed her arms, perplexed by the inexplicable chill. As she turned to pace around the room, her eyes landed on a figure watching her through the door. Her heart skipped a beat. It was him – the same menacing figure from that fateful night. Their eyes locked, and for an eternal moment, they stared at each other. Then, he vanished.
Dahlia's feet seemed rooted to the spot, her mind reeling with fear. She tried to convince herself it was just her imagination, but the memory of those piercing eyes lingered, haunting her. With a sense of trepidation, Dahlia pursued the mysterious figure, her feet pounding the hospital corridors with a speed that belied her recent hospitalization.
The doctor's words of caution faded into the background as she focused on catching up with the elusive stranger. Just ahead, a woman emerged from the doctor's office, her expression hopeful. "Thank you, Doctor," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
The doctor's response was reassuring. "Don't worry, we're hopeful he'll recover soon. We just need him to wake up so we can see how he's doing."
As the woman turned to leave, the man Dahlia was chasing pushed her to the ground, his actions swift and menacing. The doctor's outcry echoed through the hallway. "What in the world! This is a hospital, not a place for this kind of behavior!"
Dahlia's determination only grew stronger, her eyes fixed on the fleeing figure. The doctor's calls to her fell on deaf ears as she raced through the corridors, her heart pounding in her chest.
The woman, still trying to process the sudden attack, looked up at the doctor in confusion. "What's going on? Are they mad?"
The doctor's expression was grim as he took off after Dahlia. "I'll be back," he called out, his voice fading into the distance.
Dahlia's single-minded pursuit ended abruptly as she collided with a passerby, her momentum sending her crashing to the floor. The stranger she had been chasing was long gone, vanished into the labyrinthine hospital corridors.
Her frustration boiled over as she glared at the person she had bumped into. "Would you at least watch where you're going?" she exclaimed, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
The doctor caught up with her, his expression a mix of concern and exasperation. "Dahlia, what's going on? Why are you out of your room and why are you chasing someone?"
Dahlia's response was curt, her eyes still scanning the surrounding area. "Listen, Doctor, I don't have time for your lectures, okay? I gotta go."
Without another word, she sprang to her feet and sprinted out of the hospital, leaving the doctor and the bewildered woman behind.
Dahlia's search for the mysterious man proved fruitless, and as the sky darkened, she grew increasingly anxious. Lucita was nowhere to be seen, and the hospital's imposing structure seemed to loom over her like a sentinel. Just then, the doctor appeared beside her, his footsteps echoing on the pavement.
"Here," he said, offering her a bottle of water. Dahlia accepted it gratefully, taking a long sip to quench her thirst. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, her eyes never leaving the doctor's face.
"Thanks," she said, her voice soft.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're a good runner," he commented, his tone light.
Dahlia shrugged, her gaze drifting away. "I was just going after someone."
Hiss expression turned concerned. "Why are you here alone? Isn't Lucita coming today?"
Dahlia's smile was wry. "Maybe she's out partying again."
His eyes narrowed. "But you can't stay at the hospital, and it's getting dark. Where will you go?"
Dahlia peeled off the label from the bottle, her fingers fidgeting. "I don't know...I guess I'll figure something out."
He made a spontaneous offer . "You can come with me to my house, if you want."
Dahlia's laughter was husky. "That's pretty bold, huh?"
His smile was disarming. "I meant it in a good way."
Dahlia's eyes locked onto his, her gaze searching. "Good way? I don't even know your name, and you want to invite me over to your house?"
He gave a warm chuckle. "I'm Richard, your doctor. How can you not know my name when I'm the one assigned to you?"
Dahlia's shrug was sheepish. "Was I supposed to remember?"
Richard's smile faltered for a moment before he replied, "Maybe not. But the offer is still valid. I'm on my way home since my shift is over."
Dahlia's response was firm, her eyes never leaving his. "No thanks, I'm pretty sure Lucita would be here any minute."
Richard nodded, his expression understanding. "Get home safely, then."
As Dahlia turned to walk back into the hospital, Richard's eyes lingered on her retreating figure, his thoughts whirling with concern and something more.
Richard remained sitting for some time then walked up to his car. He opened the door, stepped in and started the engine. Taking one last look at the hospital he drove off.
As Dahlia wandered through the hospital's labyrinthine corridors, her curiosity led her to a door marked "Cold Room". She pushed it open, and a chill ran down her spine as she stepped inside. But to her surprise, the cold air didn't bite. Instead, she felt a strange sense of comfort, like a warm embrace on a winter's night.
Her hand instinctively went to her neck, where the bandages had been covering the wound. She unwrapped them, revealing the spot where the figure's fangs had pierced her skin. The wound was fully healed, with no trace of a scar or even a faint mark. It was as if her body had erased all evidence of the attack.
Dahlia's gaze roamed the room, taking in the rows of boxes stacked like sentinels. Her eyes landed on a section labeled "Blood Storage", and she felt an inexplicable pull towards it. She approached the boxes, her fingers trailing over the labels: TYPE A, TYPE AB, TYPE O... Her hand stopped on one that read TYPE B.
"Is this like a blood bank?" she whispered to herself, her curiosity piqued.
Without thinking, she picked up a bag, tore it open, and raised it to her lips. The metallic taste of blood flooded her senses, and she drank deeply, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. She emptied the bag, then reached for another, and another, until she had drained the entire box.
Only when she looked down at her hands, covered in blood, and the empty bags scattered around her, did reality hit her like a slap in the face. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed, her voice shaking. "What have I done?"
*
The chaos was palpable as sirens wailed and ambulances raced through the streets, their lights flashing like beacons of doom. Paramedics scrambled to cover and transport the lifeless bodies to the morgue, while police officers patrolled the area with a sense of urgency. At the hospital, Richard, along with his team of doctors and nurses, worked tirelessly to make sense of the carnage. The steady stream of bodies pouring in, all bearing the same gruesome bite marks on their necks, left them stunned and bewildered.
"Where the hell are these bodies coming from?" Richard exclaimed, his frustration evident.
Nurse Abigail's somber tone only added to the gravity of the situation. "Doc, we're finding at least one body on every street, all with the same bite marks. Autopsy reports indicate they died from blood loss."
Richard's eyes widened in disbelief. "Bite marks on their necks? Not a single one made it here alive?"
He requested to see a corpse, and Abigail led him to the morgue. The bite mark on the lifeless body was identical to the one Dahlia had when she was brought in. Richard's mind raced with the implications.
Just then, Dahlia walked past the morgue, and Richard's eyes followed her. "What is she doing here? Her room is on the second floor," he whispered to Abigail.
Without explanation, he excused himself and discreetly trailed Dahlia to her room. She collapsed onto her bed, fast asleep. Richard entered her room stealthily, his eyes fixed on her tousled hair and the dried leaves tangled within. He gently pushed her hair aside, revealing her neck. The bite mark was gone, but her hands told a different story – they were stained with blood.
Richard's thoughts swirled with questions. "Why are her hands covered in blood? Didn't she go home?"
His pager beeped, interrupting his train of thought. He silently exited the room, leaving Dahlia to her slumber. But as the door closed, Dahlia's eyes flickered open, her gaze piercing the darkness.
*
The building was shrouded in darkness, the only illumination coming from faint red lights that cast an ominous glow. The air was heavy with the scent of decay and death, and the walls seemed to whisper secrets to each other. In the corner, humans were bound and gagged, their eyes wide with terror as they struggled against their restraints. The room was a labyrinth of shadows, with cobwebs hanging like macabre tapestries.
At the center of this eerie lair, a man sat on a throne, his presence radiating an aura of divine power. His eyes gleamed with an otherworldly intensity, and his lips curled into a sly smile as he raised his glass of red wine - or was it blood? - to his lips. The man who entered was all smiles, his heartiness a stark contrast to the sinister atmosphere. "Mission accomplished," he announced, his voice dripping with pride.
The man on the throne raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "How?" he asked, his voice low and commanding.
"She has embraced the eternal night and tasted the sweetness of blood for the first time," the man reported, his voice dripping with reverence.
"The town is abuzz with whispers of her unholy prowess, and the shadows themselves seem to tremble with fear at the mention of her name."
The man on the throne leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with an unholy light. "Interesting," he murmured, his voice like a rusty gate creaking in the darkness, as he set his glass down with a delicate clink.
*
Dahlia was huddled out of her dreams, her eyes snapping open like a trap. She stared at the ceiling, her mind still reeling from the vivid nightmare. She recounted the dream, her heart racing: being chased through a crowded club, the music pulsating in her ears, and then the creature - its eyes glowing red like embers - closing in, its fangs sinking into her skin. The memory sent a shiver down her spine. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the lingering fear, but the image lingered, haunting her.
Dahlia's eyes went open again, and she was met with the sight of Lucita packing up her belongings in her hospital room. She was taken aback, wondering how Lucita had managed to slip in unnoticed. Her senses seemed heightened, and she could hear her heart pounding in her chest, the blood coursing through her veins like a river. Every beat echoed in her mind like a drumbeat.
Lucita spun around, startled, and let out a tiny yelp when she saw Dahlia's gaze fixed on her, a look of fury etched on her face. "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?" Lucita asked, her voice laced with concern.
Dahlia's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with suspicion. "Where were you?" she demanded, her voice low and even.
Lucita hesitated, her eyes darting around the room before settling back on Dahlia. "Somewhere," she replied vaguely.
Dahlia's gaze never wavered. "And this 'somewhere' doesn't have a name?"
Lucita shifted uncomfortably, her eyes dropping. "I...I didn't mean to leave you here all by yourself, Dahlia. Something came up, and I couldn't make it back last night."
Dahlia's anger simmered just below the surface. "Something like a party, huh?" she spat, her voice dripping with venom.
As she rose from the bed, her movements were slow and deliberate, her eyes fixed on Lucita. "You're always doing everything you want, going on dates, living your life...while I'm stuck here, alone and forgotten."
Lucita took a step back, her hands raised in a placating gesture. "Dahlia, that's not fair. I was at school, we had a meeting with the course adviser, and then I went on a date. I didn't mean to neglect you."
Dahlia's anger boiled over, her words tumbling out in a torrent. "I'm always second priority, Lucita! You're always putting yourself first, and I'm tired of it!"
The room seemed to shrink, the tension between them palpable. Lucita's face paled, her eyes wide with hurt. "How can you say that, Dahlia? I'm here for you, I've always been here for you!"
Dahlia's words died on her lips as she seemed to snap out of her trance-like state. Her expression crumpled, and she burst into tears. "I'm sorry, Lucita. I didn't mean it. I was just so scared last night...there was someone watching me, and I couldn't find you..."
Lucita's face softened, and she opened her arms, enveloping Dahlia in a warm embrace. "Shh, it's okay, I'm here now. I won't leave you again, I promise."
Dahlia's fangs extended as her head laid on Lucita's shoulder, her eyes blazing like crimson embers. Her fingernails sharpened, transforming into razor-sharp claws. The sound of Lucita's heartbeat grew louder, the rhythmic thud of blood pumping through her veins like a siren's call. Dahlia's gaze locked onto the tender skin of Lucita's neck, her fangs aching to sink in. But just as she leaned in, the door burst open, and Richard's voice cut through the tension.
"What's going on?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room, taking in the embrace between the girls.
Lucita disentangled herself, a smile plastered on her face. "Oh, it's nothing, Doctor."
Dahlia's fangs retracted, her eyes flashing back to their normal shade. She seemed to shrink into herself, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Okay, I heard you're leaving now, Dahlia," Richard said, his tone neutral.
Dahlia nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes...goodbye."
As Richard exited the room, Lucita turned to Dahlia, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Ooh, you've made yourself a friend."
Dahlia's gaze dropped. "No, he's not."
Lucita's expression softened, and she gestured to Dahlia's mud-stained clothes. "Girl, you look dirty. Go take a shower."
Dahlia nodded, her movements mechanical, and stepped into the bathroom. The mirror reflected a stranger's face - pale, gaunt, and haunted. Dahlia's eyes searched for answers, her mind reeling with questions. "What is wrong with me? What am I becoming?"
*
Dahlia sat on her bed, her eyes fixed on the wall as she replayed the events of the previous day in her mind. She couldn't believe what she had done. She had drunk all the blood in the Blood Bank, and yet, she felt an insatiable hunger still lingering within her. It was as if she had only teased her thirst, and now her body craved more. The memory of her actions made her shudder.
But that wasn't the worst of it. She had also felt an overwhelming urge to bite Lucita, her own friend. The thought sent a chill down her spine. What was happening to her? She couldn't recognize herself anymore.
To make matters worse, nothing she ate seemed to stay in her stomach. She had been vomiting continuously since her discharge from the hospital, and the constant nausea was taking a toll on her body. Fear crept in as she wondered if she was succumbing to some kind of illness.
Desperate for answers, Dahlia turned to the internet, scouring the web for any information that might explain her symptoms. She typed in keywords like "blood cravings," "vomiting," and "unexplained hunger," hoping to stumble upon something that would shed light on her condition. As she scrolled through the search results, her heart raced with anticipation and fear. What would she find? And would it be enough to save her from this downward spiral?
"Are you alright?" Lucita asked, her voice piercing through the silence of the room like a concerned whisper. Dahlia's fingers flew across the keyboard, quickly shutting the laptop on her thighs as if hiding a secret.
"Yes, I'm fine," Dahlia replied, her voice laced with a hint of desperation. "I just want to stay alone tonight." She added a forced smile, hoping to convince Lucita that everything was okay.
Lucita's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't press the issue. "You can go partying or you could even go on a date with Ben," Dahlia suggested, trying to sound cheerful.
Lucita's face lit up with excitement. "Oh right, I forgot! See you!" She leaned in to kiss Dahlia on both cheeks before rushing out of the house, leaving Dahlia alone with her thoughts.
As soon as the door closed, Dahlia reopened her laptop and continued her frantic search. Her eyes scanned the screen, devouring every word. "Vampire," she read, her voice barely above a whisper. She laughed heartily, the sound echoing off the walls. "Me? A vampire? That doesn't make any sense. I'm just not well because that bastard bit me..."
Her laughter trailed off as her fingers instinctively touched the spot where the stranger had bitten her at the club. Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed, leaping off the bed. "That man at the club bit me, and I can't find the mark anymore!"
She frantically searched her skin, but there was no sign of the bite. "But I can't be a vampire," she reasoned, trying to calm herself down. "It doesn't make any sense because they don't exist."
Despite her attempts to rationalize, the hunger pangs grew stronger, gnawing at her insides like a beast. She felt like she would die if she didn't taste blood that instant. Like a magnet drawing metal, she felt an inexplicable pull towards the window. Without thinking, she opened it and jumped down, landing gracefully on her feet.
The street was filled with people, and her senses were overwhelmed by the sounds and smells of the night. Her stomach growled hungrily, and her eyes scanned the crowd, searching for something - or someone - to satiate her thirst.
Dahlia strolled down her street, her hands tucked deep into her pockets, her eyes scanning the crowded sidewalk. She had devoured countless articles and books on vampirism during her research, and one notion stuck with her - the ability to hypnotize victims. Her stomach growled with hunger, and her mouth felt parched. If she indeed was a vampire, she needed to satiate her thirst.
As she turned a corner, a woman emerged from her car, oblivious to the danger lurking nearby. Dahlia's eyes locked onto her, her fangs and claws instinctively extending. She sprinted towards the woman, her heart pounding in her chest.
With lightning speed, Dahlia grasped the woman's neck, her fangs sinking deep into her skin. The woman's eyes widened in terror as Dahlia fed on her blood, the taste intoxicating. But as she drank, Dahlia's mind raced with uncertainty. What should she say to her victim?
She turned the weakening woman to face her, their eyes locking in a hypnotic gaze. "Um, what do I say?" Dahlia groaned, her voice barely above a whisper. "I should have practiced."
The woman's eyes fluttered, her voice slurred. "What did you do to me?"
Dahlia pulled her closer, her voice taking on a mesmerizing tone. "Nothing happened here. Go home and get some sleep."
The woman nodded, her eyes glazing over, and turned back to her car. She drove away, leaving Dahlia breathless and bewildered. "It worked," Dahlia whispered to herself, a mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through her veins.
*
The doctors and nurses at Care Care Hospital gathered around a table in the break room, their exhausted faces lit only by the faint glow of the fluorescent lights above. The conversation was hushed, but the tension was thick.
"I'm telling you, it's a serial killer," Dr. Smith said, his voice low and serious. "There's no other explanation for the bite marks on all the victims."
The others nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with a mix of fear and frustration. But Richard, a young doctor with a keen mind, wasn't convinced.
"I don't know, guys," he said, his brow furrowed in thought. "I've been thinking about Dahlia's case, and I can't shake off the feeling that there's something more to this."
The others looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?" Nurse Felicity asked.
Richard hesitated, unsure how to articulate his thoughts. "Well, Dahlia's bite marks healed completely, like they never existed. And the corpses all have the same mark. It's like... a signature, but not from a killer."
The room fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the hospital's machinery. Then, Nurse Abigail spoke up.
"Thank goodness no dead body was brought in today," she said, her voice filled with relief.
The others nodded in agreement, and a round of laughter ensued. But Richard didn't join in. His mind was still racing with questions and doubts.
Just then, Gloria, a nurse with a warm smile, approached him. "Doctor Richard, are you okay? You seem a bit distracted."
Richard snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes focusing on her. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."
Gloria's smile faltered for a moment before she recovered. "If you'd like, we could go out for some coffee and discuss it further?"
Richard hesitated, unsure how to respond. But before he could answer, the sound of sirens filled the air, followed by the arrival of an ambulance.
The room fell silent once more, the doctors and nurses exchanging somber glances. Another dead body had arrived, another victim of the mysterious killer.
Richard's heart sank, his mind racing with the implications. He knew that whatever was out there, killing people and leaving behind the same bite marks, would show up again. And next time, he hoped to be ready.
*
In the dense, misty woods, where towering trees cast long shadows and leaves crunched beneath footsteps, two forensic experts zipped up the body bag containing the lifeless form of a young girl. The woodcutters who discovered her stood at a distance, their faces pale and somber. Detectives Harrison and Stephan carefully documented the crime scene, cameras snapping photos of every detail. The ambulance waited nearby, its lights flashing softly as it prepared to transport the body to Care Care Hospital.
As the detectives combed the area, Harrison's eyes narrowed. "It doesn't look like something an animal would do." He gestured to the surrounding trees, their branches tangled in a way that seemed to closing in on the scene.
Stephan raised an eyebrow. "It sure looks like it."
Harrison pointed to the bite marks on the victim's neck. "Look here. These bite marks. Just two, and nothing more." His gaze locked onto Stephan's. "Does an animal do something like this?"
Stephan hesitated, his eyes darting to the bite marks. "Well, the bite looks like something a fang can do." He added, "Let me remind you that wolves have fangs."
Harrison's expression turned skeptical. "But they don't hunt down their prey like this. And besides, we don't have wolves in Kingston."
Stephan changed the subject. "Well, they're taking the body to Care Care Hospital. The autopsy will tell us what killed her." He paused, then added, "Your brother works there, right? Richard?" Harrison's face darkened, his eyes clouding over. "You two aren't talking yet?" Stephan asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
Harrison's response was curt. "Shut up and get back to work."
Stephan raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "Yeah, whatever." He walked away, leaving Harrison to his thoughts.
Stephan suddenly spun around, his back straightening as he froze in terror. His eyes were wide with fear, his face pale as a ghost. Harrison's heart raced as he followed Stephan's gaze, and what he saw made his blood run cold.
A man with eyes that glowed like embers, and fangs that seemed to gleam in the dim light, stood before them. His skin was deathly pale, and his features seemed chiseled from the shadows themselves. Two others stood behind him, their eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. They seemed to be humans, yet something was terribly wrong. Their bodies seemed twisted, their limbs elongated, and their faces distorted in a way that seemed almost...animalistic.
Harrison's hand instinctively went to his gun, his finger trembling as he aimed it at the creature. "Hey, man, put your hands where I can see them!" he shouted, trying to keep his voice steady.
The creature smiled, its eyes glinting with malevolence. "You mean these hands?" it asked, raising its claws for Harrison to see.
In the blink of an eye, Stephan was yanked into the air, his throat caught in the creature's grasp. Harrison watched in horror as the creature dug its fangs into Stephan's neck, sucking his blood with a grotesque gurgling sound.
"Help me!" Stephan yelled, his voice choked with pain.
Harrison's eyes were fixed on the scene, his mind paralyzed with fear. "What the fuck!" he gasped, his voice barely audible.
The creature threw Stephan's limp body to the ground, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "That was a good drink," it said, its voice low and menacing.
Harrison's mind snapped back into action, his fear giving way to rage. "Kill them all!" he bellowed, his gun firing wildly as he charged at the creatures.
*
Back at the hospital, Richard wheeled the corpse out of the morgue with the intent of solving the mystery behind the bite marks on the body of the corpses brought in, with the Nurses trailing behind him like a procession of mourners. Nurse Felicity's eyes widened in shock. "More dead bodies?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Richard corrected her, his voice firm but gentle. "Not dead bodies, just a dead body." He added, his eyes locked onto the lifeless form on the gurney.
Nurse Abigail's curiosity got the better of her. "But what killed this one?" she asked, her eyes scanning the body for any visible signs of trauma.
Richard's expression turned thoughtful. "I don't know yet, but I'll find out from this body." He replied, his hands already moving to prepare the body for examination.
"How?" Nurse Abigail pressed, her eyes fixed onto Richard's hands as they moved into the morgue laboratory with precision.
"I'll run a few tests," Richard explained, his voice focused. "This one died just like all the others."
Just then, Doctor Ben interrupted, his voice calm and professional. "Doc Richard, your brother is here."
Richard's eyes flicked towards the door, his expression unreadable. "Get everything I need ready," he instructed the Nurses, before following Doctor Ben out of the morgue.
Harrison's pacing in the hallway was a stark contrast to Richard's calm demeanor. "What do you want now?" Richard asked, his voice firm but controlled.
Harrison's eyes locked onto his brother's, his expression desperate. "Those dead bodies, I need to see them."
Richard raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a warrant?"
Harrison's frustration boiled over. "No, I don't! Just let me see the godforsaken corpses!"
Richard's expression remained unyielding. "I'm sorry, but this is a Hospital. You'll have to drop your lousy attitude outside the door."
Harrison's anger snapped, and he grabbed Richard by the collar, pulling him close. "This isn't time to act all professional and superior, okay? Something is happening in Kingston. Something big, and I plan on finding out what."
Richard's eyes narrowed, his voice cold. "The only bad thing that happened in Kingston for the last 15 years was me placing my brother's hand in cow's excrete!"
Harrison's grip tightened, his eyes wild. "You think this is funny? I just watched my partner and everyone else at a crime scene get eaten by something or someone!"
Richard's expression turned stunned. "Eaten? What do you mean eaten?"
Harrison's words tumbled out in a frantic rush. "Maybe not eaten, but they were biting into his neck, and there was blood, and so I have to check those dead bodies!"
The people in the hospital looked on, their faces a mix of shock and curiosity. Richard's eyes locked onto Harrison's, his expression horrified. "Did you say bite?"
Harrison's eyes pleaded for answers. "Yes, do you know about it?"
Richard's face paled, his voice barely audible. "Oh my God."
Harrison's grip tightened, his eyes desperate. "What? Do you know what I'm talking about?"
Richard's eyes seemed to gaze into a distant horror, his voice barely above a whisper. "Kingston has begotten evil."