This is the follow-up to "Visiting Hours", click here if you have not read the first part. The morning air was crisp as Mira stepped outside the hospital, her discharge papers crumpled in her hand. The storm had washed the town clean, leaving the streets damp and glistening under the pale sunlight. Yet Mira couldn’t shake the unease coiling in her chest.
She glanced back at the hospital one last time. The building loomed, its windows darkened as if keeping secrets from the waking world. The faint memory of her "aunt" and "uncle" lingered, fragmented and dreamlike. She could recall their faces but not the exact words they’d said or the moments leading to their disappearance. Only the shadows of the night and the storm’s fury seemed vivid. With a deep breath, Mira turned away, telling herself it was time to move forward.
But moving forward wasn’t as simple as she’d hoped. Over the next few days, Mira’s unease grew. At first, it was little things: her uneaten groceries from that fateful day at the store seemed fresher than they should have been, and her phone’s call log showed a missed number she didn’t recognize—a number linked to the hospital. Then there were the dreams: flashes of steel instruments, muffled screams, and the hollow eyes of Dr. Lewis and Nurse Casey. Every time she woke up, her pulse pounded in her ears.
Desperate for answers, Mira did what any rational person would: she began to investigate. The hospital’s website offered little insight, but a deep dive into local forums unearthed unsettling rumors. Missing patients, staff turnover, and whispered stories about Dr. Lewis and Nurse Casey that never seemed to reach the authorities.
One particular post caught her attention:
"Has anyone else noticed strange things at White Pine Medical? My cousin was discharged last year, and she swore she saw a man who went in but never came out. Staff said he ‘transferred,’ but there’s no record of it anywhere."
Mira’s fingers hovered over her keyboard. The username was anonymous, and the thread was over a year old, but it made her stomach twist. She needed to know more.
That evening, Mira found herself back at White Pine Medical. The building was quieter than she remembered, its sterile facade oddly welcoming under the setting sun. She told herself she’d just ask a few questions, maybe see if anyone remembered her “aunt” and “uncle.” Nothing too invasive.
The receptionist greeted her with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Back so soon? Feeling unwell?”
“Just a follow-up,” Mira lied. “I’m trying to recall something from the night I stayed. It’s probably nothing, but I thought I’d check in.”
The receptionist’s expression faltered for a fraction of a second, but she quickly recovered. “Of course. Let me see if Dr. Lewis is available.”
Mira’s heart skipped a beat. She’d hoped to avoid him entirely, but now there was no turning back.
Dr. Lewis greeted her in his usual calm, professional manner, but there was something about the way his eyes lingered on her that set her teeth on edge. “Mira,” he said smoothly, gesturing to a chair in his office. “What brings you back?”
She hesitated, then decided to push forward. “It’s about that night. My aunt and uncle—the ones who came to see me. I don’t remember much, but I haven’t heard from them since. Do you know what happened to them?”
Dr. Lewis’s smile didn’t waver. “They left shortly after your discharge. Perhaps you should reach out to them.”
“I’ve tried,” she pressed. “Their number’s disconnected. Did they say where they were going?”
His fingers tapped lightly against his desk, and for the briefest moment, Mira thought she saw annoyance flash across his face. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t know. They didn’t share much with us. Perhaps you should file a missing person report if you’re concerned.”
The words were polite, but there was an edge to his tone. Mira’s pulse quickened. “Right,” she muttered, rising to her feet. “Thanks for your time.”
As she turned to leave, his voice stopped her. “Take care of yourself, Mira. Hospitals can be… unsettling places.”
She didn’t look back.
Mira’s instincts screamed at her to stay away, but curiosity burned brighter than fear. That night, she parked her car a block away from the hospital and waited. The building’s lights flickered as she watched. At midnight, a side door creaked open, and two figures emerged: Dr. Lewis and Nurse Casey, wheeling a covered gurney toward an unmarked van.
Mira’s breath hitched. She reached for her phone, snapping photos as they loaded the gurney into the van and drove off. Her hands trembled as she reviewed the images, her mind racing with possibilities. Was it just a routine transfer? Or something far darker?
She decided to follow them.
The van led her to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. Mira parked at a safe distance and crept closer, heart pounding. From her hiding spot, she watched as they unloaded the gurney and disappeared inside. Moments later, the faint hum of machinery reached her ears.
Summoning her courage, Mira slipped through a side door. The air inside was cold and sterile, the walls lined with steel tables and equipment that looked disturbingly familiar. At the center of the room, Dr. Lewis and Nurse Casey worked methodically, their backs to her. She couldn’t see what was on the table, but the sickening sound of slicing flesh made her stomach churn.
Her phone buzzed, the sound deafening in the stillness. Both heads snapped toward her.
“Mira,” Dr. Lewis said, his voice eerily calm. “You should have stayed home.”
Before she could run, Nurse Casey moved with alarming speed, blocking the exit. Mira’s chest tightened as the two closed in, their expressions devoid of warmth.
“Curiosity is dangerous,” Dr. Lewis murmured, pulling on a pair of gloves. “But don’t worry. We’ll take good care of you.”
Mira’s scream echoed through the warehouse, swallowed by the empty night. Outside, the town slept peacefully, unaware of the horrors unfolding in its shadow.
Comments