~ S-City Hospital — Corridors ~
The four friends moved cautiously through the hospital hallway.
Brent led the way while Mike kept watch at the rear.
They stayed close to the walls, listening carefully for any movement before taking another step.
Their destination was the nurses' station.
If there was anywhere in the hospital where they could find help—or a safe place to hide—it had to be there.
They had barely made it halfway down the corridor when—
"HELP ME!"
A man suddenly stumbled into view.
He reached desperately toward them.
"Please! Help me!"
Before anyone could respond, an infected patient lunged at him from behind and grabbed hold of him.
"RUN!" Mike shouted.
Katie and Cindy screamed as tears streamed down their faces.
"Keep moving!" Mike urged.
But Brent froze.
He looked back at the struggling man.
"We can't just leave him!"
"Brent!"
Mike grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.
"Mike, he's still alive!" Brent protested. "We should help him!"
Mike's expression remained firm.
"I know."
He glanced back at the man for a brief moment before looking at Brent again.
"But we need to help ourselves first. We have to keep the girls safe."
Brent looked toward Katie and Cindy.
Both girls were terrified.
He clenched his fists.
Mike was right.
With a reluctant nod, Brent turned away.
"Okay."
His expression hardened.
"Then let's get them somewhere safe."
The four continued down the hallway.
But the farther they went, the worse things became.
More infected patients emerged from rooms and side corridors, attacking anyone they encountered.
Then they noticed something even more terrifying.
People who had been attacked by the transformed patients were beginning to change as well.
One moment, they were crying for help.
The next...
they were attacking someone else.
The infection was spreading.
Fast.
---
~ The Nurses' Station ~
WHACK!
The head nurse swung an IV stand, striking an attacking patient and forcing them backward.
"Damn it!" she shouted. "What the heck is going on?!"
Nearby, Dr. Hugh gripped a metal pole tightly, using it to keep the infected at a distance.
A security officer rushed toward him.
"Doctor! We're running low on ammunition!"
"Then use your batons!" Dr. Hugh snapped.
He shoved another infected away.
"And stop firing those guns! The noise is attracting more of them!"
"Yes, sir!"
The security team immediately switched to their batons as they fought to hold the corridor.
The head nurse glanced toward the emergency stairwell.
"We need to get to the fire exit!"
They began moving.
Then she noticed movement at the far end of the hallway.
A group of teenagers was running toward them.
But something else was following close behind.
"Watch out!"
The head nurse immediately grabbed the IV stand and hurled it.
BANG!
It struck an infected patient closing in behind the teenagers.
The infected stumbled to the floor.
The four friends finally reached the adults.
"Thank you!" Katie said breathlessly, bowing her head.
"Forget the pleasantries and keep running!" Dr. Hugh ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
The four hurried after them.
For the first time since the nightmare began, they felt a small sense of relief.
They weren't alone anymore.
But none of them realized...
the worst was still ahead.
---
~ Hospital Broadcasting Room ~
"Please remain inside your rooms and stay away from the hallways."
Liam repeated the announcement into the microphone.
"Emergency personnel are currently responding to the situation. Please remain calm and—"
He stopped.
Across the room, Trish sat trembling in the corner.
She hadn't stopped crying since they had entered the broadcasting room.
Liam glanced at her before turning toward the CCTV monitors.
His expression slowly changed.
Something was terribly wrong.
Every camera showed the same thing.
Chaos.
Patients running through the hallways.
Hospital staff desperately trying to escape.
Security personnel fighting the transformed patients.
People collapsing.
Others getting back up.
Liam stared at the screens in disbelief.
His worst fear was unfolding right in front of him.
Ever since he had woken up inside the medicine storage room, something had felt wrong.
His instincts had been screaming at him that something wasn't right.
But the hospital had been overwhelmed with injured patients.
There had been no time to stop and think.
So he had ignored that feeling.
Now he regretted it.
"If I'd only listened to my gut..."
Liam lowered his gaze.
He couldn't help but blame himself.
Then something on one of the CCTV screens caught his attention.
A camera overlooking the ICU.
Liam leaned closer.
"Wait..."
There was movement.
His eyes narrowed.
A patient was lying inside one of the rooms.
The same patient who had been in a coma for years.
The girl who had been Liam's very first patient.
Her fingers had moved.
Liam stared at the screen.
"No way..."
He leaned closer, trying to determine whether he had imagined it.
Then—
RING! RING!
His phone suddenly rang.
Liam flinched.
He pulled it from his pocket.
His eyes widened when he saw the caller.
His sister.
"Why is she calling now?"
He immediately moved to answer.
But before he could tap the button—
Call ended.
"Wait!"
Liam immediately called her back.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
"Come on... pick up."
No response.
Then suddenly—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Liam froze.
Someone was pounding on the broadcasting room door.
Trish immediately jumped to her feet and grabbed Liam's arm.
"Liam..."
She trembled as she stared toward the door.
"Please open the door!"
A woman's voice came from the other side.
"Please! Let me in!"
Liam raised a finger to his lips.
"Who are you?"
He cautiously stepped closer to the door.
"Are you hurt?"
Then he lowered his voice.
"And stop knocking so loudly! You'll attract them!"
There was a brief silence.
Then the woman spoke again, her voice trembling.
"Li... Liam?"
Liam's eyes widened.
"It's me! Dr. Amy!"
She sounded desperate.
"I'm not injured! Please, let me in!"
Liam looked at Trish.
She nodded nervously.
He slowly approached the door.
Keeping one arm around Trish, Liam carefully unlocked it.
He opened it just enough to look outside.
A woman stood in the hallway, breathing heavily.
It was Dr. Amy.
She quickly slipped inside.
Liam immediately shut and locked the door behind her.
Dr. Amy leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath.
"Thank you..."
Liam stared at her.
"Doctor... what happened?"
Amy didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked toward the CCTV monitors.
Her face slowly went pale.
"I think..."
She swallowed hard.
"This isn't just a riot."
Liam's expression darkened.
"I know."
His eyes returned to the monitor showing the ICU.
The image of the unconscious girl remained on the screen.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then—
The girl's fingers moved again.
Her head slowly turned.
Her eyelids trembled.
And finally...
her eyes opened.
Liam's breath caught.
The girl stared directly toward the camera.
Lyra was awake.