y-three-year-old Dr. Isadora Bell had just clocked ou

ents' lounge, peeled off her stetho

y, just as two interns...both fresh out of

vous, clinging to a clipboard. "I

e sky looked like it had cracked open and the

nd grabbed her ho

o the interns that was with her. "This storm's only getting wo

dn't leave

de of his cheek. His partner, Alicia, glanced toward the window ag

t another consult. Room 402. Cardiolo

we clock out. Patient's tachycardic. Labs are weird. Could be an electrolyte cr

hem looked like baby birds..eager, shivering

d've been

he wa

. Hopeful. Still naïve enough to think saving p

r, her hoodie for

r shift to make sure a st

dded in

into something a

doctor this place ne

shed. Alic

nd it to Dr. Mason's tablet. He's on call. And if he give

stifled

. "It's just... Do you th

a didn

ever

rt they'd handed her. Flip

t Sanja

. That's why I trust you to hand it off properly

the weight of he

go. Before you both catch pneumonia an

icia blurted out, "Are you sure you're okay, Dr. Bel

efore turning back to her locker. She zipped her bag,

ted her. It was cold. Relentless. The wind blew her

cou

one was almost dead. Her body wanted nothing

ht around her shoulders a

ut this night wasn't goin

to end with

the bone. Her hoodie was soaked, her shoes were soaked, a

her breath, bent down, picked them up, shove

nd climbed in, slamming the door shut behin

he key into

ned

ic

th

d again.

Click.

No, no, no...don't you fu

Hoping the heavens would smile on

k. C

eart

n't do this

ey again. Harder

th

her fists against the

as dead. Pro

it on. It flickered. The battery was nearly dea

an's name with

Ring

en

, warm and groggy. "Jesus, Dora, i

ot, Ethan. I'm freezing. I just got off a double. It's pouring lik

d, instantly alert. "You

The storm looked even worse now. "There's no cabs. I tried waving a few

We'll figure it out.

rting across the dark, empty street.

ting up. Send me

d, already regretting the words. "You know the one behi

le

?" she

espo

e phone back.

she screamed, slamming her fist a

ked red. One p

reathing hard, staring out the window like

hing. Just wind,

ighter around her shoulders like armor,

t. Let's go,"

plashed into a rising puddle. And all s

s only o

shor

lley that cut behind the abandoned textile factory. It was dar

ve time. She didn

utes," she whispered to hers

arted

en minutes was all it woul

other side of t

bl

po

s

around her chest, trying to

th chattering. "You can. You've done worse. It's just

eyes darting ar

e going home. You'll warm up, shower, maybe Fa

n she s

n her

eath c

ng wasn

was a

meone c

Not clearing

ok

rying to suck in breat

't move.

Speaking a language she didn't fully understand

s vio

t was that?"

idn't mean to speak. It just fell f

spotted a stack of broken crates near the corner of the building and rushed behind them, c

ldn't b

shaking. Her

gers. "Oh Lord... please protect me.

ling it forward like it would shield her

sure in her lower belly. She was so scared she could feel herself almost

ered he

ce came

r. An

't want

thing pu

y. Insti

ugh to peek through the brok

here

n the center

His presence di

e rain. It ran down his face, washing blood from his knuckl

front o

bo

on the ground li

ing against wet concrete. Blood mixed with rain, forming a dark pool around his

e man gasped,

man didn'

sed th

art seized i

oing to

n't he

ssed against t

n the gro

h

ME. SARAI IN BUON

for me. You'll be in go

G.

ehind the crates. Her hands flew to her mouth to muffle the scre

ears

o violently she thoug

iller

y from her, but she saw his jawli

d his he

long, agon

d direct

he couldn't

he fe

uldn't

't eve

started

ard

k

e had to do what thi