* The emerald contagion* The emerald contagion
* unexpected person* unexpected person
*Confusion about the hunting truth*Confusion about the hunting truth
1*{ Emerald contagion }1*{ Emerald contagion }
A short while after her descent into darkness, Nancy fluttered her eyes open.A short while after her descent into darkness, Nancy fluttered her eyes open.
"Ah..." she tried to sit up, but a searing ache shot through her body. Despite the pain, she slowly managed to rise, leaning against the cold porcelain of the bathtub. Though consciousness had returned, a profound weariness clung to her. A fog of confusion lifted slightly as she tentatively reached up to touch her head. That's when the memory struck her the climax of the terrifying incident, when she had stumbled backward in blind panic and her head had slammed against the edge of the tub. Blood had flowed."Ah..." she tried to sit up, but a searing ache shot through her body. Despite the pain, she slowly managed to rise, leaning against the cold porcelain of the bathtub. Though consciousness had returned, a profound weariness clung to her. A fog of confusion lifted slightly as she tentatively reached up to touch her head. That's when the memory struck her the climax of the terrifying incident, when she had stumbled backward in blind panic and her head had slammed against the edge of the tub. Blood had flowed.
She looked at her hands. No blood. No lingering pain.She looked at her hands. No blood. No lingering pain.
Nancy pushed herself up, staggering to the mirror, and desperately checked her shoulders, her torso searching for any tell-tale stains, any crimson evidence. Nothing.Nancy pushed herself up, staggering to the mirror, and desperately checked her shoulders, her torso searching for any tell-tale stains, any crimson evidence. Nothing.
Then she noticed it. A faint, unsettling tinge of dark green in her hair strands. Bewildered, she shifted her hair, parting it again and again. The sickening green hue had spread, creeping through all the hair closest to her scalp.Then she noticed it. A faint, unsettling tinge of dark green in her hair strands. Bewildered, she shifted her hair, parting it again and again. The sickening green hue had spread, creeping through all the hair closest to her scalp.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her. She lunged towards the washbasin. There, pooled in the ceramic, was a viscous, emerald-green fluid.Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her. She lunged towards the washbasin. There, pooled in the ceramic, was a viscous, emerald-green fluid.
She touched it,it felt slightly warm. And with that contact, sharp, localized pains began to erupt across her body. As she stood, helpless, a hot, green drop splattered onto the palm of her hand. Then another. Nancy slowly looked up into the mirror. A thick, gelatinous green discharge was oozing from her nose. It was running down her face like tears, a virulent, alien secretion. She tried to wipe it away, but the fluid only surged out faster, more profusely.She touched it,it felt slightly warm. And with that contact, sharp, localized pains began to erupt across her body. As she stood, helpless, a hot, green drop splattered onto the palm of her hand. Then another. Nancy slowly looked up into the mirror. A thick, gelatinous green discharge was oozing from her nose. It was running down her face like tears, a virulent, alien secretion. She tried to wipe it away, but the fluid only surged out faster, more profusely.
A phantom sensation something sharp and agonizing stabbed into her lower abdomen, a pain she could feel intensely even though nothing was physically there.A phantom sensation something sharp and agonizing stabbed into her lower abdomen, a pain she could feel intensely even though nothing was physically there.
At that moment, the bathroom light began to flicker erratically. Nancy glanced around, a chilling dread mounting as she tried to understand the source of the electrical chaos.At that moment, the bathroom light began to flicker erratically. Nancy glanced around, a chilling dread mounting as she tried to understand the source of the electrical chaos.
More of the green fluid poured from her nose. Frantically, she splashed water on her face, trying to wash it off. But with every rinse, the discharge intensified. Finally, scrubbing it away one last time, she peered back into the mirror.More of the green fluid poured from her nose. Frantically, she splashed water on her face, trying to wash it off. But with every rinse, the discharge intensified. Finally, scrubbing it away one last time, she peered back into the mirror.
Everything around her was warped. The light strobed violently, the room seemed to spin. She glanced around nothing made sense. Her eyes darted back to the glass, and in a terrifying instant, the reflection changed. It wasn't her own face staring back, but Shino's, drenched in gore.Everything around her was warped. The light strobed violently, the room seemed to spin. She glanced around nothing made sense. Her eyes darted back to the glass, and in a terrifying instant, the reflection changed. It wasn't her own face staring back, but Shino's, drenched in gore.
"HELP ME, NANCY...""HELP ME, NANCY..."
* 2 { The unexpected person }* 2 { The unexpected person }
"Shino...""Shino..."
Nancy gasped, her eyes snapping open. She was in a stark white hospital room. Bandages were tightly wrapped around her head, covering the wound she remembered from the fall. But there was another dressing a surprising, thick pad taped to her neck. She slowly scanned her surroundings: the beeping monitor, the IV stand, the clinical sterility. She had no idea who had brought her here.Nancy gasped, her eyes snapping open. She was in a stark white hospital room. Bandages were tightly wrapped around her head, covering the wound she remembered from the fall. But there was another dressing a surprising, thick pad taped to her neck. She slowly scanned her surroundings: the beeping monitor, the IV stand, the clinical sterility. She had no idea who had brought her here.
Just then, a nurse entered the room. Seeing Nancy awake, she hurried to the bedside.Just then, a nurse entered the room. Seeing Nancy awake, she hurried to the bedside.
"Oh, Miss, you're awake," the nurse asked softly."Oh, Miss, you're awake," the nurse asked softly.
"Y-yeah, yes," Nancy whispered, her voice still weak."Y-yeah, yes," Nancy whispered, her voice still weak.
"Try to rest." The nurse checked the rate of the IV fluid drip, glanced at the vital signs monitor, and turned to leave."Try to rest." The nurse checked the rate of the IV fluid drip, glanced at the vital signs monitor, and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Nancy called out abruptly. "Who... who brought me here?""Wait!" Nancy called out abruptly. "Who... who brought me here?"
The nurse paused, thinking. "That would be... a Mr. Kevin," she replied, and then slipped out of the room.The nurse paused, thinking. "That would be... a Mr. Kevin," she replied, and then slipped out of the room.
"Kevin," Nancy muttered, disbelief clouding her gaze. Her last fading memory, just before the darkness took her, was of someone a figure standing over her and she was certain it had been a woman. Confused and disoriented, she sat there until, as the nurse had forewarned, Kevin walked into the room."Kevin," Nancy muttered, disbelief clouding her gaze. Her last fading memory, just before the darkness took her, was of someone a figure standing over her and she was certain it had been a woman. Confused and disoriented, she sat there until, as the nurse had forewarned, Kevin walked into the room.
Nancy stared at him, startled.Nancy stared at him, startled.
"Miss Nancy, you're awake." He approached the bed, but she remained frozen, simply gazing up at him."Miss Nancy, you're awake." He approached the bed, but she remained frozen, simply gazing up at him.
"Miss Nancy, how are you feeling now? They said you had a bad head wound.is it alright?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Yes," she answered slowly.
"Was it... was it you who brought me here?" Nancy finally asked Kevin, her eyes searching his face.
"Yes, Miss. I had stopped by your house to let you know about my dog. But I heard a strange noise from inside. When I entered, I found you unconscious on the floor. Your head was split open and bleeding badly. We were lucky to get you to the hospital quickly; it saved your life," he recounted the events meticulously, watching her as he spoke.
She listened to his explanation, absorbing every detail.
"You should get some rest now. I'll be right here," he said, turning to walk away, giving her a measure of privacy.
"Kevin," Nancy called out, stopping him halfway to the door. He paused, turning to face her.
"Thank you," she said, managing a faint, genuine smile. "For all this trouble you took to help me." Then, her tone shifted, becoming more urgent. "Could you do me one more favor?"
He walked back towards her.
She recited a number she knew by heart. "Could you please call this person and tell them where I am?" she requested.
"Of course," Kevin said readily. He took the number, and then stepped out to make the call.
Some time passed. Then, the room door burst open, and Davis rushed in. He was visibly terrified, his arrival frantic. The number Nancy had given Kevin was his.
"Nancy..." Davis whispered, his voice trembling.
Nancy, who had been resting and dozing, slowly opened her eyes.
"Nancy... what the hell happened to you?" he asked, his hands hovering over her bandages and injuries, the panic clear in his eyes."Nancy... what the hell happened to you?" he asked, his hands hovering over her bandages and injuries, the panic clear in his eyes.
"Davis, we have to get to Shino's room immediately," she insisted the moment she saw him.
"Nancy, what happened to you?" he repeated, but she wouldn't listen. She was already trying to sit up, reaching for the cannula in her arm to pull it out.
"Nancy... what the hell are you doing?!?" Davis grabbed her arms, restraining her hands.
"Davis, we need to go to Shino's room, fast."
"Why? Tell me everything first, Nancy. What happened to you?" Davis pressed again.
"Davis... I'll tell you everything, but first, we need to get out of here and go to Shinoi's room. Please, try to understand."
Just then, Kevin walked back in.
"Hey, Kevin," Nancy called out. Kevin and Davis were seeing each other for the first time, and they exchanged a brief, assessing look.
"Kevin, this is Dr. Davis, he's a friend of mine," she introduced Davis.
"Hi, Doctor. I'm Kevin. I'm the one who brought Miss Nancy here."
"Oh, really. Thank you, Kevin," Davis offered his gratitude.
"Kevin, we're leaving now. I'm feeling okay, so I thought I'd go back."
"But Miss, you need more rest. Wouldn't it be better to leave tomorrow?"
"No, I'm fine, Kevin. Besides, I have work to do," she insisted.
"Okay," he conceded.
Davis completed the discharge formalities, and they walked out together.
"And Kevin, if you hadn't been there, I wouldn't be alive right now. Thanks," Nancy said, giving him a brief hug.
Kevin simply smiled, watching them go.
* 3 { Confusion about the hunting truth }
Nancy and Davis were heading to Shino' s room in Davis's car. Davis was desperate to know what had transpired.
"Nancy, what was it? How did you get these wounds?"
"It... I slipped and fell in the bathroom," she replied dismissively.
Her answer did not satisfy him in the least.
"Nancy, your condition doesn't look like a simple slip and fall. What actually happened?" he demanded.
Finally, Nancy began to talk. She recounted every chilling detail: the figure she saw, the events that followed, the strange, sickening transformation in the bathroom, the green bile, the words of the apparition everything about Shino.
After listening to the entire terrifying narrative, Davis pulled the car over to the side of the road.
"What does any of this mean? I can't believe it, yet I can't dismiss it either," Davis said, utterly baffled.
"I feel the same way, Davis. Ever since I became determined to find Shinoi, these things have been happening to me things no one would ever believe. Why?" she pondered aloud.
"We have so many things to uncover, Davis. Why was Shino abducted? Was it to kill her, or something else entirely? What is the reason behind all this?"
Nancy looked out the window. The sky was darkening outside, promising another storm. Davis, too, stared out, watching the unsettling changes in nature.