Lens Macabre, Part IV

The heart rate monitor charged, as Jane grabbed Nell’s arm and sat bolt upright, her eyes wild.  “Did they get him?  Is he in jail?  Oh, that poor woman!”

“Yes, yes, Jane dear, all is well.  Just relax.”  Nell helped Jane to lie back down, and pulled her covers up.

Several nurses ran to the doorway, but Dr. Eduards shooed them away with an “I’ve got this, thanks.”

Wary and worried, the crew went back to their duties.

He turned to Jane.  “Ms…er, Miss Killibreu, I’m Dr. Eduards.  I’ll be taking good care of you.”

Jane nodded, staring at the man blearily.

“We’ve discovered a problem with your glasses.”  He approached closer while Jane felt at her face. 

“My glasses?  What’s wrong with them?”

As the doctor and Nell both leaned over her to have another look, they had to stifle gasps of disbelief.

Jane’s skin had grown completely over the earpieces!

“What?  What’s wrong?”  Jane couldn’t help but see their expressions, and now fought rising panic.  She pulled at the glasses, and cried out when they didn’t come off.

“What’s happened?”  Hysteria threatened to take her over for the third time that day.

“We won’t know until we can get the glasses off,” Dr. Eduards explained.  “But we need to have you sign a release form.”

“Of course!  The sooner the better.”  Jane tentatively explored the strange growth along her face.

The doctor pulled the bed’s table up and handed her the paperwork.  Jane quickly scrawled across the document and handed it back.

“Thank you, Miss Killibreu.  That’s all we…”

The doctor’s voice stopped, his eyes registering complete bewilderment as he scanned the signature.

“What?”  Jane tried to take the paper back, but the doctor held it out of her reach.

“What’s the problem, Doctor?” Nell asked, peering at the paper also.  Her eyes popped wide in surprise, and she turned her gaze to Jane.

“Please inform me as to what the problem is.”  Jane folded her arms, impatient with this delay.

“Jane, darling, you…you signed someone else’s name,” Nell said softly.  Chills ran down her spine as she recognized the name Jane had signed:

MARY KENNEDY

The name of the woman, Nell had discovered, who had been bludgeoned to death in a local antique store so many years ago.