She's alone, pregnant, and being pursued by creatures that want her baby. Nosocomephobia (fear of hospitals) and tokophobia (fear of child birth) are two major themes in this short, heart-pumping thriller. Taylor is a mother-to-be for the first time...
One of the big men grabs her wrists. There isn't much she can do, because she's doubled over with a sharp contraction. She cries out loud as the other man sinks the needle into the vein in her arm.
"We just need you to relax. It's so annoying when the host is inquisitive," the nurse says.
Host? What does she mean? Taylor whimpers as the burning liquid shoots out of the needle.
"Shh, now," the nurse says. "It's just a sedative to calm you down. Wouldn't want you running off."
The drug hits Taylor, and for a moment, she is floating. Her eyes roll back as the big man lays her on the bed. She blinks out. When she wakes up a few minutes later, because of her abdomen cramping, she's alone with the nurse and she's wearing the white and green hospital gown. The nurse is checking her over. She's groggy, trying to focus. Then a loud scream comes from next door and perks Taylor right up. She tries to shove away the nurse's cold hands and gets a shock at how the woman's skin feels. Like scales. But it doesn't look scaly.
"You've still got a little while," the nurse says, ignoring the blood curdling screams from next door.
One of the big men comes to the door. His arms are covered in slime and blood. Taylor's expression grows alarmed. She can hardly believe it.
"We need you in here, Rae," he says.
Nurse Rae sighs. "I'll be back," she tells Taylor. "Don't try to get up. That drug has an effect on the legs." She smiles as she walks toward the door.
"What do you want with me?" Taylor demands, whimpering.
Rae stops. "Silly. It's not you we want." Ray leaves and the man follows.
Taylor's blood runs cold. Her eyes are wide and worried, because she understands now. They want her precious, innocent newborn baby. Tears slide down her cheeks as she listens to the cries from next door. That will be her. No Dr. Branson. No Mark. Just these freaks that want her baby for some reason and her screaming bloody murder in this awful place.
She can't let this happen. Her mind is a jumble of desperation and frantic scenarios. One thing is certain: she has to get out of there.
She grips the side of the bed and swings her feet over. She remembers Rae's warning, but there's something she knows that Rae does not and that's her body's natural high tolerance to medications. It has something to do with her body chemistry. She thanks her lucky stars that she didn't explain this to the creepy guy in the ambulance earlier when she was asking for pain meds. Maybe they might've given her a little more. Maybe she might've not been able to stand up, like she is now.
Her legs are wobbly, but she manages to shuffle to the door. It clicks as she opens it, causing her to freeze a moment. Pain shoots through her abdomen and she presses a hand over her mouth to stifle a shout. The screaming woman is still screaming loud enough to drown out Taylor's whimper. She feels bad for the woman, but she knows if she doesn't get out of there it'll keep happening to more women just like her and that woman...and the other three Rae claims to have had that day. Taylor grabs her file out of the container on the door. Maybe it will show something incriminating for one of the people doing this-
A baby's cry rises over the screams. Taylor's heart catches in her throat.
"No!" the woman shouts. "No! Don't hurt him! Don't you dare hurt my baby! No!"
It's like a bucket of ice has been poured over Taylor's head. A sick, numb feeling spreads. Her vision of the hallway starts to fade. She shakes herself. No time to faint now. She has to save her baby. Sophia is the only thing that matters.
Taylor staggers out of the room using the wall for support. She slides against the wall as she goes down the hall, her bare feet slapping the floor with every heavy step. She can't help it, it's because the medicine isn't completely worn off. She's lucky she can walk at all.
The baby isn't crying anymore. Taylor's chest is tight. Her tears splash the starchy gown and the cold floor. The woman is still crying and shouting unintelligible words when all of a sudden...she's not anymore. All noise ceases.
Taylor's breath catches and she stops walking. Her heavy foot slaps on the linoleum would be a dead give away. She drops quickly to her hands and knees, heart racing, and crawls into the nearest room. The room is a basic hospital room...covered in carnage. Blood is everywhere. It's on the sheets, the floor. It must be one of the rooms that another woman gave birth in...and then probably died in earlier.
The smell is horrendous. It reminds Taylor of the time she forgot a package of ground beef in her car overnight during the summer. She fights back the bile rising in her throat. Soft clicks down the hall indicate Rae's shoes are moving closer to Taylor's old room. Then the clicks stop. A strange screechy howl pierces the silence. It makes Taylor want to bolt, but as she looks at the window, she realizes it doesn't open. All she can see is trees on this side. Even if she broke the window, who knows how long she'd have to run for help. By then, they'd probably catch her. Her best option is to hide. She forces herself not to move a muscle as she crouches nervously behind a chair.
"Find her!" Rae roars in a harsh otherworldly tone.
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