Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 617: Hospital [5]

"I’ll be direct with you."

Tension filled the doctor’s face while he gazed at the notepad resting before him. His fingers clenched the pen a bit more firmly, its point lingering right over the sheet as though he weighed each word meticulously.

"Her condition remains dire, with a grim outlook. Brace yourself for the chance of the worst. Though our team excels at handling anomaly-induced wounds, failing to pinpoint the exact anomaly blocks us from evaluating the illness accurately or devising a solid treatment plan."

Rowan had anticipated this update since stepping into the hospital. He’d been steeling himself for the bad news.

Yet, yet...!

"All we can provide now is supportive measures to keep her going for the coming months. That’s our realistic timeframe for holding things steady. After that, nothing’s certain. Survival beyond it looks highly unlikely."

Soon after, the doctor departed, the door shutting gently, isolating Rowan in the room.

Amid the quiet, only the rhythmic beeps from the cardiogram next to his sister reached Rowan’s ears. Raising his eyes to her, he fixated on the array of tubes connected to her form, a piercing ache stabbing his chest, his whole frame growing leaden.

Without thinking, he moved closer and settled by the bedside, taking hold of her hand. He squeezed it firmly, cherishing the subtle warmth that persisted.

"I..."

His lips quivered as words formed, but clenching them, he pushed onward.

"...I’ll keep battling on. I’ve been searching for the anomaly behind this, and I believe I’ve found a lead. I’ve... grown much stronger in a short time. Actually... our Guild has climbed to a top spot in the World Congress."

Recalling the World Congress brought a sudden smile to Rowan’s face.

"There’s... this person in our Guild. Incredibly powerful and gifted. He’s helped me tremendously too. I feel that... with his aid, I could uncover answers. He’s... truly exceptional."

Rowan’s hold on his sister’s hand grew firmer.

"Sure, he always seems exhausted, but deep down, he’s incredibly kind. Haha."

A laugh escaped Rowan abruptly.

"He doubles as my therapist, and I’ve lost track of sessions with him. Every time... he’d act annoyed and try chasing me off, yet he’d always hear me out in the end. I’m certain if I approach him once more, he’ll listen... haha."

Rowan chuckled again, though it sounded more forced this time.

"...He’s remarkable. With him, I know we can..."

Clank—

Rowan’s sentence halted sharply at the door’s opening noise from behind. Turning around, he watched Zoey step in, her fingers tugging off her cap to let her gentle blonde locks cascade freely.

"I’ve heard from the doctor."

Grimness marked her features as she advanced.

Halting beside Rowan, her eyes settled on his sister lying there.

"She..."

"Only a few months."

Sensing her pause, Rowan supplied the rest.

With a smile, he released her hand.

"A few months."

He echoed, rising to his feet.

"I believe that’s... sufficient time."

"Enough time?"

Zoey arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I think so."

Rowan nodded, eyes drifting to the door.

"I think I’ve got a clue about the anomaly, and—"

"You’re planning on asking Seth for help?"

Zoey interrupted before he finished. Blinking in surprise, Rowan met her steady gaze as she watched him quietly.

At last, she shut her eyes and let out a sigh.

"No one questions his abilities now. Calling him a lucky fool would make me the idiot. He possesses real talent and sharp wits. He might be among the most gifted I’ve encountered, but..."

Catching Zoey’s reluctance, Rowan’s brow furrowed.

"But...?"

"But I think he’s si—"

Flick!

Zoey’s statement broke off suddenly as the overhead lights stuttered, fading briefly before plunging into total blackout. Pitch darkness engulfed the room instantly, the abrupt gloom compressing the air.

Shocked, Zoey and Rowan scanned their surroundings.

"What?"

"A blackout? Irene! Wait, Irene!"

In the pitch black, Rowan dashed straight to his sister’s side, panic etching his face as his hands fumbled over the various machines linked to her.

"Oh, no, no, no..."

"Wait, relax."

Zoey’s palm pressed his shoulder, striving to soothe him while clarifying, "The equipment on her runs on backup power. No need to panic excessively. She’s okay for now, and..."

As Zoey trailed off, a subtle flickering noise echoed from overhead, cutting through the hush.

At that instant, both she and Rowan raised their heads simultaneously when a portion of the lights flickered back on, stuttering irregularly before stabilizing into a faint, wavering radiance that scarcely dispelled the shadows encircling them.

"The hospital is equipped with a backup generator for situations like this. No need to panic. It’s likely just a brief power failure."

Despite her reassurance, Zoey’s body was rigid with tension everywhere. Oddly enough, the area outside seemed eerily hushed.

She glanced first at Rowan, then at his sister, before tilting her chin toward the door.

"I’ll step out to investigate. I’ll ask the nurse what’s going on."

"...Please."

With a nod, Zoey moved toward the door.

Step—

Her footsteps rang out with unnatural volume, bouncing off the walls as she approached the door.

She extended her hand, grasped the handle, and swung the door wide.

Right then, the hospital’s expansive hallway revealed itself, endless rows of white pillars reaching out under the cold, pallid illumination. Like her own room, the space was shrouded in dimness, with overhead lights blinking feebly.

Yet what hit her hardest was the profound silence; surveying the emptiness devoid of any souls filled her with deep unease.

She recalled plenty of people being there just before she entered. Had they all rushed downstairs?

Impossible, that didn’t add up.

Then...?

Zoey stood frozen in tension, her head swiveling left to right, probing every corner of the corridor while Rowan’s voice called from behind.

"Did you figure anything out?"

"...It’s empty."

Zoey murmured in response, her voice hardly more than a breath.

"It’s completely empty out here."

Or that’s what she assumed.

Step!

Suddenly, the noise pierced the quiet.

A crisp footstep resounded from the far end, jolting her body as she whipped her stare toward its origin.

Flick! Flick!

Overhead, the lights kept stuttering on and off, a soft constant drone permeating the air while the steps neared relentlessly. Zoey’s pulse thundered in her chest as she scanned around, fingers twitching in her pocket amid a rush of contingency ideas.

The footfalls intensified with proximity, each sharper and louder, reverberating across the vacant expanse. The pace hinted that the approaching presence could be dashing toward them.

Zoey kept her eyes locked straight ahead, every muscle primed to spring into action.

Soon enough, a shadowy outline materialized in the distance.

Close enough to discern, her stiff posture relaxed a touch upon identifying it as a nurse.

The nurse, spotting her in turn, recoiled visibly.

"Why haven’t you evacuated yet?"

Her shout carried through the hallway. At the same moment, Zoey’s eyes gleamed with sudden hope.

"There’s been a blackout. I need some help. Actually, there’s—Ukeh!"

Suddenly, her speech cut short as a dark form emerged directly behind, clamping onto her throat while Zoey’s eyes flew wide.

"Where are you running off to?"

The voice that followed was one she knew all too well.

A tone dreadfully familiar to Zoey.

"...There are still many questions that I need to ask of you."