Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 627: Surgery [5]

Tick! Tick⎯!

7:48 P.M.

The second I botched the operation, I figured I was finished. It truly felt like there was no return when the scalpel slid beyond the brain matter, leaving my mind utterly empty.

Darkness swallowed the whole world for an instant.

Control vanished from my limbs, the scalpel dropping with a faint 'ting' onto the floor while I almost toppled from the chair.

My surroundings whirled around as electric surges raced along my spine, numbing my upper body completely and making it unresponsive. I gasped in shaky breaths, chest heaving irregularly while fighting to hold onto sanity, with a piercing ring droning endlessly in my ears.

Adding to the horror, I heard movement from the side.

"D..."

The ringing muffled the words, yet in fleeting clear moments, I caught them distinctly.

"Doctor... you only have two minutes left."

Damn it.

A curse burned on my tongue, but my mouth wouldn't obey amid the roiling in my gut. Raising my head, the overhead light stabbed my eyes, forcing a squint as its glare turned brutally intense, nearly blinding.

I attempted to turn away, to shift position anywhere, but instantly a grip seized my wrist. Her whisper followed right by my ear, gentle and teasing, "Doctor... time is running out."

Tick. Tick—

Tick!

The clock's relentless ticking pierced the fading background ring.

Starting faint, it swelled louder every second until I nearly gripped my skull, the clamor threatening to crack it open.

Grinding my teeth, I raised my gaze to the throbbing organ right in front of me.

Reaching out, the nurse passed me a fresh scalpel, her gentle tone murmuring by my ear again, "Time is running out, doctor, you must hurry."

Yet her tone lacked any rush. Instead, it held a hint of delight as her eyes intensified, lips curving slyly like she anticipated my failure. Right then, something altered in her.

Her complexion grew ghostly pale, cheekbones hollowing deeper. Glimpsing her, a chill wracked my frame, snapping my focus back to the patient.

Tick! Tick—

With time crawling, the transformation grew ever clearer.

’Hurry. I...’

My eyes fixed on the protrusion ahead. Scalpel ready, I advanced, but tremors seized my arm, control faltering as my body teetered on collapse once more.

’D-damn it!’

Recalling the blunder, self-recrimination surged, yet time forbade it.

Tik! Tick—

Under a minute remained.

The growth had to go before then.

"Haa... Haa..."

Calming my breaths and steadying my grip, I leaned in toward the mass. Little was left, and upon reaching it, I precisely excised the rest. More time would have been ideal, but luxury had vanished.

Beside me, something stirred as my pulse hammered my ribs, speeding my actions.

One quick slice severed the growth, sparking a fierce tingle that raced through me entirely.

Simultaneously, faint creaks arose nearby, a shadow creeping across my workspace.

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

The ominous aura intensified per clock tick, its echo booming as I sealed my lips, dread gripping my heart tightly.

Time left was unknown, but distractions were impossible.

My arm quivered in frantic motions, scalpel grazing nearby tissue perilously, yet I clenched it firm, withdrawing to eye the nurse.

Tick! Tick!

In that instant, time froze, my stare fixed on her.

She appeared unchanged, head cocked sideways with a mere smile.

Smiling, she extended a metal tray toward me.

"Congratulations, doctor."

I dropped the growth onto the tray.

"...You’ve succeeded in the surgery."

Gazing at her grin, I slumped into the chair, breaths ragged, eyes drifting to the far clock. Nausea crashed over me abruptly.

Gagging nearly overtook me upon seeing time still lingered before escape.

Mental fatigue overwhelmed me, replaying the agony and feelings endured pushed me to breaking. Stopping tempted me, but denial held, throat rising with bile I suppressed, fingers flying to my mouth.

"Alright."

The nurse next to me clapped her hands, her joyful voice twisting into something nearly infernal as I glanced her way.

"Onto the next patient."

Ah, no...

Yet, no matter my objections, the following patient got wheeled in. The wound differed, yet the setup stayed identical.

Compelled by the nurse, I tackled the whole operation under a brutal time limit. While starting the procedure, exhaustion clouded my thoughts, causing close calls where I almost messed up once more. Right then, the actual purpose of that supposed "fan" of mine hit me.

Maybe no clever scheme existed to force my failure.

A scheme wasn't necessary for him.

All the fatigue from endless surgeries and agony sufficed to cause my downfall.

Still, I pushed on.

I refused to quit.

Actually, eventually I tuned out the pain and feelings entirely. Recalling my hellish days, this paled in comparison. I'd endured days without food, water, or rest. I'd spent days surrendering a fresh piece of myself daily.

Next to those ordeals, this meant zilch.

And so—

Tick! Tick!

"Haa..."

Moments kept slipping by like this.

This dragged on until—

Setting down the scalpel and eyeing the clock hitting 10:00 P.M., I collapsed into the chair at last, exhaling a prolonged, quivering breath. My body parts started shaking wildly, my brain convulsing while the buzz intensified, drowning out all else.

Overhead lights grew fiercer, leaving me unable to discern much past vague moving shadows. Probably nurses shifting about or attempting to speak to me.

I attempted to focus, yet my mind wouldn't obey.

This haze lingered like hours, though it turned out mere minutes had passed before clarity returned and I struggled to rise.

My eyes fixed on the door.

Somehow, it seemed altered from before.

With sluggish blinks, I shuffled toward it. Every footfall grew weightier, weariness intensifying with each approach to the doorway.

Halting right in front of it, I glanced back at the room, where blood appeared to blanket it all. After one final look around, I faced the door and crossed the threshold.

Blinding light assaulted me anew, but just for a flash. When vision cleared, the standard hospital hallway greeted me.

Except...

"Huh?"

"Please make way."

Ding! Ding!

"If you have an appointment, please head for that room."

"Yes, how may I help you?"

Back in the hospital I stood. But now, it bustled no more with emptiness—crowds packed every corner. I scanned the area repeatedly, blinking lazily and releasing a soft breath of relief.

I almost toppled right there, catching myself at the last second while still peering about, searching for Zoey and Rowan. No prolonged wait needed, though, as the adjacent door swung open, revealing two familiar shapes.

A smile crossed my face. Even with our somewhat tense bond, seeing them safe always lifted my spirits.

I moved to approach them.

"It seems like you both managed to cl..."

My words cut off abruptly as I neared, snagged by Zoey's stare when she pivoted to me. Eyes locking, a piercing cold shot through my back, freezing me in place.

Simultaneously, I checked Rowan, spotting his ghostly pallor and vacant stare. Shifting looks between them, Zoey's murderous scowl made it clear: trouble had struck.

My heart plunged.