Snippet #2662721

For a fully functional hospital, they seemed to be short on actual staff. He could count them on one hand, that was telling. Each door he passed should at least contain a patient. A name on the door. But the rooms were empty. There were no names. A good sign, it meant there were no sick or ill folk around. What was strange however was that the entire wing, on both sides was empty. It was just him and whoever Loretta was. Why the isolation? Did he get something he couldn't remember? Is that why Doc had questioned him?

Shit.

Zero shoved the IV on wheels forward. He wanted answers. He looked in the rooms for Doc but only found his lingering presesnce in the room with the solitary name, Doll. Another patient? The bed was disturbed, a pink plush toy, books and papers set on the side table, a long chair with a folded sheet and pillow. The windows open, letting in natural light. A warm sense of comfort wrapped around him, was it the aura of the room? Since when did a patient's room offer such a luxury?

"What are you looking for?" Ren's voice cut through his reverie.

Zero didn't immediately reply, he almost didn't want to. "What happened?"

"I asked first."

"No," Zero interrupted, "I did."

"You wore yourself out, I just helped you get the medical attention you needed." Ren was very close, close enough to whisper in his ear, "Don't scratch at the walls."

Zero sighed. Could he sound anymore cryptic? "There's gaps in my memory, did I hit my head?"

"How much do you remember?"

"Everything's still hazy, let me get back to you on that." He met his regard, it was oddly cool and distant. "What's going on here? There's a Loretta and a Doll and they're missing."

Ren shrugged. His nonchalant attitude was getting annoying. "I'm not their keeper. Maybe they're with Doc."

"Why is the floor nearly empty?"

"We have a hybrid on our hands, most patients and employees are like us. Get the picture." He reached out and took Zero's arm leading him out into the hall again. "Don't worry about it."