Chapter Five

The day seemed to be going badly for Evelyn. First was the argument she had with Michael and now losing a patient.

Although it was her fifth year already in the hospital, she still hated it when someone died in the operating theater.

She headed down to the second OR to check on the other patient. Evelyn went to the observation deck and watched as Dr Bryan and Rebecca operated on the patient, assisted by several nurses.

"It looks like this surgery is going well," Dr Andrews said from behind.

"Seems so," Evelyn answered.

He moved closer to the observation glass, took out a cigarette, and lit it. " In case you are wondering why I am here, it is because I want to be present if at all they need my help."

"Dr. Andrews, there's something I've been meaning to ask you, she said as she watched the ongoing surgery.

"Well, fire away."

"Doesn't it bother you? I mean smoking."

Dr Andrews laughed." Why should it bother me? Because I am a surgeon?"

"Well, that and also because we vowed to save lives, and we do daily, but just seeing you being reckless with yours doesn't that contradict what it means to be a surgeon?" She said to him.

"I think I understand what you are trying to say. I vowed to save lives, and so I should take care of my health to keep on saving lives as I need to be alive to save lives, right?"

Evelyn looked at him and replied, "Absolutely sir"

"Young Lady, in your years of being a resident surgeon and now a surgeon, how many cases of death caused by smoking cigarettes have you noticed?"

"Well..."

"I am sure it's minimal. Right?" He asked.

"Yes sir"

"But can you count the number of deaths caused by cancer in your five years being a doctor?"

"No sir" she answered.

"Then does that answer your question?" Dr Andrews continued. "You see, cancer is the true killer of men and not smoke."

"Alright sir"

Dr Andrews threw the cigarette on the floor and stepped on it to put out the light.

"Nice talk. Dr Evelyn" he told her as he went inside the operating room.

Soon after, the patient's pulse started spiraling. Dr Andrews collected the patient's CT scan from a nurse and checked it to ascertain if the patient also had a concussion.

"Well guys, the patient needs neurosurgery now," he told the doctors present in the room.

Dr Andrews took the lead as he prepared for the craniotomy. But as he started, the patient's heartbeat spiked.

"Sir, I think we should postpone the neurosurgery. I don't think her heart can take it", Dr Bryan told the chief surgeon.

"You are right. We will continue this operation later."

As soon as they decided to postpone the neurosurgery to the next day, the patient had a stroke. They did everything to save her, but she died anyway.

Dr Bryan looked at his watch. "Time of death is 14:45". He pronounced.

Evelyn watched as they covered her body with blankets. She stood in front of OR 2 and waited for Rebecca to come out.

"Evelyn, were you waiting for me" Rebecca asked when she met her friend outside the theater

"Yes"

"How did your surgery go?"

Evelyn told her "We also lost our patient."

"Let's go to the emergency room," Rebecca said.

When they got to the ER, they saw a detective questioning some patients about the accident that took place on the outskirts of the town, and Rebecca, along with her friend, went to meet the detective.

"Detective...?" She asked

"... Luke and are you?"

"Dr Rebecca"

"Pleasure to meet you ma'am" he greeted. "And who is the lady beside you?"

"Dr Evelyn. Nice to meet you, detective"

"The pleasure is all mine," he answered.

"May we ask why you are asking our patients questions?" Rebecca asked.

"It's just a procedure, ma'am. Someone called the station and told us that a man caused the accident."

"That's serious," Evelyn said. " Do you know who called?"

"No ma'am. I am still asking around" the detective answered.

"I called the station", a patient spoke out after listening to their discussion.

The detective went over to meet with the injured patient.

"Are you the woman that called the station?" He asked her.

"Yes detective," she said with a strange accent,

"Okay. What is your name ma'am?" He asked and brought out a jotter to write her answers down.

"Name's Cherie kong"

"So, Cherie, what can you tell me about the accident? The other victims can hardly remember what happened."

"Detective, it was a demon," Cherie told him. "He just appeared in the middle of the road and the bus hit him hard."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Ain't why not? I know what I know, and I'm telling the truth. The man entered the bus and started eating some passengers..."

"Wait, hold on Cherie. You are telling me a man caused the accident and that same man is a cannibal?"

"There's more to tell if you let me finish." She said annoyed that she was cut off.

"Okay, carry on, " The detective said

"It was dark but I saw his eyes. They were red and cold. He did something to the passengers to erase their memory. But it didn't work on me fully. I can still remember the accident in bits and pieces". She held her cross as she spoke.

"Alright, Cherie. Thank you for your cooperation" the detective said as he went back to meet Evelyn and Rebecca standing by the corner.

"So what did she tell you?" Evelyn asked him.

"Nothing tangible. It seems like she hit her head hard"

"Maybe it was just a regular accident", Rebecca said.

"Accidents are not regular, you are talking like it is normal," Evelyn told her. " isn't that Father Leon?". She saw the priest blessing some patients.

"Father Leon!" Rebecca called out to him.

He looked over at their side and came to meet them.

"Bless you, child. How are you doing?" He said to Rebecca.

"I am fine Father Leon. Do you still remember my friend Evelyn?"

"Yes, of course. How are you doing, my child?"

Evelyn answered, " I am great sir."

"That is good to hear. I heard that you got married recently."

"Yes"

"... To Michael Wolf," he asked,

"Yes, father," Evelyn answered.

"Are you one of them now?" Father Leon asked with a strange look on his face.

"What do you mean by that, Father?"

"I mean..."

"Father Leon, I need to show you something" Rebecca interrupted.

"Okay, let's go child. See you later Evelyn"

"See you later, Father Leon. Where are you going, Rebecca?"

"I am taking Father Leon and Detective Luke to the hospital mortuary," Rebecca told her. "Please help me hold my phone. I will be back soon."

"Alright". She collected the phone from her friend and watched as all three of them walked down the corridor.

Evelyn was busy attending to patients in the emergency room when Rebecca's phone rang. She picked it up from her pocket to see who was calling.

She looked at the phone and saw a Chinese inscription on it which she didn't understand. She let it ring for a while without picking it up since she didn't know who was calling. But the phone did not stop ringing. It continued for minutes, and finally, she answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Rebecca, why haven't you been answering your calls!" an aged man shouted at her.

" I am sorry, but Rebecca is not here."

"Then who is this?"

"This is Evelyn. A friend of Rebecca"

The voice paused for a while. " Evelyn, this is Mr Knighton."

"Good afternoon sir. Sorry, I didn't recognize your voice."

"It is fine. I need to speak to my daughter urgently. Could you get the phone to her?"

"Okay sir" Evelyn ran down to the hospital mortuary to give the phone to her friend. She saw Father Leon and Rebecca alone in there with the two victims of the accident who died in the OR.

Before opening the glass door, she looked through it and saw Father Leon speaking a strange language as he sprinkled some water on the bodies. The two dead bodies came alive screaming in pain as he continued to sprinkle water on them.

He took out a wooden stake and drove it into the man's heart. Rebecca collected the stake from the priest and did the same to the woman.

Evelyn could not believe her eyes. Somehow, the dead victims came back to life thanks to the priest's strange prayers, but what shocked her the most was Rebecca and Father Leon killing them all over again.

She stood there at the entrance shocked at what she had seen, with different kinds of thoughts running through her mind. She could not believe her friend was capable of killing. She was lost in her thoughts until a voice from behind snapped her back to reality.

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

Evelyn looked back to see Detective Luke glaring at her.

"I..I...just" she stuttered

"You shouldn't be here" The detective took out his gun and pointed it at Evelyn. "I am sorry, but I can't let you leave here alive."