Episode 2

The next morning. The narrow rays of the morning sun slipped quietly through the hospital window. I woke up with a jolt at the sudden ringing of the landline. Sitting up, I noticed the person who had been resting beside me was no longer there. Pushing aside the thought, I reached for the phone.

After finishing the call, I stepped out into the corridor. There he was — laughing and chatting with four of his friends. I walked a few steps closer, unsure of his name, so I simply called out, “Hey man!”

He turned to look at me.

For a brief moment, my eyes locked onto his face — those deep brown eyes, that tired face which, though once drained and pale from blood loss, now looked much better. Something about him made me freeze for a heartbeat.

I quickly gathered myself and asked sharply,

“Who gave you permission to leave your room in this condition?”

Then my eyes shifted to the four people standing with him. Last time, I hadn’t seen their faces clearly — they had all been wearing helmets.

One of them stepped forward and said, “Hello! Last time, I was the one who spoke to you. My name’s Ralph Russo.”

One by one, I was introduced to the others — Zayne Shay, Alex Gallo, and Tom Abate.

And finally, the boy with the worn, weary face looked at me and said in a quiet voice,

“And I’m Raven.”

Raven looked at me, his voice calm but sincere as he said,

“Thank you, doctor… You saved my life.”

There was a depth in his eyes — not just gratitude, but something heavier, something unspoken. For a moment, the bustling corridor faded into silence, and all I could hear were those few words, soft but powerful.

The light chatter died instantly as the hospital doors opened. Four figures dressed in black stepped inside — their presence sharp and cold like a storm about to break.

A nurse whispered, “The Oshiro family…”

Raven’s face is drained of color. For the first time, I saw fear flicker in his eyes.

The tall man in front, silver-streaked hair slicked back, scanned the corridor like a predator. Beside him, a woman’s heels clicked sharply, her smile too perfect, her eyes deadly.

Two younger men followed silently — one expressionless, the other burning with quiet rage.

Raven took a shaky step back, whispering, “They found me… They weren’t supposed to.”

Ralph’s voice was low but urgent. “If the Oshiros are here, it’s serious. We need to move.”

Zayne nodded. “They never come without a plan.”

I looked at Raven. “You’re still weak. You can’t go.”

His faint smile was grim. “Survival can’t wait.”.”

Tom leaned closer to me. “Can you help us get out unnoticed? Just for today. We need to regroup.”

I took a deep breath. I knew helping them might put my job — even my safety — at risk. But I nodded.

“I’ll handle the hospital staff. I’ll buy you some time.”

Raven looked up at me, this time with something different in his eyes — not fear, not pain — trust.

“Thank you,” he said, quietly but clearly.

“You didn’t have to help. But you did.”

I just replied, “Let’s get you out of here. We’ll figure the rest out later.”

I scanned the hallway. It was quiet. The nurse station was empty, and the morning shift hadn’t fully begun yet. I turned to them and whispered,

“Follow me. Don’t talk. Keep your heads down.”

Raven stood slowly, still weak, but the hesitation in his eyes was gone — replaced by silent determination. Ralph moved to his side, steadying him. Tom asked quietly,

“Are you sure about this?”

“There’s no other way,” I replied.

We started moving down the side corridor of the hospital. I knew every corner of this place, every backdoor, every blind spot. I led them to the old supply room near the emergency exit. I had unlocked it earlier — just in case.

“Wait here,” I said. “I’ll check if the path is clear.”

Raven caught my arm. “If something happens… don’t get involved further. Please.”

I looked at him. “It’s already too late for that.”

He let go.

I slipped out, checked the hallway, then signaled. One by one, they followed, quiet and careful. The emergency door creaked as we opened it, letting in a gust of fresh morning air. It led to a narrow alley behind the hospital.

“We go now,” Zayne muttered.

They moved quickly. I stayed at the door, watching as they disappeared into the morning mist.

Raven turned one last time and looked back at me — a short glance, but enough to say thank you without words.

And then they were gone.