Chapter 5 Things Not Normal

Two days ago, he was a husband excited for the future. Now, he was a man trapped in a hospital filled with secrets.

"Take this form and fill the rest of it," Dr. Graham said, handing him a clipboard. "And sign here first."

Walker hesitated before taking the pen. The way Dr. Graham's gaze lingered on him sent an uneasy chill down his spine. Something about the doctor's demeanor felt too controlled-like he was carefully curating his every word and movement.

Walker scrawled his signature.

"Once you're done, submit it to the nurse at the counter," Dr. Graham added before storming off toward his office without another word.

Walker's gut twisted as he watched him disappear through a restricted door marked AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. For a fleeting moment, the door remained slightly ajar, revealing a dimly lit hallway beyond. Walker swore he saw someone-a shadowy figure standing just out of sight. But before he could process it, the door clicked shut.

Something was definitely wrong with this place.

He approached the counter desk, the cool air of the hospital wrapping around him like a vice. The nurse on duty-a young woman with sharp eyes-barely acknowledged him. Her cold stare pierced through him as he grabbed a pen to complete the paperwork.

He swallowed. "I'm sorry for earlier," he murmured. "I was just... worried."

The nurse didn't respond. Instead, her fingers drummed the desk in a slow, deliberate rhythm. The sound echoed in his ears, oddly methodical, as if she were signaling someone.

A sharp ring from the phone cut through the tension. She picked it up without breaking eye contact. "Yes," she said into the receiver, her voice suddenly devoid of hostility. "Understood."

She set the phone down gently, then turned back to him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Mr. Walker," she said sweetly, "a nurse will be with you shortly."

Walker felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. The abrupt shift in her demeanor rattled him. Had he imagined the hostility from before? Or was she playing a role, adjusting her behavior to whoever was watching?

He turned toward Elizabeth's room. The curtains were drawn, and the machines hummed steadily, filling the space with an eerie sense of normalcy. But it was too normal. Too pristine.

Then, something caught his eye.

In the reflection of a stainless-steel medical cabinet, he saw a man-a hospital staff member-walk into his wife's room. But when he turned around, the room was empty.

His breath hitched.

He saw someone enter. He was sure of it.

He approached the door cautiously, pushing it open just enough to peek inside. The only thing out of place was a small, black object resting on the edge of the counter. A pen. It wasn't there before.

Walker picked it up, running his thumb along the cold surface. Engraved along the side was something that made his blood run cold: E-H 401.

Elizabeth was in Room 401.

He slipped the pen into his pocket. He didn't know what it meant, but he was sure of one thing-someone had been here, and they wanted him to know it.

As he sank into a waiting area chair, Walker's mind churned. He glanced around at the other patients. The anxious husband pacing back and forth. The elderly man flipping absently through a magazine. The woman cradling a newborn, her face blank.

But something was off.

The man had been pacing for too long, his steps never faltering. The old man hadn't turned a page in five minutes. And the woman... the baby in her arms didn't move.

Walker's throat tightened. It was as if they were planted there, playing their roles, existing just enough to blend in.

A door creaked open, breaking his thoughts.

"Mr. Walker?" A soft voice called.

He turned to see a different nurse approaching. Unlike the others, she radiated warmth. "I'm here to discuss your wife's treatment plan."

Walker stood, relieved and wary at once. He followed her down a quiet hallway and into a small consultation room.

The moment the door shut behind them, her expression shifted. The warmth drained from her face, replaced by something else-urgency.

"You need to listen to me," she whispered, glancing toward the door as if making sure they weren't being watched. "Your wife is stable, but you need to be careful."

Walker's heart pounded. "What do you mean?"

"You asked too many questions," she said. "Dr. Graham doesn't like that."

"I just want to move my wife to another hospital," Walker said.

The nurse's jaw tensed. "That's not going to be easy. And if they find out you're planning it-" She cut herself off, inhaling sharply.

Walker leaned forward. "What is this place?"

She hesitated. Then, in a voice so quiet it was barely audible, she said: "Not what it seems."

A chill spread through him.

The nurse exhaled, composing herself. She grabbed a blank prescription pad, scribbled something quickly, and folded it before handing it to him.

"Act normal," she instructed. "Read this when you're alone."

Before he could say another word, she stood and opened the door, her professional mask back in place. "Your wife is receiving excellent care," she said aloud, her voice warm again. "We'll monitor her closely."

Walker took the note and slipped it into his pocket, his mind spinning.

He walked out, his world now teetering on the edge of something far more sinister than he ever imagined.

And he had the sinking feeling that he had just crossed a line he couldn't step back from.