The hallway outside Lyra's room was drenched in shadows, broken only by the dim red glow of the emergency lights. The storm outside had intensified, wind slapping against the hospital walls and rain splattering like a drumbeat in a battle. The hospital, usually a place of calm and order, now felt unfamiliar—threatening, almost alive with danger.
Adrian Vale's heart raced. He had been a doctor for over a decade, but the events of the past hours were testing him in ways medicine never could. He had seen accidents, crimes, and emergencies, but never had he been so aware of the threat lingering just outside a door.
Lyra sat on the bed, her back straight, hands gripping the blanket. Her dark hair stuck to her face, wet from her earlier encounter with the storm, but her eyes were bright—alert, almost calculating. She had grown more confident in the past hour, but the tension in her body told Adrian she was bracing for something.
The door handle moved again.
Adrian froze.
Not imagining it. Not this time. The handle turned slowly, deliberately.
Lyra's whisper was low but firm. "Don't open it."
Adrian glanced at her. "Lyra—"
"No," she interrupted. "Not yet. Whoever's out there… they're not here to talk."
The shadows shifted beyond the glass window in the door. Adrian strained to see through the dim red glow, but the storm outside and the emergency lights inside made it almost impossible.
Then came the footsteps. Slow. Heavy. Confident. Someone who didn't need to hide.
Adrian took a cautious step forward. "Who is it? Show yourself!"
The footsteps paused. Silence. Then the handle clicked again. This time, it moved fully downward.
Adrian's instincts screamed at him. He reached for a chair beside the bed—anything to defend Lyra—but she grabbed his wrist, holding him back.
"Wait," she whispered, eyes fixed on the door. "Watch. Listen."
The door creaked open a fraction, and a shadow stretched across the floor. Rain dripped from the figure's dark coat, forming small puddles on the polished floor. Adrian could only make out the faint outline of the man's face, but it was enough. The aura of danger was unmistakable.
The man spoke, his voice low and calm, almost a whisper over the storm. "Lyra Vale. We meet at last."
Adrian's stomach dropped. "Vale?" He glanced at Lyra, who tensed instantly.
"Stay back," she said, her voice sharp. "Do not let him in."
The man's eyes glimmered with something unreadable. "You cannot hide. Not anymore. The accident was just the beginning."
Adrian felt the weight of the words. His hands shook slightly as he moved instinctively in front of Lyra. "You can't just barge into a hospital room! Explain yourself!"
The man tilted his head slightly, almost amused. "I don't need to explain. I only need her."
Lyra's grip on the blanket tightened. "I told you… you won't take me."
For the first time, Adrian noticed the subtle calmness beneath her fear. This girl, despite her exhaustion and injuries, was not someone to underestimate.
The man took a step forward. Adrian's instincts screamed at him to act, to protect, to fight. But before he could move, Lyra whispered urgently:
"Don't! He's not alone."
Adrian froze.
The sound of multiple footsteps echoed from down the hallway. Fast, synchronized. Someone—or more than one—was approaching. The red emergency lights flickered, throwing jagged shadows against the walls.
The man's gaze shifted toward the hallway, lips curling in a faint smile. "Perfect timing."
Adrian realized then that the danger wasn't just the one man—it was an organized effort. They had planned this. They had been waiting.
Lyra leaned back slightly, eyes sharp. "Adrian… they're going to try to take me. We need to escape."
Adrian looked at her, heart hammering. "Escape? From here? How?"
Her eyes scanned the room, landing on the small window above the bed. "We have no choice," she said. "The back door—it leads to the service corridor. Follow me."
Before he could question, she was already moving, sliding off the bed and grabbing her coat from the chair. Adrian hesitated, but the urgency in her voice left no room for doubt. He followed her, keeping close.
The hallway was darker than before, shadows stretching like fingers reaching for them. The echo of footsteps grew louder, closer, more threatening. Adrian felt his pulse spike. Every instinct screamed danger, every nerve on edge.
Lyra led him to the side door near the supply room. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes sharp. "Once we're out there, run. Don't stop."
The door opened. The wind from the storm slammed into them, icy and merciless. Rain soaked them instantly, but there was no time to hesitate. They sprinted down the narrow service corridor, the sound of pursuing footsteps echoing behind them.
Adrian realized just how small the hospital felt now. A building that had always been a sanctuary now seemed like a maze of threats and shadows. He caught glimpses of figures at every turn, their coats dark, their movements precise.
"Through here!" Lyra hissed, pulling him toward the emergency stairwell.
They descended three flights of stairs, drenched, breathless, adrenaline surging. The echo of pursuit never left them. Every corner could hide someone, every shadow could conceal a threat.
Finally, they reached the basement service exit. Lyra yanked the door open, and the storm hit them full force. Rain plastered their hair to their faces. Adrian could barely see, but the sound of rushing water and pounding rain masked their steps.
They ran into the night, away from the hospital, away from the shadows that had hunted them, at least for now.
Lyra glanced at him, soaked and trembling but determined. "We can't stop. Not yet. They know who I am… and if we stay, they'll finish what they started."
Adrian nodded, despite his fear. He had no idea what she had gotten herself into—but he knew one thing: whatever this was, it was far from over. And now, he was part of it too.
The storm raged on around them, as if the world itself was warning them: the night was only beginning, and the danger had only just arrived.