Chapter 1 - The Invisible Shadow in Ward BThe static hum of the old fluorescent lights in Ward B felt heavier tonight, pressing down on the linoleum floors like a physical weight. Dr. Arthur Vance stared at the glowing monitor on his desk, his eyes burning with exhaustion. On the screen, room 204 was bathed in the pale, sickly green glow of infrared night vision.
Inside the room, Eleanor sat upright on her narrow cot, her eyes wide, staring directly at the ceiling. She hadn't blinked in ten minutes.
Arthur rubbed his temples, a dull ache throbbing behind his eyes. The hospital board was breathing down his neck. Three pregnancies in six months within a high-security, segregated psychiatric facility wasn't just a medical anomaly—it was an administrative nightmare. The press was circling like vultures outside the wrought-iron gates, and the internal ministry audit was set for Monday morning.
"Nothing," muttered Nurse Higgins, stepping into the office with a steaming cup of lukewarm coffee. She placed it beside Arthur's elbow. "I just did a perimeter check. The exterior doors are double-locked, the window bars are secure, and the male ward is locked down at 9:00 PM sharp. Nobody gets in. Nobody gets out."
"Then explain how Eleanor is now in her twelfth week," Arthur said coldly, not looking up from the monitor.
Nurse Higgins didn't answer. She couldn't.
Arthur zoomed in on the camera feed. Suddenly, Eleanor’s head tilted. Her lips parted, forming a silent, deliberate word. It wasn't directed at the camera lens. It was directed at the corner of the room—the blind spot where the old ventilation shaft met the wall.
May you like
“He’s coming,” Eleanor whispered, her voice barely catching the audio feed.
Before Arthur could react, the master power grid flickered. The monitor hissed, the green infrared view stuttered, and for three agonizing seconds, the screen went completely black.
