Avescope HORROR

Janay’s heart pounded in her neck. She lowered her hand then faced its direction, her muscles begging to run. “W-what do you
want?”
The outline of a large figure moved forward, keeping from the light.“I don’t have any money. Please, just take what you’re here for
and don’t hurt me. I won’t report it, I swear.” Her voice wavered.
“Five drops of blood.” The voice — a baritone — said. In a flurry of movement, the shadow rushed toward her. Janay threw her
arms over her head and screamed as she cowered.
The flap of her suite burst open.
“Jan, what is it?” Hannah raced to her, panting.
Lowering her hands to her neck, Janay scanned the suite. “A-a man. He was in here. He almost...” She met Hannah’s widened
brown eyes. “If you hadn’t… Oh, Hannah.” She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
Hannah rubbed her back. “Ssh, it’s okay. There’s no one here but me.” She pulled away and looked at her. “You’re bleeding.”
Janay shifted her eyes to her finger clutched in Hannah's palm.
“Come, let’s get that fixed up, then I’ll make some strong tea, okay?”
With a nod, and her muscles shaking, Janay followed her to the bathroom. Hannah flipped the light-switch and she flinched,
bringing her hand to cover over her eyes.
“Looks like a prick.” Hannah held a tissue over her finger. “And your thumb, too?”
Janay squinted to focus on the small red dot on the tip. “I...” She looked over her shoulder, then turned to face Hannah again. “That
coin. It’s got needles.”
“Needles?” Hannah’s brow arched. “Where is it?”
She pointed to the table. “Behind there, on the floor.” She trailed after Hannah. “Don’t touch it!”
“Why?” Hannah bent to pick it up and flipped it around. “I don’t see anything.”
With a sigh, Janay let her arms fall to her sides. "Thank god."
“Look, maybe you should go home? You’re stressed and we’ve got the dig almost done. Timmy needs you. You need to be with
him when he goes through –” Hannah averted her gaze. She grabbed the bag hanging on the back of a chair and dropped the
coin in. “Then you can take a proper look at this in the lab.”
Janay narrowed her eyes and pinched the seal of the bag. “I suppose.”
Janay raced along the corridors in the hospital and burst through the swinging doors of the oncology wing. Her chest burned and
tightened. She was late, again. I.V poles stuck out from behind the reception desk of the wing. Which one was Tim’s? The nurse, a
new one she hadn’t met before, looked up with a scornful glare in her eyes.
Janay rested her elbows on the marble top. “Timmy Kruger?” she asked between breaths.
“And you are?” The nurse frowned, peering over her spectacles.
“His wife.” Janay took in a deep breath. “Has it started already?”
The nurse’s eyes narrowed then relaxed. She shook her head and pointed to the far end of the room. “He’s back there. Treatment
will begin soon.”
Janay huffed a quick thank-you and moved around the counter, taking long, slow steps once she spotted Timmy. A pole stood
beside his chair, a cup of crushed ice in his hand, and a tube threaded into his arm. The skin of his chest was marked with a red
circle of sunburn under the gown.
Timmy smiled. “I thought you couldn’t make it?” He struggled to stand up. “What about your important find?”
Janay wrapped her arms around him. “You’re more important than any discovery.” Her collar grew moist and she pulled back.
“Don’t cry, Timlove.” She wiped the tiny stream of tears from under his left eye.
“I can’t help it.” Timmy sniffed. “Just happy you’re here with me.”
The nurse from the front desk came up to them, her smile forced. “It’s time to begin, Mr. Kruger.” She held up a cooler bag.
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