𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐫, m. tate & i. lahey

𝟎𝟏𝟏. a silent record player

ANCHOR

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"DO YOU EVEN know where we're going?" Malia questions, looking at the large hospital as she squints her eyes from the sunlight shining overhead.

"Uh, no." Isaac replies in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck with his free palm. "No, not really."

Malia rolls her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief. Then, she begins marching toward the front entrance, Isaac following behind her. They push the double doors open, and their eyes wander around the hospital lobby.

"Hm..." Isaac hums, lips tightened together in a firm line. He glances down at the plastic bag in his left hand, and an idea pops into his head. "Melissa's working today. Maybe we could ask her where Stiles is?"

As if on cue, the older woman approaches the teenagers with a friendly smile. "Isaac, Malia? What're you doing here?"

"Hey, uh, we were looking for Stiles. Do you know where he is?" the boy asks, to which she nods with the click of her tongue.

"Yes, I do." She smiles warmly, starting to turn towards one of the halls. "Follow me."

Isaac and Malia glance at each other before shuffling after her. Melissa goes around a corner and keeps walking until they reach the fifth door, and she knocks on the wood gently. Then she clasps her hand over the metal doorknob and pushes it open, allowing the pair behind her to view the patient room. They stay in the hall, unsure of whether or not they could enter the space.

"You find a tape player?" Stiles' voice echoes, while Melissa shakes her head in response.

"No," she tells him with a small grin on her face. She steps out of the way, pressing her back against the door. "But I found some people looking for you."

Isaac motions for Malia to enter first, and she does. He walks in after her, handing Melissa the plastic bag in the process. The woman's smile grows wider, and she looks up at him before nodding in thanks. Isaac mirrors her expression and gives a thumbs up, earning a light chuckle from her. Then she leaves the three teenagers to themselves. When Stiles sees his friends, he scrambles off the bed.

The light brown-haired girl reluctantly speaks, "So we heard you almost got killed."

"I—I heard you guys almost got killed," Stiles mentions, gesturing towards the two for effect.

"You okay?" Malia probes, looking him up and down for any possible injuries. Isaac seems to be doing the same, although he hasn't said anything to the boy yet.

"Brunski punched me in the face,"—he points to his face briefly—"turns out he was a serial killer."

Malia wrinkles her features and nods. "Makes sense."

"What about you?"

"Oh, we almost got burned alive." Isaac answers bluntly, causing Stiles's expression to become both concerned and puzzled.

"Everyone okay?" the human questions with furrows brows.

"Pretty much, yeah."