Blizzard

chapter 23

12.11.2020

The first thing that really stuck out to Shelby was that the large building was pretty much devoid of windows. Taking in her surroundings, Shelby walked a few steps behind her father as they entered the lobby. The second thing she noticed was the silence once the door leading outside closed. The room had to be soundproof because for the first time in months her ears weren't being overwhelmed by a plethora of sounds. She wasn't quite used to the increased hearing, or any of the other symptoms caused by the disease. For the first time in months, she felt an ounce of normalcy return to her. That was until the sharp smell of antiseptic filled her nostrils; however, it was a welcome replacement for the stench of exhaust she had to endure every time she ventured outside the comfort of her home. Though, even at home she wasn't entirely able to escape it.

A girl dressed all in white was standing behind the counter. Her name tag read Linh Bach and she looked like she was in her early twenties.

"Good afternoon, what can I help you with?" Linh said. She had a prominent Australian accent.

"G'day, I'm Dave Goodkind and this is my daughter, Shelby. We are here to see Doctor Gretchen Klein."

"Ah, yes. Of course." The girl threw them a polite smile and turned to the computer to type something before stepping from behind the counter. "If you'll follow me."

Linh took them up to the third floor. In the hallway, they passed a young man in a white hospital gown flanked by two men dressed all in black. The young man's pale head was shaved to a buzzcut, and his eyes and ears were covered by bandages.

In passing, Shelby got a whiff of old blood mixed with the stench of death. They were in a facility akin to a hospital so she didn't think much of it, but nonetheless it sent a shiver down her spine.

Linh stopped, opening the door to an empty office. "Go on in and wait here, Doctor Klein will be with you shortly." With that she left them standing in the office, having left the door wide open.

It didn't take very long for Shelby to hear the loud clacking of heels on the floor resounding in the hallway.

A woman with long, sandy brown hair entered the room. Underneath her lab coat she wore black slacks and heels.

Shelby couldn't fathom why in the world someone would opt to wear heels if they were to stand in a laboratory all day-why one would subject themselves to such needless suffering.

The woman looked delighted to see them, almost as delighted as Dave looked to be here. "Good afternoon. I'm Doctor Gretchen Klein." She said, smiling widely.

"Good afternoon, Doctor." Dave said.

"Good afternoon," Shelby said as well.

"It's such a delight to be here." Dave said, "We were very relieved when you reached out to us."

"Well, that's definitely good to hear." Doctor Klein smiled at him and turned to Shelby. "Shelby, I am so glad you were able to make it."

"Me too." Shelby said, smiling politely at the woman who claimed to be able to cure her.

"Let's take a seat, shall we?" Gretchen motioned to the desk and walked behind it to take a seat in the black, leather office chair while Dave and Shelby sat down in the two chairs in front of it.

Doctor Klein took out a clipboard from a desk drawer and a pen from the breast pocket of her lab coat. "So tell me, how long have you been experiencing these symptoms?"