Into The World

#15 - Elizabeth

The chief physician stands in the doorway, facing the division that bifurcates the hybrid room. He pushes the slidable wall forward to get a full glimpse of the two blacked-out shapeshifters. "She'll wake up in eight hours," he says, glancing at the monitors beside the young patient's bed. He flits his gaze to his right, studying his other patient, "And the anaesthetic will wear off in twenty minutes."

The physician steps out of the room, tapping his wristband. Two holographic screens pop up before him as he closes the door. "Everything's normal," he says, studying the various charts that appear on each screen.

He takes his mask and gloves off when the screens vanish. Tossing them in the nearby bin, the physician plods toward the benches beside the hybrid room door. His clinical demeanor begins to wear off as he plops on the nearest bench.

Now, as suppressed emotions wend their way to his poised visage, Anthony sags, placing his quivering arms over his thighs. How did this happen? He glances over his shoulder, taking in a deep breath, and taps the wall behind him. The concrete wall transforms into a glass-like window, displaying an unconscious Eliza on the bed.

The man rests his head on the window as he glances at his daughter. "What will happen now?" He whispers in trepidation.

...

"So this is the world?" Eliza says, thunderstruck by the urban landscape around her. Tom grins as he watches his niece gaze at the distant skyscrapers, "Melvin Square's just a minuscule fraction of it." They both stroll down the barren sidewalk.

"I want to know more about this world," Eliza says, turning to face her uncle. "Of course," he replies. "Oh, we all should try traveling around the world in eighty days or something," She says. Her gaze falls on a man who appears on the far end of the sidewalk, "Hey, Dad." Tom turns to face his brother, "Tony."

Anthony waves, a broad grin on his face, "I bought ice cream from Borges & Hues." The shapeshifter notices a flickering band hugging his brother's ankle. "Cool," Eliza replies, teeming with joy, and steps forward; but her uncle's grip stops her. He points to the device on her dad's right ankle.

"Dad, you bought new shoes?" She asks, slipping away from her uncle's grip. "Yeah," he answers, glancing at his navy blue sneakers. "I thought I'll buy you yours after we finish with these." He lifts the bag.

Tom begins to hear an alarming tick as his brother approaches. That band is a detonator. "Liz, we need to go back," He looks at his niece who steps forward. "Liz?" She turns back, "Uncle, come on." She grabs his arm. "The ice cream will melt." Tom lets out an uncontrollable smile. What? He finds himself sauntering with his jovial niece. Why can't I get out? He muses as the tick grows louder.

Tom jolts awake. He shudders away his nightmare as tonight's episodes begin to reel in. "Liz," he gasps as flashes of his shapeshifting niece zap across his mind. He tries to get up from his recumbent position, but grimaces when a sharp pain strikes his abdomen. "Right," he mutters, feeling his patched injury. He lays back on his bed and scans his surroundings.

Where is Liz? Unable to suppress his restlessness, the shapeshifter detaches himself from the monitoring systems and carefully sits up. Everything was supposed to be resolved tonight. He muses as he slowly plants his feet on the ground. The patient lifts his head when the door slides open. "You were not supposed to get up from here," the physician says while closing the door.

Tom looks away from his brother who reconnects him to the monitors, "Is she okay?" The physician nods, "She's sleeping." He taps his wristband, causing a screen to pop up in front of them. A young brunette is displayed on the holographic screen, sleeping peacefully, adjoining monitors displaying her current vital signs.