Be Mine

Chapter 12: Mortuary Part-2

Brian POV:

August 28th, 1997 // 12:15 pm

As we arrived at the hospital building, we noticed a sign indicating that the hospital was on the second floor, while a startup company occupied the first and ground floors. We searched for the elevator, which was on the opposite side of the building's center. We got inside the elevator and pressed the button for the second floor, waiting for it to take us up.

Mike expressed his concerns, "How can we avoid being caught by the nurses or hospital staff? And how can we enter the hospital without a valid reason?"

I reassured him, "That's why we're going to see the doctor first."

Mike was confused, "See the doctor? Why?"

I explained my plan, "You're going to pretend to have a stomach ache and use it as an excuse to see the doctor. While you're in there, I'll sneak into the mortuary and locate the man we're looking for."

Mike let out a sigh of relief and said, "Okay, I'll pretend to be the sick one because I'm not interested in playing detective like you, Sherlock San."

I smiled and replied, "Come on, being a detective is pretty cool, you have to admit."

Mike rolled his eyes and responded, "Yeah, sure. But what's our plan if we get caught?"

Confidently, I replied, "Don't worry, I'll give you a signal. When you hear it, we'll run as fast as we can."

Mike looked at me skeptically and asked, "What kind of signal will it be?"

I chuckled and said, "I'll whistle as loudly as I can. Trust me, you'll know it when you hear it."

As soon as Mike and I stepped out of the elevator, we found ourselves in a spacious hallway that divided the two sections. To the right, a massive door labeled "Enforcer's General Hospital" caught our attention, while on the left side, a closed door secured with locks seemed to lead to a restricted area.

Without hesitation, we made our way towards the hospital door, and fortunately, there were many people waiting to see the doctor. Mike approached the receptionist and obtained a receipt for his visit, and then we settled in to wait for his turn.

While we waited, I discreetly searched for the mortuary's location, but it seemed to be nowhere in sight. Feeling desperate, I leaned towards Mike and whispered, "I'm going to the washroom," hoping to use it as an excuse to search for the mortuary.

Mike immediately responded, "Why don't I come with you? I don't want you going alone."

But I shook my head, "What if they call your name while we're gone? They might get suspicious if you're not here."

Looking around, Mike tried to reassure me, "Don't worry, there are still people ahead of me. We can come back before my turn."

However, I disagreed, "No, it will take time to find the mortuary. We can't risk getting caught. You stay here."

Despite his protests, I left him and approached the receptionist, pretending to ask for the location of the washrooms. After she gave me directions, I searched for the mortuary room with utmost caution to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. Finally, after some time, I found the room.

Upon entering, I was taken aback by the sight of numerous deceased individuals, all preserved in body bags by the refrigeration units within the morgue.

Feeling a sense of urgency, I carefully began opening the body bags, searching for the one person I had come to find. However, despite my thorough search, I was unable to locate the man's body. Without any clear thought or direction, I continued searching through the remaining body bags. Only two bags were left to check.

As I approached them, my entire body was overcome with a sense of dread, and my trembling hands could barely grasp the bags.

After opening both bags, I realized that the man I was looking for was not inside either of them. Overwhelmed with disappointment and despair, I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air and struggling to steady my breathing.

After my failed attempt to locate the man, I sought out Mike who had gone to see the doctor. As I sat in a chair waiting for him to return, my mind was consumed with worry and uncertainty. Suddenly, Mike emerged from the doctor's room and noticed the distress on my face. He sat down next to me and asked in a concerned tone, "What happened? You didn't find the man's body, did you?"

Feeling defeated, I lowered my gaze and replied, "No, he wasn't at the morgue, and I don't know what to do now."

Mike offered a glimmer of hope, "Perhaps they transported his body to his family. That could be why you didn't find him."

Still unsure, I muttered, "Maybe, but I don't know if my nightmare about him is real or not."

Mike's voice was firm and reassuring, "Brian, it's time to face the truth. The entity is not real. It's all just in your imagination, and it won't come true in your lifetime."

I couldn't help but ask, "But how can you be so sure that the entity isn't real? I haven't even seen the man's body to confirm it."

Mike replied without hesitation, "You don't need to see his body to confirm anything. Inspector Marcus has already confirmed on TV that the incident at the girl's hostel was a suicide committed by two teenagers named Stephen and Maria."

I was stunned and stared at the TV in the hospital, my eyes wide with a mix of shock and tension. Mike continued, "You see, Brian, it's just a suicide case. There's no supernatural being involved like you thought. Don't waste our time thinking that your nightmare will come true, and you can save people from that entity."

Struggling to make sense of my thoughts, I confessed, "I believed that if Yelan and this man Stephen were real, then maybe the entity was real too. That's why I dragged you here with me to find out the truth, but now I'm not sure what to believe anymore."

In a stern voice, Mike said, "Believe what they're reporting in the news, Brian. So stop overthinking it and focus on our real problems. Do you understand how our parents will react if they find out we didn't attend classes today?"

"I don't care how my parents will react, Mike," I said in a calm voice, "but could you drop me off at my house? I just want to go home and rest, man."

"Sure, Brian. Let's get the hell out of here," Mike responded.

As we rode the bike, Mike thought it would be best to give me some space. He believed it was the only way for me to forget about everything that had been happening in my life. He hoped that in a few days, I would return to my normal self. However, he didn't know that I still believed in the existence of the entity.

As we reached my house, I quickly went inside without even looking at Mike. I went straight to my room without responding to my mom, who was asking why I had come home so early. I lay on my bed, trying to fall asleep, hoping to encounter the entity again in my nightmares.