The next morning, the sky was a dull gray, casting a somber light over the city as Emilia sat at her desk, staring at the pile of reports she was supposed to finish. But her mind wasn’t on the paperwork. It was on Lucian Dvorak. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard his whisper. Her name, spoken so quietly it might have been her imagination, yet it felt too real to dismiss.
A knock on her office door interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see Dr. Elias Kerr, the hospital’s resident psychologist and her occasional confidant, standing in the doorway.
“Mind if I come in?” he asked, his voice gentle, as always.
“Please.” Emilia waved him in, grateful for the distraction.
Elias shut the door behind him, walking over to her desk. He studied her face for a moment before sitting down. “You look tired.”
Emilia let out a humorless laugh. “I’ve heard that twice in the last 24 hours. I’m starting to think it’s true.”
He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Anything on your mind? Or should I guess?”
She hesitated, unsure if she wanted to drag someone else into this strange, unsettling feeling she couldn’t shake. “It’s... a patient.”
“I thought it might be.” Elias leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Care to elaborate?”
Emilia sighed, rubbing her temples as if she could massage away the tension. “It’s not the usual case. This patient—Lucian Dvorak—he’s different. The police are involved, calling him dangerous. But it’s more than that. When I was treating him, there was this... sense of something else. Like I was staring into the eyes of someone... hollow.”
Elias nodded slowly, his face contemplative. “Hollow?”
“Yeah.” Emilia met his gaze. “It was like looking into a void. No fear, no anger, not even pain. Just nothing.”
Elias tapped his chin thoughtfully. “That’s interesting. Sometimes trauma or sociopathy can manifest like that. A kind of emotional shutdown or complete detachment.”
“That’s what I thought at first.” She paused, biting her lip before continuing. “But then, last night... after the surgery, when I was about to leave, I swear I heard him say my name.”
Elias frowned. “But you didn’t tell him your name, right?”
“No. He was unconscious before I introduced myself.”
He leaned forward, his expression more serious now. “What exactly did he say?”
“Just my name,” she said quietly. “He whispered, ‘Emilia.’ I thought I imagined it, but... I don’t know. It felt real.”
Elias studied her carefully, his psychologist’s mind clearly working through the possibilities. “It’s possible he overheard someone say your name while he was in the OR. Patients sometimes pick up things while they’re sedated, even if they don’t seem conscious.”
“I’ve thought of that.” She sighed again, her frustration mounting. “But the way he said it... it was like he knew me.”
Elias was silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you think you’ve met him before?”
“I don’t see how,” Emilia replied. “But with everything Lestrade said, I’m starting to wonder if there’s more to this than just a coincidence.”
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Elias nodded thoughtfully. “Lestrade’s the detective, right? What exactly did she say about him?”
“She said he’s connected to several crimes, including murder. She thinks he’s dangerous and warned me to stay away.” Emilia ran a hand through her hair. “But how am I supposed to do that? He’s my patient.”
Elias tilted his head, his expression growing darker. “That complicates things. But it’s not unusual for criminals to end up in hospitals. Maybe she’s being overly cautious.”
“Maybe,” Emilia said, though she didn’t sound convinced. “But there’s something about him, Elias. Something that feels... off.”
He didn’t respond immediately, but after a pause, he said, “Do you want me to speak with him? If he’s dangerous, it could be useful to get a psychological evaluation.”
“I’m not sure he’d talk to you,” Emilia said. “And he’s still recovering. He’s been unconscious since last night.”
Elias leaned forward again. “When he wakes up, it might be worth a try. Even if he’s involved in something criminal, understanding his mind could help you. It might also give you some peace.”
She nodded, considering the offer. “Maybe. I just don’t know if it’ll make things better or worse.”
Before Elias could respond, a knock at the door interrupted them. Emilia glanced up to see a nurse peeking her head inside, her face pale.
“Dr. Navarro, I think you should come quickly,” the nurse said, her voice trembling slightly.
Emilia’s stomach twisted in an instant. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s the patient, Lucian Dvorak,” the nurse replied. “He’s awake.”
Elias and Emilia exchanged a look before standing. Without a word, they followed the nurse down the hall toward Lucian’s room. Emilia’s heart pounded in her chest with every step. She wasn’t sure if it was fear or anticipation, but either way, she knew she was walking into something dangerous.
When they reached the room, the nurse pushed the door open gently. Lucian lay in the bed, his eyes open and focused, staring at the ceiling with unsettling calm. His face was as serene as ever, but there was a strange intensity in the way he remained so still, as if the world around him didn’t matter.
Emilia stepped inside cautiously, Elias at her side. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her professional composure. “Mr. Dvorak?”
Slowly, Lucian’s eyes shifted toward her, locking onto her with a piercing gaze. A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips. “Emilia.”
The sound of her name sent a jolt through her, but she forced herself to stay calm. “How are you feeling?”
Lucian’s smile widened slightly, but he didn’t answer her question. Instead, he continued to study her with those unnervingly sharp eyes, like he was seeing straight through her.
“I knew you’d be here,” he said softly, his voice smooth and calm. “It was always going to be you.”
Emilia exchanged a quick glance with Elias, who furrowed his brow but remained silent. She stepped closer, trying to keep her voice steady. “What do you mean? Do you remember what happened?”
Lucian’s smile didn’t falter. “Everything happens for a reason, Doctor. You saved me because you had to. We’re connected now.”
Elias spoke up, his voice professional but probing. “What do you mean by ‘connected,’ Mr. Dvorak?”
Lucian’s eyes flicked to Elias, and for a brief moment, his smile faded, replaced by something darker, almost menacing. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” Elias pressed, undeterred.
Lucian chuckled, the sound low and unsettling. “You think you’re clever, don’t you? Trying to dissect my mind like it’s some puzzle you can solve. But you’re not as clever as you think.”
Elias didn’t flinch. “I’m not here to play games. I’m here to help.”
Lucian’s gaze shifted back to Emilia, ignoring Elias entirely. “You’ve already helped me, Doctor. More than you know.”
Emilia felt a shiver run down her spine. She could feel the tension thickening in the air, the weight of Lucian’s words pressing down on her. “What do you want from me?”
Lucian’s eyes sparkled with something unreadable, something dangerous. “I want you to remember this moment. Because soon, everything will change. And when it does, you’ll understand why it had to be you.”
The room seemed to grow colder as he spoke, and Emilia couldn’t shake the feeling that she was standing on the edge of something vast and terrifying.
“Why me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucian smiled again, a smile that chilled her to the bone. “Because, Emilia... you’re the only one who can stop me.”
For a long, breathless moment, no one spoke. The only sound in the room was the soft hum of the machines surrounding Lucian’s bed. Then, without warning, Lucian’s eyes fluttered shut, and his body went limp, as though the conversation had never happened.
Emilia stood frozen, her mind racing. She could feel Elias staring at her, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. All she could think about were Lucian’s words, echoing in her head like a warning.