The Mesmerized

Jesse had placed all the mesmerized patients, Simone, Arthur, and Minji’s family in rooms close to one another on the main floor in an area just beyond the examination rooms. From each doorway came the creepy, raspy whispers of the mesmerized.

“Heeeeeeeelp moomee.”

Minji shoved each half closed door open all the way, flipped on the light, and searched for Ava. Though all the mesmerized appeared to be sleeping, the cry for help continued to slither out of their mouths. The first few rooms housed people Minji didn’t know, but she quickly found the ones with Simone and Arthur. Simone stood near the window, uttering the disconcerting words. Ava wasn’t in her room. In the next one, Arthur’s eyes were open though he was still reclining on his bed, and Ava was not in his room either.

The doors to the rest of the rooms were closed, so Minji hurried past the bank of elevators and around the corner. At the far end of this hall were the open doors to the waiting room. The examination room doors were all shut, but one door further down was wide open. The glow of a television pooled on the white tile and the cackle of static mingled with British voices murmured from within. She paused in the doorway long enough to see Jesse standing before a small television with a makeshift antenna made from wire, hangers, and lots of foil.

“...are in the affected areas and immune, please call the number on your screen, or log onto the website listed below. The BBC will continue to broadcast until the event reaches the United Kingdom...”

As though sensing her presence, Jesse’s head swiveled toward her.

“Heeeeeeeelp moomee.”

Chills caused not only by the frosty air and freezing floor flowed over her skin, popping out gooseflesh. Shuddering from the both the cold and fear, she turned and hurried to the waiting room. Dread filled Minji at the thought of Ava slipping outside to follow after the mesmerized horde. Bare feet slapping against the tiles, she ran the last few feet to the double doors opening to the waiting room shrouded in night.

“Ava!”

Flailing her hand against the wall, she searched for the light switch. The contrast between the varying shades of darkness deepened as her eyes adjusted to the deep gloom. The blocky shapes of the furniture gradually emerged from the murkiness, but the form of a little girl did not appear. Minji brushed her gaze back and forth over the room as her fingers sought out the light switch.

A gasp broke free from her lips.

A figure stood in the entrance of the building and, for a beat of her heart, Minji thought it was Jake. Tall, broad shouldered, golden hair haloed by the low light spilling in from the hallway, the man remained unmoving.

“Hello?” Minji said cautiously.

“Heeeeeeeelpmeeeeee,” a deep voice moaned.

“Are you hurt?”

A long, unnerving silence followed.

It had to be one of the mesmerized, but why had he entered the building? The last trickles of the population of Las Vegas were continuing northward out of the city and none had shown any interest in entering any of the buildings bordering their path.

Something soft bumped into Minji from behind, and she let out a startled scream, jumping to one side. With relief, she saw it was Ava. The child’s eyes weren’t turned toward Minji, but the newcomer.

“Heeeeeeeelp moomee.” It was Ava who spoke this time.

“Ava?”

There was a short intake of breath, then a heavy footfall. Minji looked up just as the man staggered toward her. Minji stepped back sharply, dragging Ava with her. She bumped into the wall and felt the light switch under her shoulder blade. Promptly flipping it upward, she blinked in the abrupt brightness of the overhead lights.

A man in his late forties stood in front of her, blood st

reaming down the side of his face and staining his shirt. Listing slightly to one side, he stared at her in surprise. At last, he raised the wad of cloth he held in one hand to his head and pressed it against the wound.

“Ma’am, I need some help. Are you a nurse?”

“No, no, I’m not.” Both relief and apprehension flooded her. Another survivor had found them.

Keen blue eyes appraised her before shifting to Ava. “Hello, little lady.”

At her side, Ava screamed.

Chapter 21

Kneeling at Ava’s side, Minji attempted to draw the screaming child into her arms. “Ava, Ava! Look at me! It’s Mommy!”

“It hurts, Mommy! It hurts!” Ava wailed, gripping Minji’s shirt.