(YOU GOTTA BE- *BEEP*)

Korri POV

I have nightmares.

I have nightmares about what's happening to her.

But morning soon comes, and I tell my mother and sister goodbyes before I pull out my bike and bolt.

Riding a bike gives me a bit of panic, because of the bad memories attached to it.

My mom and dad won't follow me to the hospital.

I stop my bike and it skids in front of the sidewalk by the park.

I chain my bike to the bike rack, and run the rest of the way to the ER.

I open the door, and tap the front desk to get the woman's attention.

She looks up, clearly annoyed, and asks, "What do you want?"

"I wanna see Lola Angelica Sallow." The words roll off my tongue with a hot fiery burn.

The burn of familiarity, and sick feelings attached to it.

She frowns. "She is not up for visitors."

She's not even awake.

"Okay," I reply. "When will she be?"

"Noon."

"Okay," I say, and nervously sit on one of the benches and stare at my watch.

*Fifteen minutes later*

It's almost noon.

It's almost noon.

Time drags.

"Korri Sallow," the woman calls and a million stares burn into my everything.

I stand, and keep my head down.

The woman hands me a note, and it says,

Room 13 - second floor - 15 minutes.
in cut-print writing.

I lick my lips and start down the hall.

A boy bumps into me.

He looks like he's about my age, and has just-under-shoulder length wavy black hair, and a pale stainless face with a small slender nose. He wears dark clothes, like he doesn't wanna be noticed.

And he has an oddly dark shade of cobalt blue eyes...

"Hello." He has an accent, soft, crisp, hesitant voice. One that seemed to be triggered on impulse, and not used often.

"Hi, now please move?"

When he raises his eyebrows, I clarify, "I need to see my sister, not chit-chat with cultists."

He shrugs, a small smile tugging on his lips as steps away from me.

"Thanks," I say.

"Sure, and, um, sorry." He replies, then mumbles, "I know the deal."

I start to step away, but pause, "What deal?"

But he's already gone.

I shake my head. "Well, that was... weird."

I step into the elevator, and its soft humm of machinery drowns out my nerve racking thoughts as the ding snaps me out of my stupor as the door opens and I step out onto the second floor.

I look around.

It's... oddly quiet.

And dingy.

I shrug it off, and walk toward room 13.

I open the door and the oddly creaky door opens wide to an empty room.

It looks like the room hasn't been touched in months.

Lola isn't here.

A small sheet of paper sits on the bed and it says,

Sorry about this, but I have to borrow your sister for a bit.

Please don't kill me for this, but I know what I'm doing.

I think.

I need you to trust me, OK?

PS. I have no idea how to put this nicely/not-evilly, Sorry.

Mars

I grumble some Danish curses, and shove the note in my pocket.

What kind of a name is "Mars?"

If I were a shapeshifter I'd turn into flames, but the closest thing to that I CAN do it become bright red and I'm sure that I am.

I check the rest of the surrounding rooms, to make sure that this is just a prank, but it isn't. The rest of the rooms match the first.

And I have a sinking feeling that "Mars" is the boy I bumped into in the hallway.