Am I dead? The dazing radiant light was all that Ash could make out as he pried his eyes open, a silent thought entering his mind.

  He blinked a few more times, the world rearranging itself. No, he was alive. He was staring up at a bright white ceiling with fluorescent lights. The sight was unfamiliar to him, adding to his confusion. Still disoriented, the man turned his head, looking around. Various machinery, which looked like medical equipment, was attached to him.

  The man took a deep breath in, steadying himself. That is when he got another reminder of being alive - pain shot through his body like a piston.

  Fucking hell, everything hurts. Ash noted as he tried to sit up.

  With some great difficulty, he heaved himself up. His ribs felt like they could burst at any time, but frankly, Ash was surprised that he was still breathing.

  Taking another look at the unfamiliar environment, Ash immediately noted a few things. First, there were no windows in sight - a curious choice for a hospital. Another deduction was that he was all alone.

  After some deliberation, Ash yanked the tubes and needles out of his skin - he did not feel the need for them. Aside from the pain, he felt fine. He remarked that his shoulder and abdomen were bandaged. Planting his feet on the tiled ground, Ash took a deep breath and heaved himself upright.

  His head spun momentarily, but Ash was ready for this - quickly steadying himself. From here, he could take a deeper look around the room. The door of the room caught his attention. It appeared to be a metallic door with no handles; a panel was visible on the wall.

  What type of hospital am I even in? Ash noted in his mind. Nothing made sense; his head still swam with questions he drowned out.

  Ash approached the door in front of him. The panel lit up, reading 'Access verification' with an outline of a handprint. Ash put his palm up to the panel. A split second passed before the panel returned with a red light, and 'Access Denied' appeared on the screen. The man sighed in confusion, he could not even leave the confines of the room.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Just as Ash was about to turn around, the panel lit up again, this time in green. He heard a click, and the door slid open mechanically. On the opposite side of the door stood a young woman dressed in white, pushing a cart full of medical equipment. She looked up at the man, blinking a few times, before she recoiled with a yelp, nearly tipping the cart over.

  "Sir! Y-You aren't supposed to be walking!" she closed her eyes for a moment, standing upright and shaking her head before continuing. "Wait! You are up and walking; please sit back down; I must run some tests! God, we didn't expect you to wake up so soon."

  "I feel fine. Pain is still there, but I feel good." Ash responded, a bit dumbfounded, before quickly adding, "I was looking for a bathroom."

  "No. No. We must first make sure you are healthy enough to move! Sit down. If you push yourself too much, your stitches can burst open!" She pushed the cart inside and ushered Ash back to his bed.

  Ash sighed and sat back down. Perhaps it was better to listen to her. The girl shuffled back and forth, drawing blood and pressing around Ash's damaged body.

  "I will need to change your bandages. However, the bleeding has stopped," she stated.

  "Yeah, I feel good as new. I can be out soon, right?" Ash asked, probing for some answers.

  The woman stopped for a moment as if contemplating before she spoke, "I am afraid I don't know yet."

  "Fair enough. Can you tell me where I am located?" Ash responded, noting her cryptic answer and added to make it more believable "In case I want to have my family visit."

  Silence. This time, it was even more palatable. Ash started feeling uncomfortable as the woman worked on changing his bandages. Whatever was going on here - the strange creature that attacked his home, waking up in a strange hospital - it filled Ash's consciousness with millions of questions.

  "Sir. You must remain calm. Your questions will be answered." the nurse cut the silence off, speaking in a reassuring tone, "Please wait here for now."

  With those words, she collected her equipment and put it on the cart before leaving the room. Plunging Ash into stillness, he did not move much as he sat, reflecting on what to do next.

  What happened that night? Did the girl get away? I hope so. What was that thing? And where the fuck am I right at this moment. Ash groaned as he exhaled deeply.

  After what felt like an eternity, the door slid open again. This time, two men walked in. One of them, a tall, broad-shouldered man dressed in a black suit, Ash could see the weapon on his hip. The other man stepped forward; he was older - likely in his 50s with a grey receding hairline, he wore a dark purple suit and carried a clipboard.

  The older man spoke in a hoarse voice, "Mr. Frye, It is a pleasure to see you doing well. Now, I know you must have a lot of questions. So, I would like to talk to you privately. About the very truth you seek."