Garbled visions of screaming reptiles, encircled with red liquid, hungering for it, requiring it after such torment, a tear escaped Isabella's eyes as she witnessed the pain of the being lingering in her visions. Such cruelty for something, which couldn't defend itself. Startled, she awoke seconds before her alarm blared.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Her heart dropped as the alarm reverberated through her apartment.

"I guess they're back." She groaned inwardly thinking of the reptilian creatures invading her thoughts.

Quickly, arising to use the commode. Once finished, she washed her hands starting the procedure of brushing and flossing. As she brought the toothbrush to her mouth, she gazed in complete horror as the black-eye reptile gazed back at her from the mirror. Appearing hurt, its mouth slightly opened as it flickered with light around its eyes. Quietly, she witnessed the strange creature's appearance. Not giving the impression it was cognizant of her presence, moving closer to the mirror, her curiosity allowed her to gaze closer into its face.

"What gorgeous patterns. What is this? What am I seeing?" Isabella questioned.

Moving even closer, she attempted to touch the mirror as nothing happened. Exhaling, noticing she held her breath, regaining her respiration, she held her ground. Isabella, now mere inches away from the mirror, the creature's eyes widened apparently in response to her gaze. Immediately after, the vision dissipated like a cloud of smoke. Isabella jerked her head back frightened, her vision blurring softly. Regaining her focus, she peered at her normal reflection once again.

"What is happening to me?" She thought, her hand trembling softly. "What will everyone think if I tell them I am seeing things that aren't there?" Beginning to brim with tears, her eyes misted slightly. Attempting to hold them back, she took several deep breaths. "No one will believe what's happening to me."

Isabella's throat grew thick and constricted, swallowing hard, her chest puffed up and down. As the tears flowed down her cheeks, she ruminated, "How can I explain this? Perhaps, I was sleepwalking. Yes! It may have been a lingering dream."

After many deep breaths, she returned to the mirror. Again, nothing but her reflection met her gaze. Her pulse slowed before a piercing pain returned to her side. Gritting her teeth, she opened the mirror to find any medication that would help the pain abate. Stabbing froze her hand mid-rummage. Tightening her eyes, she closed her fists while her body shook.

The uncomfortable sensation jarring her, biting into her lip, she vaguely remembered the pain of childbirth. Instinctively, she breathed, each breath causing the pain to float further away. Envisioning a sailboat, she watched her pain board and sail further into the horizon, teetering above the waves before slowly sinking into the dark blue abyss.

Tenuously, she opened her eyes. Continuing to breathe, she noticed the fatigue bear down upon her, the weight crippling her. Isabella grabbed onto the sink to steady herself. Here, she noticed the water still ran. The steam shooting upward, filling the mirror in a hazy fog, once again, dreadfully, she returned her gaze to the mirror. Again, the creature remained absent. Placing her the back of her hand upon her forehead, she calmed further, releasing a deep sigh, she continued her morning ritual.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Her warning alarm erupted. Setting this to establish the right time to leave, in horror, she realized she lost an hour of her time attempting to prepare herself. Quickly rushing to put on deodorant, while simultaneously brushing her teeth she felt the anxiety mount.

As she rushed through the door, she looked down noticing with annoyance to examine she still had her pajamas on. Scrambling back inside, she quickly changed into her clothes preparing for her last day of orientation.

--------

Quickly she moved towards the employee break room to punch in. Navigating through the hospital proved challenging as she avoided elderly patients and employees attempting to distract her. Swiftly, she moved to the medium conference room to find a sign on the door telling all participants to meet two floors up. Gazing at her watch, she held three minutes to spare.

"Isabella? Right?" A hearty voice called a few feet away. "What's the word?"

Isabella down the hall to her left as she noticed the larger woman she met yesterday approach her location. Noticeably, she focused on her breathing. Becoming erratic, she breathed in deep as she greeted her co-worker.

"Susan! Hey, they changed the location." She said pointing with her thumb at the sign to her side.

A groan erupted behind her. "Ugh, I hurried all this way for this?" Another woman said mere feet away.

Having her phone out and while texting furiously upon it a scowl etched on her face. Isabella and Susan looked at the newcomer intently. Much younger than the two, her nametag displayed upon her chest.

"I remember seeing you yesterday. Cheryl, was it?"

"Yeah," She said refusing to look up.

Cheryl continued to text, unlike Susan and Isabella, her profession differed to that of a Registered Nurse. Potentially the supervisor of both women, she exuded an air of superiority. Eyeing each other in silent disapproval, one shook their head as the other rolled her eyes.

"Well, I guess we better get moving to the new meeting site," Susan said turning towards the direction of the elevators.

"Ugh, I fucking hate men!" Cheryl said thrusting her phone inside her purse.

Neither Susan nor Isabella attempted to retrieve more detail about this outburst as all three moved silently towards the new location. Fortunately, many other individuals continued to trickle into the new location. Moving inwards, Isabella noticed an uncomfortably small room where two queues presented themselves. Confused, Susan and Isabella looked around for clues to which they should go.

A small woman in a business suit approached them. Her features flat, but warm, having very fair skin with carefully drawn in eyebrows.

Smiling warmly, she asked pleasantly, "What is your job title ladies?"

"We are nurses' aides," Susan stated.

"Oh no! I'm an RN, not an Aide," Cheryl interjected with an air of self-importance.

"Ok." The small woman said. "RN's on the left and Nurses' Aides on the right. Hmm? Easy Peasy."

The women separated, as Susan and Isabella stood next to each other chatting quietly. Cheryl quickly took out her phone again beginning to tap upon it furiously.

"Whoa, she is a trip, eh?" Susan asked of Cheryl.

"Yeah, what was that about? Someone is full of themselves. Ha Ha." She said chuckling softly.

They both turned to gaze upon Cheryl as she pressed vehemently upon the phone. For an instant, she looked up witnessing both women watching her with smiles on their faces. Scowling, she pressed their gazes as they looked away quickly, in an attempted to feign simply gazing around the room.

"Ugh, stupid bitches," Cheryl said under her breath as she returned to text message furiously.

The pair stifled their laughter as they moved further towards the beginning of the line. After a few moments, Isabella's reached the front. A man sat with a consent form on the left of Isabella and a specimen cup to the right. The obligatory drug test confronted her. After this event, the pair waited around discussing their family and their employment history until the next activity. The nurses and the nurse's aides separated into groups, however, stayed in the same room. Cheryl continued staying focused on her phone amidst her peers.

"Ok, everyone!" A booming voice resounded in the large room.

The petite woman from previously stood in the doorway with two other women. One, slightly plump while the other much thicker in physique. Standing on either side of the small woman, they awaited her instruction.

"Now you will experience the hospital and your respective areas. Nurses go with Samantha to my right." She gestured with an open palm towards the larger woman as she raised her hand stoically. "Nurse's aides to my left with Dominque. Take your time with these experts within our family and make sure to ask as many questions to help with your transition. Ok!" She clapped both of her hands. "Let's go." She said smiling.

------

Dominque started by showing the common areas where the nurse's aides could retrieve important items such as the storage room as well as the lab. Stopping many times, she answered every question with expert proficiency. Navigating with a smaller group of around ten newly hired individuals, she maintained a distance being able to avoid interfering with the normal business of the hospital. On the fourth floor, Dominque stopped and showed the new hires the break room with the best view. Here she stopped taking time to allow anyone with a question freedom to inquire.

Soaking it all in, being a reserved individual, Isabella allowed everyone to ask what they needed, in turn. A figure passed the corner of her eye moving back towards the doorway before remaining in place, waving. Aware of this annoyance, Isabella did not turn as her gaze remained on Dominque.

"Yes, Can I help you?" Dominque asked the newcomer.

All eyes turned to the doorway, where she watched. Isabella looked in amazement at the handsome man who stood there. Her cheeks flushed slightly as Doug smiled widely at Dominque.

"May I borrow Isabella, over there for a few minutes?"

Her eyes growing wider, the flush deepened in color. Quickly she looked around the room at her peers as their gazed moved around to find who the elusive Isabella was. Susan stood with her mouth open gazing at her new friend.

"Sure," Dominque said nonplused. "How about we all take a break. Meet back here in fifteen?"

Many individuals pulled out their cellphones immediately after this statement, disregarding the recent disturbance. Susan stared back and forth at the man at the door and her blushing acquaintance.

"Go ahead, girl. He is cute!" Susan said pushing her lightly upon the back towards the door.

"Ugh, ok ok." Isabella acquiesced.

Hiding a smile, she stepped forward meeting Doug in the hallway. The normal traffic of the hospital slowed to a dull roar in this floor. Doug stood welcoming Isabella with his arms open beckoning her for an embrace as Isabella enthusiastically accepted.

"He he he!" A chuckle sounded from the doorway.

Quickly moving inside the room as the pair's gazes met hers, Susan continued to laugh as Isabella smiled while she turning to meet Doug's eyes, his warm, lovely eyes. Attempting to hold back the annoyance of the previous day. Her smile wavered slightly, relinquishing her grasp around Doug, she stood wringing her hands together.

"How are you? What have you been up to?" She asked looking back up at him with steady eyes.

"Ugh, well..." He paused slightly. "I didn't expect to be inundated with a sea of hospital policies that I have to be fluent within such little time. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you anything. I figured I would make it up to you soon. Perhaps this weekend?" He said shrugging.

"Umm, well. Let me check my schedule. I may have something going on then. Sorry that you are dealing with all of that paperwork, though. When did you have in mind?"

"Friday? Saturday? Let me know what works best." Doug said.

"Sure." She said smiling again. "Call me, we will work the details."

"Fantastic!" Looking at his watch, his eyes grew wide. "I have to go." He said hurriedly.

Looking around carefully, carefully observing if no one watched. Placing his hand upon her face, he caressed slightly, gently looking into her eyes, holding them for many moments before moving in and giving her a firm moist kiss on her lips. His mouth, slightly open as his lips cradled her own, she pressed into him as he as their lips lingered upon one another. After pulling away, he gave her another slight hug before turning and moving down the hall. She watched as he moved away, her heart fluttering as the redness returned to her cheeks.

Turning around briefly to look at her again, smiling widely and warmly she smirked. Her smile turned to giggles as he bumped into a nurse's station. As his cheeks reddened, he smiled nervously before turning the corner.

The rest of the day flowed with warmth and pleasantness. Doug's standing vastly improved with the short moments they spent together. Within his arms, she felt so comfortable, tangible electricity emitting from him, enveloping him in protective power, a family feeling of so long ago.

The worries of the day dissipated. Isabella returned home forgetting the turmoil that started the day. Quickly she returned to slumber. Briefly glimpsing the reptilian creature slumbering, its eyelids remained closed. Surprised, Isabella witnessed a small fleck of light linger around where the ears should have been, but only small holes remained there. The darkness of sleep fell upon her as warmth radiated within her, as her thoughts passed over Doug, her cheeks reddening, her mouth trembling.  

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