Cresting upon the horizon, azure blended upon magenta folds, the sun began to emerge. Resting in the atmosphere, they danced as the yellowing of the sun bloomed, carrying with it, the promise of new experiences, the extinguishing of the past day's events.

Isabella breathed deeply as her body nestled against her body pillow. Her body melted against it, her mind taking her to moments embraced by a warm presence in her dreams. As the light intensified outside, her eyes tensed as her body shifted.

Before her alarm, her eyes opened. Taking in the bright light, an involuntary panic ran through her body as she suspected her lateness to work. As her eyes passed over the alarm clock on her nightstand, her body soothed, her nerves easing. She thought of the day before her, as she stretched. Feeling the tenseness around her, gave herself to the stretch, allowing her body to take in the promise of a new day. Gaging her body, Isabella noticed the fire lingering in her vagina during the previous day abate. Normalized now, she felt nothing abnormal.

Getting up to test this, Isabella made way towards her bathroom. Purging her body's waste, she noticed nothing followed, save a sweet release. Smiling, she thought of Doug, of meeting him and kissing him. His stubble prickling her face as she pressed harder, their lips massing each other's, their tongues investigating the latter's.

Isabella's body spiked in heat as she thought of his touch, his kiss. Closing her eyes, she saw something else waiting for her. Lights, hazy and foggy, they formed a circle of something she witnessed before. The plane of existence with Pligal. Pligal, the creature awaiting her as she slumbered. The one she felt so close to, closer than Doug, closer than her sons. This creature, feeling familiar and comforting, like a long lost brother, or a twin, always seemed to provide her some comfort, some peace.

Taken away from her sexual awakening, Isabella shook her head to regain normalcy. As the lights faded within her mind, her body cooled, the fires of passion smothered with reality taking hold of her. Finalizing her readiness for her day, Isabella made her way towards the hospital.

As she entered her floor, sullen faces within the employees met her. As the patients slumbered, a heavy cloud lingered over the area. Eyeing those around her, she noticed Hank, her workmate with his eyes pointed downward. As she approached, he quickly glanced toward her before nodding, waving her toward him. Lucy, with her head down, continued to scribble into her notes, the energy completely off from previous times with the duo. Cheryl, sashayed in with phone directly in front of her, typing furiously, her eyes passed over the quietness with an unnerved glance. Quickly, she passed her eyes back toward her phone, tapping it, quickly, with her fingertips.

Rolling her eyes at Cheryl's, apparent, inability to experience empathy, Isabella moved toward Hank with inquisitive eyes. Unfocused upon her approach, Hank remained transfixed upon an object he beheld. A simple blue pen labeled with the hospital's name, Hank worked vigorously scraping each letter off the writing utensil. His eyes unfocused, his mouth slight agape, Hank continued to work despite Isabella's greetings.

Sensing something was amiss, approaching Lucy gingerly, tenderly as one reaching the bedside of an injured loved one; she waited until her presence was made known. Still heavily enthralled by the paperwork before her, Isabella noticed what Lucy quickly worked to finish. On the top of the paperwork, she saw the title:

Incident Report

With the named etched in sloppy cursive, Isabella's eyes grew wide as she saw Henry's name. A thundering in her head mirrored the pounding in her chest. Light perspiration grew as she shot glances towards Lucy and Hank, alike as they continued to avoid her gaze, completely dedicated towards their work, his pen and her paperwork.

Seeing her engagement attempts proved fruitless, Isabella turned on her heel cascading a long squeak as the rubber on her shoe spun on the buffed floor of the hospital. Making way toward Henry's room, Isabella felt the pit of her stomach restrict, an invisible snake binding her as she neared the entrance of his room.

Knowing without knowing, Isabella felt reality paint a horrible image before her. Glancing downward, avoiding her eyes from trailing toward the bed seated to the right of the room, she felt it. Unnerved, her heart continuing to pound in her ears, a frog on her throat swelled as she began to allow her eyes to move toward the bed.

Moments stretched into an eternity, each longer than the last, spreading, melding with space, extracting her from her present location. Unaware of footsteps approaching behind her, time displaced, emotional upheaval continued to wreak havoc upon her as it cascaded upon her body, weakening her knees, quivering her lip. Isabella quickly shot a glance to the empty hospital bed. Its sheets slightly ruffled, hinting at the previous tenant, betraying the truth, Henry would never return here. Her heart dropped to her stomach as the evidence unraveled before her as her mind attempted to catch up.

"He died sometime last night." A deep voice sounded behind her.

Turning quickly, seeing Hank standing with his knuckles bound tightly around his pen, his eyes lingering downward, sullen, Isabella grabbed a nearby silver handrail as the room shifted, swaying as her world raced to make sense of the news.

Quietly, Hank continued. "Pills." Making eye contact with Isabella, he continued. "He must have been collecting them for this moment. Lucy found him cold. His eyes closed but his lips blue."

Sighing deeply, turning away from the doorway, as if to avoid his own news, Hank's massive height seemed to collapse slightly. Turning back towards the bed, Isabella's mind reeled as she attempted to makes sense of Hank's words. Thinking back to the previous day, she recalled Henry's pain, his morose mood swelling within the room, leaving a dark shadow over his face. Her mind flashed quickly toward his letter. The letter he promised to write to detail all he knew of the creatures connected to both of them. As Isabella thought of this, she swept her pockets of her scrubs. Examining them for the letter, which wasn't there. Before she could recall the location of the letter, a sharp tone sounded within the hallway behind Hank.

"Have you started your rounds?" Cheryl inquired to the two nurses' aides before her.

Scowling, her youthful face appeared much older than she was. Fine lines seemed to broaden to deep grooves. Heavy makeup caking her visage, deep eye shadow darkening her features, Cheryl, the nurse on duty, radiated callousness. Wondering how she could work in a profession that relied upon caring for others, Isabella straightened as a coiling energy blazed within her.

Tightening her grip around the metallic railing, Isabella's respiration doubled as her heart began to pound in her throat. Blood rushed to her face as she her bronze skin peppered with red patches. Feeling her fury seethe, Isabella stepped forward involuntarily as Hank answered Cheryl.

"Yeah, I did them once I started. We were just talking about Henry. You know what happened?"

"Of course." Cheryl said dismissively, appearing nonplussed about the loss of their longtime resident.

Stoking the fires within her, Isabella scoffed audibly at Cheryl's remark. Turning toward Isabella, Cheryl's domineering face paled, her grimace fading as her eyes remained upon Isabella's glare. Following Cheryl's gaze, Hank sucked in some air as he noticed Isabella.

A tigress ready to pounce, Isabella's eyes burned into Cheryl. Her animosity surfacing towards their emotionless manager, each of the previous day's abuse compiled into this moment. Turning to face Isabella, Hank, stepped between the two as he placed one hand in the air in supplication toward her. Urging her with his eyes, he nodded.

Not facing Cheryl, Hank said, "Anything else?"

"N-no." Cheryl said turning back towards the nurse's station, her mouth gaping slightly.

Walking back, she slowly gazed toward Isabella, who stabbed her with her dagger eyes. Hank lightly placed a meaty hand upon Isabella's shoulder. A silent moment passed between them, quelling the storm within her, Isabella allowed her rage to recede.

"What a bitch." Isabella said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, but it aint time for her to get clocked by you Izzie."

"Maybe, but someone...." She said trailing off before continuing, "Izzie? Really?" Isabella said unamused.

"Worth a try." Hank said with a smile. As his smile faded, he continued, "Really a shame about Henry, I liked the guy. A bit off his rocker, but he had some good stories."

"He was a special guy." Isabella said softly. "Can I have a moment alone here?"

Silently, Hank eyed Isabella before silently nodding. Without another word, he left her. Taking in the room, Isabella prayed softly as she thought about Henry. Understanding him, Isabella felt a kinship towards him. His words soothed her as her fears of thinking herself crazy diminished. His knowledge of like experiences with the lizard people lifted a tense weight upon chest.

Spending a few moments in Henry's vacant room, Isabella returned to work as her mind repeatedly passed over her brief memories of Henry. Providing many dirty looks towards Cheryl, Isabella worked silently as Hank respected her silence and limited engagement. At the end of her shit, Isabella walked back to her locker as a familiar voice sounded within the dark break room.

Chipper, light and soothing, Doug's voice broke through the darkness, "Whoa, my lucky day."

His voice beamed as his smile etched upon it. Shooting her glance towards him, Isabella smiled halfheartedly, pain still lingering in her breast. Doug's smile faded as he quickly closed the distance.

Quietly, Doug said, "What is it hun?"

Opening her mouth, nothing came out. Quivering, her lip betrayed her feelings as her sunk down, her posture slumped. Without another word, Doug extended his hand, caressing her cheek with his thumb. Stepping in, he wrapped his arm around her, drawing her in, taking her pain into his own body.

Feeling her face press against his chest, Doug felt moisture break through his scrubs, the dam of emotions pouring against him. Tightening his hold upon her, Doug silently embraced Isabella, his breath steady, his heat warming her.

Moments passed into eternity as they stood there. Holding her tightly, expressing his comfort silently, the light outside waned. Finally, after many moments latched upon each other, Isabella pulled away.

Looking up to him, she gazed into his eyes, his steady, calm, kind eyes. Lifting herself to his lips, Isabella pressed hers against his. Tenderly at first before pushing harder against him. Feeling her nipples harden, Isabella swooned as she allowed this brush with death to sweeten this moment between each other.

Pulling away first, Doug said, "Come, let me walk you to your car."  

Thanks for reading.  I appreciate all of you.