u/I1onewantan

“Hello…” I cried. Looking over to see nothing but emptiness. When  Suddenly, there breaths , labour breaths down on my throat. I looked down to see the demon staring right back at me. Whatever illusions I  had, that this was still Evelyn’s  body had faded in an instant. Its red glowing eyes laid upon me, with all manner of vice and hunger. I stumbled back,  and fell against the hard floor. ‘Please…don’t hurt me.” I pleaded. The demon cackled and slowly began to rise. I scrambled down and backed away until I was against war. The door was just to my left and it was a few meters away. I lurched forward and grabbed the knob twisting as hard as I could, but to no avail.   avail. Slowly, the demon rose from the bed and snapped free on the restraints from the arms and then ripped off the remaining cords and wires attached to its flailing skin. Free and liberated, it trotted towards me.  I cradled myself into a fetal position, hugging my knees tightly together. “I…can help you!...I can give you your freedom.” I pleaded desperately.  “Help me?” The demon derided in Evelyn 's voice. "Help me doctor, I want to go back home…” It cries and cackles in triumph. Loud concords of voices emanate throughout the walls. I close my eyes, it was my only solace, to drift back into a familiar darkness where I no longer had to contend with the beast in front of me. Suddenly, there was silence once more. A lone voice emanated from the demon’s throat.
“Do you hate them, doctor…”
 It was that of my own.
“I…I…” 
“Do you hate them?” 
I didn’t respond. Suddenly I felt a cold grasping hand wretch my eyelids free. The demon burrowed its eyes deep into mine. I felt the synge burn across the back of my mind sending millions of jolts throughout my body.  
“Let me help you, Doctor.” 

I fell. Fast and heavy I fell as the world dissipated around and a cold rush of air caressed  against my bare body. As I cradled down to the ceaseless abyss. I felt the momentum gaining on me, picking up speed and slowing and picking up speed and slowing and again and again and again, as seconds stretched into eons. Until finally I plunged down onto a har -paunchy surface, submerging myself deep into the nave. I felt a gelatinous wet substance coagulate me. And it was boiling, I screamed and arched forwards, as I  did, I was beset on all sides, feeling my body begin to tear and flayed by an insuperable assailant, sending jolts of pain throughout. I writhed and trashed, barely having any time to gather my bearings before I gripped onto something flashy and tangible and resurfaced back into the air, where I glanced into the plateau. Millions upon million marred bodies roiled amongst sultry waters subjecting each other to mutilation and defilements,  large mounds formed into heaps of conicals tower  outreaching to a desolant sky as screams and cries burgeon out stringing unholy cacophony that came with no abatement. Suddenly, something cool yanked the back of my hair and was driven back to the accursed sea.  

 This was my existence, I could be dismembered, disemboweled of all my entrails and I would still be alive. The pain endured, each violation my body was subjected to sent mutiny across my muscles, and no matter how much I retaliated, it  only left me only more disheveled and mutilated than I already was. It didn’t matter. Time folded into a single moment, a ceaseless existence of endless suffering force to be subsumed into its fleshy meads. Then in my many wakings, an adversary clambered over me. His hands ran thick and warm against my throat. He was a revolting man, a disgusting man and I thought it best to give him a rise at strangulating me. His throttle tightened and the more I stared at him, the more revolting I felt until there was nothing more than bitter hatred of my enemy. This was a land barren of all known sense of laws and morality, a land that fermented at its own depravity, a land filled of the feckless and the doddering, of vagabonds and despots, of the ill and the contemptuous. Why was I amongst these unfettered cohorts?  To cycle amongst their vestige and share their agony?  I gripped onto a wad of flesh and began to tear and flay at his body. He screamed and as waves began to tide, I soon found myself on top of him. The predation in his face had soon been replaced by that of a whimpering hound. I grabbed on to his face and slowly pressed my thumbs to the yolk of its eye, taking every moment to supper its pain as it screamed and wench and blood and pus began leaking out. A sudden clarity came over me. There was no regent or sovereign…no matriarch to pledge allegiance to, this was a land to be claimed and all these little people dispersed throughout were vying for the right to claim this land as theirs. And it was mine to claim too. I look out once again at the sea of immolated bodies. What a beautiful view it was.

“Dr. Tiong!” A voice called onto me. I startled up, seeing the world in a foggy haze trying to  make  out the figures before me. Dr. Omar stood before me, blabbering a folly of words that came off muffled against my ear.  At my peripheral was the priest being tended by Dr. Tenner and Dr. Suhana. The father’s arms hung limp across the shoulder of the blonde doctor. Dr Suhuana had a syringe planted on the arm, sedating the body. Several officers had rushed into the room to aid her.  And there was the demon, laying in blissful slumber. 

***
“I’m fine.” I stated. “Just let me wipe you a bit.” Dr. Suhana said, soaking a wet towel onto my face. Thankfully, there was no blood and I had not faced any significant concussions.  We had convened in the cafeteria room of the prison, the mood mixed with a sense of dreary and exhaustion. Tenner was making calls to his daughter spouting about how much he loved her while Dr. Omar was brooding silence in contemplative thought and Father Lopez was sipping down on his herbal tea, bringing an ice bag down his neck to reprieve from his tumultuous sermon. “The demon hold on her is weakening, I can feel it.” The captain said raspily. “I’m too tired right now to continue, but we have to act soon or less let it consolidate."  He said esoterically.  feeling a soreness on his shoulder and putting the ice bag over it. “So how should we proceed?” Dr. Tenner asked. Dr. Omar glanced at him. “I’m not sure if we should…”   
“Come on, Ishval…." 
“Look…We can make a report, document everything to a proper research team, this thing has become too dangerous for us to handle.” Dr. Omar said.    
“So like the previous doctors then ?”  Dr. Tenner smeared.  “No, not like that…. We’ll be more thorough, have a full flesh out analytical report, maybe set up some footage to show her conditio.” ” Dr. Omar deliberated. “We cannot prolong this, each moment we waste will give the demon a chance to consolidate and fester.” Father Lopez protested. 
“How can we know that for sure?” 
‘I know that for sure.” 
Dr. Omar sighed in frustration, drawing his arms to the back of his head, brushing his elbow against her ear.  “Besides this case…being as tumultuous as it is, I highly were going to find people to cover for us.” Dr. Tenner ruminated.  
“It's my fault, I shouldn’t have put you all up to this” Dr.Suhana said, her face fettered with guilt. “Don’t say that.”  Dr. Tenner retorted.  “I should be the one  apologizing…I shouldn’t have called your name.” 
“You were in distress, Samuel, there’s no way you could have known what was going to happen.” Dr. Suhana said. “But I did know, and I put you in harm's way…I’m sorry Suhana and to you too Father.” He apologized acknowledging both of them.  “Let’s not get over semantics. “ I asserted. “What’s important is how we move on forward, knowing-what we know now.”  Dr. Omar shot me an incredulous look. “Moving forward I suggest we should start her up with 1 gram tranexamic acid, the antifibrinolytic would help clot the hemorrhages" I stated.  “We could also try dexmedetomidine.” Dr. Tenner added. “That would keep her conscious, while suppressing the convulsion and muscle movement.” Dr. Suhana chimed him. “Why?” Dr. Omar uttered. All eyes turned towards him. “Is there something Dr. Omar?” I asked acutely. Dr. Omar mulled over the thought of getting into another argument then parsed his lips. “You’ve never given a damn about the patient…and after all of this…you still wanna go back in there?” He chided, the words appeared to bring him a sense of liberation. ‘I don’t.” I admitted. “But I do care about my job and I care about my reputation and I care about my cases…And despite all conventions…I saw that girl leap through the air and bleat herself to death…I have the inclination to see this through.” I stated.  Dr. Omar didn't hide his contempt at my words, yet he’d seemed convinced at my underlying intentions. “Unbelivable.” He mumbled under his breath.  A brief moment of science followed, as we contemplated and introspected each other’s words and values. Finally, Dr. Suhana gave us an endearing look. “I won’t put it past any of you if you don’t want to work on this case anymore….I’ve already asked too much of you just being here. But, I do believe that we can save Evelyn and for that reason…I wish to stay.” She communicated, gauging our reactions. Dr. Tenner already had his mind set and so did I. Dr. Omar fixed her a cynical look before sighing.  “I can’t abandon you guys.” he said, producing a meek smile. We continued discussions for several hours, discussing matters  about how to best handle the blood loss and prevent the incident from occurring again. Before long,  dusk had settled in and dark clouds roamed the sky. We adjourned the meeting and departed to our cars. Our operations would continue the next day. I drove alongside my colleagues, following them along a dark-single road. Once the other cars had dissipated through the intersections.  I swiveled back around and returned to the prison. The guards looked at me with initial perplexity wondering what exactly I was doing back here, when I explained that I needed to speak with their captain. The guard hesitated before acquisition, chalking it us to nothing more than some last minute-medical preparations. They brought me over to the captain’s office and I stood before the door.  I knocked on the oak. 
“Come in." He enunciated. I opened the door and walked in. 
“Sorry am I interrupting something?”  
“Yes …paperwork.” he said with a wry smirk. 

“What can I do you for , Doc?" he inquired, setting his document on his desk.  I sat down on the opposing chair. “I understand that our patient has caused much difficulty in managing operations here.” I stated.  The captain shrugged.”Eh…it’s the warden’s problem at the end of the day.” The captain responded. “Regardless, I would assume you would rather have her not interfere in your duties.” I said. The Captain flicked his wrist. “Well…that’s what we have you for. Mr. Fixer-upper.”  He chortled. I smiled tentatively and withdrew a sharp breath. “I came here to make you an offer Captain…At our patient’s current condition, I believe more drastic remedies and called for…actions that my team would disprove off.”  I explained. The Captain's face immediately turned sour as he bore into me with a grievous expression. 
“I just wish to do some last minute set-up for the patients…and all I ask is that you have your officers help meet my arrangement.” I explained.  The Captain snickered. 
“The gall of you to have to come here and say that.” He spat.  “I assure you, this is done for the best interest of you and this whole penitentiary." I explained. “And if it helps, I’ll also be willing to meet you at other incentives.”  I insinuated. The captain caught on and his face flicker with something off consideration. He bore me with his hawkish features and spoke.  “Let me be straight with you doc, I ain’t a fan of all this fancy showroom talk ... .If you gonna tell me…you tell it to me straight.” He said gruffly. I saw my own reflection in his eyes.  “So again Doc…What  do you want-”  

****
We arrived the same time, the next morning, with the only exception that the captain  wasn’t around to meet us. In his stead, was a lowly officer who took up his duty and brought us to the infamy ward. “Father’s still doing his prayers and preparing the incense and all…He’ll join y’all later…You’d be happy to know that we’ve stung her up real good, they ain’t coming loose no more.” The officer told us. We were brought to Evelyn’s holding and reunited with her maligned body. 

It laid there, in that bed. Motionless and dormant, hands and legs deeply festooned into the bedrails. There were also guards standing on the connors, giving the allure of security. It was remiss to say that the demon had been supplanted. When in truth, it was merely waiting for the time to launch its wicked reprisal. We exchanged uncomfortable glances, no longer having delusion about what she was and what she was capable of. “ I’ll go help the father, you guys perform a check-up on her. Be careful.” She warned. We moved cautiously.  checking everything from her eyes to her pulse. She became more like a  ragged doll than ever, with stitches running all over her body. I looked over at her saline,  “Her IV bags need to be replenished.” I  stated. One of the guards gave me a conspiratorial look, then acquiesced to my demand, ordering a nurse to retrieve a new IV bag. After we had finished the preliminary test.  I sought out Father Lopez and Dr. Suhana. The officers directed me to their location and I moved along the dark hallways to the cell room at the farthest left-end of the ward which was repurposed to be Father Lopez’s guest room. The door was opened ajar and I intended to go in, when I overheard their conversation.  

“Give this to Eveyln, it brought me some comfort and I hoped it will bring her peace too.” She said, I peaked inside to see Dr. Suhana perched on his bed, while Father Lopez stood up, scrutinizing a piece of woolen blue scarf with intricate cut velvet textures. “It’s beautiful, doctor.”  Father Lopez said heartedly.  “My aunt actually made it, she’s a christian too.”  She replied
“And your family?” Father Lopez beamed. 
“Well, my aunt a christian, my uncle's a buddhist and my mother’s a hindu.” 
“And what does that make you?”
“I’m not so sure.” 
“Well who do you lean on the most?” He asked, trying to pry out the answer. Dr. Suhana laughed. ‘My niece, I play games on her tablet.” She replied. Father Lopez laughed back lightly. His eyes twinkled with the care and earnestness of a dotting elder. “Thank you doctor,, Evelyn will truly appreciate this.” 
Dr. Suhana went quiet for a while, letting her thoughts simmer within..  ‘It’s not fair is it.”
 “Rarely, anything is.”  the priest confirmed. “It’s never enough is it?” She lamented. 
Father Lopez looked worriedly. “Doctor is there anything you wish to say-” 
She waved her hand in dismission. “Sorry…I just got caught up in the moment.” She rebutted. Father Lopez regarded her introspectively.  “You’re not the first to feel this way.” He said. gauging her expression. “I nearly fell into despair myself…but through my family…through god..I found that this world was something to fight for and what is life if not a fight, and if nothing else why not fight the good fight.”  He said thoughtfully.
She chuckled to herself. “I’m sorry to say, but I think I’ve heard this all before in some dumb poster…Never really helped me before. ” She commented. “And yet here you are…Standing with all of us to save this girl. You’re an amazing doctor.”  Father Lopez touted.  
She sniffed. “Almost wasn’t.” 
Father Lopez gleaned over sympathetically.  “What changed?” He inquired. Dr. Suhana thought for a moment.  “People needed me.” She said,  giving a half-cry, a half-laugh. 
I knocked on the metal gently and intruded in. “We’ve got everything set up.” I said. Dr. Suhana turned back to me with a look of surprise, then she simply nodded.  We made our way back to that  cell. At last, everybody was here.

A sense of trepidation loomed over us, as we lit the candlestick and encased the room in darkness. Father Lopez started the sermon, bringing up the chalice to that girl’s face to drink the holy water and descend into ballads of biblical rhapsodies, all while the demon remained in a deceptive slumber. But the priest raised his voice and made it more pronounced. Its innocuous facade would dissipate as it hollered through the musky air and jerked its body.  The demon twisted and churned against its constraint. And once more we held her body down, feeling each convulsion as she tried to fling us off. The demon’s eyes captured with malevolent desire, it untethered its mouth revealing rows of garish teeth. When suddenly, its body collapsed to the bed. Flopping weightlessly like a satchel bag. My colleagues could barely register what had just occurred.  “Her EKG-rate is crashing…We gotta stabilize her now.” Dr. Tenner screamed frantically, taking the initiative to start her chest compression.  

Your body will do many things to keep you alive. It will kill you to keep you alive. In the case of Evelyn. Her body had been exposed to 800mg of Ibuprofen, the NSAID agent, which can increase blood pressure and cause cardiovascular complications. And this dosage, it was enough to induce a stroke. 

“We have to-” Dr Suhana words were punctured by the demon’s undulating screams,each intonation as shrill and feeble as the last. Dr. Tenner clung clumsily to her gown and began issuing frivolous chest compression while Dr. Omar re-ignited the defibrillator and pushed it down to her chest. They continued at this for five consecutive  times, each shock forcing her body into spastic motions. Until finally by the sixth time, There was a light click on the monitor and the droning sound had subdued. Evelyn was alive. She laid there, ungallantly across the bed. Unable to twitch, not even muster a slight tremor of her muscle. Her motor functions ceased and so did all muscle movements. She was alive. A waking mind in a deceased body, the demon had been sequestered.  A cold hush came upon the room, as we stared in incomprehension. 
Dr. Tenner launches into tirades, blaming himself, blaming the procedure, rejecting all that come to transpire. While his friend tries to console him but is caught within the crossfire and an argument to cement. The priest was mortified, he did not understand what had happened, and recoiled to the conor of the room, subsumed with his own failures as the judiciator. He weeps.  

Dr. Suhana stands over the body. Again, she wears an impassive face, she watches as her patience succumbs to her ailments, the last semblance of life and hope fading with it. She dropped to her knees, tears welled down her eyes. I put my hand over her shoulder in consolation. 

***
I straightened my coat and fixed my tie. I looked at myself in the mirror and began rehearsing the words in my presentation.

I stood against seven doctors, they were the stewards of their acumen, of the profession. They looked at me with their rigid expressions, moulded and shaped by the strenuousness of their work. I cleared my throat and started my speech.  “My name is Dr. Siew Jin Tiong. I am the head researcher of the ISTER project…” Six months had passed since the incident at Rockwin. The official documents had stated that past inflictions within the wounds had ruptured her blood vessel causing Evelyn to suffer an ischemic stroke, debilitating her permanently. In the wake of this,  I pursued a new research project and brought her body to a research laboratory, where I created a new team of researchers to analyze her brain activity  and run clinical trials. Over the course of these experiments we uncovered new troves of biodata and strange electric responses within her brain. All documented within my research paper.  There are still hurdles I need to overcome, Dr.Suhana has yet to concede with the official report. She has requested to have the case re-investigated. I will not allow her to impede my progress. 

As I present to the audience, I roll out the screen project and show footage of the team making deep incisions into the body.  I saw myself driving the scalpel across the sternum, looking into its eyes remembering how it trembled and quivered. How the eyes reflected my own face. Evelyn was gone, she had become a monster. 
And there is no sin in dissecting a monster.

We arrived at the prison gates at 6:30, Monday morning.  holding on to our duffel bags with our scrubs and clothing inside. A blustery gust of wind whipped across our face.
I took a moment to marvel at the  building in all its brutalist-glory. The prison stood tall and archaic, encompassing most of my vision to the very edge of my peripheral vision. Its distilled and drab colours matched-well somber morning sky. Rows of window bars across each story of the prison. The lives of countless women condescended into a single view. I could only imagine what the architect must have thought when he made this, it harkened back to a time when society valued its sadist.

 the gate reeled open and man from inside was making ungainly strides towards us, and stopped when he reached our vicinity.  He had an old doddering face with a stubbled jaw  and eyes hidden behind a thick pair of sunglasses. He was a man that needed no introduction, because he laid it all outwards.  you must be the doctors.” The captain declared with a husky voice. “The name's Captain Bailey.” He said, reaching and shaking each of  our hands. We greeted him back and said our platitudes. “Well let ‘s get ya inside, it gets cold in this hour.” The captain enunciated and without much as a word, he marched back to the prison. We followed him along as he brought us through the entrance. Immediately, we were stricken by a rancid pungent smell that permeated throughout the corridor and hallway.  We trudged forward regardless and found dilapidation at every turn.  From charred and discolored concrete walls, to rustic and corroded pieces of iron and rebar, all of it was inundated in a grainy white light that seemed to admonish the building’s decay.  
The captain opened another door and we were forced to walk across a cell row of indignant criminals. Seeing them for the first time- they had brandished themselves to as much abuse and pilfer  to their body as possible, and in much the case they were rendered as the decrepit as the building they inhabitants, most didn’t bother to notice our presence, living off in their own worlds shambling  listlessly in their derelict walls, succumbing to a slow and degrading decadence.

Suddenly, there was a clatter. I stumbled back, seeing a ragged face-woman pressed against the cold metal bars with two feverish hands grasping around it. She bore into me with a pair of glossy eyes.

“Please take me to the view…that beautiful view.” She said softly. Motionlessly, Captain Bailey took out his baton and swiped at her fingers. The woman instantly lurched back as she  yelped out in pain. The Captain tutted. The incident had alerted our presence and we became beset upon by dozens of leering eyes staring at us. The captain muttered profanities under his breath.  
“Sorry Doc, not much can be done about that.”  The captain said to Dr. Omar, catching him off guard. “Oh, no I don’t mind that much-”
“-You sure they ain't giving you the creeps...” The captain teased. “It’s unnerving for sure-Put I’ll just look past them.” Dr. Omar stated. “I’m sure you're used to it by now.” The captain tilted his head.  “Franky, I ain’t ever seen them this quiet before.” He mused with some child-like wonder. Dr. Omar looked askance, he mulled over this thought and begun his interrogation. “How have you been managing, captain? with everything that’s been going on…” Dr. Omar asked intuitively.  The Captain gaffed. “Half the staff are gone and the psychoes are going at it, I say I’m doing fine.” 
Dr. Omar winced. “I’m sorry was that too-” 
“Ah no Doc, I didn’t mean it like that-just meant to make light of it all, that’s all.” He clarified with an apologetic demeanor. “You know I really gotta thank y'all for being here, you and the father came in quite a crisis.”  
“How is Father Lopez?” Dr. Suhana inquired. 
The captain sniffed. “The poor old-man got himself all cooped up in there, been helping the rest of the staff prepare the beds and all  for all those miserable choots.” 
“That’s nice of him.” Dr. Suhana commended. 
The captain snorted. “That ain’t the word I use.”
"And do you believe in his preaching?" I asked with underlying condescension. The captain sniffed. “Can’t say, didn't bother to do gospel up that looney-bin.” The captain pouted. “But my boys seem to think so, and some of the folk here say he’s a miracle man.”  
“And do you think it's true?” Dr. Suhana probed. “Personally, I don’t think much of it all. Have seen too much of this place to call it for anything.” The captain prattled. I furrowed my brow in frustration. “Sorry Captain, I don’t quite follow.”
“Just saying that the people down here get really desperate-And when they’re desperate, well you don;t really know what to do.” The Captain mused.  ‘I take it then. you believe there’s a chance she’s faking her illness.” I asked inquisitively. “Well, it won’t be the first time this has happened.” He ruminated. “All I know is that as long as she’s still pink-and-stinky…she’s stuck down here with us.” He proclaimed. “And if she is possessed?” Dr. Tenner asked for  pure amusement.. “Well…whatever she is…It ain’t going to change the pay...”  He said grumbling. 

We continued our walk  in silence, letting our footsteps fill the empty air. The captain unlocked another door and brought us a flight of stairs that ascended to the infamy ward.  We became acutely aware of its sordid state. Most of the hallways are engulfed in darkness with only a few streaks of pale blue light coming through the window silts. There was barely any resonance of life within the infamy. Besides the faint sounds of moaning and wailing from the cells. 
“It gets real dark out here doc, probably means that the nurses are occupied at the other wards or they’ve given up for the day.” The Captain noted.
 
There was a silhouette of a small figure stood at the far end of the hallway. As we strode towards it, the image became clear of a man praying to a small alcove, holding his rosary beads tightly while muttering Latin under his breath, he then turned his regal face to greet us. “Doctors, thank you for coming.” Father Lopez said, smiling warmly and shaking our hands. “Well I’ll leave you be now…Good luck doctors.” The captain said and sauntered off. 
  Father Lopez eyed him keenly watching Captain until captain Bailey fully trailed off before speaking. “Once again, I cannot express my gratitude to you doctors, thank you so much for coming.” The father said kindly. 

“Thank you for having us, Father,”Dr. Suhana proclaimed. “How’s Ms. Decosta?” She continued.   The priest's expression immediately sombered. 
“She’s resting right now. I’m afraid to say she was in great pain last night, the nurses had to tend her with sedatives.”  Father Lopez said harrowingly. “And has she been like this for the past few days?” Dr. Suhana inquired. Father Lopez gave a shameful nod. Dr. Suhanna took up his hands and gripped them tightly in solidarity. “We will give her everything she needs .” She said confidently, a meek smile formed for his face. 
 “Thank you doctor…please follow me.” He said. We treaded along his path, listening to him as he  belabour the rules and procedures of his sermon. “...the demon will try to manipulate it and will impersonate the voices in your life.” He spouted. “It is important that you do not say your names, is that clear doctors?” He asked. We confirmed back, haplessly unsynchronized, the Father gazed at us wearily and brought us upon a heavy metal door, despoiled and stained in dirt brown, in keeping with the natural entropy of this entire facility. Father Lopez  peeped through the square eyehole, he turned back to give us a significant look before wrenching the door opened as it let out an audible groan. 
 We entered the room inundated by its graidy white light. A strong smell of smoke  and incense pervaded throughout. A  white bed has occupied the center space,  and in that bed was Evelyn Decosta. She dainty, mangled figure, pale and emaciated all around with webs of hair stern across her pillow, and flushed purple  that ran along her body to their withering ends and several cut-marks and laceration on her skin. She was adorned in a tattered gown and laid spread open,  by four stringent piece  ropes that bound her limbs to the bedrails.  leaving imprints red lines across her wrist and ankles. It ran alongside chords and wires that dangled upon her from the IV bags and monitoring machines. It was propped beside the medical trolley with trays of surgical tools and antibiotics. Alongside, several medical devices, such a defibrillator and an ultrasound.   There were also several  coolants placed at the content of the room that stored in ice and blood bags.

Her jaw slacked upon as she spoke. “D-D-octor.” She cried, her voice coming in a weak rasp.  We stood, petrified taking in her uncanny vistages, all the years spent studying the human body and it could still scare you. Dr. Suhana cleared her throat.  “Hello my name is Dr. Priyesh, this is Dr. Wicker, Dr. Samson and Dr. Liew.” She enunciated. “We’re here to help you Ms. Decosta…We are going to perform a small little check-up. “ She deliberated. The girl gave a grungy groan. We grabbed the apparatus laid on the medical and took to our position,  except for Dr. Tenner who stood stilted, his body completely seized up. “Dr Wicker.” She summoned him to action,  Dr. Tenner mossied up to her, his eye remaining transfixed on her frame as he brought the stethoscope to her chest.  “Her  heart rate is normal.” He remarked. “Seventhy beats per minute.” 
 “Her EKG rates glocking at 60 Bpm, hypothermia at 95.8F, hypertension at 60 mmHg and she has been dosed with 100mg of Tranexamic Acid in the last six hours.” Dr. Omar said, reading off the figures.  Dr. Shuana placed the tongue depressor down her mouth and shone a flashlight at it. 
“It’s greatly infected.” She claimed. “It’s all inflamed and full of ulcers.” I pulled myself down to level at her head, feeling her warm stinky breath on my face. It was as pale as mist. “She blind.” I commented. “Her pupils are dilated could be a sign of hypopyon.”  As I stared longer I was caught by a strange allurement. Something was lumbering within its deep murkiness, it was glowering in red.  

I heard a sudden rustling noise and came to see Dr.Omar observing a stack of papers laid on the medical trolley. “What is this?” He asked. “Letters, it’s the thing they allow her to have, I help her write to her brother…but I can never send them through.”Father Lopez said woefully. Dr. Omar shared his sentiments.  “It’s a bit excessive, no.” Dr. Tenner blurted out. Father Lopez shook his head.  “It’s part of the ritual, she must awake and receive holy ordination." He explained, only inviting further apprehension. from Dr. Tenner. Suddenly, Evenlyn gagged reflexively, her voice broken up by several coughs and wheezes as she intonated  the words as remedially as a child. “N-name.” She forced out. “Name?” He repeated. beguiled in sympathy. “You want to know my name? I’m-” 
“Doctor, don't." Father Lopez warned. “It’s just a name...” Dr. Tenner muttered dismissingly. “It’s not worth the risk.”  The captain emphasized. Dr. Tenner lips formed into a thin line, looking regretfully on to her. Dr. Omar placed a hand on his back, to console him. Suddenly,  Evelyn began to cry, tears rolled down her cheeks as she whimpered, dry and harshly. Jostling against the restraints with weak and labored movements. “It’s all right…it’s all right we’re here.” Dr Suhana said warmly. Placing her hand over her forehead, darting between the patient and the heart monitor. 
“How is she?” Father Lopez asked.  “Her EKG rate spiked a bit …But the rest of her vitals are fine, she’s just under heavy stress.” She stated. Evelyn continued to wail, tugging at her confinements. “Can we please remove the ropes, they’re hurting her!” Dr. Tenner said, pleadingly. Father Lopez was unfazed.  “Doctors…I request that you leave the room,  I wish to communicate with Ms. Evelyn privately.” Father Lopez said. I scowled in disapproval. “We still have to-” 
“Please.” He warned more sternly. We exchanged uncomfortable glances before acquainting, hearing the murmurs of prayers and tears as we sealed the door shut.

*** 

“She’s torturing her, there’s no way around it.” Dr. Tenner decried, pacing on the floor in a circular motion, arms tied to the back of his head. “Let’s…Not go too far.” Dr. Omar said trepidly. “Did we not see the same thing!’ Dr. Tenner exclaimed. “He’s all got her all bangled up  in that old dingy room…can’t eat or move….I mean what else do you want me to say!” 
“Listen to me, Samuel…” Dr. Omar said, slowly raising his arms to temper him down. “I don’t agree with this either…But he did inform us that the process would be brutal, and if he is harming her, it would stand to question why he would even invite us here in the first place.” Dr. Omar questioned. 
“He’s got her bound to the bed, I don’t think there’s much to think about.” Dr. Tenner yelled. Dr. Omar sighed. “Look, I think  the best course of action right now is to investigate this further…evalute the situation, find out what’s going on first” He suggested.  The words seemed to have agitated Dr. Tenner further, he looked more frantic and held out his palms open in an expression of anger. “We couldn’t even say our names…” He blubbered, his voice laced with both desperation and hurt. 
“You’re presuming too much,” I proclaimed.“Oh screw you!” Dr. Tenner screamed, his voice laced with years of resentment and vitriol. 
I gritted my teeth. “Dr. Tenner if you would allow me…. I am not saying her condition isn’t  barbaric,what I am advising for,  is for caution against-.” 
“Against what!’ He snapped. “Tell me why he’s got to put her down like that…” 

I fixed him in an exasperated stare. “Might I remind you our patient is a convicted murderer”
“That doesn’t justify  torture !" He fumed. “No it doesn’t, but it doesn’t give us the right to act impulsive over it.” I hissed.“You're giving her your undue sympathies when you know very well she’s capable of violence and harm.” 

‘Oh don’t give me that..” He muttered. “Don’t-” 

“We have been called to preside over her medical care, and that comes with knowing that are limitations and boundaries to patience like these…wether you can accept that or not, we are meant to be impartial in these matters.” I rambled. “And for all we know…This could be an act.” 
Dr.Tenner slighted me in disdain.  “Oh what… is she not dying convincingly enough for you?”

The connor of my lips curl into a snarl. I was reminded of every infraction and misgiving this man has ever graced me. He wore a coat and decided that he was my equal. Yet had none of the aptitude and fever of one. He was a disgrace to  the profession, nothing more than repugnant mimicry, and I had longed to see him out of that door.

“Dr. Tiong’s not wrong…” Dr. Suhana ruminated. All eyes turned, measuring us with the same pensive stare..“How can you even say that…” Dr. Tenner protested. “Don’t get me wrong…what’s going through is travesty and I want to help her-I do. But let’s be honest, she is here for a reason, and if the assessments are anything to go by, she’s completely capable of hurting us.” Dr. Suhana deliberated. “As it stands, the only people we can trust here are each other, we won’t know what’s actually wrong with Evelyn until we’ve actually done an operation.” She turned to Dr. Omar and nodded to him. “Dr. Omar’s right, our best chance is  to investigate this further and carry on with the operation.”  She then veered to  Dr. Tenner with a softened expression. “I promise you, if we find even the slightest sign of maltreatment or  abuse, we will hold everybody complicit responsible.” She said, Dr. Tenner sighed.  “I supposed so.” He said, unconvinced. After some time, the door wenched upon again, Father Lopez popped out, taking meager steps as he sealed the door shut. Dr. Tenner walked up and assumed a bashful look. “Father Lopez I would like to apo-.” 
“I’m sorry doctor.” Father Lopez enunciated. Dr. Tenner was taken aback.
“Father you don’t have too-”
 “ I should have been more forthcoming…It’s been so long since-.” He croaked, taking a moment to deliberate his words. He exhaled heavily. “There's something you should know…that girl over there.” He said pointing towards the door. “she‘s the bravest and kindest person I have ever met..The time I’ve spent with her…She would tell me stories about her family, tell me about her father;s favourite songs,  how much she loved her mother’s cooking and how her brothers would taunt the street cats…She would tell me about her dreams and all little things she wanted to do in this world…all of them gone-” The father wallowed, bearing palms to his eyes. The words had invoked sentimental feelings among my colleagues, as Dr Suhana took to comfort the old man, while the once-critical Dr. Tenner expression to have softened. “I’ve  seen her suffer doctors, seen her go through pain like no other…and in my weakest moment…I offered to take the pain away.” He confessed.  “But I didn’t, because Evelyn told me something that I will forever burden with my heart-She told me she just wanted to see her brother.”  He said softly.
“And that is why I am still here, because despite everything I have seen…everything she has endured. She just wants to see her brother. And I urge all of you, for whatever faults in my part, and for whatever grievances you may have…Know that this girl is innocent and she believes in each of you to save her…and we will save her.” His voice stirred with conviction. His speech resonated with my colleagues, renewing them with a sense of resolve and duty. Yet I was left with a lingering sense of foreboding. The early morning had proven to be hectic, and it would only  compound as sunlight began to streak. The father gave one final important message before we took to changing into our scrubs. He told us the exorcism would commence soon.

***
The room became shrouded in darkness, except for a few  candlesticks placed at the corner of the room casting faint glows of red, and a lamp shining pale light down on her emaciated figure. We stood at the end of the wall watching as Father Lopez burned the incense on the censer, seeing wisps of smoke form and fumigate the room, permeating it with scents of Frakinscents. “Once I start, it will be a point of no return.” Father Lopez warned. We nodded along, anticipating the worse. Father Lopez held his breath. Clutching his rosemary beads tightly on one hand a chalice of holy water on the other. Slowly, he brought the rosemary beads above his head and began reciting the bible in latin. He sang the proverbs gravely and low and yet there was a certain etherealness to his voice, a kindredness with the verbiage of the Romans. He was no more merely a man to us, he was an authority, a conduit of his lord to exult divine providence.  
Father Lopez motioned the chalice across Evelyn's face. She hissed, cueing us in to intervene. We held her head down as she resisted and squirmed  while  Father Lopez doused the drink down her throat. He pulled the chalice back  as we  released her head. Her body jerked forward and spat out the remnants of holy water. She snarled at him. Father Lopez remained unperturbed continuing on with his liturgy. The words, contorting her face in the array of emotion of loathing and despair,. As the priest crescendoed into a higher pitch, Evelyn planted herself deep into her bed, her muscles twitched and grunted became more laboured and weary

Suddenly, the bed began to oscillate, to and for it jerked, making creaking noises as it went. Evelyn groaned, she writhed and twisted against her restraint like a fish on the trawl. Her vitals spiked up and we prompted into action. We held her body down, limiting her convulsion as Dr. Tenner brought an ice bag over her neck. “Her EKG rate is crashing, we have to-” Dr. Suhana's words were cut short as Evelyn broke free of grasp and surged into the air. She screamed.  

Her roar ripped across the room ravaging everything in its ferocity. Raw and girthy it emanated from the bellows of dried-charred earth like the death throes of some primordial beast.  Her skin inflames to redder hues and the lacerations start to shape, coursing through her pores as the tender skin rips free and blood, wet and saccharine jettison out.  Evelyn collapsed back onto the bed, blood leaking like saps from a baobab. We barely had time to process any of the horrors we had just witnessed. "We have to patch up her skin before she loses any more blood.” Dr. Suhana commanded. Dr. Omar scampered and retrieved the gauze pads issued to each of us, as we held her down and applied pressure over her wounds, putting pressure on it amidst wet squelching sounds of meat and bone. Tenner eyes were fraught with fear and trepidation, like a lost child in a park. “Dr. Tenner. Focus.”  I barked, snapping him back to duty. We made haste, patching up the hanging bits of skin with sewing threads whilst Dr. Omar set up the blood transfusion. Evelyn wheezed and gagged, she convulsed but more in response  to the pain than in resistance to us. Father Lopez continued bloviating proverbs into our ear, he occupied a space behind his expression and was similarly terrified and tired. Yet he was determined to see this through. He invoked each word with as passion and vigor as a general in war. Suddenly, we heard a droning sound emit  from the machine.

“Oh no-no...I can’t do this…Not like this.” Dr. Tenner cried, his expression went cold, he was trembling all over. “Her EKG rate is over 200, I need the defibrillator now!’ Dr.  Omar barked. DR. Suhana handed him the defibrillator, while I aided in putting up the gel, a faint whimper emanated from Evelyn's mouth while the priest sang in a monotonous voice. “Doctor Tenner, where are you going!’ I shouted, watching as the coward scuttled out of the operation, burying his face deep over his elbows. Dr Suhana came over to console his friends, placing her arms over his shoulder and looking intently over his slobbering face.  
“Doctor…we need you?”
“I can’t-I can’t do this anymore…”  
“Listen to me, we need you. liste-” 
‘I can’t do this anymore, Suhana!”  
“CLEAR!” Dr. Omar screamed. The Defliberator hummed with life as he pressed it down against her chest. The body jerked forward from the impetus. Still no pulse as I issued more chest compressions as the droning sounds persiste . The priest's voice caught a snag before immediately recuperating. 
“Listen to me, Listen to me…You're a good doctor.”  
“O I’m not…I-” 
“Go back in there-” 
“CLEAR!” Dr. Omar shouted again. Inducing her body with shock. Yet again no response. 
“We need you with us.” She said firmly to Dr. Tenner’s sniveling face.  “Get back in there…” 
I planted my hands down flat on her chest , and repeated the push-and-released motions. Beads of sweat  from my forehead as I freed up her airways. I then stepped back as Dr. Omar rubbed the paddles against each other, letting charge build up as electricity crackled through the air. “CLEAR!” He screamed once more, setting it down on her chest.
Her body shook then rose and fell. Her vitals signals returned into  wavefronts. Dr. Omar sighed in relief. “ She’s back up again.” Dr. Tenner swooped in to my side examining her body. “There, her lower ankle." He commented. “Red blood pouring out, her veins being ruptured. Help me close it up.” I nodded, handing him the gauze pads as we applied pressure on the open wound
“Docotor hand me the ultrasound, I want to check for sepsis. “ She said to Dr. Omar, who darted to the ultrasound machine and wheeled it to her.  
 A sudden groan emanated from Evelyn’s mouth.”D-Doctor.” It cried. “Hang in there, Evelyn.” Dr. Suhana said assuringly. “Doctor-Have you eaten?” Mr. Benwiolli asked . The room went cold, Dr. Suhana stood in petrification, watching as the being perfectly emulated the sounds of her dainty-old patient. More voices erupted from her gangly throat each as mocking and derisive as the last  
‘Have you eaten..” 
“Where were you?”  
“What happened to my son ?”  
“Please help me…” The voices bellowed, forming a sick cacophony that overpowering the songs of the priest. Dr. Suhana retreated into her thoughts as a vile accusation ensnaring her further with contempt and loathing, bringing her on the verge of faltering, when she snatched the transducer from  Dr. Omar’s hand and hovered it over the body.  “There’s abscesses over her wounds, we must get it treated.” She stated, searching for Cefepime on the medical trolley. We continued at this for several hours.  Committing our hands to the whole arduous process of cutting up dead pieces of infected tissue and sealing her wounds off with strands of threats, amidst the priest’s litany while the demon launched into garbled tirades, all directed to Dr. Suhana, who continued weaving the threads skillfully across Evelyn’s broken skin. Our bodies would wane, feeling exhaustion and fatigue creeped  in. Even the masoned face of the priest had weathered away.  

It was around the six-hour mark when the creature unhinged its jowls and let out a guttural howl. There was a certain desperation in its voice, not bellowed out of triumph and indignation but out of fear. And deep within the tempest of the scream, I heard the semblance of a wailing girl. The entity lurched forward once more, mustering the last morsels of  strength to writhe against the manacles. We tried to suppress her body, holding her limbs down once again, as the bed wobbled forth  and thumped against the cold floor. Blood trickled back down from her seams and vitals began to spike. Father Lopez aided our efforts, holding her  down by the side to help Dr. Suhana seal down a wound. I felt my own grip wane on its arm and I against its supernatural strength. When finally, my grip loosened as it flailed its arms mightily. The rope went taunt, before snapping away leaving her left arm completely flee. With one fell swoop, the demon stroked Father Lopez on the chest sending him sprawling across the floor. Before I  could even react, I felt its cold inhumane grip around my neck as it choked me and brought me to its eyes.   

The Doctor and the Devil (part 1)

My grandfather was a doctor, my father was a doctor, my uncle was a taxi driver. Among the three of them, the death of my uncle had impacted me the most. I still remember the time  my father came into my room, his eyes red and swollen telling me that his brother had come to pass. I remember black clouds, empty sky and the downpour  of rain down the hazy road ambered with red and yellow lights, from the rolling hills of palm trees to the quaint city of Ipoh. 
I remember looking upon his casket, meeting relatives long over-due and seeing their weeping eyes. What transfigured me the most, was the banality of it all. The autopsy had confirmed that my uncle had a stroke, that the years of filling his heart with cigarette buds had finally caught up to him, clogging up his main artery, blocking any oxygen from reaching his brain, all to say it didn’t kill him. Instead he was made there to languish, watching the fan spur while he couldn't even twitch a muscle.. And for three  days nobody came, his kids had long gone to the city, the  company docked his pay and his brother was too busy saving lives. It was only on the fourth day, when the neighbors checked in to find his wilting corpse. My uncle died in agony, there is no other recourse but to say that my uncle died a slow conscious rot of the body and the mind. And although I could hazard a guess none of them could ever measure an inkling of the pain and misery he spent toiling on the floor. And as we embalmed his paper house with his paper clothes and his paper car, a word my father had said struck me. 
“He was my brother.” No other words my father had rang so vapid and hollow than this one. 
There was no mention of the agony he felt as he lay there dying, or his obsessive alcoholism or smoking, or even why his own children neglected him and his brother refused to mention him during gatherings.
The words were nothing more than an empty platitude, a simple gesture for someone just existing at a point in time. He left nothing to his family except lost memories of a man, a vindictive man who swooned himself in alcohol and ecstasy, left himself to be discarded within the dregs of society, and it was on that day he died I swore I would never be like him. My uncle was nothing more than a pilferer, a man designed to leech and grovel on to others and he left the world in pain and anguish. And all the world was left with
was an empty cab.

****

It was 6.30 PM on a Friday night a dark-blue had settled across the window panels of the hospital.  Fluorescent blue lights hung luminously on the ceiling casting the corridors in a  dream-like lull. People came in waltzing in and out, some doctors, some nurses and many others, visitors forced to sit in the lounging room with measured looks of dreary and exhaustion. And amidst echoes of chatter and buzzing intercom machines and the scent of medicine and clothing detergent. To me it brought a sense of reprieve, that as hectic as the job could be, there was a bureaucracy to it all. While to others, it only distilled the impending.

Emerging out of one of the wards was Ms. Beniwolli shuffled   across the hallway with arms tucked around her son’s. Pacing behind them was Dr. Suhana, making ginger strides  tracking the old lady’s movements. I was looking from afar with bated breath, resting the tablet on my left and holding a pen in my palm. 
Mrs. Beniwoll steered herself around and opened her arms to embrace Dr. Suhana.  “Thank you…Docotor…thank you.” She cried out, stretching her arms out for a hug. I scowled from a distance. 
 “I won’t keep your boys waiting…We’ll just have to run a few more checkups on your husband.” She told them and disengaged from the hug. The family said their goodbye and turned to take their leave. I strutted forward briefly meeting Dr. Suhana gazed. She nodded at me in acknowledgement and ushered me  into the ward. 
We strode past a few of the white drapes and stopped at the end of the row. Gently, Dr. Suhana  unveiled the curtain revealing Mr. Beniwolli's unconscious body. He was an  ebony pale figure with hollowed eyes adorned in a blue gown with thousands of tubes and wires running down on to him, feeding him a daily entourage of  protein and sustenance, while the heart  monitor beeped ostentatiously with his breath. 
 Dr. Suhana kneeled down, clasping firmly on to his hand as she fixed him with a solemn stare.
“What did you tell them ?” I asked inquisitively. She parsed her lips with a slight quiver. 
“I told them…that the surgery was a success, but he’ll have to go for an extensive chemotherapy treatment to promise full remission .”  Dr Suhana lamented.  
“The important thing is that he is alive…And he’ll get to go back to his wife and kids.” I noted. 
“He’s a 68 year old trucker- ” 
“-And we’ll get him in touch with one of our providers, get him a plan their family can accommodate .” I retorted.
Her anguish did not relent. “We could have caught on to it faster-”
“Dr. Suhana….” I said carefully. “We both know how these things go, we’ve done the best we could under the circumstances. Stop beating yourself up.” 
She didn’t listen. “You know, I always ask him if he took his meds, and he always asks if I ate.” Dr. Suhana chuckled softly. “Even when I said yes, he still got me a protein bar at the vending machine, that stubborn old man…I-.” Dr. Suhana began to choke up.  I put my hand over her shoulder in comfort. Trying to be consolidatory.  “He would be proud of you now.” 
Dr. Suhana didn’t respond,  she remained in her solitary position gazing helplessly  at the ailing old man. My sympathy turned to frustration, I pulled my hand away  and turned to check my watch. “We shouldn’t be late, Dr. Omar and Dr.Tenner are already waiting for us.” I told. 
Dr. Suhana thought for a moment. “You should go see the family.” She said, 
“It’s fine, they’re going to see their kids anyway.” I said dismissively. 
Dr. Suhana sighed. “You know you’re his doctor too-” 
I straightened my coat.I muttered quietly to myself. “ That's right… I’m just his doctor.” 

****
When we arrived in the meeting room, we found Dr. Tenner and Dr. Omar sitting next to each other at the left end of the table. Dr. Tenner was going off on his musings with Dr. Omar listened intently in a relaxed position, his head rested against his palm.  The moment we stepped in, the pair broke off their chatter to greet us with platitude. As Dr. Logeshi and I took our seats at the opposite row of the table, Dr. Tenner rose up and set his palms flatly on the table.  “Ok guys, me and Mandy finally have the house to ourselves which means…I like to invite you all to a very nice pot-luck this Saturday.”  Dr. Tenner enunciated, and then looked at me. “Dr. Tiong.” He said carefully. “We’d be happy if you could join us this Saturday?"  
 “I'm so sorry I’ll be completely busy this weekend." I said.
 Dr. Tenner’s face fell. “You know you can just say no right?” 
“You knew what my answer would be.” I replied back. 
Dr. Tenner shrugged. “Fair enough.” He whipped his head to Dr. Omar putting his palms over his colleague's shoulder. “And you…You’re coming whether you like it or not”  He proclaimed as he shook the man lightly.
“Alright…Alright…alright…I’ll come…just one thing-.”
“What.” 
“Please loosen up on the drinks.” 
Dr. Tenner scoffed. “So what if I’m a bit tipsy.”
“Hey Patch Adams..” Dr. Omar grimace. “ You nearly drove into the neighbours house.” 
Dr. Tenner thought for a moment. “It was a fairly ugly house.” 
Dr. Omar let out an audible sigh, while Dr. Tenner chuckled at his own joke. “Dr. Suhana will you-.” He stopped, noticing her stoney expression. Her eyes gazing off into empty spaces. 
Dr. Tenner  donned a more concerned tone. “Dr. Suhana ... .is everything alright.” Dr. Tenner  asked gently. Dr. Suhana stared back at him. “My parents called, they say they’re visiting for a week or two.”  Dr. Tenner's  lightened up. "I have been wanting to meet your father for the longest time.” 
“I can’t say the same thing about you.” 
“When will they be coming?” Dr. Omar asked. 
“It’s not confirmed yet, but I’m not exactly looking forward to it.” 
“But you always spoke highly of them.” Dr. Omar posited . “Because they are good parents, they’re even better critics.”  
“Oh you poor accomplished-South Asian-physicians.” Dr. Tenner said sarcastically.  didn’t realize being a doctor was for chumps.”  
‘It’s just that it defeats the whole point of immigrating in the first place.” Dr. Lokeshi ranted. “I came here to make them proud…and then to avoid them forever. And now I can’t even do the second part.” She lamented.
"Hey, you should be grateful that ma and pa still dot over you.” Dr. Tenner rebutted. Dr. Logeshi sighed. “It’s just that I've got a lot of work to do, so many patients I need to clear up, my family coming over on top of that- I now have to babysit you two on the weekend.” She smiled . “Not to mention that I’m the only one that actually can sing.” 
 Dr Tenner beamed, “Well I dunno about that, but at least I’m not as tasteless as this guy.” He jibed at  Dr. Omar who instantly took offense. 
“What? I’m not that tasteless, I like plenty of artists like-” 
“-Like season’s in the sun?” 
“Shut up.
They embrace in their laughter, chortling a folly of inssasent macaques, leaving me to sulk in my thoughts as I finished the remainder of my charting

After a while the door had finally slid open and we were greeted  by the dean of medicine, decked in blue blazer  over a white blouse with two weary eyes perched on a snubby nose and several dossiers and files tucked between her arms.  I rose from my chair to acknowledge her. “Dr. Shuzuki.” I said recently. She smiled tentatively and replied back. “Thank you Dr. Tiong, please take your seat.” I acquisited.   
“How’ve you been doing Doctors?”  she asked. 
‘I need more laxatives for room fifty-five.” Dr. Omar requested. “ Mr. Fabinho at it again?” Dr. Suzuki inferred. “The man went full flush.” He said amusingly.  
“Ok, spare me the details. Hope everything’s been cleaned up.” 
“Had the med students do it.”  
“Dr. Omar!” She reprimanded.  “Whaaat-” Dr. Tenner blubbered, coming in defense of his friend. 
  “it’s a good learning experience, we’ve all been through it, how can a bird spread its wings if it doesn't fall?” 
“And some of them die along the way.” Dr. Shuzuki grimaced.  "I'll get you the laxatives and  the extra diapers, just try not to traumatize our med students please?” She pleaded. 
“I’ll try..” 
“Actually I would like to ask the status of my research report.” I interjected in. “yes about that...” Dr. Suzuki pondered. “I understand that it’s still in peer review status, it’s being piled with the rest of the back-logs, I’ll follow it up with you when that changes.” She elaborated. I nodded. “I understand how long these things can take, I’m willing to wait.” I stated. 
“Thank you for your understanding.” Dr. Suzuki commended. “Is there anything you want to discuss?” Dr. Suhana hesitated for a moment, then spoke carefully.  
“How’s Ms. Amira doing?” She asked.  Dr. Suzuki drew a heavy breath. “She’s fine,and thankfully didn't suffer any major concussions, thankfully. But she has been suspended until further notice..and there are talks to have nursing license seized.”  
‘That’s ridiculous!” Dr Suhana protested.  
“Doctor…I implore you to look past this-” 
“She was just trying to protect her colleague.” She continued lamenting.  She seemed to have wanted to genuinely console her colleagues, but the words fell. 
 “I understand that…but there is nothing we can do.” She said regretfully. 
“It still did not justify her stealing the Midazolam…what’s worse is that it can have induced an
anaphylaxis shock to that patient.” I posited, chiming in. Dr. Suhana went silent, and sulked in her own thoughts. 

 “Honestly, can we have a policy to keep A-holes off this hospital?” Dr. Tenner said brazenly. “If we did that, half-the board would be gone.” Dr Shuzki commented. 
“Well that’s even better.”  Dr. Tenner replied.
 Dr. Suzuki shot him an incredulous look.  “And am I on that list?” Dr. Tenner went silent for a while before waving his arms dramatically in a conciliatory motion. “Now I didn’t say anything about that-” 

Dr. Suzuki proceeded to strike him playfully on the shoulder with the stacks of folders. Laughter followed once again, the moment of brevity brought a relief and appreciative look on Dr.Shuanan 
“If there is nothing else I’ll start  the meeting..” She stated. distributing the dossiers among the four of us. 
 “I’ve called you here today to look into a special case….it’s a lot to say the least.” She said wearily . Carefully, I removed the band from the dossier, and began flicking, getting a rough preview of the documents sections and formatting.  “The Patient’s name is Evelyn Decosta, a 21-year old female second gen immigrant studying chemical engineering at NYU. last year would have been her finals if not-” Dr. Shuzuki paused. She exhaled sharply “-Last December  she was arrested for the murder of several of her family.” There was another pause, curtailed to us to ingest the severity of this case.  
“ Her brother was the only one to survive the ordeal and has since been transferred to a foster care home. As for her sister, she  has been sent to Rockwin Correctional Institute where she’ll presumably rot for the rest of her life. Unfortunately for us, she just so  happens to be a bit sick…” Dr. Shuzuki grimaced. “The patient has a severe case of hypertension,  emesis skin lesions and sudden hemorrhaging." She explained. ‘Coupled with bouts of manic episodes and seizures.” 
“I’m calling it on  Lupus, ” Dr. Tenner wagered. “Seems like  Melonama”  Dr.Omar contested. “Sad to say, you’re both wrong,” Dr. Suzuki proclaimed. “The previous doctors tested her for immunosuppressants and cancer-growth, none of the treatments worked.” She elloborated. “Any history of substance abuse or familial ailments?" Dr. Suhana prompted. ‘She’s clean- her medical records didn’t indicate any past ailments except for a slight vitamin C deficiency in her body.” The director refuted. “There’s something else you should know-” She said, her expression dimmed once more. “ Our  patient often gets into altercations with the other inmates, and not only does she get into fights with them  but she also appears in their heads….” she said. Drawing a look of skepticism between my colleagues, I was listening intuitively, tenting my fingers together and wringing them out 
 “According to the reports, inmates have cited experiencing some form of delirium and psychosis when in the vicinity of Ms. Decosta, whatever reason, she’s able to induce a psychological response from them.’ Director Shuzuki stated.
“A prison isn’t exactly the most sanitary place in the world.” Dr. Omar mused. “I am willing to bet some toxic fumes leaked into the building and caused all this.” He theorized.  “And the fact that you have a bunch of crazy-psychopaths in one building, doesn’t help matters.” Dr. Tenner added.
“The previous doctors assumed as much. They tested the entire prison environment .” Dr. Suzuki said. “Nothing conclusive could determine a virus or toxic waste.”
“What else did they find?” Dr. Suhana pondered. 
“Everything else is in the report, that’s as much as I got before they left.” Dr Shuzuki said. “In  fact most of the staff did and the prison’s in sort of a health crisis.”
“All because of one girl?”  Dr.Omar dejected
“Well it’s hard to say when you’re at the side of the garden wall.” Dr Shuzuki replied. 
‘So I suppose that’s why we’re here…” Dr. Tenner inferred. “Pick up the pieces where they left and get her a diagnosis... ” 
. Director Shuzki’s face turned pale.  “You wouldn’t be the one administering her treatment.” 
I gave a questioning look. ‘What do you mean?” 
. Director Shuzuki let out an exasperated sigh. “I’ve neglected to tell you this thus far, but a..few weeks ago, some prison chaplains  came to visit her ward, after a thorough  investigation they had deemed that Ms. Decosta was in need of a serious intervention-.” She glanced at us wearingly. “-Ms. Decosta was to be exorcised.”  
Dr. Omar's eyes widened with shock. “You can’t be serious-.” 
 “Unfortunately, I am. A man by the name of Father Antonio De Lopez has been ordained to oversee her ritual and requested you all preside over the sermon to tend to her medical needs.” She expounded.   
“How would this even work?” Dr. Tenner decried.
“As I understand it he  will pray the demon away.”
“And what exactly do we do?” 
“You make sure the patient doesn’t die.” 
“Doctor. you can’t actually believe that this is true?’  Dr. Omar bemused.
Dr. Suzuki  sighed. "Personally I’m not too keen on sending you all to a mad-eating madhouse for a woman half-way there to hell…but…” She deliberated. “If you do take this case up, you'd be doing a big favour to the correctional team over there.  The second reason is that this case is interesting…and if you’re sick of being stuck in this boring hospital, a prison should definitely get the adrenaline running.” She expounded.   

That’s not all too convincing.” Dr Omar remarked. 
“I’m not trying to convince you…” Dr. Suzuki replied. She straightened up, and strode towards the door, placing her palm over the handle. “Think over doctors, I’ll be at my desk waiting for your response, and if you still have your wits. Don’t call me.” She said as she left the room.
The four of us proceeded to deign through the documents, fervently studying  through the medical logs and clinical diagnosis of our patient with my  mind running lapse on the symphony of symptoms that caused her ailments . Included among the documentation were the crime reports of the patient, since more the report  policie reports was relgated to policie work and 
 and irrelevant to us, we were spared of much of the gruesome details , yet the threads of violence were still there.  The first few pages depicted the family as it was, a father hugging child, a sister taking her young baby brother out for a stroll, a birthday celebration and a graduated teen fully adorned in a regalia. And in the next few pages, it depicted the house void of the life that was once present. scratch marks on the door, the master bed ransacked and exposed with polyfill, blood dribbled down a flight of stairs, broken porcelain, a knife with a bloodied handle and four stuffed body bags. 
 Dr. Tenner gently nudged Dr. Omar’s shoulder. 
“What page are you on?” Dr. Tenner  asked. 
“Page thirty-two, you?” Dr. Omar asked back
“Page twenty-nine, am looking at the bloody blood-test.”
“And what do you think so far?” 
“I’m thinkining…that it’s getting dark and I promised her that I would only spend two hours off on work.” Dr. Tenner declared.   Dr. Omar scoffed. “There’s still time, just keep on reading.” 
“Why you jealous?" He said cheekily 
“Just keep on reading.”  Dr. Omar reiterated droningly.  
“I mean what else is there to talk about -.”Dr. Tenner said, pulling the dossier away from his face. “We’re going to have a holy-man wave his holy-hand and banish the evil from her soul, is there anything else left to consider?” He derided. “Be it as it may, the girl definitely is an anomaly, treatment for Methylprednisolone didn’t work and neither did the methotrexate. whatever she’s caught…it’s not letting go.” Dr. Omar pontificated.  
 “Still, fail to see how having a pastor involved is going to solve any of this.” Dr.  Tenner protested.   

 “It is regrettable that we have to work under these conditions.” I remark. “However,  Dr.Omar’s point still stands,  I’m curious on running a biopsy on her. My initial hypothesis is that she is suffering from a rare form of autoimmune diseases which would explain the tearing in the skin  and her psykosis.”
Dr.Tenner raised his eyebrow. “You want to take this up?”   
 “Certainly,  if we can cover our legal and safety concerns. I’d be happy to take on this case.” I replied. Dr.Tenner leaned back against the armchair, and pursed his lips blowing a huff of air.  "Dr. Suhana. What do you make of all this?” He prodded. 
Dr. Suhana was staring at the document pensively. She parsed her lips with a slow deliberation. “I’m inclined to think there’s more to this case than meets the eye.” 
‘Oh.” Dr. Tenner stirred. “What makes you think so?” 
“21 year old, academically-excellent stem student with her whole life ahead of her…doesn’t sound like the makings of a killer does it?” She asked rhetorically. “We’re not privy to her life, any one factor could have caused her to do what she did.” Dr.Omar argued.
"Still, there wouldn’t have been signs… substance abuse…Depression…bullying…" Dr. Suhana listed. 
 “We don’t know that for sure.” Dr.Tenner remark. “Maybe she was better at hiding it.” 
Dr Suhana considered his words. “Listen, I’m as skeptical as you are about having a priest involved. But it seems clear to me that whatever is affecting Ms.Decosta- it’s some form of neurological disorder." 

“And you suppose it caused her to kill her family?” Dr.Omar surmised, gauging her. Dr. Suhana shrugged. “Perhaps…we’ll have to run a diagnosis to know for sure.” She pondered. Dr. Tenner shook his head in disapproval, remaining irreceptive at the thought. “Even if we do do this, what do we hope to achieve, find out that the homicidal maniac is mentally ill?”  He dejected. 
 “That is the job, Dr. Tenner…” I said condescendingly.  “-and it’s more than that, Prisoners often go un-treated and undiagnosed.  If her illness is affecting the whole facility, we ought to pay more  attention to it.” I stated. “Didn’t realize you were an avid supporter of prison health.” Dr. Omar said cynically. 
“I always care about my cases.” I declared. “I think there is a point to make that her health was neglected in that prison." Dr. Suhana spouted, taking helm of the conversation once again. “Wether or not it caused her to do what she did, we won’t know for sure…Her condition will only get worse, and if we can provide her the help she needs. Then why not try.” 
 Dr. Tenner lingered on her words  before waving his hand dismissively. “ I just don’t want to do it.” He proclaimed. “It’s bad enough we’re gonna have Mr. Madrid over here tell us what to do-There’s no guarantee he’s not  just gonna yell heresy at us for  just using modern medicine...and frankly, I just don’t want to be stuck in cell-block-tango.” He yammered. “I’ll have to agree.” Dr. Omar admitted.

 Dr. Suhana measured their gaze before relenting. “You’re right, let’s not take this case up.” Dr. Tenner sighed in relief. “Thank you we can-” 
“-I’ll just have to tell my niece that her dad’s a lame old man.” Dr. Suhana threatened, feigning an innocent look. Dr. Tenner was appalled, he opened his mouth to speak but was caught by the audacity of it all.  
“You’re a bad influence.” 
“I’m her favourite aunt.” She deflected. Dr. Tenner grinned and turned to Dr. Omar with a pair of  conceited eyes. His comrade shook his head and grumbled haplessly. He veered his back to face Dr. Suhana who had a smug smile on her face. “Fine.”  He said, throwing his arms up facetiously. “Let’s go to jail.”