?We stepped into the hallway, quiet as shadows, itching to get the hell out of that hospital as fast as possible. The only thing cutting through the dark was the flashlight on my phone.

  The air was dead cold and soulless... I was bracing myself for whatever might jump out at any second. Mia was practically glued to my side out of pure terror. After walking for a bit, I decided to say something to take her mind off things.

  ?"You okay?"

  She gave a little nod.

  "Mm-hmm..."

  I went quiet again. Honestly, I had no clue how to keep a conversation going. I was still racking my brain when Mia spoke up:

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  "You know, I’ve been a scaredy-cat since I was a kid... they used to pick on me and make fun of me for it. But you..."

  ?My foot hit something, and it clattered against the wall with a dull thud. I aimed the light toward it, and Mia picked it up.

  "It’s a water bottle," she said.

  I eyed it for a second and said hesitantly, "Looks fresh."

  But why? Something felt off.

  "Armin, I’m thirsty."

  ?She cracked the cap open. Part of me wanted to stop her, but maybe I was just overthinking things...

  She took a few gulps, then held it out to me.

  "Want some?"

  -"No, I’m not thirsty."

  ?The bottle slipped from her hand, and she clapped her hand over her mouth...

  "Mia? What’s wrong?" I asked, getting worried.

  Out of nowhere, she coughed up blood. A faint wisp of smoke rose from it, and the floor slowly started to melt away...

  Ignoring the floor, I tried to get close to her, but then—she just burst, and blood sprayed everywhere...