I pass on the clipboard to the nurse behind the desk just in time for another patient to be wheeled in. A young woman with long black hair is relaxing on the gurney, an annoyed look on her face. She has snake bite piercings on her lower right-side of her lips and a nose ring on the right nostril. Without judging, I tell the paramedics where to put her before getting a story.

"Bay 3."

"Twenty-four year old woman found unconscious in the park. The person who call 9-1-1 attempted to wake her up but she was unresponsive. She did regain consciousness half-way to the hospital. Everything's normal but she's running a one-oh-three temp."

"Alright, thanks."

I approach the patient, who is already settled on the bed thanks to the paramedics.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Cole. Can you tell me your name?"

She glares at me before rolling her eyes.

"This is a waste of my time and yours. There's nothing wrong with me."

"It's imperative you tell me your name. I need to determine if you have any memory loss that could be a red-flag for brain-damage."

"Luci."

"Good, now can you tell me where you are and anything about what happened today?"

"I'm in the hospital and I took a nap in the park after a walk. Some nosey person came by and now I'm here."

I turn to the nurse.

"Give her an IV and get me a thermometer."

She nods before rummaging around, producing the thermometer.

"This is a waste of time, Doc. There's nothing wrong with me."

"We'll determine that here, Luci. Now can you open your mouth and lift your tongue for me?"

Begrudgingly, she follows orders. I pull out the thermometer and the nurse inserts the IV. Just as the paramedics said, a one-oh-three fever.

"Just give me some pills and send me on my way."

"Not to offend you, but I need to run some tests before you leave. Just a precaution to rule out any infections."

I turn my attention back to the nurse.

"I need a head CT, a toxin screen, and a blood test."

She nods in response and I turn my attention back to the young woman lying on the bed in front of me.

"I'll be back to check on you in a minute."

I check-up on patients from earlier, take care of a little boy with an beetle stuck in his nose, before swinging by the nurse's station for the results of Luci's scans. White blood count's normal, red too, no sign of bleeding in the brain. No tumors.

"We need an x-ray and a MRI."

"Are you sure?"

"We have to find out why she's running such a high-fever."

"Could it just be a standard cold?"

"She's not presenting any other symptoms."

"Okay. I'll call up to get a portable x-ray machine brought down."

"Thanks."

I make my way to where I last left her, slipping into the curtained area only to find the bed empty, hospital gown crumpled on the floor. Panicked, I head back to the nurse's station.

"Did anybody leave from there?"

All the nurses shake their heads, claiming to have been elsewhere. I call hospital security. Five minutes later, they find her walking six blocks away from the hospital. When I see her walking through the doors again, she smirks. She hops right back on her bed and the nurse preps to insert a new IV. I turn to security.

"Restrain her, we can't be having her out with this high of a fever."

"Oh, come on. You're overreacting."

"You're running a one hundred and three fever. That's abnormally high."

"I'm always hot."

She winks at me. Without breaking eye-contact with her, I give the nurse another order.

"Help her change back into a hospital gown, don't remove the restraints unless absolutely necessary."

I give her privacy, walking back out to review her toxin screen. Just like before, everything's normal. Not a single number is above or below standard range. The nurse pokes her head out from the curtain.

"Dr. Cole, you need to come and see this."

Very rarely do nurses ever use that strong of a puzzled tone. I slip behind the curtains. Luci is sitting up on the bed, the back on her hospital gown untied. My gaze lands upon two long scars traveling down her back. I reach for a glove but Luci growls in response.

"Touch my scars and I'll rip your head off."

I move my hand away from the gloves and instead look to the nurse.

"Can I speak with you for a minute, Hailey?"

She nods and we sneak to a quieter place away from ear-shot.

"What did she say when you found them?"

"She told me the same thing she told you. Do you know what they are?"

"No idea."

I hear a ripping sound followed by a scream. I turn around just in time to see my patient running for the door. I sprint after her, thankful that her gown is tied. She's about to run through the ambulance bay doors when I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her against me. I can already hear footsteps slapping against the linoleum floors. I manage to get Luci's arms underneath mine, pressing her against the wall to combat her struggling. It's like I flip a switch when she hits the wall. Her body goes rigid and she starts laughing.

"Silly human. I could kill you right now if I wanted."

Security guards, this time armed with handcuffs, take Luci from my grasp. They slap the cuffs on her and take her to a private, guarded room that we send the suicidal or mentally ill patients. They attach her to the bed before handing me the keys to the cuffs and leaving. Hailey stands behind me with Luci's clipboard.

"Is there anyone we should call for you?"

"I have no family."

"Alright then. We need to run a urine test."

Luci pulls on the restraints.

"Help me out with that, Doc?"

I ignore her flirtatious attitude, speaking in a professional manner with the nurse.

"Insert a catheter and another IV. We need to get fluids into her, it should help with lowering her fever."