Lucas began his first day at Hakers Mental Hospital as a newly assigned caretaker, responsible for a patient who required close attention. But the moment he stepped inside, he could tell something was off. A handful of doctors and nurses were moving through the halls with unusual urgency, their eyes scanning corners and doorways.

A woman approached him, offering a hesitant smile. “Ah—Dr. Trent, welcome. Sorry about the chaos—we’re having a bit of a rough morning.”

Lucas gave a small, cautious nod. “Yeah, I noticed. What’s going on?”

The nurse sighed, glancing over her shoulder before replying. “One of our patients got out of her room… again. She slips away sometimes, hides somewhere in the building. We’re not entirely sure why she does it. She doesn’t talk about it.”

Lucas’s brows furrowed slightly. “She’s done this before?”

The nurse nodded, looking tired. “More than once. We try to keep her monitored closely, but… she always finds a way. For now, though, we’ll take you to a quieter area. You’ll be given a list of patients to choose from. The staff will help you get settled.”

Still unsettled by the mention of the elusive patient, Lucas followed her down the hallway and was led into a small exam room. It was plain and clinical, with a counter running along one wall and a few cabinets overhead. He took a seat on the counter and began looking over the list of patient files that had been left for him.

Just as he was reading through one of the names, a faint rustling caught his attention.

He froze.

Then, slowly, from beneath the examination table, a woman peeked up over the edge of the counter—wide-eyed, curious, and completely silent.