The light was blinding, but Jake wrenched his eyes open. He couldn’t sit up or move his arms or legs. The steady beeping of a heart monitor echoed off the walls, the droning hollow and without answer. Jake was about to panic when he realized he wasn’t alone.
The room came into focus, and Jake spied a brown haired figure in a long-sleeved white coat over blue scrubs standing at a counter, back to him. “Where am I?” Jake croaked.
The doctor turned, looking pleasantly surprised. “You’re at Bleeding Heart Hospital. I’m glad to see you’re awake.” He was heavily bearded, the hair on his chin as shaggy as that on his head.
“The hospital!? What happened?” Jake asked.
“You were riding your bicycle and you were struck by a rogue hot dog cart. Do you happen to remember where you were going?” the doctor picked up his clipboard.
“A Halloween party, I think,” Jake recalled, his faculties returning. “But this isn’t my normal hospital. Frankly, I’ve never heard of Bleeding Heart. And what’s your name?”
“Well, that would explain why you’re dressed like a Viking,” the doctor chuckled. He leaned out in the hallway, motioning to someone. “I’m Dr. Hound. Now, Jake, you really should have been wearing a helmet. You might have avoided this hospital visit altogether. But since you’re here, we’re monitoring you for a concussion and… internal bleeding.”
Lightning crashed outside.
“You mean, in my head?”
“Anywhere. Head, shoulders, knees, kidneys. If it can bleed, we want to keep an eye on it.”
“Is he bleeding?” Another doctor entered the room, face almost as pale as his coat. He looked a bit sick himself.
“Not visibly. Jake, this is Dr. Fang, from the lab,” Dr. Hound introduced.
Dr. Fang slid up beside Jake’s bed. “Hello, Jake,” he said in his heavy accident. “Your tests haven’t come back clearly. It seems I’m going to need…” he lifted Jake’s arm from under the blanket, “more blood.”
Lightning struck again.
“Wait, I thought you guys were concerned that I was losing blood. Is it safe to take more to test?”
“Oh, it’s just fine, Jake. We are doctors, you know. Ah, ah, ah!” Dr. Fang laughed. Dr. Hound joined in, his laugh turning into a howl, though Jake didn’t really think the comment was that funny.
However, Jake took a deep breath, trying to dispel his nerves. “You’re right; I trust you.”
“Wonderful! I’ve already sent for the phlebotomist. I’m sure she’s on her way. You just sit tight while I examine those juicy veins of yours,” Dr. Fang said. He touched Jake’s wrist and neck, identifying what Jake assumed were important veins that could be bleeding internally or externally. Dr. Hound joined in, examining Jake’s other arm with hairy-knuckled fingers.
From the hallway, Jake could hear a creaking sound, like a shopping cart with a stopped-up wheel. Oddly, he couldn’t hear much else. It was the heart monitor, the wheel, and occasionally, the thunder. Outside the door, it appeared that no lights were on.
“I’ve got the bags!” a voice bellowed over the creaky wheel. Another doctor entered the room with a cart covered in syringes and other supplies. She was wearing goggles and her gloves seemed awkwardly stretched over her hands, the fingers falling limp where nothing was filling them. Her skin was gray, making her look even sicker than Dr. Fang.
“Hi, Jake,” she greeted him. “I’m Dr. Jaws. You have nothing to be worried about, we’re just going to need to take about three quarts of your blood.”
Lightning crashed outside. Dr. Jaws was smiling, and what Jake assumed was a shadow made her teeth look enormous and pointed.
“I’m sorry, I think I misheard you. I could have sworn you said three quarts,” Jake said.
“You heard right, Jake. We’re better safe than sorry. There’s three of us doctors treating you, so we need three quarts of…blood.” Dr. Jaws licked her lips, still smiling sinisterly.
“That can’t be right! Stop!” Jake cried as Dr. Jaws reached for her needles. Dr. Hound and Dr. Fang braced Jake’s arms and legs to the cot.
“Jake, relax. Here at Bleeding Heart, we specialize in blood. We know everything there is to know about blood. We love…blood.”
Lightning crashed outside.