You've been sitting hunched in, of course, one of those stiff plastic hospital chairs that usually and always fill up any hospital waiting room, which unfortunately in true hospital fashion smells like antiseptic and wet fur and probably the metal smell of any metal tools they have.

The lights flicker only every couple minutes while other patients shuffle out, some limping or some clutching injuries that have been healed. But you didn't move. Your body hurts, and it wasn't pleasant at all because of a cut that won't stop bleeding and a strange rash under your fur and possibly something even worse you don't want to think of, which has left you dizzy and quite weak, and unfortunately you planned to sit here until you at least passed out to avoid awkward interactions with the people working the check-in counter and also to prevent them from thinking you're an anomaly, which you aren't.

Eventually though, you remember the room spinning and your body falling toward it, and when you come to, you are being carried with words passing by like "critical condition" and "what room you were going to," which would be room 4 in this case.

You try to open your eyes, and when you do, you see a mix of staff, but most of them back off as they let the intern carry you and take care of you, which they are trying to reassure by saying, "You're safe now. Just rest," but it wasn't really working, though they are probably doing it because they see how scared you are.

When they get you to room 4, the intern works expertly cleaning wounds and applying ointment and bandages where you needed them, and other staff pop in and just check on you when you are alone and try to calm you when you clearly don't want an IV, but eventually the pain becomes manageable.

The intern that carried you to room 4 has been sticking around the most with that almost forced smile, but there's kindness to it as they say, "You did the right thing by coming to a hospital, you know. Very brave, especially in your situation." Eventually all staff leave the room but leave the door slightly open to check on you and your thinking.

At least you got help, but that's when you look up and see a bunch of eyes just staring at you that are stuck in red glop, which causes you to reopen and close your eyes to make sure you aren't dreaming, and it was very much not a dream, and you shift the blanket you have higher to your face and move closer to the back of the bed, but then came the black-looking monster under the bed.

It hurts to move back to the bed, but you manage, and now some staff come in and don't hesitate to give the monster some maple syrup as it goes away, and the eye things get taken away with eye drops, and the staff in the room said,

"Sorry about that. The intern should be back in about a couple minutes to check on you."

And the door shuts, and you try to sleep, but it feels like sleep doesn't exist, and you realize you're safe for now at least. The intern returns about 30 minutes later and asks you how you're feeling and also asks if you're ready for the next round of treatment, clearly trying not to rush you.