As a preface, I would personally like to thank Retconned for co-writing this story and introducing me to spooky waifurs. This would never have been possible without you. Thank you. >It was a dark and stormy night... >Just kidding! It was mid-afternoon when the ambulance carrying your sorry ass to the hospital crashed. >You awaken to someone shaking you roughly. A female voice speaks. >”Hello? HELLO? HEY! Oh, there you are! Heh, rise and shine sleepyhead! Good to see I used the right anesthesia! Anyway, the chart said that you were having a heart attack, but turns out that was a lie; you were full of shit…. literally! Your appendix was blocked with feces. I had to scoop that crap out, hehe! ...oh, and I still had to take out your appendix out anyways for….. research purposes… And your name is Anon Y. Mouse? Wow, that’s a frickin dumb name, but hey, who am I to talk! Haha!” >You blink a few times, attempting to adjust to the light. You are in a dimly lit hospital room. Someone snaps a few times, and the voice speaks again. >”Hey, HEY! Look alive, alright? I can't afford to lose you… I'm runnin’ out of body bags downstairs.” >Your eyes slowly focus on the speaker… >...standing before you, no, OVER you, is what seems to be a fox woman in a tattered nurse’s outfit. Mad yellow eyes with red irises stare down at you, pupils narrowed to slits. She grins with a mouthful of dangerously sharp fangs. >Confused, you rub your head. Through a dry mouth, you manage to choke out a greeting and some questions. >”Hello, nurse? Where is the doctor? W-where am I? Who are you?” >The strange woman laughs heartily. It almost sounds... maniacal. >”Oh, good! I was afraid you might have lost some brain function. I MIGHT have used a scoche too much anesthesia. Maybe. All I know is I had a full container when I started, and it's empty now. Whoops! Oh, uh, anyway. You're in the hospital, bub. Placid Knoll Memorial, to be exact. I'm Nurse Carrie; I'll be taking care of you, sweetheart~” >You rub your head again, trying to remember what exactly happened that led up to the ambulance ride here. You need to see the on-call doctor, or at least one of the OR surgeons that patched you up. Surely they can fill you in? >Hold on a second… >Carrie said that SHE operated on you. That can't possibly be right. She’s a nurse, not a surgeon or an OR technician… Why did she… >”D-did you operate on me, Miss Carrie… b-by yourself?” >Her smile immediately vanishes, and she huffs at you with a little bit of venom in her voice. >”Of course I did, you goofball! Look around! Do you see anybody else around? And I did NOT skip twelve years of medical school just to be called ‘Miss Carrie’. My name is Nurse Carrie, damnit.” >Surely you misheard that, right? RIGHT? >”Wait, s-skipped…” >She rolls her eyes with another huff. >”Yeah, skipped. Who has time for all that jazz? How hard is it to cut a man open, yank out what's broke, and sew him shut? I mean, it's not like it's brain surgery or anything. ...except when it is, of course.” >”You’re… not certified?” >Her eyes narrow. The venom in her voice intensifies to a frankly horrific extent. >”HEY. I am many things, but a ‘certified nurse’ ain't one of them. So what? You're alive, ain't ya? I swear, some people…” >”If you aren't a real nurse-” >”EXCUSE ME? I AM a real nurse. Hell, says so on my birth certificate! Nurse. Carrie.” >”...wait. You mean…” >She sighs impatiently, rubbing her temples. >”Yes, numbskull, my name is LITERALLY Nurse Carrie. (I know you're waking up from a near-fatal dose of anesthesia, but for goodness sake, pay attention.)” >...surely this is all some kind of nightmare. You must be still asleep, or unconscious and under the knife, right? Surely you aren't actually face to face with a deranged, unlicensed surgeon? >You close your eyes tightly, holding your breath, then open them again. She's still there. Glaring, now. >”Look, I don't have all day for you to come outta this shit. Here's what I'm gonna do: I have an injectable that’ll wake ya RIGHT up.” >”Oh, that’s good.” >”Ain't it? There's just, uh… one tiny problem. Minuscule, even. I… can't remember which syringe it's in.” >”You… what?” >The nurse pulls out two frightfully massive syringes, one full of a sickly green fluid, the other a milky white fluid. Neither have any sort of labelling. She looks back and forth at them while smiling, despite her obvious confusion as to which is which. >”Now, I KNOW one of these is the antidote to your anesthesia. The other one… uhh… hm. Y’know, it's funny? I don't really know what the other one is. I should REALLY start labeling these things. OH WELL! 50/50 shot. Heh, get it? Shot? ...I'm gonna inject one of these into you. They're shots. ...you can laugh any time now.” >Your slack-jawed horror renders you incapable of making any sound, much less anything approximating polite laughter. Nurse Carrie shrugs and brandishes the green syringe. >”Alright, let's see how this goes, yeah? Now, I don't want you to worry, so I'm gonna outright say it: this won't hurt a bit.” >”Oh, g-good.” >”It’ll hurt a lot.” >”Oh, fu-” >She plunges the needle into your arm with reckless abandon, grinning wildly. Your arm feels like it's on fire as she pushes down on the plunger. >Your vision swims for a moment as you blink back tears of pain. >”Now, if I gave you the right one, you should be feeling better in about 20 seconds. If I didn't… well, uh, I guess we'll BOTH find out what happens next.” >Almost as soon as she finishes the sentence, you start to feel a renewed vigor well up within your body. It's as if you just awoke from the best sleep you've ever had, then downed the blackest cup of coffee you could brew. >The nurse claps her hands together happily, fangs glinting in the dim, baleful light. >”Oh, good! That was the antidote, then. ...so what the hell is this?” >She scrutinizes the other syringe, narrowing her eyes and putting a hand to her chin thoughtfully. >”Well… only one real way to find out, huh? >You cringe and brace for impact… only to see her unflinchingly jab herself with the needle. She grimaces and lets off a hiss of pain as she pushes the plunger down partway, then pulls the needle out of her arm. >She raises an eyebrow for a moment, then jolts upright for a second. She then seems to relax, her ears drooping and an overly-long, neon yellow tongue lolling from her mouth. >”....oooh yeah. Now I remember what’s in this one, hehe… Hey, Anon, if you’re ever having a really bad day and need a little bit of a kick to turn that frown upside down, this is the shit to get, hehehe.” >Her eyes lose their focus as she just stands there and lazily twirls the syringe in her hand. >”Oh, yeah, this is some of the good stuff. I’ll have to charge ya extra if you want a hit of this batch.” >She sighs happily and stares off into space, eventually dropping the syringe accidentally. She doesn’t even flinch at the loud CRASH. >You slowly rise up from the hospital bed, and she only vaguely reacts with a half-hearted “wait.” You carefully step around her, then make your way to the hall. >As soon as you step outside, it becomes apparent that things are worse than expected. >The hospital looks absolutely ruined. The whole place is abandoned and in a state of utter disrepair. Barely half the overhead lights work, and those that do struggle to lazily flicker at maybe half the brightness they should be at. >Not a soul is visible. It is dead silent except for the sound of your own footsteps and the dazed giggling of the nurse. >You need to get the hell out of here before she sobers up. >Not looking back, you dash down the hallway, avoiding carts, chairs, and other various obstacles laying in your path. You get about halfway down before hearing something horrifying. >Rapid footsteps fast approaching from behind. >You look over your shoulder to see Nurse Carrie in hot pursuit, a mixture of concern and rage on her face. >”GET BACK HERE! I haven't even cleared you to go home yet! Hell, I haven't even typed the bill up!” >You redouble your efforts, but trip and fall over what you certainly HOPE is a plastic skeleton model. The nurse catches up to you, panting. >”Huff… huff… phew. You're pretty fast for someone who just had their appendix removed. I'm gonna have to- oh, well, that's just dandy. Look what you did, you oaf!” >She points at your side, where you're bleeding profusely from a gaping incision. >”You popped your stitches, dummy. Now I gotta fix em. C’mon, c’mon, back to the room.” >She grabs your wrist and roughly drags you back to the room you fled from. Despite your initial reluctance, you know that she’s right in one regard: you really need to get patched up…. Again. >Once back in the room, she grumbles and opens up a cabinet, pulling out a small box of thread and needles. >”Alright, Anon. Hold still, would ya? I'm still feelin that shot…” >She squints, poking the tip of her tongue out as she focuses. Her hand trembles slightly as she steadily approaches your side with the needle and thread. You barely have time to react before she starts sewing the wound shut. >In no time, you are (roughly) patched up. The thick, uneven stitches are uncomfortable, and you look like some lost cousin of Frankenstein, but at least you don't have a gaping, bleeding wound anymore. >Nurse Carrie nods curtly and puts away the supplies. >”Well! What’d we learn?” >”...you’re insane?” >”Well, maybe YOU learned that; I already knew it. No, the answer I’M looking for is: don't try to run while you're still recovering from surgery, numbskull. You coulda bled out if I wasn't right behind you!” >...for all her insanity, she has a point. You’re in no shape to run. >If you want out, it’s gonna take something more stealthy. >The nurse crosses back to her cabinet, watching you over her shoulder. >”You really need to be more careful, Mister Anon. You could get seriously hurt walking around a hospital! Always pay attention to your surroundings, especially watching out for anything on the floo-” >In an instant, she steps on the puddle of liquid left by the shattered half-full syringe. There’s a sickening CRACK as she lands on her neck hard, leaving her head bent at a disgustingly unnatural angle. >She lets out a pained gurgle, then falls silent. >... >Well, shit. As insane as she was, you didn't want to watch her die. >You cautiously stand up, preparing to leave and see if you can’t find some ACTUAL authorities to come take care of her. You get halfway across the room before she sits up. >Your heart skips a beat as the nurse rises, head still crooked at a horrific angle. She grimaces and runs a hand along her broken neck, groaning. >”FfffUCK me, I hate it when this happens. One second.” >Reaching up, she plants her hands firmly on the sides of her head. With a nauseating sound, she violently twists her head, eventually straightening her neck to its natural position. >She sighs in relief, rubbing her neck with a wince. >”That's better. Hehe, see what I mean? You could get seriously hurt!” >”B-but… you… how did… your neck…” >”Hehe. It takes more than that to kill a medical professional like me. A broken neck ain't anything more than an inconvenience.... but FUCK, does it sting. Wish I hadn't dropped that syringe now…” >With a cold pit forming in your stomach, you realize that you may be stuck with Nurse for a while longer than you hoped for. Chapter Two - Welcome to Placid Knoll! >After a few more uncomfortable minutes, Nurse Carrie tests her handiwork on her neck one last time. She grimaces in pain slightly, then grins smugly with a nod. >”Heh, you can never be too sure when fixing yourself up! This isn't the first time I've gone and hurt myself. But, eh, shit happens. It's my job to fix it when it does.” >She crouches down and takes a long look at her stitchwork on your side, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. >”...hm. I think those will hold, but you need to take it easy, alright? I'm starting to run out of materials, and I'm pretty sure you don't want me stitching you up with dental floss. Right~?” >You nod with a mixture of defeat and horror. For as loony as she is, Nurse has a point. You really should take things a bit slow. >”Since this room is running out of supplies, we might as well go scavenge for more. And if need be we can head on out to one of the local shops. I think you'll love it here at Placid Knoll!” >Nurse takes your hand and begins to lead you down some of the decrepit corridors, being surprisingly delicate with you considering her previous treatment. >As you pass by a broken window, you get a good look outside for the first time since you've woken up. [https://youtu.be/_C0IM9FV4GE] >The entire town is wreathed in a very thin fog; it doesn't obscure anything from view, but it does lend your surroundings an uncomfortably surreal “fuzziness” to them. The air is cold and brisk, like a fall afternoon. >The streets seem to be in disrepair, though… oddly maintained? It's as though someone WANTED the town to look run-down, and has taken pains to keep it looking that way. >Buildings bear cracked bricks and broken windows with solemn dignity, street lamps bend and twist at unnerving angles. >And yet the city is alive. >Vague shapes roam the sidewalks, milling about and generally minding their business. >A towering, rail-thin cat of some description stands outside a shop, loudly calling out to passersby. Seems that they're selling something. >A squat, ghoulish creature approaches the cat, only for a pitch-black hand to extend from the feline’s face and slap the ghoul on the back heartily. >Meanwhile, across the street, two hideous goblinoid beasts engage in a vicious brawl. Bright green ichor flies as the townsfolk gather around and cheer. >You flinch when Nurse taps your shoulder with a wide grin. >”Isn't it lovely? This place is the best. Such friendly neighbors, too!” >One of the beasts lifts his opponent bodily, throwing him through a nearby store window. The crowd goes wild before unceremoniously lifting their champion and throwing him after his rival. >The fox sighs happily. >”I love it here.” >You stay silent as she continues to ramble off about the town and some of its more notable inhabitants. >”Almost all of Placid’s townsfolk are super nice! Thrif’s shop has some pretty wacky stuff in it… and there's that buck-toothed bitch Razel….” >The fox sighs and rubs her temples as if exasperated just thinking about this “Razel.” >”Like I said, *most* of the people here are super awesome folk. Just try not to step on anyone's toes, haha!... And don't try to run away from me again, okay sweetheart~?” >There’s a sickening SQUELCH from below as a bright green splatter flies from the still-brawling ghouls. >”After all… I know this town. You don't~” >Damn, she’s right. >...but that's not important right now. What IS important is the question circling your mind: >What the hell are those things? >”Uh, Nurse… What kind of monsters are you? I've been to the Otherworld a couple of times, but I've never seen anything like you or these people before in my life.” >She narrows her eyes and grumbles a bit under her breath. >”MONSTERS, he says. Hmph! I'll have you know, we're Hallows and proud of it. Monsters. Feh!” >She crosses her arms with a pout, apparently cheering herself up with a glance out at the somehow-still-unfolding brawl out the window. It's a bit concerning how wide her grin gets at the sight of the carnage… >”...w-what are Hallows?” >”Huh? Oh, OH. Well, they're people like me, inhabitants of good old Placid Knoll. We're just like any Otherworlders! Just… a bit quirky, is all.” >”Quirky?” >She chuckles, rolling her eyes a bit impatiently, then changes the subject rather abruptly. >”Hey, since you're feeling good enough to ask questions about our beautiful city, we might as well follow up that operation and stitching-up with a basic check up… For formality’s sake, of course… We don't see your kind around here very often anyways, hehe.” >As you go from room to room collecting what little medical supplies there seems to be left scattered around the place, you end up back in the same room you woke up in. Nurse motions for you to take a seat, and you hesitantly comply. >”Okay, mister Anon. This is going to be a pretty routine after-procedure check up just to make sure you've got all your faculties…. And I'm not insinuating that anything went wrong… Because if something did, you'd probably either be dead or in a lot more pain, hehe. (Though it would be nice to figure out what happened to that sponge I had when I started…) ” >”Huh?” >”Nothing, nothing~ Now, let me just do a reflex test, sweetie.” >She stands perfectly still, smiling at you and blinking slowly. >”...uh, aren't you gonna test me?” >”Of course, dummy; wouldn't be a REFLEX test if you knew when it was coming, right?” >...well, that ALMOST makes sense. Almost. >”...THINK FAST!” >Before you can react, a metal tray is slammed over your head, and everything goes black... >... >As your vision comes back, you head throbs mercilessly and you hear Nurse Carrie. >”Well, looks like you failed the reflex test, ha-hah! You were out like a freaking light! We might as well check out your throat too, because that's what doctors do during check ups, right? Yup! Now open wide for me~!” >Despite your splitting headache, you comply and open your mouth as wide as you can. Hazily, you see Nurse Carrie slap the back of her head with one hand and cup one of her eyes with the other. >”Wh-what are you doing, Nurse?” >She doesn't even answer as you hear a soft “pop" and she takes the hand from the front of her face. >You close your mouth and try to not empty your stomach as you see Nurse Carrie nonchalantly hold her eye out of its socket. The optic nerve is very much visible as she looks at you with disdain. >She clicks her tongue impatiently. >”Come on, now, open wide. I don't like having this thing out longer than I have to, it starts to itch after a while.” >You have never been more determined to keep your mouth shut in your life. Nurse sees your resolute face and sighs, irritated. >”For fuck’s- look, Anon. Just… close your eyes and open your mouth, alright? Not hard. It will literally take half a minute tops.” >You begin to relent, then steel yourself. She practically snarls now. >”COME. ON. ...fine. You know what? I have an idea anyway.” >Nurse nonchalantly stomps on your foot. You let off an involuntary yelp of pain, and she quickly shoves her hand into your mouth, eye and all. She grins smugly at you, raising the eyebrow above her vacated socket. >The taste of cheap medicine fills your mouth as you feel her rummage around, apparently scanning your throat with her free-roaming eye. You shudder in pure revulsion. >”Hey, hey; don't puke, okay? Remember, my EYE is in there, alright?” >That doesn't help. >Eventually, she retracts her hand, nodding curtly as she wipes her eye clean as though it were a pair of glasses. >”See, was that so bad?” >She places the eye in the center of her palm, then unceremoniously slams it back into her socket with a disgustingly wet POP. She blinks a few times as it visibly rotates back into the proper position, then smiles happily. >”Alright, so. Reflex test… throat check… what else do we need to do…” >She snaps a finger as she apparently remembers something. >”Oh yeah! One sec~” >She opens up a nearby drawer, drawing out an absolutely colossal syringe. >”Just need to get a little blood sample for the girls in the lab. And by, ‘girls in the lab,’ I mean myself. Heheh.” >Your blood runs cold as she cleans up the massive needle, eyeing up your arm as though pinpointing a weakness. >Her eyes dart up to your face, and for a moment, she seems… sympathetic. >”What's wrong, scared? Look, will it ease your fears if I do it to myself first?” >Before you can answer, she merrily jabs herself with the syringe, letting out a shrill shriek of pain. Lemon yellow ichor fills up the clear glass as she shudders and whimpers quietly. Once it's full, she pulls the needle out, panting. >"Oh man, that hurt like a BITCH! And now I've got all this blood to get rid of. Hm.” >She eyes up the syringe… then your heart stops for a moment when she glances your way with a grin. >”...I wonder.” >You close your eyes, expecting the worst. >”...I just need to send in A blood sample for the paperwork, not specifically YOURS. Why should I do the work twice? Heheh.” >She casually drops the vial of yellow blood into a nearby chute, then returns to you, still rubbing her arm where she drew said sample. >”Alright, I think that about covers it…? Or am I forgetting another one?” >You quickly respond, shaking your head rapidly enough to make yourself a bit dizzy. >”N-no, I think that covers it… Y-you've done a very thorough…. Examination… of my physical health.” >”Okay, Anon. If there’s anything else I can do for you, don't be afraid to let me know~” >You swear that there's a little bit of a flirtatious inflection in her voice… >”No, no, you've, uh, you've shown a lot of medical prowess today. I don't think you need to show off any more.” >”You don't? Well, I disagree~” >To your utter shock, the fox suddenly throws her uniform open. >A rather sizable collection of scars decorate her body, some of which look surgical, others natural. One in particular crosses her entire midsection like a macabre belt. >It doesn't take long for your traitorous eyes to drift upwards from her stomach… where they land upon a pair of perky breasts covered in fur that seems disconcertingly at odds with the rest of her coat. >She grins proudly, then quickly closes her uniform, acting as if nothing unusual just occurred. >”Welp! I’m gonna go grab a cup of joe at the nurse’s lounge. Just hit that page button if you need something, sweetheart~” >As the vixen flounces away, ragged tail swishing through the air, you're left with mixed feelings. >Horror. Nausea. The overwhelming desire to get the hell out of here… >...and a very, very faint appreciation for the show you just got. Chapter 3: Love Stings >Even after a few minutes to reflect in solitude, you're not sure what to think of your current situation. >She’s kidnapped you, knocked you out cold, stuck her eye in your mouth, threatened to draw out obscene amounts of blood… >...and flashed you? >No matter how long you think about it, none of this adds up. What does she actually WANT with you? Why do all these inane tests? Will she ever let you leave? >...Why can't you get her bare chest out of your head? >As you stew over your conflicting emotions, the door slams open with a thunderous BANG. Nurse enters, humming happily to herself and carrying a mug reading “Worst Aid.” It's full of a worryingly vivid blue liquid... >”Oh, good, you didn't try to leave or anything! Makes my job easier, heheh. How are you feeling? Any pains? Fever? Chills? Unwelcome thoughts?” >”Uhh, none of the above?” >”Great! Less paperwork that way~” >”...can I go home now?” >The monstrous vixen snorts with laughter for a second, grinning. >”Not yet. See, I had a look at your chart…” >She pulls out what looks like a clipboard and loudly taps it as she speaks. >”...and you're in worse shape than I thought! Look at all this shit! Water on the knee… tennis elbow… a fractured funny bone…” >Your blood runs cold when she turns slightly, revealing that your “chart” is simply an aged Operation game board. >”Tsk tsk… I'm afraid I have a lot more work to do, Mister Anon. I’ll at least have to hold you overnight for observation~.” >”More wor- wh-what are you gonna do?” >”Well, lemme see… what's the highest priority issue here? I still need to conduct an allergen test, a urine test, a blood pressure exam, and uhh… wait, how the hell did I almost forget the ol’ stethoscope treatment? Hold still for a sec, alright?” >Well, at least this can't be TOO bad, right? >You close your eyes and smile, knowing that this test can't possibly be as awful as the last one. You almost immediately open them again at the sound of stitches popping loudly. Nurse grimaces as she yanks an ear off, the internals stretching almost cartoonishly as she reaches toward you. >You hesitantly lift your shirt, and she presses her ear to your bare chest. The fluff on her ear is remarkably soft… it's almost pleasant, even. She moves around and instructs you to breathe in and out slowly the whole time. >Everything seems alarmingly normal. She eventually finishes the test, nodding happily. As you lower your shirt, she gently runs her hand across your chest, a lascivious grin on her face, then returns to her more businesslike manner. >”Alright, that seems to be in order. Let me put this back on, then we’ll move along with more tests. Tell ya what, I'll even let YOU decide which one we do next.” >As she hastily sews her ear back into position, you ponder which test is going to be the least awful. >”Uh, h-how about that piss test, Nurse? You got a bathroom or some place for me to… you know… perform my part of the exam?” >Nurse looks at you incredulously, poking herself in the finger with her needle. She swears quietly and gently wipes a speck of neon yellow blood off her perforated digit. >”No way, José! I'm not gonna let ya sneak away and try to cheat!” >She gives you a sly wink. >“I don't care if you smoke a little grass on the side! We all need something to help us… relax every once in a while.” >You swallow a chuckle as you recall her incident with the unmarked syringes earlier. >”W-what do you expect me to do, then, go here?” >She nonchalantly hands over a dirty plastic cup, then stares expectantly. >”...what's the holdup?” >”You’re serious? I can't do... this... with you watching!” >”Oh, don't tell me that you're one of those guys. Are you self-conscious of your size? It's nothing to be ashamed of, sweetie~” >”It's not THAT. I-I just don't wanna do this in front of a lady.” >”For crying out- alright, what if I don't face you? Will that work?” >”Uhh…” >She quickly pivots on her heels, facing away from you. >”There. Does that make you feel better, Anon?” >”A little.” >She nods and starts whistling a tune as you prepare to fulfill your end of this exam. >”Jesus Christ, I can't believe I'm doing thi-” >Nurse Carrie interjects impatiently, audibly fighting a snicker. >”Hey, quit dicking around and fill that cup! This is a urine test; I don’t need your baby gravy. Let’s get a move on.” >You comply with her orders handily, but can't help but notice something out of the corner of your eye… >...just as you zip up your jeans, you swear you see Nurse hastily popping an eye back into place. >She turns around with a faint yellow blush on her cheeks, then clears her throat. >”A-alright, uh… I'll just run this downstairs and see what the results are. Shouldn't take too long, maybe.” >She meanders off down the hall, completely forgetting the actual sample cup. There's a surprise. >You wait for her to return for nearly half an hour. At least that ghoul fight is still going on below the window. Beats staring at the wall, anyway. >Eventually, Nurse walks back into the room. Her hair looks just a tad bit disheveled, her scrubs just a little more wrinkled. >”Hehe! S-sorry for the wait, Mister Anon. The test results came back fine. Nothing wrong with you downstairs.... Nothing wrong at all~.” >She smiles a bit too eagerly, smoothing her uniform down a bit. >”Uhhh, okay. So, how about that allergen test? I'd just like you to know that I'm terribly allergic to bees. That's the only allergy that I have as far as I know.” >Nurse Carrie looks at you excitedly. >”Well then, let's see if you're tellin’ me the truth, shall we?” >Nurse strolls over to one of the cabinets and pulls out a tray laden with jars of different allergens. Thankfully, these are labelled (for the most part). >You can make out some of the labels: cat fur, dog fur, citric fruit concentrate, tree nuts, and live bees. >Holdthefuckup.webm >”Whoa there, Nurse. I don't think that's a proper allergen test packet… maybe you should reconsider this.” >”Nonsense, silly! What's a better way to test your allergies than having actual triggers? Gah-hah! Now hold still~” >To your horror, she picks up the small bottle that has several live honey bees in it first. >You immediately back away from her, heart pounding heavily in your chest with adrenaline. >”Whoa! Hold up you fucking psycho! I already told you that I'm allergic, d-don't you believe me?!” >With surprising speed and strength, Nurse Carrie quickly grabs you and pushes you back onto the observation bed, strapping you down. >Where the hell did she get those belts from? >”Don’t worry sweetheart, I believe you… but I need to double-check~!” >The crazy fox opens the lid of the jar and quickly picks out a honeybee with two of her claws. The agitated insect buzzes indignantly, practically vibrating in her grasp. >Your blood turns to ice as Nurse slowly reaches towards you, holding the bee delicately. You pull your arm away, only for her to nonchalantly toss the bee like a living dart, its stinger aimed at your flesh. >As the insectile projectile stings your arm, you almost immediately feel the effects. Your lips and eyes begin to swell, and it becomes increasingly difficult to breathe. >Through heavy breaths, you let off a volley of curses as Nurse quickly jots down your physical reactions to the sting. A mixture of fascination and mild concern paints her face. >”You fucking bitch! I'm gonna go into anaphylactic shock you mo-" >Your throat almost entirely closes. With one last look into Nurse Carrie's piercing red eyes, everything begins to fade… >Through your blurry vision, you see Nurse quickly scramble to find something to open up your throat. A panicked-stricken look dawns on her face. >”N-no! This wasn't supposed to happen! W-where did I put that Epi-pen? Oh God, oh no. Please don't die on me!” >As she panics, you grab her hand and take the ink pen out of her grasp. You quickly yank out the ink tube and ballpoint tip. >With your last ounce of strength you stab yourself in the esophagus with the plastic tube, essentially performing a home-made tracheotomy. >Everything goes black as you see her scramble towards you. >You open your eyes to see the mad vixen sitting at the foot of your bed, staring at you with concern evident on her face. She breathes a sigh of relief, then almost immediately adopts her usual nonchalant attitude. >”Oh, morning again, sunshine! How are you feeling? >You rub your head and groan. You can still feel the small plastic tubing of the pen in your neck. >”Ugh… I-I’m alive?” >”Yup! Turns out, uh, you really ARE allergic to bees, huh?” >Anger immediately washes over you as you recall what happened. >”Yeah. What the hell is wrong with you? I TOLD you I was allergic; that shit almost killed me, you idiot! Why did you do that?” >Nurse looks at you with a blank expression, as if searching for an excuse for her actions. She eventually speaks, in a much quieter tone than usual. >”...I, uh… you see… the, uh…” >She nervously tugs at the collar of her uniform, obviously at a loss for words. >”...I’m waiting.” >”I did it because, uh-” >She’s interrupted by the phone in your room ringing. Breathing a sigh of relief, the wicked nurse picks up the dusty receiver. >”Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Mm-hm… Alright, head up to room 404, I'll be right there.” >She hangs the phone up and nods, adopting a businesslike tone. >”I’m sorry, but I have another patient coming in, so you’ll have to excuse me for a moment.” >”Suuuure. And this “patient” just HAPPENED to call right when I questioned you.” >She rolls her eyes, already heading out the door. >”Look, if you wanna doubt me, doubt me. I don't have time to sit here playing 20 questions.” >She bolts down the hall, leaving you to stew for a few minutes. >...you know what? Yeah. You'd like to see this “other patient.” >You hop out of the bed and stomp down the hallway angrily, only to almost immediately hear Nurse talking calmly in another room. >You peek around the corner to see two human-sized skeletons standing alongside the vixen, with a much smaller one sitting on the bed. Little tears flow from its eye sockets as it cradles a visibly broken arm gently. >Nurse smiles warmly, leaning into what you assume must be a child and cooing in a remarkably motherly tone. >”There, there… I know it hurts, sweetie, but we’re gonna make you all better, alright? You’re such a tough little man, not even crying like most boys your age would.” >The skeleton smiles a bit, wiping the tiny tears from his eyes with his unbroken arm. Nurse gingerly takes the broken arm and examines it closely, then nods, fishing a roll of gauze from a nearby drawer. >”Now, now; hold your breath and count to ten, alright? If you can do that for me, I’ll be sure to give you a lollipop when you're done, okay?” >The child’s eye sockets glint with a manic white light as he seems to follow her orders. Nurse gently wraps bandages around the arm, smiling calmly. >When she's done, she claps her hands happily and hugs the skeletal child. He lets out a rattling giggle as she draws a jack-o-lantern face on his new cast. >”There, that was easy, wasn't it?” >The child nods eagerly, skull rattling. >”You did so good! Tell you what: I'll give you TWO lollipops for being such a trooper.” >She hands over the candy, and he greedily snatches them up with a gleeful smile. Nurse shakes the parents’ hands. >”Thank you both for coming in, I'm glad we could get little Johnny patched up so fast. He’ll need to wear that for about a week or two, let me know if he has any pain or if the arm falls off. If you ever have any questions or concerns, just call; I'm available 24/7. Have a nice day!” >The skeletal family happily departs, waving at the vixen merrily. The father, clad in a pair of overalls and a straw hat, nods at you, then speaks in a slow, thick Southern drawl. >”Howdy! You a patient too, son?” >You nod without really thinking. The skeleton lets off a fatherly chuckle. >”Boy, you sure are lucky, ol’ Carrie’s the best doc in the city! ‘Course, she’s the ONLY one in the city too, heh-HEH! We don’t have too many humans ‘round here. Hopefully you'll stick ‘round when yer feelin’ better!” >The family shuffles off, chattering amongst themselves. Nurse sighs happily, putting away the roll of gauze. >...what the hell was THAT? After all the shit she's done to you, THEY get the VIP treatment? >Rage boiling over, you step into the room to confront her. >”What. The fuck. Was that.” >”Hm? Oh, Eustace and Ethel Barebone and their son, Johnny. Little tyke fell down the well while fetching some water, broke his funny bone.” >”That's not what I'm asking. I'm talking about that attitude. What the fuck was with the gentle mother act? You nearly kill me with a bee, but little Johnny gets the red carpet treatment? The hell is your problem?” >Nurse refuses to keep eye contact as you step in front of her, the pen still sticking out of your neck. >After a few minutes of tense silence, she speaks very softly. >”I-I always wanted to be a pediatrician… I love kids. They bring so much light into this world. When a child makes a mistake or has an accident, we can laugh it off and have fun with them. They don't know any better… they're just kids. Mom and Dad can help them fix what they've done wrong and set them right. B-but when grown-ups mess up- when I mess up… it has serious consequences. I’m sorry for what I did, Anon, I really am.” >To your shock, tears fill her eyes as she sniffles a few times. >”...I've made mistakes before that have changed the lives of others for the worse. I-I don't want to do that again, ever.” >Before you can react, she throws her arms around you, locking you into a vice-like hug. >”I don't expect you to forgive me, but… I really am sorry. I'm so happy you're alright.” >Mixed emotions flood over you. >On one hand, she does seem genuinely remorseful. And hell, you can tell she's truthful about wanting to work with kids… look how well she handled Johnny. >On the other… her actions are still pretty damn monstrous. She could've seriously killed you back there! >Perhaps against your better judgment, you hesitantly return her embrace, careful to not move the pen in your neck around too much. >As Carrie motormouths more apologies, you silently stew over your emotions and her words. >She's clearly done good work in this twisted city, judging by Eustace’s words... >...but whose lives has she changed for the worse…? Chapter 4: Meeting the Neighbors >Eventually, Nurse releases her grip on you, still sniffing a little. She wipes her eyes and smiles gently. >”...heh. You know, you look really dumb with that pen sticking out. Heheh! Want me to fix that real quick?” >”...not… really?” >She frowns and narrows her eyes, but shrugs. >”Alright, whatever you say. If it bothers you, let me know and I’ll gladly fix it.” >...you’re a little shocked she didn't just do it anyway. Oh well, you're certainly not complaining. >She pulls out a clipboard and scans over it, glancing at you and muttering. Eventually, she grins at you broadly. >”Well, we still have some tests left to do… but y’know what? I'm gonna make an executive decision here and say you're not in any shape to participate in them. I'll just tell the gals in the lab that I already sent the test data down, heheh. They'll never know the difference.” >Relief washes over you as Nurse casually shreds her notes with her claws. >”So, uh… how are you feeling, Mister Anon?” >”Still kinda shitty from the bee sting.” >”Yeah… sorry. I… shouldn't have done that.” >You nod in acknowledgment of her apology, and the monstrous vixen awkwardly smiles for a bit. >”...although I'm kind of sad that I never got to help you put with ‘extracting’ a semen sample~.” >You immediately blush, unsure if she's being facetious or completely serious. >”Kekeke! I'm only joking, Mister Anon!.... mostly….. Hey, I know! How about I give you a tour of the town to make it up to you? I saw you looking outside earlier, and I just KNOW you'll love seeing those streets on foot!” >You’re… torn. On one hand, this place is oddly fascinating. It would be pretty interesting to see it firsthand. >On the OTHER… there are actual fucking monsters out there. Monsters that could probably kill you in seconds. >”That sounds nice, but-” >Nurse claps her hands together happily, fangs glinting in the artificial light of the hospital room. >”Great! Lemme go check you out for a little leave, and we'll go hit the town.” >Shit. >The fox dashes off, only to return in minutes, apparently having swapped her labcoat out for a slightly less tattered, but otherwise identical one. >”Ready to go, Mister Anon?” >”...fuck it, why not.” >”That’s the spirit! Now, uh… it's probably best if you let me go first. Stay close, alright? It's easy to get lost without having a guide.” >She starts out the door, then stops, a thoughtful look on her face. >”...and if you feel threatened, just tell me, okay? I'll get you back here ASAP. You're my patient, I'm not gonna let anyone out here hurt you. ...n-not that you're in danger of being attacked, of course! Heheh!” >With that… reassurance, you follow the chatty Carrie out to the streets of Placid Knoll itself. [https://youtu.be/ZGKNL9YpOb0] >It seems that Nurse’s hospital is really close to the center of the town; rows of shops and peddlers line the numerous surrounding streets. >Twisted, malformed ghouls eye you up curiously as they mill past, some nodding or even waving to Nurse. She happily greets them as though they were normal neighbors. >From one apartment complex, a witch’s hat pokes out; Nurse calls out a greeting, and the hat is quickly drawn inside with a sheepish yelp. >Your companion chuckles to herself, then stops you, pointing. >”Ooh, look!” >Sitting ahead, in a large, moth-eaten armchair behind a counter, is a tall, slender cat with white-and-ginger fur. She stares at you silently with a glassy green eye, and a thin black tendril emerges from an empty eyesocket to wave at you. >You and Nurse approach the counter. The cat speaks in a jovial, if somewhat eerie voice. >”Ah, hello! Might I interest you in some cursed merchandise today? I just got in some NASTY hexes, keh-heh!” >You notice that after she’s done speaking, her tongue pokes playfully out of her mouth, almost like what you might see from a run-of-the-mill housecat. >You also realize that, outside of a loose-fitting cloak, she's entirely bare, clad only in her fur. >...you quickly avert your eyes from her body and make eye contact. Not an easy feat with that… void… she has in place of an eye. >”How ‘bout it, human? Wanna demo something?” >”Uhhh…” >She eagerly picks up a ratty looking doll, expression ever so slightly taking on a mischievous slant. >”Watch this, keh!” >She unceremoniously plunges a massive nail into the stomach of the little doll, prompting it to shriek in an ear-splitting voice. She chuckles to herself loudly before quickly drawing the nail back out, instantly silencing the doll. >”...w-what the hell was that?” >”It’s a booby-trapped voodoo doll, duh! Try to use it against someone, and it just screams! Keh-heh-heh!” >Again, her tongue pokes out a bit. She seems to enjoy her job, at least… even if you don't think you'd ever see a need for her goods. >”...why would someone want to buy that, miss…” >”Thrif, keh! And I'll have you know this is a VERY sought after item amongst those who make use of voodoo magic on the regular. Plus, it makes for a great alarm clock, a funny prank, or even something for the kittens, or whatever it is you humans have!” >... >”Well, ah… it’s very nice, but I think I’ll pass.” >Her rather comical smile fades a little bit, only to return quickly. >”Awww. Oh well! Guess I’ll just have to keep it a little longer…!” >She sets the doll down and gently pats it on the head; it trembles as its face expresses terror. >Nurse tips her hat to the strange shopkeeper. >”Have a good one, Thrif; thanks for the demonstration!” >”Bye, Nurse! Have a good day!” >You quickly shuffle away from the spooky feline as she waves farewell… as does another black tentacle emerging from her missing eye. It… freaks you out. >”Uhhh…” >”Huh? What’s the matter?” >”...what was with that woman?” >”Who, Thrif? She's harmless! Just a dedicated saleswoman who's passionate about her wares, is all. She's been here for a while now.” >”...and the eye?” >”I KNOW, right? Man, she has the most beautiful green eye I've ever seen~” >”...never mind.” >After a few more minutes of walking along, browsing the local shops, there is one last place that piques your interest. >It looks like a blacksmith’s shop, except that the only items that seem to be made and sold are knives. Nurse frowns a bit as you point the shop out. >”Hey, this place looks kind of neat.” >”Mmmyeah, I guess. If you like knives and shit.” >For the first time since you left the hospital, your guide seems completely unenthusiastic about a shop. >”...what's the matter, Nurse?” >”Nothin’, nothin’. Just… do we have to go in here? It’s uh… it’s hot in there, yeah.” >”Are you serious? It's a cool day today, it'll be alright.” >She opens her mouth to argue, then sighs, nodding. >”Alright, alright. We'll go. (The things I do in this line of work, I swear…)” >Once you step inside the shop, you’re taken aback by the sheer volume of knives on display. Blades of every shape, size, and function litter the store, organized somewhat haphazardly. From the back of the store, you hear someone occasionally hammering away at metal, obviously the smithy. >Other than the rhythmic pounding, it's silent in the shop. >You examine the various knives on display as Nurse fidgets idly. >”You done yet, Anon? I should probably get you back to the hospital soon.” >”Just a minute please, I just want to check out this craftsmanship. My great-granddad used to do this stuff.” >”Alright, but hurry it up, alright? I don't wanna-” >Carrie’s motormouth abruptly stops running when you hear loud footsteps approaching from the rear of the shop. The hammering has also ground to a halt. >You watch with mild horror as a staggeringly tall, no, TOWERING feline methodically marches up to the roughly hewn counter. Bandages cover her eyes, and she wears an extremely tattered, patchwork apron. Her massive saber teeth glint in the light as she nods curtly, leaning upon an absolutely massive knife. Her expression is stoic, almost totally deadpan. >”Mm.” >”Oh…. Uh, h-hello. Are you the blacksmith?” >She again nods curtly, saying nothing. >”Oh, o-okay. I was just looking at your knives…” >She tilts her head very slightly. >”Mm?” >”Y-yeah. I don't really need any right now, though. Sorry.” >She nods sagely, awkwardly reaching over and patting you on the shoulder with a calloused hand. >”Mm. Okay.” >Her voice is low and amazingly soft considering her size; she speaks agonizingly slowly. >”Th-thank you for letting me look, ma’am. Have a nice d-day.” >She nods once again, then turns and heads back into the shop. You turn to Carrie, who's adopted a concerned expression. >”I’m ready when you are, Nurse.” >The blacksmith stops in her tracks instantly, pivoting back towards you. >”.....Nurse?” >The vixen’s eyes widen, her pupils shrinking to minuscule dots. >”I-I think it's time that we head back t-to the hospital, Anon. Like, NOW.” >The sabertooth’s ear twitches madly, and she quickly steps out from behind the counter, dragging a knife you quickly realize is nearly your as long as you are tall. It's gotta be at LEAST five feet! ...and as dull as an arithmetic lecture. >The massive woman leans heavily on the knife, facing slightly away from Nurse. >”Nurse.” >The vixen cringes, but smiles anyway. >”Uhh… h-hi, Razel. How are you doing?” >The cat scoots you aside with one hand, then, before you can react, slashes at Carrie with her massive blade. Bright yellow ichor splashes across the floor as the fox lets out a yelp. >”......better.” >Nurse stammers for a moment, then puts on a forced grin. >”Glad to hear it. Hope you have a good afternoon, my PATIENT and I will be leaving now, thank you very much.” >The blacksmith, Razel apparently, waves you off, a tiny smirk evident on her otherwise stoic face. >Despite having had a massive blade introduced to her middle, Nurse seems… more or less okay. Barring her occasionally groaning in pain and clutching her stomach. >”Sheesh! You HAD to look in THAT shop, huh?” >”I didn't know it'd be dangerous! Are you okay?” >”I'll be fine; but YOU coulda got killed!” >...did she… just show concern for your life? >You shake it off, not wanting to call attention to it, lest she start ‘experimenting’ again. >”Sorry. So, uh, what's with this… Razel, anyway?” >Nurse huffs and shrugs. >”What's there to say? She likes knives. She makes knives.” >”And… the bandages?” >Nurse goes quiet for a moment. >”...” >”Nurse?” >”...huh? What? O-oh, right. Well, Razel can't, uh, see.” >Your jaw drops. >”She does that stuff BLIND?” >Nurse nods. >”Wow. I may have to go back and buy something, considering how hard she must work.” >”Hey, you do you. I'm gonna go see if Thrif’ll show me some of those new hexes she got…” >Still grumbling, Carrie shuffles off to Thrif’s booth as you backtrack to the knife shop. >Razel sits behind the counter, quietly cleaning off the blade of her huge knife. She looks up towards you when the door’s bell rings. >”Mm?” >”Oh, h-hi again. I decided I’d like t-to buy something. What do you recommend?” >She grunts and gently, almost tenderly, lays the 5-foot blade on the counter before walking over to you. She stands in front of a multi-leveled shelf full of knives, then grabs a rather handsome Bowie before handing it to you carefully. >”There.” >The blade is… a bit crude compared to some you've seen, but pretty impressive considering she's blind. >”Thank you. W-what do I owe you?” >Razel frowns for a moment, quietly sniffing the air. She then nods. >”Mm…” >Walking back to her chair, she pulls out a sign and plops it down on the wooden counter roughly. On it, in neat handwriting you recognize as the same seen on Thrif’s sign, is a list of prices. Seems that they're handily converted for several different currencies, including American dollars. >You hand over the rather modest asking price, plus a small tip. The sabertooth nods, then leafs through the money, frowning and picking out the extra bills before returning them to you. >”Here.” >”No, ma’am, I want you to keep that. I can see you work very hard.” >She stands silently for a moment, head tilted to the side, then sighs deeply. Razel reluctantly accepts your tip, nodding. >”Thank you, have a nice day.” >She nods and grunts as you exit the store. To your surprise, she follows close behind you, stretching once she's outside the shop. >”O-oh, uh, ma’am? Did you need to tell me something?” >She shakes her head, pointing at a cafe just down the street. >”Lunch.” >”Ahh, alright. Do you need a hand getting over the-” >She vehemently shakes her head, immediately beelining for her destination without another word. >...just in case, you follow the blind smith. She passes by a photographer’s shop, and the salesman within, a rather weaselly looking gent, clears his throat. >”Hey, lady! I'm doing a three-for-one special today! Some dame already paid fer it, and I'm scouting for two shmuck- I mean, two folks to join in! Whaddayasay?” >Razel stops, then shrugs and heads inside. The photographer rounds on you now. >”Hey there! Wanna be in a picture, my good man? Your way is already paid!” >...what the hell. Why not get a souvenir of this bizarro world while you're here. Besides, it's free. >You head inside the photo studio, where you quickly have to swallow a snicker. >Standing right beside Razel is none other than… Nurse Carrie, looking very apprehensive. >The photographer grins and waves you over. >”Very nice, very nice! Now, we're gonna take this outside, because, uh, SOMEBODY forgot to pay the light bill this month, heheh. If you folks will just follow me…” >You and the two women comply, eventually ending up on the streets of Placid Knoll once more. >You are asked to lean in and pose with Nurse and Razel, so you do. The vixen ends up in the center, with the towering sabertooth on her left and you on her right. >”Alright now, on the counta three, say ‘pumpkin spice.’ ONE! TWO!” >Suddenly, you hear a familiar voice call out from behind the photographer. >”WAIT, WAIT! I WANT IN!” >A small, purple ball is tossed at your feet; it bursts into a cloud of smoke instantly. Next thing you know, you're behind the photographer! >”THREE!” >”Pumpkin spice!” >”Mm.” >”Pumpkin spice, keh!” >You note with some amusement and some annoyance that Thrif has somehow stolen your spot in the photo. >And what's worse: she had her tongue poking out in the picture! >Carrie, however, seemed to have a genuine smile. Even going so far as to pushing her face into Razel. >And you swear that there was just a hint of a smirk on the corners of the stoic sabertooth’s lips... Chapter 5: For Better or For Worse >Once the photographer steps away from the aged camera, Nurse looks between you and Thrif and laughs heartily. >”Ga-hah! Looks like Thrif muscled you out of the picture! Better luck next time, sweetie~” >Nurse almost sounds like she's teasing you, and apparently you aren't the only one who notices the change in her voice. >Razel’s ears flick around, as if trying to decipher the vixen’s tone of voice, while the lanky, one-eyed cat exchanges looks between the two of you with a knowing smirk. ...and her trademark protruding tongue. >Dammit, you'll have to sort out any feelings away from these two. >”So, uh, Carrie… How about we head back to the hospital? You did say that I need to spend a night for observation.” >She narrows her eyes and grins teasingly. >”Apparently I was right, too; you clearly need your memory checked! I told you to call me Nurse, remember?” >”Oh, uh, sorry… Nurse. So how about we head back?” >Thrif giggles eerily and elbows the nurse playfully. >”Keheh! I think SOMEONE wants a little ‘special treatment,’ Carrie!” >To your surprise, Nurse Carrie looks a little flustered at Thrif’s suggestion. A luminous yellow blush immediately creeps to her cheeks. >”H-hush, you. He’s just a patient, h-heh…” >”Suuuuuuuuure, keheh!” >Thrif winks at you (presumably), and promptly bids her friend farewell before striding off towards her shop. As you watch her walk away, it slowly dawns on you just how… TALL she is. >A large hand is clapped onto your shoulder, derailing your train of thought. Razel carefully pats you on the back with a friendly nod. >”...bye.” >”Oh, uh, b-bye…” >The blind smith strolls off towards the cafe she was heading to earlier without another word. Nurse breathes a loud sigh of relief, rubbing her temples. >”Man am I glad SHE’S gone. Crazy bitch…” >You turn to her, incredulous. >”What? Literally two minutes ago you were smiling for a photo with her.” >”And? You think I'm gonna FROWN for a photo? I paid for it, Anon, geez.” >”...why did you pay for a photo for three anyway?” >”...that's not important, is it? And it definitely wasn't because the sales guy offered free candy with a purchase. Ahem. Let's get you back to Placid Knoll Memorial, shall we?” >The two of you make your way back to the hospital. By the time you walk through the front doors, you notice that the sun has set pretty far. Its It's not night time yet, but the day is definitely winding down. >Curiosity gets the best of you. She's shown you around the town, and you've still got a couple good hours to kill. Rather than looking at the same wall, why not have Nurse give you a grand tour of the place? >As she leads you back to your room, you stop her. >”Hey, Nurse Carrie. Its It's not terribly late yet, how about you give me the full tour of your… fine hospital?” >A genuine smile crosses her face as a gang catches the artificial light. >”You… wanna see the whole place? Hell yeah, let's go!” >With what must be practiced precision, Nurse Carrie whips you around and kicks the back of your legs, buckling them. Before you can even cry out, you land in one of the stray wheelchairs that sat in the hallway. >Nurse cackles for a moment, then pauses before sheepishly clearing her throat. >”...uh, heheh. Sorry. I, uh, really love the tours. You alright?” >You nod, choked of words, and she grins again. >”Great! Now, I could talk about this old place allll day. If it gets boring, just tell me and I'll… ignore you and keep going, heh!” >She gently wheels you down the moldering corridor, punching the wall nearby until a speaker shudders to life and vomits up some tinny muzak. >”Man, I hate that song. Anyway! Placid Knoll Memorial! The premier healthcare facility in our fair town. Also, the ONLY healthcare facility. Buuut, details, details. This place was founded a looong time ago, by my mother, Doctor Carrie. And yes, that was her legal name. Technically, she was DOCTOR Doctor Carrie, actually!” >The nurse dramatically gestures to an old framed photograph showing a grey-furred… something. Doctor Carrie certainly doesn't look like a fox, at any rate, and she's not covered in a myriad of scars like Nurse. A serene, yet oddly unnerving smile decorates her face, and her grey eyes have red, cross-shaped pupils. >”Mom ran this place for ages… bless her cold, black heart!” >”What… happened to her, if you don't mind me asking?” >”Ah, you know. Same as everyone, I guess; just went until she couldn't go anymore… Course, death for us Hallows is… a bit different than it is for you guys. But I won't get into a science lesson, heh. Let's just keep moving.” >As you pass by, you could swear the eyes on the photograph of Doctor Carrie follow you… and blink. >Nurse wheels you through a surprisingly clean hallway now, one that's in far better repair than the rest of the hospital. >”This is the pediatric ward. We, uh… we don't use it much. But that's a good thing! The kids around her don't get sick much, so they don't have to come and stay away from home. It is kinda nice when they're here, though…” >The walls are plastered in crayon drawings obviously made by a myriad of children. Almost all of them show young monsters of various types hugging crude depictions of Nurse. Aww. >The vixen sighs happily and wipes a tear from her red eye, then heads further along the tour. >She passes by a massive grey door without a word, smiling blankly. >”...what's in there?” >”Huh? Oh, uh… that's… that's the morgue. We don't go there. W-well, I do. You're not allowed.” >”Oh.” >”It's nothing personal, I just can't let patients in there. Hospital policy, y'know.” >”Gotcha.” >The tour continues, swinging into a rather spacious lounge. >”This is my office! Used to be the nurse’s lounge, buuuut, I'm the only nurse here, so, mine now!” >The lounge is decorated rather haphazardly, with all manner of dead plants, cheesy Halloween decorations, and tattered magazines tossed around with no rhyme or reason. Despite this, Nurse’s actual desk is immaculate. A few framed photographs rest atop it. >One shows a young Nurse being held by her mother. The red vixen is laughing, eyes closed, while her mother runs her hands through her child’s hair, smiling warmly. >Another shows Nurse as you know her now, posing in front of a certificate showing her as Head Nurse of Placid Knoll Memorial. In the background, Doctor Carrie is visible in a window, waving, while Thrif’s head pokes into the corner of the frame. >Yet another seems to be a family photo of the Barebones, with a scrawled thank you note from Eustace. >The last photo seems to be… the one she just took with Thrif and Razel? >But there’s something off about it... >Nurse’s smile vanishes abruptly. >”H-huh? Oh, that? Heheh, I'm pretty quick on my feet, heh! Let's keep moving, shall we?” >You squint and realize something about the photo… >...Razel’s eyes aren't covered. >”Whoa, hey, what's going on-” >Carrie roughly yanks you away from her desk, frowning. >”I SAID, let's keep moving, SHALL WE.” >You lock the brakes on the wheelchair quickly. >”Nurse? What's the matter with you? I'm just looking at this photo-” >”Well STOP. Alright?” >”It's just like the picture from a little while ago, right?” >Nurse sighs and hangs her head, defeated. >”...not… exactly. No.” >She shakes her head and takes a seat behind her desk. She picks up the photo and stares at it, a frown deepening on her face. >”...we took this picture a long time ago. Heh. We had a little girl’s night out to celebrate me becoming head nurse. Back then… back then, Razel could see better than me or Thrif.” >She slams her face on the desk abruptly, a sickening CRUNCH accompanying her muzzle bending at a nauseating angle. >”...those were better days.” >Nurse sits perfectly still for a while, staring down at her desk, then sighs deeply. >”...about a week after this picture was taken, Razel came running here. A knife she was making explosively fractured in her forge, and a few bits of metal shrapnel had struck her in the face. She… had some bits in each eye, and that was her primary concern. I, uh… I hadn't done anything with eyes before. But… she was so scared, I couldn't let her down. I operated, despite my nerves going haywire.” >Tears run down the vixen’s face uncontested now. >”During the operation… I-I slipped. Razel’s sight was gone, cut out by me… the only sort of medical expert she trusted. Needless to say, she woke up terrified. Head swaddled in bandages, eyes put out for good… it didn't take long for her to put two and two together. Understandably, she was pissed. Without her eyes, how could she hope to make a living? Razel shouldered her favorite knife, y’know, that fuckin’ huge one, and, well…” >Nurse sits up and carefully opens her coat partially, revealing a hideous, ragged gash from Razel’s slash. Bright yellow blood oozes from the wound. >”...to this day, it's her go-to cut when she's angry with me. And considering the hell she lives in because of me, she's angry with me a lot…” >Nurse gingerly runs a finger over a few long scars, suggesting this isn't the first time this has happened, then slams her face on the desk again, further folding her muzzle into a smashed mess. >”I ruined her life.” >”I thought you hated her?” >”What? I-I couldn't… I could NEVER hate Razel. She's… she's my best friend… I love her like a sister.” >CRACK. Another slam onto the desk. Nurse’s muzzle is now folded at a near 90 degree angle in the middle. >”...but now those days are gone. Razel hates me, and rightfully so. Hell, I hate me too for what happened that day. B-but no matter how much she fucks me up, I still love her, dammit. I'll take care of the big gal till one of us croaks. Even if I have to take a million slashes to the gut. I’ll heal. It's what I do.” >”Take care of-” >”Razel doesn't do medical shit. Especially not after the accident. But she keeps getting into scrapes at work… bumping into ghouls that wanna tussle… hell, even just changing out her bandages and shit is tricky for her some days. She needs the help, but refuses to take it from me. I have to do shit while she's asleep… or in a particularly good mood.” >The monstrous nurse suddenly seems… a lot less beastly. >Seeing how she treated that skeleton kid was one thing… but this is a whole new level. It's beginning to become obvious that, despite her absolute batshit lunacy… >She DOES have a big heart in there, somewhere. >You just need to show her that despite making her terrible mistake, she can make amends. Or at least try to. >You grab a tissue from the box on her desk and wipe the tears from her face. >You sure as hell aren't going to try to fix her fucked up muzzle, though. >”Th-thanks, Anon.” >A sad smile crosses her utterly twisted face, and, with a cacophony of disgusting snaps and pops, she reaches up and corrects her muzzle. Yep, that's gonna be real hard to unsee. You force back down your lunch and somehow keep a smile. >”It's gonna be okay, Nurse.” >She says nothing, but pats your head. You're not sure if it's meant affectionately or condescendingly, but you nod regardless. >”...A-anyway, you wanna keep going on the tour? I-I’d like to move on…” >”Sure. What's next, anyway?” >She wipes her eyes, then regains her manic exuberance almost scarily fast. >”The O.B.G.Y.N. clinic, silly! ...I mean, you're not a woman, last time I checked.” Nurse Carrie gives you a quick wink and a smug smile, then continues. “Buuuut I have always wanted to use the stirrups for… other reasons.” >Christ, this woman. She goes from ridiculously chipper tour guide to sobbing wreck to cheesy flirt in minutes... >”If we pop your stitches performing any… vigorous physical therapy… I can patch ya right back up~!” >You silently pray that she's only teasing you. >Mostly….. Chapter Six - Skeletons and Stirrups >As Nurse Carrie wheels you through the dim, decrepit hallways, you take note of how big the hospital really is. >Operating rooms, a psychiatric ward, the O.B.G.Y.N. department, and a cardiology wing, just to name a few of the areas that you've already passed through, and the tour isn't near done yet. >It's very impressive that Nurse handles all of this by herself. >That said, it’s glaringly obvious that some of the areas of the hospital are either unused or act as a storage area for what medical supplies the vixen nurse may need for certain emergencies. >One sign in particular has you audibly swallow as you try to keep yourself composed. >”MORGUE” is clearly displayed in plain black letters on a large white sign. >”Yeah… that’s the ‘main’ entrance to the morgue. What we passed earlier is, uh… I guess you could call it the back door. I didn't finish saying this earlier, but: just like anyone else from the Otherworld, we aren't invincible. And when our time comes, somebody’s gotta do the dirty work.” >An uncharacteristically melancholy look crosses the fox’s face. >”...worst part of my job, easily. That and giving bad news to folks.” >She sighs, then shakes it off and quickly wheels you down the hall. >”Wait, we've stopped at every single ward, but we're skipping this one?” >”Let me ask you this: do you REALLY want to go in there?” >”...fair point.” >”Didn't think so. Nothing but sadness in there.” >The both of you are silent for a few minutes as the tour continues. After a few more minutes, you arrive at the radiology wing of the hospital. >A toothy grin stretches across Nurse Carrie’s face as she wheels you through the entrance double-doors. >”Heheh... Hey Anon, up for some more goofs?” >Whatever she’s got planned, you might as well have some fun with her. You'll be spending the night here anyway. >”Sure, Nurse Carrie! What did you have in mind?” >Hearing the enthusiasm in your voice, she picks up the pace a little. >”Oh, nothin’ special… I know that you were pretty bummed about getting the boot on that group picture earlier with Razel and Thrif, so I'm gonna make it up to ya~.” >Suddenly, the two of you burst into a room that has several large machines inside. >She wheels you over to a large console on the side farthest away from the doors and machines and leans over your shoulder. >”When I say so, just hit this big green button, sweetheart~.” >”S-sure. No problem, Nurse.” >The vixen leaves you there while fiddling with the console. She flips some switches and presses a few buttons. >One of the large machines immediately flickers to life and begins to hum. It almost looks like two separate walls with a slightly raised platform underneath. >Nurse giggles to herself as she skips over to the machine and steps onto the raised platform. One of the machine's walls separates you from your caretaker. >Huh, this must be a full-body scanner or something. >”Go on ahead, sweetie; paint me like one of your French girls~!” >You can't help but chuckle as you press the specified button. >The boxy machine begins to rev a little louder as the console makes a quiet few beeping sounds. >After a minute or so, Nurse comes from behind the scanner, still with a mile-wide smile on her face. >”So, big boy, how do I look~?” >An image slowly loads on one of the old monitors that is attached to the controls. >It’s the nurse, alright. But rather than standing up, she’s laying down on the machine's platform floor in a rather... seductive pose. >If it were a regular camera, you'd imagine this being one heck of a scandalous photo! But the x-ray machine leaves you with a rather goofy image of a skeleton laying on its side with a beckoning finger. >Wait. Is that a small medical clamp stuck in her chest? >Before you can ask her anything, she quickly yanks your wheelchair over to the machine. >”Couple’s photoshoot time!” >Nurse Carrie unceremoniously dumps you out of your wheelchair and onto the floor of the machine. >Eh, you were getting tired of sitting down anyways. >Nurse pushes the wheelchair away from the machine and walks over to the console herself. >”Be right back! Just gotta get everything set up!” >You hear the familiar sound of popping stitches as you can only wonder what in the hell she's doing with herself. >It only takes her a few minutes to return to your side. >”Are ya ready, Anon? Make sure we get your good side! Haha!” >You silently nod and look straight into the forward facing wall between you and the control console. You hear the machine begin to rev up as Nurse suddenly takes a hold of your shoulder. >”Holy crap, Anon, what's that?” >Curiosity gets the better of you as you swing your head around to look past her. >As soon as you do, however, Nurse grabs a hold of your shoulder and pushes her lips onto yours. >The machine continues to hum in a steady rhythm as your mind goes blank. >... but you don't peel yourself off of her. >And you swear you didn't wrap your arms around her hips as you felt her yellow tongue collide with yours. >And as soon as it began, the magical moment ends. >”Hehe. Fell for the oldest trick in the book, Anon…” >A very bright yellow blush adorns her cheeks as she fidgets with her tightly tied bun, adjusting the (hopefully) empty syringe holding it together. >Yup, you may not have been expecting a kiss… but you can tell she was definitely not expecting you to go along with it. >Before you can even ask her what the hell was she thinking, she walks off the platform and back to the console. >You ignore the wheelchair and follow her. >When you get to the console, you're greeted with an interesting sight. >The scan displays two skeletons locked in a passionate kiss, and the skeletal differences between the human and Hallow are interesting to say the least. Some of her bones look almost like something a cartoon dog might chew on, in terms of shape... >Wait…. >Why is Carrie missing a hand? >”Uhhh, Nurse? Why is there only o-" >”Hehe, sorry! ...Had to leave Lefty Lucy here to take the picture!” >Nurse Carrie raises her left arm out of her scrubs pocket and waves her stump around. A small steady stream of yellow ichor trickles out almost comically. >Despite the gruesome sight, you can't help but… >Smile. >...are you getting USED to all… this? >The severed hand stands itself up on the console of the machine and gives a thumbs up, smearing more yellow fluids. >”I’ll sew myself up tonight… well, actually, it IS getting a little late… How about we go hit up the cafeteria, get you something to eat, and have you rest. It's been an eventful day!” >Still ignoring the wheelchair, the two of you retrace your steps to the front of the hospital, where the cafeteria is. >Despite looking like it hasn't seen use for a few decades, there is no shortage of canned foods and other non-perishable foodstuffs. >The two of you share a smile as you pick out what you'd like to have for dinner and load up a couple plastic meal trays. >Food in hand, you pick out a table. Not difficult given there's not another soul here. You and Nurse sit by a window, looking out over Placid Knoll at night. >The streetlights glow an eerie blue. Out on the street, Thrif stands and stretches, then heads inside her shop, her table of wares vanishing in a puff of smoke. >A pointed witch’s hat quickly vanishes into a doorway; a door neighboring that one opens up, and a tall woman that resembles a skeletal dog walks out, stretching. >You squint, but can't make out Razel’s shop from here. >The two ghouls that were fighting before are now walking down the street, arm in arm like a couple of drinking buddies. >Nurse looks out the window with a dreamy expression on her face. >”Ahh… I love the town at this time of day. Everything's just so… peaceful. Y'know? I like excitement in my life, but every now and again, it's nice to enjoy a little mellowness.” >She takes a bite of her dinner, then frowns, looking down at the can. >”...wait, this isn't even supposed to be for consumption… whoops!” >She nonchalantly dumps her “food” into the nearest trash can, giving you only a moment to see, rather alarmingly, that whatever the hell she had melted a small hole in the plastic tray. >She grumbles a little and clutches her stomach, but still smiles. >”Is yours good, Anon?” >It’s not bad… but not particularly good either. Just sorta… existent, for lack of a better word. >”Hehe. Hospital food isn't really a five-star meal. Maybe we'll find something better tomorrow, or go out to eat....” >You put on the best shit-eating grin you can muster as she starts twiddling with her thumbs. >”I-I mean I'll probably be able to clear you for release tomorrow afternoon… And I know nobody wants to stay in a hospital any longer than they really need to…” >Before she can react, you lean over the table and give her a quick peck on the corner of her lips. >”Why, Nurse Carrie. Are you asking me out on a date?” >Her telltale yellow blush returns as she continues to stammer. Her already-fast speech gets even more rapid. >Huh, if you take the initiative, she gets all flustered. Nice. >”Well, i-it doesn't have to be a date! A nurse needs to look after her patient… Even if he’s cleared… and technically isn't her… patient… anymore.” >”I’d like to give it a shot, Nurse.” >She blinks a few times, mouth agape. >”...you… r-really? After all I did to you? Shit, I almost KILLED you with bees!” >”That may be so, but… I can tell you really do care.” >”...how?” >”If you didn't care about helping people, you wouldn't have treated that skeleton kid so well. You wouldn't run such a huge hospital all by yourself. You wouldn't apologize to me and make up for your mistake with a tour of both the town and the hospital. Hell, just look at your dedication to Razel; that's just one of countless people I'm sure you've touched in your life.” >She stares silently for a moment, a few tears forming in her red-and-yellow eyes. >”...that's… you’re… oh, to hell with it, c’mere!” >She pulls you into another passionate kiss almost instantly, then pulls away with a maniacal grin. >”You better take responsibility for saying all those nice things… buttering me up like that~!” >You look her dead in the eyes with a smile, and try not to spill your spaghetti. >”Hey, you never know. If we play our cards right,we may end up using those stirrups.” >Nurse looks confused for a moment before it hits her. Then, her entire face practically lights up yellow. You swear you can see steam rising from her ears. >”W-w-wha… y-you… w-we…? Ah, eheheheh…” >You get up and place your plastic cafeteria tray in an empty sink and walk back to your room. Nurse stays sitting in the cafeteria giggling madly, with her face buried in her hands. >”Good night, Nurse! I can't wait for our date tomorrow!” >You find the recovery room that you woke up in easily enough, and settle into the bed. >As your eyes get heavier and you drift off to sleep, you suddenly realize: you have no fucking clue where to take Nurse Carrie out to. >”Shit.” Chapter 7: First Date >Morning comes, and you open your eyes to see Carrie already standing over you, beaming. >”Gooooood morning! I took the liberty of checking your vitals while you slept, heheh. Checked your blood pressure… did one last X-Ray… collected some, ah… fluid samples~” >When you look alarmed, she snickers. >”I’m kidding, geez! But I did get your paperwork all squared away. You, sir, are free to go!” >”Wow, really? Thanks, Nurse.” >”Don't mention it, Anon.” >She smiles and stands around awkwardly for a moment, then clears her throat. >”So, uh… about that… date…” >The telltale yellow blush creeps to her cheeks again. >”What about it?” >”Uh, where are you gonna take me?” >Shit. >”Uhh…” >She stares impatiently for a bit, then scoffs and slaps herself on the back of the head, quickly scrambling to catch the eye that pops out of its socket. >”Duh. You don't know shit about what there is to do around here! Lemme think… mm, no, no, I'm pretty sure that place SERVES human… what about… no wait, you have to be a student to eat there. Uh…. OH YEAH! I know EXACTLY where we can go: the carnival.” >”The carnival.” >”Yeah, there's a permanent carnival just at the end of town.” >Picking up on your unenthusiastic tone, she grins and elbows you in the ribs playfully. >”What’sa matter, scared of clowns or something?” >”NO. I-It's just… a date... At a carnival?” >”Uh, yeah? What's the big deal? It's fun.” >”Alright, fair enough.” >You stand and stretch, then follow the vixen out of the hospital. >It’s a windy morning in Placid Knoll. The usual layer of fog is entirely gone, probably blown away. The usual assortment of ghouls is milling about aimlessly. >Down the street, you see Razel slowly making her way to a cafe, weaving through the foot traffic delicately despite her huge size. >Thrif sits in her chair, cloak flapping so violently in the wind that it can barely be said to be covering her. >Nurse smiles and smooths her uniform down, and you realize she's actually not wearing her normal, tattered getup; she actually cleaned up for this date? >Even her somewhat frazzled hair seems much more orderly. >You swear you don't have a thing for women in nurse’s outfits, but Nurse Carrie looks damn good dolled up. >You find yourself staring… then get pulled back to reality by her brisk voice. >”Alright, Anon, follow me.” >You and the fox head down the city streets, with her happily chatting away to the passersby. >The walk to the carnival is fairly uneventful, oddly enough. Even Thrif seems content to merely wave, rather than demonstrate any of the goods on her table. >For a moment, you idly wonder if the townsfolk can somehow sense that Carrie’s taking you out on a date… >That thought is quickly dashed when Razel grumbles and brandishes her knife at the fox as you pass by. Despite her aggression, though, Razel stops short of actually swinging at Carrie, content with simply menacing her for a moment. >The nurse’s gait is noticeably faster when you get past the hulking blacksmith. >Eventually, you begin to see the car- >...oh dear lord. >Even from here you can see what a fucking dump this place is. [https://youtu.be/ra2LLKa0Fsk] >Literally every ride is in visible disrepair. Even the entrance sign looks ready to give up on its existence and crumble. The moldering clown face on it looks very much as though it'd like to take someone down with it when it falls. >Despite the warbling music and rusty deathtraps they call rides, however… >The carnival is oddly packed. >All manner of ghouls wander about happily, including a familiar looking family of skeletons… >Eustace waves happily at Nurse, and she beams when she sees little Johnny proudly show off a healed arm bone. >What you at first assumed to be a clown on stilts ambles closer, very quickly revealing that those spindly legs are in fact, completely natural. Razor sharp, crooked teeth grin down as the buffoon giggles deeply, a flower on his chest spritzing you with a disconcertingly red liquid. >... >You run like hell, dragging Nurse away from the clown. >”Hey, I thought you weren't afraid of those~!” >”Yeah, well, they're smaller back at home!…” >She smirks and snickers quietly, only to immediately go silent, a look of terror on her face as she stares behind you. >You slowly turn to see… >A mime. >The raccoon doesn't even seem to be wearing a mime costume… it's as if her fur is naturally colored to resemble one. She waves, then walks towards Carrie, visibly smacking against an invisible wall and falling flat on her rear. >The nurse lets off a quiet yip of fear and pulls away from you. >”What’s the matter with you? It’s just a m-” >”DON’T SAY IT. Just… let’s get the hell away from that thing, p-please.” >You nod and head off farther into the carnival proper. >Nurse excitedly rattles off the various, completely safe-sounding rides as you walk. >”There’s the Vivisector… the Widowmaker… the Decapitator… the Disemboweler… the Papercut... oh, and the ferris wheel! Which do you wanna ride first, Anon?” >”uhhhhh….” >”Can't decide? Ha, me neither. How about we just start off with something simple: the haunted house.” >”Sure. Wait. Is it ACTUALLY haunted?” >Nurse scoffs. >”Uh, yeah??? The carnival may be unsafe, cheap, and ugly, but they do NOT do falsely advertise!” >”Oh, of course. How could I have been so stupid…” >Before you can really protest, she drags you in the direction of an EXTREMELY shoddy-looking ride-through shack. The whole thing is covered in mildly horrifying paintings of various Halloween monsters. They'd honestly look LESS frightening if they weren't so worn and uncared for… >A skeletal cat quietly buckles you and Carrie into your car, then waves as the vehicle lurches off into the concerningly dark house… [https://youtu.be/Rg1YksUk0VE] >You are taken aback by how much higher the budget for the INTERIOR of this ride must have been. >This place is actually pretty nightmarish… >Disturbingly real zombies burst up from graves and lurch after your vehicle as Nurse squeals and giggles. Meanwhile, your blood runs cold as the very real smell of formaldehyde reaches your nose. >A small bat flits past your face, then lights up ahead, quickly transforming into a tall, gaunt bat woman that dangles upside down, baring her fangs at you as you pass beneath her. You SWEAR that you see the dark scarlet color of blood on her teeth… >The car lurches into what seems to be a mad scientist’s lab. A hideous fusion of mammal and insect shambles out of a futuristic pod, looking very, VERY real. The mutant attempts to fly towards you, malformed wings beating halfheartedly. >Thankfully, the vehicle pulls away before it manages to get off the ground. >A cackling ghoul directs your attention to a sign. >WELCOME TO THE BONEYARD >You can already see a gaggle of bloody skeletons cavorting around. The air is thick with rattling and the scent of decay. >The car speeds up immensely as it passes through the winding streets of a mock city. The skeletons cackle wildly as they act out a parody of daily life, morbidly tearing each other apart and staring at you with black, empty eyesockets. >You are taken into a room filled with skeletons, then a covered dish is opened up on a table directly in front of your vehicle. >A large skull that seems to have the ears and nose of a canine grins at you in a macabre manner… then speaks in a female voice. >”Hey there. I know you two are here for the spooks, but… I'm gonna tickle your funnybones instead, yeah?” >The ride’s music grinds to a halt as the surrounding skeletons exchange confused glances. A crackling speaker reluctantly pops to life as a bored voice echoes. >”We're experiencing technical difficulties… please remain seated until we resolve the issue. SIGH.” >Great. >The skull grins even wider. >”Oh boy, a captive audience! Heheh, been wanting one of those for a while now. Lemme tell ya, I've been bored out of my SKULL sitting here all day!” >She pauses and looks around as if waiting for laughter. Carrie cracks almost immediately, snickering. That only encourages the skull, who practically beams. >”If ya liked THAT one, lemme tell ya, I have a ton more; a SKELE-ton, yeah?” >Carrie guffaws loudly, slapping your shoulder. >”Heheheheh, get it, Anon?” >”...yeah, I get it. Heh.” >The comedian continues on. >”Man, you're a good audience! I was afraid you two might not find me… humerus.” >Carrie is practically wheezing at this point, tears in her eyes as she cackles. Hell, you let yourself laugh too. The vixen’s mirth is contagious. >”It’s a good thing I've found such a great audience! Otherwise I'd have a BONE to pick with you folks!” >At this point, Nurse is doubled over with laughter, and you're finding it very hard not to join in with her. You chuckle and pat her on the back as she laughs as loud as she can. >The skull looks legitimately touched. >”You guys are a great audience! I'd say you're the best ever, but I don't wanna be too… MARROWDRAMATIC!” >The two of you crack up even harder, only to see a very annoyed-looking skeleton in a carny uniform quietly pick up the joking skull and carry her off. >”THANK YOU, I’LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK! MAYBE! (Hey, hands off the merch, yeah? I’ll bite yer fingers off.)” >As the comedic skull is taken away, the speaker gives a few staticky pops as the unenthusiastic voice returns. >”We thank you for your patience, the ride will now continue. Please keep all hands, feet, claws, and tentacles inside the ride at all times… Thank you.” >The surrounding skeletons collectively grumble in annoyance, then abruptly resume their menacing acting as the car lurches back to life. >The rest of the ride is a blur as you and Carrie slowly calm down, still giggling like a pair of hyenas on laughing gas. A few of the monstrous actors break character to chuckle, while others seem pissed at you for not being afraid. >When the ride ends, a very large, very unenthused, shaggy-haired Hallow leads you off with a resigned sigh. >”Thanks for coming… and great job encouraging you-know-who. Now we gotta shut this stupid thing down till we find a less comedically-inclined skull…” >Carrie puts on a stoic, serious face. >”I’m sorry, sir. I hope you can find another actor soon.” >”Thanks. Me too.” >”Because, if you guys don't… well, you might just be BONED! GAH-HAHAHA!” >Nurse collapses into a cackling heap as the monstrous carny shakes his head in annoyance, walking off. >”(They don’t pay me enough for this shit.)” >Nurse Carrie gently takes your hand and guides you away from the haunted house. >”What other rides did you have in mind, Anon? I'm game for anything.” >A nearby ride lets off a heart-stopping CREEEEAAAKKKK. >”Oooh, we could ride that, Anon!” >”Uhhhhh, with all due respect… hell no.” >”HA! I knew you were chicken! ...and so am I! Fuck that thing, let's ride something else.” >The two of you pace through the carnival, avoiding clowns and mimes, until you reach the mechanical bull ride. >Huh, this was definitely your favorite ride as a teenager…. Maybe you've still got what it takes to stay on top? Then again… the bulls back home didn't look so… bloodthirsty. >The body of the bull is painted an inky black, with bloodshot eyes. There are a fair number of realistic-looking wounds on the bull’s hide, including one deep enough to show lovingly-detailed ribs... >”Say, Carrie, how about we try out the mechanical bull? I used to have fun with this ride out at the county fair back when I was a kid.” >Nurse grins maniacally, quickly accepting the challenge. >The carny, who you immediately recognize as Eustace Barebone, tips his wide-brimmed hat with a grin. >”Howdy Nurse! Howdy, Anon! Y’all come ta give ol’ T-Bone a try?” >”Yep, we sure have! Anon here says he used to ride bulls just like him back home.” >”Well, not JUST like-” >”Weeell, shooot, son! I didn't peg ya as a farm boy! Lemme help this fine lady up, then we'll get you in the saddle after her, sound good?” >”Sure thing.” >The skeleton politely helps Carrie onto the bull, then nods and starts the machine up. >Almost immediately, the fox is tossed over the bull’s head, landing headfirst on a foam mat with a grotesque CRACK. Her uniform’s skirt rides up and gives you a momentary glance at her underwear. >Huh, purple and lacy… Nice... >Carrie stands and adjusts her neck with a frown. >”Hmph! I thought you'd go easy on me, Eustace!” >”Shucks, hun, you know ol’ T-Bone has a mind of his own, heheh. Alrighty, son, yore turn!” >The bony farmer helps you onto the bull, then starts it up with a grin. >Almost immediately, you realize you're in for a hell of a fight. This bull is a LOT more aggressive than the one you remember from the fair. >That said, you muster up all your balancing skills to desperately cling on for the full 8 seconds… only to immediately get tossed off as soon as the buzzer sounds. >Eustace lets off a whistle. >”Whooooo-WEE! That there was some fine riding, cowpoke!” >Carrie sidles up next to you and throws an arm around you. >”Yeah, that was pretty impressive, Anon! Hope you can balance like that on top of… other wildly bucking things~” >You feel yourself starting to sweat. >Come on, Anon, say something clever. Something flirty. >”Uhhh… y-you too.” >Smooooth. Great job, Romeo. >Carrie snickers and pats you on the back. >”Alright, what's next? Ooooh, I know the PERFECT ride for you, Anon. The Tunnel of Bees!” >You feel the color drain from your face as she points out a sign advertising something that's literally from your worst nightmares. >”Aww, lighten up! I’m just kidding. ...they closed that thing about a year ago. Something about… the bees got too smart? I dunno. But… what CAN we ride next?” >You ponder over the remaining options. >The big scary roller coasters, a merry-go-round, and… >”How about we take a breather and check out the ferris wheel?” >Carrie grins just as her stomach growls. >”I'll do you one better: how about we grab some snacks, THEN hit the ferris wheel? They even let you take your stuff on there!” >”Sounds good, actually… I'm kinda hungry myself.” >Carrie drags you off towards a row of questionable concession booths. >Spider cider… deep fried candy corn… licorice kettle corn… hot “dogs,” complete with the disconcerting quotation marks... >...none of this sounds remotely appealing. >Carrie immediately pounces on the fried candy corn booth, returning with a small sack of unappetizing, crusty little triangles. The smell is like a sugar factory burning down. >”Want some?” >”...n-no thanks.” >”Suit yourself!” >Just when you thought all hope was lost, a small sign catches the corner of your eye. >Awwww yeah. Funnel cakes. >You quickly walk over to the small stand and order the largest cake they sell. After a few minutes, your freshly fried treat is handed to you on a paper plate. >It actually looks, and smells, delicious. You cautiously take a bite… >...it's fucking great. >Relieved, you scarf down about half of it, saving the rest to share. >You and Carrie slowly head for the ferris- oh, for crying out- REALLY? >The sign clearly has FEARIS WHEEL painted on it. Someone in this town has a serious problem, and they need to be PUNished for it. Heh. >Anyway. You and Carrie quickly board the ferris wheel, snacks in hand. >It's actually tall enough you can see the hospital from here, as well as the entirety of Placid Knoll. Seems the fog is rolling back in… >Nurse gently tears off a bit of your funnel cake, and you absentmindedly down a handful of her candy corn. >The flavor is indescribably wretched, like molasses and motor oil had a baby, only for it to turn out that motor oil had been cheating on molasses with rubber cement. How does she EAT this stuff??? >The vixen smiles, blushing, and slowly takes your hand into hers. She sighs happily. >”Y’know, I've always loved the view from up here. It's… nice to have someone to share it with, for once.” >She plants a kiss on your cheek, her own turning an even brighter yellow. >As you lean in to hold her hand, you run your thumb along the backside of it. >Previously unnoticed scars show themselves as you feel the bumps, ridges and scar tissue on the back of her hand. >You lean in even closer and give her a lingering kiss. The vixen’s eyes flutter as you place one hand on the back of her head, lightly scratching at the back of her ears. >After a few moments, Carrie pulls herself away. >”W-wow, Anon. Our first date and you're already going for the ears… looks like I found a winner, huh~?” >Now it's your turn to blush as you look away shyly. >”Hehe. Thanks… but if anything, I’M the lucky one.” >”H-huh?” >”Because I have, sitting beside me, the foxiest nurse I've ever met.” >She snickers and blushes. >”Damn you and your puns! I’ll get you back for all this flattery~” >After a few more minutes of just sitting in the cabin and enjoying the views of the city, it's y’all’s turn to get out for the next few folks in line. >As you walk down the long row of decrepit rides, you feel Nurse discreetly grab a handful of your ass. >Seems she's gonna live up to that threat… >You can't wait. >But, for now, might as well just enjoy the rest of the carnival. Or, at least the parts that (probably) won't kill and/or maim you. >”Where to next, Nurse?” >”Hm. Well, there's the-” >A loud creeeeak, then a BANG cuts her off. >”...nevermind. Uh, why not… the house of mirrors? That's about the only other, uh, “safe” ride I can think of. I know you'd probably rather not ride any of the coasters, heheh.” >”Good call.” >She grabs your hand and leads you off towards the mirror house, slyly interlocking fingers with you. >Surprisingly, there's not another soul in line for the mirror house. The half-asleep attendant mumbles and waves you inside, and Nurse gleefully dashes in ahead of you. >You chuckle and shake your head, following her… >...only to immediately stop when you see the very first reflection. >Nurse looks over her shoulder in the mirror, winking as her tail hikes her skirt up juuust enough to show off that purple lace again. She playfully sticks her long, yellow tongue out before giggling and dashing farther into the maze of mirrors. >You try to avoid smashing your nose as you slowly make your way farther and farther into the attraction. >Not helping things is the fact that, every few feet, your vixen stops and gives you an increasingly scandalous reflection to ogle. >Be it suddenly lounging on the floor as she did in her X-ray, flashing her panties again, or, in one case, outright flashing her bare chest, she seems determined to give you some incentive to catch up with her. >Eventually, though, you lose her altogether. Confused, you amble through the maze… >Only to be tackled through the exit door by the laughing fox. You land roughly on your back as she giggles, playfully sitting atop your chest. >”Gotta be quicker than that to catch me~!” >”I didn't know I was supposed to be racing you!” >”Excuses, excuses, heheh.” >She gently gets off of you, then helps you to your feet, brushing the dirt off your back with an apologetic smile. >”...oh dear, you scraped your wrist falling! Here, lemme help.” >She takes your hand and kisses the minuscule scrape, then moves up and pulls you into a deep, passionate kiss before you can react. >It's only now that she's initiating things that she really puts that freaky tongue to use… damn, you could get used to this. >Eventually, she pulls away, smiling in a half-daze. >”...heh. Y’know… that scrape could get infected if we don't clean it properly… how bout we take this back to the hospital~?” >For the first time in your life, you are absolutely on board with going to the ER. >The walk back to Placid Knoll Memorial passes by in a flash. You find it very difficult to focus on anything but the woman walking alongside you, a look of confidence on her face as she subtly sways her hips with each step, watching you and gauging your reaction. >Her tail draws your attention as it swishes from side to side. >Every time Nurse looks back, you unabashedly continue staring at her backside. This seems to bolster her confidence as she slowly speeds up her advance towards her home. >Before long, you find yourself in a rather more cushy hospital room than before. Carrie smiles warmly, eyeing you up. >”You like? This is usually where I sleep, heh.” >Well, that explains the syringes and other tools laying around… >She takes a seat on the bed, then motions for you to join her. Once you sit, she merely stares silently, taking in every inch of you with a lewd smile. >”...so, uh. Anon. You… you wanna do this?” >You think about it for a moment… then grin and nod. Her yellow blush returns almost instantly. >”I-I know you've already seen most of me… But… it if you feel uncomfortable, just let me know… I know that all these scars are pretty damn ugly… an-mmph!” >You silence her with a kiss, then wrap her up in your arms. >”There isn’t a damn thing ugly about you. Every little scar that you have is just another beautiful piece to your puzzle. And I want to know as much about you as possible…” >You slowly slip your hands under the shoulders of her hospital gown and peel back her top, revealing a lacy purple bra to match her pantries. You then start a trail of kisses from the corner of her mouth and work your way down. >”I want to know how you taste… How you feel… And how you react to little touches.” >You continue kissing down her neck, to her collarbone, and then to her sternum. Eventually, you peel her bra off, letting her dark-brown-furred breasts go free. You give each of her nipples a quick peck and suckle as she lets off an embarrassed squeal. >”Y-y-you can’t just say all these nice things! H-how am I supposed to respond to that?” >You look up straight into her eyes. >”That's the thing, Nurse… You don't have to. I already know that you feel the same… and I want us to explore these feelings tonight, together.” >She smiles earnestly, a little tear sparkling in one of her red-and-yellow eyes, then nods, kissing you again. >As soon as she pulls away, she yanks your shirt off with surprisingly delicate movements. >Her normally manic nature seems to have mellowed in favor of a desire to take this slow. >She mimics your kissing move, trailing smooches down to your chest… then pops back up and drags her tongue across your face with a sly grin. >She leans back as you fumble with the button of your jeans; you decide to give Nurse Carrie a little bit of a show as you spin around and slowly peel off your pants and boxers in one smooth motion. >The nervous sweat that covers your face and your wild blushing betray your improv strip-tease, but she doesn't seem to notice or really care. >When you toss your jeans over to the side of the room, you stand there stark naked, with your erection standing at full mast. >You can see the vixen’s pupils shrink and her nose twitch as she takes in as much as she can. >Before your own nerves have you collapsing in a heap of embarrassment, Nurse quickly stands up and continues to pull her clean work scrubs off. >Once her uniform is off entirely, she blushes and slowly pivots in place, showing off her lacy lingerie before slowly, carefully stripping off even that, maintaining eye contact with you even as her entire face seems to slowly glow yellow. >With one tug, she yanks the syringe from her bun, letting her long hair cascade down into an elegant mess. >She stands before you, now entirely bare, with a bashful smile. For the first time, every inch of her is on full display. Every scar, stitch, and seam. >And you love every single bit of it. >”My God, Nurse…. You're beautiful.” >She grabs her tail and wrings it nervously as she shifts her weight back and forth from one foot to the other. >”Y-you don’t really mean that…” >With a small burst of confidence, you walk right up to her and put a hand on each cheek. >You're so close that you can feel your breaths mingle with hers… your erect member just barely being tickled by her floofy pelvic fur. >”I mean it… every word… I love you, Nurse Carrie.” >”Y-you… I love you too, Anon.” >You suddenly feel a soft warmth envelop your dick as her padded hands run over your length. >”Ugh. The medical textbooks weren't doing you justice… You humans are packing some decent heat…” >You try not to laugh at her remark as you involuntarily thrust upwards into her grasp. >”Good thing I'm a more… hands-on learner, huh?” >Dear God, the puns. If she keeps this up it’ll be the most humorous orgasm of your life. >With an almost mystified expression, she silently runs her hand up and down you. Up and down. Up… and down… >Her fur smoothly glides along your skin, and her pads provide juuuust enough friction to keep things interesting. >You feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge... >”N-Nurse… I don’t want to cut things short… but if you keep this up, I'm not gonna last very long…!” >She slows her stroking to a crawl as she tightens her grip even more. >”Tsk, tsk. And here I thought that you were going to be a good patient today… Well, I guess you have… You did take me out for a fun date…” >She suddenly lets go and walks back to the hospital bed, then lays down on her back, allowing her legs and feet to dangle over the side. >”...well? Aren't you going to come over here? And maybe… IN… here?” >Dammit. You swallow another chuckle as you unhesitatingly advance on the vixen. Her excitement is fails to be concealed on her face as you approach, your member twitching with anticipation. >”C-come on, Anon!... Haven't you ever wondered what it'd be like to be inside an Otherworlder? Now is your chance~” >The red fox looks away for a second, and you barely make out her whisperings. >”(D-don’t hold back, Anon… give me all of your love…)” >Without another moment’s ado, you gladly oblige her. With a single fluid thrust, you enter the fox, drawing a shrill squeal of pleasure from her. The loud sound soon tapers off into an indecent moan as her tongue flops from her mouth. >”Oh, ffffUCK yes… don't you DARE stop…” >You immediately pick up a decent tempo of continuous thrusts. Before long, you find that Nurse’s legs are locked around your waist, preventing you from completely pulling out. >Carrie sits upward and begins to kiss you wildly. Her yellow tongue collides with yours in a battle for the ages. >The vixen moans into your mouth as you continue fucking her. The only other sounds being the creaking of the bed and the slapping of your joined hips. >With a wave of pleasure, you feel the end fast approaching. You pull away from Carrie’s kiss, panting. >”N-Nurse, I’m about t-” >”Do it. Don't you DARE pull out. I don't want a single fuckin’ drop wasted.” >She barely finishes her sentence before you finish up yourself. >You let out an undignified grunt as you continuously shoot rope after rope into her. >”Yes, Anon! Oh my God! Cum in me, baby! Give this naughty Nurse what she deserves!” >You feel a blush coming to your cheeks as you listen to her dirty talk. What happened to the blushing, shy Carrie…? >She tightens around your still-hard member, trying to milk you for all of what you have. >The vixen lets out one last shriek as she collapses back onto the bed, giggling in a daze. The both of you are sweaty, panting messes. >She eventually catches her breath enough to speak… a little. >”That was… holy shit… I-I can’t believe that just happened...” >You crawl into the bed next to her and kiss the back of her scarred neck gingerly. >”Me either… holy Christ, that was… Pretty intense…” >”One hell of a way to end a first date...! Went out... with a heck of a bang!...” >You groan at the shoehorned pun and wrap your arms around her, burying your face into the fluff on the back of her neck. >The two of you dazedly exchange a few more “I love you”s… then drift off into sleep, cuddled up as close to each other as you can. >As much as you hate hospitals… you don't mind spending another night or twenty under the fox’s care… >After all, she really is one Hell of a Nurse!