The first official week of the semester at his new school, in a new class, had passed with so many bizarre events that by the weekend, Ethan felt utterly drained.

Today, he allowed himself the luxury of lazing in bed, trying to relax in the crisp morning air. He focused on positive thoughts, pushing away the disturbing images that had been plaguing his mind for the past few days.

Forget it all!

He commanded his mind…

Forget the corpse of Felix Hoang.

Forget Royce’s cat-like pupils and that dangerous smile.

And let Andrew The Detective think whatever he wants.

Oh, and forget about Flora from class 11C too. She might be pretty, but her nails were terrifying.

As for the angelic voice…

That dream, the scent of lilies lingering from that feverish night. Those, he didn’t want to forget at all. It had been his only comfort during these recent lonely days.

From the distant streets, the sudden blare of an ambulance siren shattered the peaceful silence he had been enjoying. The sound grew louder, approaching fast, maybe even passing right by his apartment complex.

Ethan’s room was on the rooftop of a seven-story mini-apartment building. The small, secluded space was ideal for his family’s budget but terrible for his health. Here, he could feel the extreme temperature shifts: Freezing at night, scorching during the day, more intensely than anywhere else.

As the emergency vehicle came to a stop at the gate of Ethan’s boarding house, the sharp yapping of Kitty -  the landlady’s Chihuahua - rang out. Kitty was smaller than a cat, but her attitude was always fierce, as if she were a full-grown German Shepherd. 

Curious, Ethan stepped onto the rooftop balcony to observe from above. Sure enough, an ambulance had pulled up at the entrance.

Squinting to get a clearer view, his eyesight had probably worsened from too many late-night gaming sessions in the dark. He noticed something odd.

From the ambulance, a team of medical staff jumped out, clad head-to-toe in full-body protective suits, looking exactly like a CDC response unit. Their movements were sharp, efficient, not like ordinary healthcare workers, but more like a tactical squad on a mission.

The urgency in their actions, coupled with their extreme protective measures, instantly reminded Ethan of the COVID-19 outbreak years ago. But COVID had long since been reduced to nothing more than a seasonal flu. Patients could eat, drink, and go about their lives at home as if they were perfectly fine, no longer hauled off to quarantine zones.

What the hell is going on down there?

His question was answered immediately.

The medical staff were escorting a patient, no, restraining him. The person, also clad in a protective suit, had his hands tied behind his back. The way they were dragging him toward the ambulance made it clear: this was not a voluntary transfer.

The patient was resisting, thrashing wildly as if desperate to escape. Since his arms were bound, he had only one weapon left, his teeth. And he was using them viciously, lunging at his captors, trying to bite them like a rabid animal.

Then, all of a sudden, the man froze.

At first, it seemed like he had come to his senses and decided to comply. But no, his entire body had locked up, rigid as if seized by some unseen force. The paralysis lasted only a few seconds.

Then, he doubled over.

A violent coughing fit wracked his body. And then…

… He vomited a massive amount of blood.

The dark red liquid splattered onto the hazmat suit of the nearest medic. Moments later, the patient collapsed, convulsing violently on the ground, trembling in a pool of his own blood.

The medical team, unfazed, swiftly lifted him onto a stretcher, restraining him even further before loading him into the ambulance. The siren blared again as the vehicle sped away from the apartment complex.

Ethan’s eyes widened in shock. His breathing turned ragged. His stomach twisted into knots, and his heart pounded violently against his ribs.

He had just witnessed an actual arrest.

What the hell is happening?!