Undead Lover: Nemo (special preview)

“He’s different, if it helps,” Asha replies, sitting down on the bed. “He doesn’t look like a doctor either, so maybe that’ll help even more. Come, now.” She wipes away your tears. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll stay with you, promise.” Her rabbit ears twitch, and she looks up as the curtain opens.

At first, all you see is a dark shadow as it moves along the curtain. Green lights flicker within the shadow as a hand appears and pulls the curtain aside. A man walks in, extremely tall with pure white, shoulder-length hair that is mostly combed back, except for one long segment that falls down the side of his face. That face is covered by a black medical mask, and only his deep-set green eyes show above it.

“She’s scared of doctors,” Asha speaks up quickly.

“Most people are,” the man replies. More shadows seem to move from him, but you feel it might be a trick of the light. “I’m Dr. Nemo,” he says to you. “And I’ll be taking care of you during your stay here.”

“But I can’t stay here,” you insist. “I am literally homeless! I have no way to pay. It would be like trying to get blood from an onion.”

Dr. Nemo tilts his chin up. His light brown skin seems almost gray, and he has no eyebrows to speak of. His entire eye, sclera and all, is a vivid green. “I am not worried about what I can get from you.” He moves to the bedside, taking the chair that Asha was sitting in, and lifts the blanket from your leg. “I’m more worried about this.”

You don’t want to look at it. All you see is bandages stained with red and yellow. You shut your eyes tight as Dr. Nemo removes the wrappings to have a look.

“It’s going to be okay.” Asha slips her palm into yours. “Hold my hand as tight as you need to.”

You open your eyes for only a moment to see indistinct dark faces hovering behind Asha. You quickly shut your eyes again and lean in closer to her.

“I’ll have to operate.” Dr. Nemo’s voice is deep and gravelly. “There is no way around it.”

“There must be,” you argue. “You can’t operate. You must be able to do something else!”

He looks up at you with a blank stare. “I can do something else - but it would still require I operate in order to remove the leg.”

A freezing jolt rips through your body, making every hair stand on end.

“There is nothing to worry about.” Dr Nemo nods decisively. “I’ll be doing the entire operation. I’ll make sure everything heals properly.”

“That’s not what I am worried about!” You shake your head, then bury it in your palms. “Why won’t you just listen to me?”

“You’re scared of many things,” Dr. Nemo replies. “I am listening to you, but you aren’t listening to me.” He glances at Asha. “Stay with her while I go and get things prepped.”

Asha squeezes your hand while you tremble. “Dr. Nemo is a good man, absolutely wonderful.” She brushes your hair from your face. “You’re in the best hands here. I promise.”