CHAOS BACK AGAIN

15

Melissa 

The storm had come out of nowhere, transforming Beacon Hills Hospital into utter chaos. Melissa McCall was caught in the thick of it, doing her best to help evacuate patients as doctors, nurses, and EMTs raced through the halls. It wasn't the first time she'd found herself in the middle of a disaster, but this one felt different. The storm wasn't supposed to be this bad, yet now it seemed as if the world outside was collapsing. She couldn't stop thinking about the latest death at the school—a teacher—and the fact that Scott, Stiles, and Sheriff Stilinski were unaccounted for made her nerves feel like they were stretched to the breaking point.

"Keep it together," she whispered to herself, forcing her attention back to the task at hand. A tree branch flew through the window nearby, shattering glass across the floor and startling everyone nearby, Melissa included. Her heart pounded, but she couldn't afford to freeze up.

"Okay!" she shouted over the roar of the storm, gesturing to the wide-eyed trainee nurses near her. "All identification should be sealed in plastic bags, and the patients need to carry them in their hands! Once you've completely evacuated the room, mark the door with a red X!"

The nurses hurried to follow her orders, but the hospital felt like it was falling apart at the seams. Patients were being wheeled out, gurneys filling the hallways, and the storm's howling outside made it impossible to tell where the noise was coming from anymore.

One of the doctors pushed his way over to her, his face a mix of frustration and disbelief. "What the hell is going on? The weather report said a mild thunderstorm this morning."

Melissa shared his bewilderment, though deep down, she suspected something unnatural was at play. "I know," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "And now the power's out in several towns. Hill Valley's under a flood watch."

The doctor blanched. "I live in Hill Valley."

She could see the panic in his eyes, the need to get home to his family. Melissa understood that desperation, but they still had work to do. "Are your patients clear?" she asked, forcing him to focus.

He checked his clipboard quickly. "All except for Cora Hale."

Cora Hale. Stiles had brought her in, and the last time Melissa saw her, Derek Hale had been with her. That meant Peter Hale wasn't far. She swallowed, realizing she'd have to face him, but right now, her priority was getting Cora out safely.

She hurried down the hallway and entered Cora's room, coming face-to-face with Peter. Her stomach flipped. The last time she had seen him, it had been during that ill-fated date. That was before she truly understood who—and what—he was. Seeing him now, fully aware of the danger he'd posed to Scott, set her on edge.

"You're supposed to be dead," she muttered, unable to hide her disgust.

Peter merely shrugged, nonchalant as ever. "I get that a lot."

Melissa kept her distance. She had no intention of getting closer to Peter than she needed to. "What happened to Derek?" she asked, hoping he might know something about the others.

"He had to go," Peter replied casually, his eyes still on his niece. "Said something about helping out with what happened at the school."

That spiked her anxiety again. The school. The teacher. Scott, Stiles...her son.

"Any word on Scott? Or Stiles?" The words came out before she could stop herself.

Peter gave her a smirk, his tone infuriatingly dismissive. "If you're worried about your son, don't be. He and his friends have a tendency to come out... relatively unscathed."