Lexicon: II

Hospital Eskap

Location: Berlin, Germany – Abandoned hospital

The hospital stood like a silent sentinel in the middle of the ravaged city, its once-bright walls now streaked with grime and decay. The windows were broken, jagged glass framing shadows that seemed to watch as Venom Snake and Hoshino approached.

Snake moved ahead, his steps silent on the cracked pavement. Hoshino followed closely, her shotgun slung over her shoulder, a faint smirk on her tired face.

"Nothing like a stroll through hell, huh?" she muttered, scanning the empty street. She looked up at Snake, her expression unreadable. "Bet this beats naptime."

Snake gave her a sidelong glance, his face as impassive as ever. "Stay focused, Hoshino," he said, his voice low and steady. "This isn't a joke."

"Right, right," she replied, rolling her eyes but gripping her shotgun a little tighter. Beneath her sarcasm, Snake could see the strain in her eyes—the weight of too many battles, too many losses.

He knew that look well. It was the look of someone who had been running for too long.

They reached the hospital entrance, the doors hanging open, swaying slightly in the breeze. Inside, the air was thick with the stench of rot, every shadow seeming to twist and crawl in the dim light. Snake raised his hand, signaling for Hoshino to follow him in.

The floors were littered with abandoned gurneys and overturned chairs, the walls streaked with dried blood. Every step they took echoed through the empty halls, and Snake's hand never strayed far from his silenced MP5SD, his senses on high alert.

***

The First Encounter

They made their way through the first-floor corridor, moving slowly, scanning every doorway, every shadow. Snake motioned for Hoshino to cover him as he slipped into what had once been a waiting room. The place was in shambles—chairs overturned, papers scattered, the air stale and thick.

He spotted a shelf of medical supplies on the far wall and moved toward it, his movements precise and efficient. Hoshino, standing guard by the door, let her gaze wander over the darkened corners, her fingers tapping lightly on the barrel of her shotgun.

"Think they've got anything left?" she whispered.

"Let's hope," Snake replied, sifting through the supplies. He found a few vials of morphine and a stash of antibiotics. Not much, but it was something. He slipped them into his bag, nodding to Hoshino. "Let's keep moving."

As they stepped back into the hallway, a faint sound echoed down the corridor—a high-pitched, shrill cry that seemed to slice through the silence like a knife. Snake froze, his body tensing. Hoshino's smirk faded, her eyes widening as she recognized the sound.

A Shrieker.

Snake raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence, and they both dropped into a crouch, their bodies pressed against the wall. The Shrieker's wail grew louder, reverberating off the walls, the high-pitched sound disorienting and almost painful.

Hoshino winced, clenching her jaw. "That... is one messed up lullaby."

"Stay close," Snake whispered, his eyes scanning the hallway. "And don't let it see you."

The Shrieker emerged from around the corner, a gaunt, emaciated figure with skin stretched tight over hollow bones. Its eyes were wide, empty, its mouth hanging open in a grotesque, soundless scream. It moved in jerky, twitching motions, its head snapping back and forth as if searching for something.