The Imortals

Chapter 4: more of the undead

The hospital seemed like a logical decision. We could have chosen a lab, or even a graveyard for that matter! I have no idea why we chose a graveyard that fateful day.
  As soon as I stepped foot in the hospital, a feeling of dread washed over me. It wasn't unusual, I can normally sense when people are dying, grieving, or suffering, but this time it felt different. It was like I could hear bones clattering and souls screaming. I decided to ignore it and keep walking.
We started searching on the fourth floor and worked our way down. The fourth floor was the cancer research lab. I remember wishing I could help them, wishing I could find a way to stop their pain.
Love must've had it worse, because he looked like he was about to throw up. "Why would life bestow this among humans?" He said, trying to stay balanced.
I looked at him in surprise. "What? Mom did this?"
"Well, Disease did, but Life gave him permission to place it among humans." He grabbed a woman's purse and threw up in it. The woman was mad at first, but Love just gave her a charmed smile and she forgave him immediately.
"Why would she do this?"
"Well, life ain't easy, Charlie. Sometimes terrible things need to happen." He ran towards the elevator and collapsed.
I glanced over at him. "How come I'm taking this on no problem, but you're basically dying?"
He looked up at me like I was stupid. "I am weak in places that lack love. Sure their family members love them, but all they do is grieve here. There is no actual love in this place."
"What about the nurses taking care of them?"
"Taking care of someone isn't loving them, Charlie."
That felt like being hit with a lightning strike. First of all, my mother let cancer happen, secondly there is no love in a hospital. A hospital! The place where you need love the most! Instead of love, there is nothing but grief and sympathy.
The third floor wasn't much better, but love was able to make it through without puking in someone's purse. It was the floor where most of the operations were held, it smelled terrible, but apparently there was more love there than on the fourth floor.
The second floor was a breeze. There was a radiation lab, which was a little depressing, but nothing that we couldn't handle. There were X-ray machines and computers, and only a few broken bones. But apparently there was an abundance of love there, because Love was humming can you feel the love tonight from The Lion King. He then pulled out one of his love arrows and shot a nurse while she was talking to a patient.
He smiled and sighed, "I can see what's happening."
"Love, don't start with your little musical numbers, you had no right to do that."
He scoffed, "Lighten up Charlie! The patient was already in love, so why not? You have no right to do that."
"Do what?" I asked , utterly confused.
"Be. A. Buzzkill." He said, shaking his hips at each word.
I laughed, "I am not a buzzkill."
"Yeah, you are." We walked into the elevator and pushed the button to the main lobby. Suddenly I felt sad, angry, and guilty all at once. I was about to pull love aside and tell him what was going on when the elevator wires snapped, sending us falling down the shaft. A voice went over the speakers.
"Charlotte Dike." I recognized the voice immediately. Bryce.

I turned to Love. "You said you shot him with a death arrow!"
"Oh, he did!" His voice boomed over the speakers. "But interestingly enough, it only dissolved my body. I guess once you cheat Death, you can't stay dead." I felt like I was in one of those horror movies I used to watch as a kid. Like the who ghost was seeking a victim . Only Bryce was the ghost, and I was the victim.

Thunk!

We hit the bottom of the shaft. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, skeletal fingers started prying open the doors.
"The Undead!" Love screamed, getting his arrows ready. I did what any sane person would do. I grabbed my dagger and started cutting the fingers off.
  When my dagger cut the fingers off, the entire arm dissolved. The doors shut. More fingers pried them open. I figured if they opened the doors for us, and if we were quick enough, we could escape.

I let the them open the doors.