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THE MARTINEZ HOUSEHOLD isn't often a chaotic one. With only three women, two of them scarcely home, it usually made for peaceful mornings and restful nights. So when Abigail began hurling herself across the kitchen in the dreadfully early hours or the morning, half-dressed and frantic, Reyna couldn't help but be shocked still. Her sister had always been one to delay her leave, never pressed for time in the mornings. Or ever, really.
A pot of tea wailed on the stove as Abigail shoved on her white nurse's shoes, her dark hair thrown in a quick braid over her scrubs. Reyna stepped out of her way, nearly colliding with the hurricane of a girl whipping through the kitchen.
"Are you late or something? I thought you were off today," Reyna inquired sleepily. She was still dressed in her pyjamas, although she hadn't been doing too much sleeping in them recently. The night before had counted the fourth restless night of the week. It wasn't easy, forcing herself to keep awake, and yet she knew it would be for the best. She knew the sleepiness of the next day would be more manageable than the fear that her nightmares would bring.
"There was another attack down at the video store last night," Abbey explained hurriedly, crying out as she scalded herself on the running coffee pot. Cursing, she turned to grab her lunch from the fridge. "They're calling in all of the reinforcements they can."
"An animal attack?" Reyna questioned, leaning herself against the countertop.
"That's what they're saying," Abbey snapped, taking a moment to run her reddening finger under water. "There's basically a hysteria going on at the hospital ever since the police disclosed too many details in the last incident. I need to get there right away,"
"Abigail!" Their grandmother cried from the hallway, lowering the tone of the radio as she sauntered into the small kitchen. "What are you up to, making so much noise this early in the day?"
"I need to go, Lola, there's an emergency," Abbey insisted, shaking off her grandmothers grip as she bolted to the door. "There's two survivors being held for examination, so everyone has their hands full. A bunch of the RT's already took holidays this week so I really need to head over there."
Reyna would never have imagined a respiratory therapist's job to be so demanding. Then again, her sister did work similar hours to the registered nurses working at the hospital, and could hardly keep herself awake after being hammered with the night shift.
Reyna shook herself from her stupor, finally registering her sister's words as she poured herself a cup of hot coffee. "Wait, survivors. Somebody got out of there alive?"
