The Plague Doctor ©

N e w • P l a y e r

As the voice-mail ends, Cori looks at her phone, "My mom worked a case here?" Her face turns to pure confusion, "Why wouldn't she tell me she has been in Keld before? Does Shale know?"

"What happened in the attic?" She inquires in a soft, defeated voice, as she pets Sammys' soft head under the cone. He just sleeps off the pain and medication.

She quickly shakes her head, trying to get rid of the awful, pounding headache she just received, "Ugh, this is all too much at once."

She looks around her room before out of the corner of her eye sits the mask, "I need to ask mom about this." She stands up and walks over to the object. Once she grabs it, she has a sense of worry and caution, "I need answers." She states as she begins her descent down the stairs.

When she passes the attic door, she pauses and stares, "I will find out what happened, I promise, Sammy." She looks back into her room at her sleeping dog, "Wait until I get back from a walk...

Once Cori rounds the corner into the living room, she notices that neither of her parents is home, "Guess they had to go check in for work." She shrugs, "Speaking of which, they never explained where they were working." She mutters to herself before she grabs her jacket and walks out of the house.

She makes sure the door is locked before she puts her earbuds in and starts to walk into the forest.

Cori's music genre of choice for today is depressing, but fast-paced songs. She kicks up her feet as she begins to walk into the forest behind her house.

She gets about 30 yards from her house before she turns and looks at the two-story building, "Now that I get a good look at it, it's hella creepy." She mutters.

The early morning air is chilled from the spring cold, but Cori prefers it. She stands there for a moment before turning and walking away, enjoying her music.

She welcomes the sting of the cold air as it hit her lungs and stings her face.

Cori puts her hands in her pockets as she hums along to the music that blasts into her ears.

Cori's heartbeat stops entirely as her body freezes from pure fear when a hand, from out of seemingly nowhere, covers her mouth roughly.

Having a parent who works in the Police force happens to be a good thing when the fight-or-flight instincts ware off.

Cori throws her elbow back, hitting the stranger in the ribs, as she simultaneously steps on the stranger's foot as hard as she can before she turns around to punch him in the face.

The male combats Cori before he gets her in a chokehold, "Settle down and don't move." He whispers harshly in her ear, "I'm trying to save you."

Being the fighter she is, Cori gets ready for another strike, "I don't need saving." She retorts.

"Cori, shut up and listen to me!" The male argues.

The sound of her name makes Cori on edge, "How the hell do you know my name." She growls out before the male pushes her into a nearby American beech tree.

The male puts his hand back over her mouth, "Will you listen to me! Everything you know is a lie!" He whisper-shouts, "You need to shut up and do what I say! Or we'll both be dead!" The strangers' eyes reflect primal fear.