A Winter's Tale

Prologue - 2 Years Ago

                    The snow gathered on the Brentwood streets, as a lady with a hump crept into the silent reception (with the exception of fingers tapping at a keyboard). She balled up her gloves, and shoved them into her pocket. She hated winter: everything ran slower, and she was the type of human who liked swift things. A receptionist ahead glanced up warily, as a dart hit her in the neck. A couple of milliseconds later, she was slumped across her computer. Freya Humphrey was known as the Humpback, because of her abnormal back. The story went that as a young toddler, she'd spent much time poring over crime magazines, in a weird position. She'd first been given this nickname in her 2nd year of secondary school, by the well-known bully. On this first occasion of Freya's nicknaming, the end of the day had come with the realisation to Freya's classmates, that she was one to be kept clear of. They'd found Dick hung upside down on an exterior brick wall by his toes, with screws. It was evident that he had been there for quite some time as frost had begun forming on his feet, and he was also unconscious. After this episode, no-one dared calling Freya 'Humpback'. Once she'd left school and begun business, she decided to like the name; it was mysterious and not too complicated, exactly what she needed.

The Humpback smiled to herself; this job was nowhere near her usual standards; but however easy it was, she'd still receive £6,000,000 added to the initial payment of £5,000,000. Frankly, she was disappointed if anything; surely a place like this would have more security. As she moved to a side door, she picked up the sound scuffling. Stopping to listen, she heard more disturbances, so she decided to go to her original destination – after all it was the closes and therefore the safest option.

The caretaker walked into the reception area, scanning round for anything odd. He could swear he'd heard something. Maybe he was becoming paranoid...no but there was another sound...a handle clicking into place. He inspected the radius again...nothing unusual...but wait...the receptionist was in an unnatural position. He'd known Leia for years, both of them beginning the next stage of their lives at the hospital 4 years before. James walked over to Leia and decided that she'd fallen asleep in a weird angle. He gently prodded her, but she did not respond. He shook her and still, nothing. She couldn't be asleep, otherwise she would've awoken by now. Something was wrong.

The Humpback moved swiftly in the patient's room, as she slept, disconnecting wires from every positon. Her client wanted a thorough job, after the person paid by him before had unsuccessfully tried to kill the patient in a car crash. The Humpback remembered what the client had said:

"If she isn't dead within 48 hours of your operation, I will personally make sure your decease is the lead story on the 6 o'clock news."

It wasn't that the Humpback was frightened (she'd faced much worse), but she'd rather enjoy her wealth, than leave it for someone else in her will. Disconnecting the last remaining wire, she listened for disruptions in the exterior of the room, as the pulse of the victim rapidly decreased. Nothing. The Humpback crept out, half-expecting a member of the hospital staff to catch her red-handed, but she was unchallenged. She slipped out the main doors towards a waiting Mercedes she knew had only arrived seconds before. As soon as she shut the door, the saloon car sped off into the night.