The alarm clock in Daniel's apartment went off, ringing non stop, propelling Daniel to get up from his bed. He groaned and stretched his legs lazily, he used his hand to massage his head and let out a yawn.
The rays from the sun kissed his lips, he walked around only wearing his boxers and scratched the back of his head.
The sound of the showers hitting his back almost blocked out the sound of his phone ringing. He turned off the showers and grabbed a towel. He wrapped it around his waist, and grabbed his phone.
"Yes.."he said not caring to look at the caller ID.
"Daniel, there's an issue at the hospital. We are having an emergency meeting and we need you here now!."the voice said.
Daniel threw on his shirt and walked out of his bedroom, he strolled past his living room, a cozy place illuminating bright colours.
There was no time for coffee or breakfast, he took his briefcase and rushed out of the apartment building, down the hallway to the lobby.
"Rushing out early I see."Linda said from behind him, he spared a second to glance back at her. "Duty calls."he said and his lips moved up to form a slight smile.
*Hospital*
"The board members have been bursting my eardrums all morning long, you better get in there."Morgan the head nurse said while briefing Daniel on the situation.
"What's the crisis?."Daniel asked, Morgan placed a folder in his hand, "it's all in there."She said and he took a quick look.
"The hell..."
The next thing that happened was Morgan pushing him into the board room. Across him were all the shareholders of his hospital, all with frightened and worried expressions.
"What's going on?."Daniel asked, he looked like a mess, he had visible eye bags and stress lines across his forehead.
"We got two new cases on our hands."Fisher said breaking the ice, Daniel looked through the folder and saw two photos.
"Annie Martinez, and Bryan Digger."Fisher added, and stood up. Daniel went through the reports from the lab, and raised a brow.
"This doesn't add up."he said, "they both are blind. And we have no clue what is causing it exactly. Annie said she lives a normal life, and Bryan is nothing but a cargo shipper."James said and crossed his legs.
"That's not the only issue."Layla said in a cryptic tone, raising the tension in the room.
"There is a high amount of Parabens in both their bloodstreams, and it's almost impossible to have such a huge amount of Parabens In your system."Layla said.
The elderly man had his hands folded across his chest, "Mr Willy?."Daniel asked, hoping the man had any form of help and experience to the issue.
"It beats me, we've tested them for two days now and the amount of Parabens just keeps on multiplying, causing various skin problems."Mr Willy said.
"And the blindness?."Daniel asked, at a loss for words, "we're still confused about how they both got blind. But I have called in experienced specialists."Fisher said.
"Isn't this stuff found in make-up?."James asked and immediately all eyes turned to Layla.
"Let's not forget the fact that both Annie and Brian are having the dried up skin. And people avoid those chemicals."Layla said.
"We can't blame the makeup."Daniel deduced, "unless Bryan and Annie shop at the same cosmetics shop."Fisher said.
"I need the lab to run a few more tests, take some more samples, people don't just go blind overnight. And James I'll need you with me on a research on..." Morgan walked inside disrupting their meeting, she was panicked.
"Sorry for interrupting, but there are a whole hell of people outside who need medical attention."Morgan said.
"Just direct them to someone else, we're handling a crisis."Fisher said sounding irritated. "Did I forget to mention they're all pale and blind?."Morgan rhetorically asked.
Daniel dropped the folder and went outside the room to meet a sea of people, all waiting for him. Either too pale or too panicked about loosing their eyesight.
His fellow practitioners followed, "holy..."Layla left her statement hanging at the number of people who just resurfaced with this new disease.
"Get these people into quarantine!"Daniel yelled and all the nurses snapped into action.The hospital was in pandemonium as nurses tried to get everyone into a ward, but the patients were too confused and bound.
"Don't let any of them come in contact with you, it might be contagious."he cautioned and walked over to a little boy wearing glasses.
"Mommy..."he said in fright, "I can't see.. I can't see!"The boy shrieked, shaking uncontrollably.
Daniel took some hand gloves from a tray and grabbed the boy, holding unto him firmly.
"Can you hear me?."Daniel asked, the boy was too afraid to reply, his breathing was unsteady, "follow my voice alrighty? Am a doctor and am here to help you see again."Daniel said, the boy held unto Daniel and moved his hands around him nervously.
"Can you see anything?."Daniel asked, the boy nodded negatively, "doctor, I didn't do anything, I just went out to the docks near the cargo shipping close to my house. I wanted to catch a fish but the water splashed on my face.... it....it was so much....I...I...closed my eyes and blocked my face. But when I opened my eyes...I couldn't see."The boy said.
The boys pale skin began to dry rapidly, it took Daniel by surprise that he had to let go of the boy due to the sudden shock.
"Doctor, we need to get him to quarantine."Morgan said, Daniel quickly recovered from his shock and tendered the boy over to Morgan.
"Get all the doctors and residents at the seminar room now, we have to..."Daniel's voice was cut off by a nurse.
"Annie and Bryan are having an attack!."The nurse shrieked, Daniel's heart skipped a beat, he exchanged frightened glances with everyone.
Mr Willy pulled himself together and followed the nurse to the ICU, Daniel following closely behind. Annie had just gone into cardiac arrest, nurses were trying to pin her down. Bryan's veins were so visible that it looked as if they were able to pop.
Daniel made an attempt to attend to Bryan but Annie's Cardiac arrest ceased, she calmed down, Daniel took a needle and took a blood sample from Bryan.
He took a needle and injected Bryan and Annie with some drug that would relax their muscles and heal damaged tissues.
"Take this sample and send to biometrics lab."Daniel said and the nurse disappeared. "What are you suspecting?."Mr Willy asked, Daniel spread his fingers through his hair.
"I think that...."
A symbol caught his eye immediately, it was on the wrist of Bryan, he rushed over to Annie to observe. And discovered the same symbol on her shoulder, he gasped.
"Did they both have these symbols?."Daniel asked, Mr Willy's mouth flung open at the new development.
"You're on to something Daniel, spit it out."Mr Willy said sounding desperate to help those people. Daniel took some photos of the symbols on his phone and passed a serious glance at Mr Willy.
"I think I have to enlist the help of the extraordinary in this case."he said and took off his coat. "Where to?."Fisher asked while Daniel bolted out of the hospital, "to get answers."Daniel said not glancing at Fisher.
*Red Mansion*.
"Who would have thought that my two favorite twins would stay under the same roof again?."Lily sarcastically asked.
"You can't avoid talking about you running away."Rosey said.
"I thought that's the same thing you're doing big sis. Avoiding my problematic life."Lily said.
"This is more important than Daphne, you were dating Daniel, our half brother Daniel."Rosey said, trying to get back to the real issue.
"Can you not talk about him? I couldn't care less."Lily said, Rosey could see the sadness lying underneath Lily's strong front.
"What about that man you have under your wing? Any potential love interest?."Lily asked trying to lighten up the mood. "Yes, but not for me. He's sworn to wed Daphne."Rosey said.
"No. Freaking. Way."Lily said, she glanced at Acker who was undergoing various medical exams by some doctors. Daphne was flirting with one of the male nurses, throwing herself at him shamelessly.
"Don't you feel it's all a little too suspicious? Daphne moving in here? Something must be off."Lily said. Rosey stared at her twin, she looked identical to Rosey by appearance. But in character they were a sharp contrast.
"How's your foot?."Rosey asked, "a bit painful but you can't let Mom hear that, she'll wrap me up like some tomb mommy."Lily said. Rosey chuckled knowing fully well that that was true.
Rosey didn't forget that Mr Red had absented himself yet again, of course this was normal for him, but the air seemed denser to Rosey for some reason. Something was amiss somewhere, she could sense it.
"Rosey we need to talk...now!"Rosey looked behind her, Lily froze on the spot once she heard the voice call out to her sister. She would have retreated but she needed her nurse to wheel her back to her room.
"Daniel! Why do you look like..."Daniel cut her off before she could finish her sentence.
"I need your help and I need Acker, now."Daniel said with urgency radiating all over his face, Rosey blinked twice at him in shock of his sudden request.
She felt a stare, she felt three stares she felt stares from all angles, everyone had their eyes fixed on her.
A/N: Phew! Sorry to my loyal readers whom I disappointed by this late chapter. My focus right now is on my spirity novel, and I am busy with everyday life as well. I will try and put in as much effort as possible to make this story stay alive.
Do vote, the more votes, the quicker I make chapters.
You can also check out my spirity novel.
GLASS HEARTS: THEIR STORY.
I promise it will be worth your while.
Thanks for reading! See you all in the next chapter.