Everyone looked up at the building anxiously, and then, suddenly, they heard a loud bang.
They watched in shock as smoke came out of the windows on the third floor. Flames went up in the air, and the lower three floors burned fiercely. Debris flew out of the windows and fell onto the ground.
Everyone started to run further away from the building, covering their heads with their arms in an attempt to avoid being hit by the falling material.
Those who couldn't move fast enough were struck, and one man's clothes caught on fire. Panicking, he rolled on the ground to put out the flames.
Once everyone was out of danger, they remembered that Alex was still inside the building.
"There were a lot of flammable materials kept on the third floor," someone said. "It's no wonder it exploded."
"Alex went in there to save someone, but now he's in danger," one woman said.
"What a pity," said someone else. "But he shouldn't have gone back up there."
As she watched the building going up in flames, Maryann trembled, and she almost fainted. She opened her mouth to speak, but she found herself unable to.
"Alex," she whispered. It was the only word she could get past her lips.
Everyone felt sorry for her, and they tried to comfort her.
A security guard walked over, holding a flashlight and pointing toward the building. "Someone's coming out!" he shouted excitedly. "I can see someone."
People looked in the direction he was pointing, and then they saw Alex stumbling out, carrying Julia's sister in his arms.
It was a huge fire, and although Alex was a strong man and could have easily escaped the fire, it would have been very difficult to escape while carrying someone else.
But he had brought Julia's sister out of the building alive, and everyone cheered for him.
Maryann wept with joy and rushed up to him. "Alex! Thank God you're okay!" she said as she hugged him.
**
Julie's sister, Alex, and Maryann were taken to the hospital for observations.
Julie's sister was stabilized, but since she had inhaled a lot of smoke, she needed further treatment. Julie stayed by her side, but no one else from their family came to visit.
After being checked over, Alex was discharged from the hospital, but Maryann was hospitalized for her sprained ankle, respiratory irritation, and some minor burns. She would need to be admitted for a few days.
After checking on Julie's sister, Alex went up to the sixth floor to see Maryann, but when he got there, he found her asleep. He didn't want to disturb her, so he left the room and decided to go and make her a broth that would help her feel better.
He went to his clinic and cooked a large pot of broth, and after drinking some himself, he poured the rest into a thermos and made his way back to the hospital.
It was getting dark, and the night air was cold. It's freezing, he thought as he zipped up his jacket.
By the time he got to the hospital, he noticed that there were fewer staff members than there had been when he had left. Aside from the staff at the front desk and a handful of patients waiting to be seen, there weren't many people about.
Alex stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the sixth floor. Just as the doors were about to close, a man in a white coat rushed in, pushing a trolley.
He was wearing a mask, and the trolley that he was pushing held various kinds of medicine. He was obviously a doctor on the night shift.
When he saw Alex, the doctor looked at him sharply. Then he regained his composure and pressed the button for the fifth floor.
But Alex narrowed his eyes when he noticed the doctor's hands. He had calluses all over them and also a few scars. He was also wearing military boots, which made Alex suspicious.
What kind of doctor wears boots like that? he wondered.
As he was thinking about it, the doctor sneezed and stepped back. Then he pulled his mask down and blew his nose.
As Alex looked at the doctor's reflection on the elevator door, he was astonished.
How is that possible? he thought. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it.
He clenched his fists, but before he could react, the doctor pulled his mask back on. Seconds later, the door opened on the fifth floor, and the doctor pushed the trolley out of the elevator.
The squeaky wheels grew quieter as he walked away.
Alex remained in the elevator and went up to the sixth floor. As soon as he reached Maryann's room, he crept in and left the thermos by her bedside. Then, as quick as a flash, he dashed down the stairs to the fifth floor.
Right away, he saw the doctor pushing his trolley to the end of the corridor toward the intensive care unit.
There were six members of the Ghosts at the door, all armed. They looked brave and imposing, and Alex realized that they were taking shifts to guard Gabriel.
The doctor remained indifferent and approached them at a leisurely pace.
On seeing him, the Ghosts looked him up and down. "Who are you?" asked one Ghost. "We don't need another doctor here. We're taking care of Gabriel."
But the doctor ignored him and pushed his trolley into the hall.
"Stop!" cried one of the other Ghosts. "Didn't you hear us?"
As they followed him, the doctor turned around and forcefully pushed the trolley at them.
With a bang, the trolley hit the Ghosts, and dozens of bottles of medicine fell to the floor, shattering the bottles and releasing their contents.
There was a pungent smell in the air, and then a flame arose, quickly spreading to the Ghosts' clothes.
The Ghosts roared and started to beat the flames on their bodies. Meanwhile, the doctor took the opportunity to run past them toward Gabriel's room.
"Stop right there!" yelled one of the Ghosts.
But the doctor continued to run. The Ghosts ignored their burns and pulled out their weapons, but that didn't hinder the doctor.
He grinned, and then he took off his white coat and threw it on top of the Ghosts.
One Ghost had avoided the attack, and now he charged at the doctor.
But the doctor was too fast for the Ghost and easily evaded him.