Tap, tap, tap. The sound of a foot hitting the ground as you sit there, waiting. You shift in your seat, as if the chair itself is uncomfortable. It is not - but you are. You're waiting in a room to see a doctor. You don't like doctors. With doctors come needles and other…unpleasantries. Like diagnosis of a rare incurable disease. Or a sentence to a miserable diet for the rest of one's life. "Doctor Michael to room 457 please," you hear a voice drone over the hospital's speakers. Of course. Not to your room. Which means you'll be waiting; stressing out for who knows how much longer. You look at your watch. The doctor is late. Why or for how long, who knows. You hear footsteps pass your room; each time this happens you hope they will stop outside your door, but they keep passing by. You shift in your seat again. All this waiting is unfair.   More minutes past. Waiting is making you notice details you wouldn't otherwise. The persistent ticking of the clock above the door. The creaking of the floor underneath the footsteps that keeping passing your door outside. The strange hum of the radiator, occasional clattering and whispering; rumours you remember said the sounds were not the radiator but the ghost of a past patient in the psych ward connected to the hospital who had died. Yes, comforting rumours like that. Why was there never any rumours about happy puppies or something? Suddenly the door opens and in walks a man. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he says as he shuts the door behind him, "What seems to be the matter today?"  "I'm sorry, my doctor is Michael? Is he not seeing me today?" you ask. "Doctor Michael? He's quite backlogged today so I'm seeing you instead. You need not worry, I have the cure for all your ails. Unless you prefer to wait?" Ah. More waiting.   "No, that's alright. I'll see you instead. Doctor…?" you prompt. "Zero. I'm referred to by Zero," he responds. "Zero? That's an unusual name," you remark. "Code white. Code white," drones a voice over the hospital speaker. You look up towards the sound. That was different from the usual announcements. "Patient Zero has escaped. Do not engage, he's extremely dangerous," the voice continues to drone. It's that moment that you feel a needle prick your neck. "Don't worry, I will help you with all your problems," Patient Zero tells you as the room begins to swirl. Your body hits the floor. The last words you hear before your eyes close is Zero's, "After all, death is the cure for everything." -- My entry for the 2022 Writers Halloween Contest