Connected Blood

3 - The Return

I had barely left the hospital when I was thrown straight back into work. Is this really what it means to be an actress? God, I’m stressed.

“Sync, just one more pose, and we’re done,” the photographer called out.

I sighed, placing one hand on my hip and the other on my forehead—classic headache pose. It took a few more shots before we wrapped up the shoot.

“Okay, that’s a wrap! Great job, everyone!” The crew erupted into applause and started packing up the equipment.

I slumped onto the side of the set, chugging water. It was exhausting. It felt like I hadn’t worked in a year, and now my body felt like it had been hit by a truck all over again.

“Job well done,” Max said, plopping down beside me.

“Did it ever cross your mind that I just got out of the hospital? You and Matthew—your ever-so-loving partner—decided to schedule me right away without even informing me?” I crossed my arms, glaring at her.

She chuckled. “You weren’t sick. You were just lounging around in that hospital room, chilling. You’re totally fine, so Matthew and I figured it was time to get you back on track.”

I glared at her harder. “You’re lucky you’re not the one in front of the cameras.”

“At least I’ve got a loyal boyfriend,” she teased, laughing.

I rolled my eyes. “Must you rub that in my face? Ugh, whatever. I’m going to nap in my office.”

The moment I stepped into my office, I collapsed onto the couch. Sleep hit me like a brick.

---

When I woke up, the room was pitch dark. Not even a sliver of light seeped through the windows. I stood up, groggy and disoriented, and made my way to the door. That’s when I heard it—a faint noise from inside the room.

“Hello? Is someone there?” I called out, standing frozen in place, waiting for a response. Minutes passed, but no one answered.

“If you’re trying to scare me—it won’t work! Show yourself!” I shouted into the void, my voice echoing in the silence.

Just as I took a step toward the door, I heard the sound again, clearer this time.

“WHOEVER YOU ARE, COME OUT! I’ll have you arrested!” I yelled, my voice trembling.

Then it came—a voice, deep and chilling. “Selene…”

Goosebumps erupted all over my skin. I swallowed hard, my voice shaking. “Who are you?”

The voice responded, its tone menacing yet calm. “Your blood…”

My heart pounded in my chest. “What do you mean, my blood? What are you talking about?” I frantically scanned the room, but there was no one—no shadow, no figure.

Before I could say another word, the door burst open. Max entered, flipping the light switch. “You look like an i***t, talking to yourself in the dark.”

“What do you mean, talking to myself? I was talking to someone in here! I heard him!” I protested, my voice rising.

Max raised an eyebrow. “You sure you haven’t lost it? There’s no one here but you.”

I grabbed my head, frustration boiling over. “I know what I heard! It was a man’s voice, and he was talking about my blood.”

Max laughed, waving me off. “You must’ve been dreaming, girl. Maybe next time, don’t sleep for three hours straight. Now, come on, let’s eat.” She walked out, leaving the door wide open.

I sighed heavily and followed her to the dining area, though my mind lingered on the chilling voice I’d heard.

---

“Finally! I can lie down,” I groaned, flopping onto my couch. I kicked off my shoes and carelessly tossed them aside, not caring about the mess.

Just as I closed my eyes, the doorbell rang. I groaned again, dragging myself to the door. The moment I opened it, my eyes widened in shock.

“You?” I spat, narrowing my eyes.

Standing there was Kyan—the last person I expect to visit me after all those years.

“I’m not here to cause trouble. I just need to talk to you,” he said, his tone serious.

I tried to shove the door closed, but he blocked it with his foot. “There’s nothing to talk about. Leave!”

“Sync, aren’t you curious about why you’re the only one who survived that accident? You were the one hit directly by the truck, yet you walked away with barely a scratch. Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

I froze. His words struck a nerve. The doctors had been baffled too, unable to explain why I didn’t have a single broken bone, only minor cuts and bruises. How did I survive that crash when my car was completely crushed?

“What do you know?” I demanded, stepping aside to let him in.

Kyan exhaled in relief and handed me a sealed envelope. “Here. This was found at the accident site.”

We sat down in the living room, and I opened the envelope with trembling hands. My breath hitched as I pulled out the contents—photographs of a shattered coffin, its intricate carvings barely recognizable.

“What the hell is this?” I shouted, throwing the photos onto the floor.

Kyan picked them up, his expression grave. “At the crash site, they found this coffin. It’s where the preserved body of a man had been kept for over 200 years. But now, the body is missing. All they found was the broken coffin.”

My blood ran cold. “Are you saying that man disappeared because of me?”

“It’s possible,” he replied. “The body was supposed to be sent to my lab for further research, but the accident disrupted everything. And now, I think the man… he might’ve come back to life.”

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “Are you insane? How could a dead man just come back to life? That’s impossible!” I crossed my arms, trying to steady my breathing.

“He wasn’t fully dead, Sync. It’s as if he was in a deep coma for centuries. What’s even more bizarre is that he hasn’t aged a day,” Kyan explained, his voice steady but unsettling.

“Get out!” I shouted, pointing toward the door. “Take all this with you, and don’t come back if you’re just here to scare me! And don’t think I’ve forgotten what you did to me!”

Kyan raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, but I’m just trying to warn you. You need to be aware of what’s happening.”

“I don’t care! Get out!” I yelled, shoving him out the door.

The moment he left, I locked the door and leaned against it, my legs threatening to give out. My heart raced, and my mind spun. Was any of this real? Could a 200-year-old body truly come back to life?

I staggered to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water, my hands trembling. Kyan’s words echoed in my head. A man who hasn’t aged, preserved for centuries, now possibly alive.

What did this mean? And what did it have to do with me?