When I reach Mount Sinai, I am relieved when I see the protest still happening. I park my car in the carport right across from the Hospital and grab the camera bag as well as my recorder. As I walk out of the carport, the sun hits my face making my head hurt more than it was earlier. I suck up the pain walking towards the Nurses outside of the Hospital.

The Nurses are holding signs saying they aren't paid enough. I pull out my camera and start taking pictures. I get photos from far away and close-ups of the nurses and their signs.

After an hour of taking photos and a few short videos of the protest, I put my camera away and walk up to a small group protest by themselves. I notice they aren't shouting just holding up signs.

"Hello. I'm Phoebe Marshall from the New York Times. May I have a quick word?" I say, smiling and bringing out my phone ready to record our conversation. One of the female Nurses looks at the other women, and they all nod. "Great. Do you mind if I record this for the spread I'm doing for the paper?" I ask before I start the recorder.

"I don't mind as long as my name isn't on it." The closest Nurse says, crossing her arms over her chest, I nod and press record. "What happened to your head?" She asks, stepping closer to me.

"Nothing... I notice from your signs that you are demanding more money, why is that?" I ask, looking at her reaction.

"Nurses don't get enough appreciation-" She starts, and the other Nurses around her nod their heads. She continues with how she didn't become a Nurse to get underpaid. Most people don't even say "Thank you" which isn't the problem. It's the fact that they don't get paid enough for the endless hours of holding patients hands, preparing and administering drugs and running around the Hospital looking for the Doctors.

Inside my head, I agreed with them. Nurses do a bunch of work and for little pay. But as a Photojournalist, I don't get to share my opinion. I rely on other people's views and of course, facts.

I decide to take a break from being on my legs, sitting down on one of the benches outside of the Emergency Room. I need a cigarette- My head is pounding by now. Listening to all of those people talk, and now the shooting pain in my one leg is making everything worse. I sit there, watching how ordinary people respond to the protest-

Most people are ignoring the protest, ready to go home while other people stop and realise Nurses are people too. I hear my mother's voice in my head- "You can't live comfortably without money. It's how the world goes around, girls." She used to tell my sisters and me that as we grew up.

McKenna and McKinely are my sisters. We are nine years apart, and they are also twins. Since being nine years apart from my baby sisters, it has always been my responsibility to protect them, teach them and shield them from certain things.

Kenna and Kinley would want everything that I had, and they would copy everything I did. Well, until the girls went into Secondary School and I went away to college. We barely saw each other, which moulded them into the wild adventurous and almost 21-year-old young ladies they are. Their birthday is in a few weeks, and they are always visiting me from Australia to New York City for their birthday-

I get pulled out of my thoughts when I see the Nurses dropping their signs and rushing into the Hospital. Suddenly, a group of Ambulance's drive up one after the other. What's happening?

I grab my equipment and start limping towards the carport. I have enough information for my article so now I can go home. As I walk past, I watch as Doctors and Nurses dressed in yellow mesh gowns help the EMT's pull the burned victims out of the back of the Ambulances.

I gasp, putting my hand over my mouth, instantly feeling sick to my stomach. I need to get far away from here! I rush to the carport and right when I reach the door I collide with a hard chest for the second time today. But this time, I fall to the concrete and landed on my bad leg.

I look up through hazed eyes and see the same brown eyes I saw this morning. They belong to my new neighbour, which, thankfully, is wearing clothes. He is wearing a white lab coat over a pair of dark blue scrubs.

The Doctor, Noah has a black stethoscope around his neck, and he has a badge hanging off his breast pocket. When he notices it is me, he quickly bends down to help me up. But I instantly feel the urge to vomit. I push him away, throwing up in the grass to the right of me. I feel him stand behind me, holding my hair back. Gosh, this is gross-

"For the second time today, I literally run into you." Noah chuckles softly, getting down on his knee as I finish puking up my guts. I see him in the corner of my eye, trying to get a good look at my face. "Are you okay?" I turn my face away from him, feeling something touch my upper back.

"I-I'm fine." I spit this foul taste out of my mouth and move away from where I just vomited. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and close my eyes, trying not to gag from the smell.

"What made you vomit? Do you have any other symptoms? A headache, fatigue, dizziness?" Noah lifts my head, so I am forced to look at him and presses the stethoscope against my upper chest. He looks down at his watch and back into my eyes, waiting for my answer.

"I'm fine, okay." I go to push myself off the concrete, but he pushes down on my shoulder. I sigh, as he wraps the stethoscope back around his neck. "I have a slight headache, and I'm tired from work."

"Those are symptoms of a concussion, sweetheart." Noah pulls out a white pen and clicks it; I notice it's a flashlight when he flashes the light in my eyes. I move my face away from it, but his hand moves my head back into place and shines the light into my eyes. Stop! I stand up, taking a few steps away from him. I look away from his direction as he puts the flashlight back into his breast pocket.

"I feel better now. I just felt sick... I- I saw burnt bodies enter the Hospital." I answer honestly, remembering the terrifying sight. Instantly feeling nauseous again- "Are you sure? Your heart is pounding, and your pupils aren't equal-" He takes a step towards me, adjusting his stethoscope, "I can examine you fully in the hospital."

"Noah. I'm fine! I- I just want to go home, okay?" I practically beg, feeling annoyed at how this man won't stop trying to take care of me. I want to shout at him, tell him I can take care of myself, but I keep quiet grabbing my equipment off the ground.

"What is your name?" He randomly says, stepping in front of me and blocking the entrance to the carport.

"That's a random question." I try to open the door again, but he grabs my wrist feeling a small shock shoot through it. "If I tell you my name, will you let me go?" I look into his eyes, regretting my decision as my cheeks start getting hot. His eyes remind me of dark chocolate... I look down at my feet, shaking my head slightly.

"Just in case I hear your name come into the hospital." He smiles, making me grin. His touch is making me feel something I shouldn't feel. He sends me a soft smile making me hot between my legs. Oh god... "Phoebe. Phoebe Marshall." I respond, pulling my hand out of his and rushing into the carport.

When I get into the car, I slam the door shut, locking it quickly. My head falls against the back of the seat, and I close my eyes. I am breathing heavy, feeling my heart slamming against my chest.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" I whisper, "God, what am I?" I yell to myself, pulling my hands to my face. "Now I'm talking to myself." I shake my head, putting the keys in the ignition, ready to go home and sleep.

I am stuck in traffic when my phone rings. I grab my phone, seeing the unknown number go across my phone screen. My body was instantly in chills. I hesitate, but I answer the phone slowly bringing it to my ear. Please don't be him. Please don't be-

"See you tonight." Jay's voice sends icy chills through my spine, but before I can reply, he hangs up. I let the phone fall into my lap as the light turns green.

I drive home knowing tonight will be another night where I get beaten until I pass out on the hardwood floor...

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• If you liked this chapter, please consider giving it a vote and answering the questions below. •

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Hello, my lovely readers! How are you today? Thats so cute how Noah just wants to take care of Phoebe. Also, oh no... you guys get to meet Jay.

Questions:

1. What do you think of Phoebe's job? Isn't it insane?

2. Who do you think Jay is?

Thank you again!

- Anna