Detectives A’isha and ‘Zug enter a hospital room with a uniformed officer behind them. A’isha speaks as she steps in, and ‘Zug follows with a calm demeanor. Both wear badges around their necks. In the background, a CRT television broadcasts a news report showing men in flame-retardant suits burning away tendrils of the Blight. A wired-glass door marks the room as part of the hospital. Ran sits up in a hospital bed, smiling with a relaxed and slightly sarcastic expression. Her left arm is in a sling, and a medical wristband is visible on her right wrist. She gestures casually while speaking, making light of being formally addressed. Detective A’isha stands in Ran’s hospital room, addressing her with a firm, unimpressed expression. She wears a dark blazer and a badge on a chain around her neck. Part of a CRT television showing a Blight cleanup broadcast is visible in the background. Detective ‘Zug stands beside Ran’s hospital bed, speaking seriously. Ran, sitting up with her left arm in a sling, responds with a dry, sarcastic smile and a raised hand. Despite her injuries, she appears composed. Both maintain a conversational but contrasting tone– ‘Zug’s somber, Ran’s sardonic.

Panel 1 Detectives A’isha and ‘Zug enter a hospital room with a uniformed officer behind them. A’isha speaks as she steps in, and ‘Zug follows with a calm demeanor. Both wear badges around their necks. In the background, a CRT television broadcasts a news report showing men in flame-retardant suits burning away tendrils of the Blight. A wired-glass door marks the room as part of the hospital. Panel 2 Ran sits up in a hospital bed, smiling with a relaxed and slightly sarcastic expression. Her left arm is in a sling, and a medical wristband is visible on her right wrist. She gestures casually while speaking, making light of being formally addressed. Panel 3 Detective A’isha stands in Ran’s hospital room, addressing her with a firm, unimpressed expression. She wears a dark blazer and a badge on a chain around her neck. Part of a CRT television showing a Blight cleanup broadcast is visible in the background. Panel 4 Detective ‘Zug stands beside Ran’s hospital bed, speaking seriously. Ran, sitting up with her left arm in a sling, responds with a dry, sarcastic smile and a raised hand. Despite her injuries, she appears composed. Both maintain a conversational but contrasting tone– ‘Zug’s somber, Ran’s sardonic.

Transcript

Panel 1
A’isha: Miss Kimura, we have some questions about tonight.

Panel 2
Ran: You know you can just call me Ran.
Ran (cont’d): “Miss Kimura” makes me feel like I’m already in the report.

Panel 3
A’isha: Cute. You don’t get a pass just because I know your name.

Panel 4
‘Zug: You’re lucky to be alive. I’ve seen less damage kill people twice your size.
Ran: One arm short, a few pints light…
Ran (cont’d): …but sure, let’s talk paperwork.

Dead shall rise – Chapter 2 page 6

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Maho Noir

Ran’s barely stitched together and already the questions start. Not from a doctor, but from people with clipboards and badges.

A’isha doesn’t sugarcoat it. She’s not here to check on a friend—she’s here to fill in the blanks of a very bad night. ‘Zug plays it low and dry as usual, pointing out what everyone’s thinking: it’s a miracle Ran’s not in the morgue herself.

There’s a television on in the background—just a detail, but one that matters. Men in flame-retardant suits torching Blight tendrils. It’s a thread from an earlier version of this story, one that almost opened Chapter 1. I was going to do more of a noir detective walk and talk and you'd see the television in the window of a store... instead I went with the in media res of Ran in the apartment.

Ran’s not out of questions. Or trouble. And neither is the hospital.

Next page: something gets up that shouldn’t.