Chapter 15: The Descent into Chaos

The rhythmic beep of the heart monitor filled the sterile silence of Mrs. Silva's ward. Nurse Ramirez, her brow furrowed in concentration, meticulously checked the elderly woman's vitals. Everything seemed normal, a steady blip on the screen mirroring the gentle rise and fall of Mrs. Silva's chest. Suddenly, the quiet alarm pierced the air. The heart monitor's once steady rhythm morphed into a frantic dance of erratic spikes and dips. Nurse Ramirez's eyes widened in alarm. "Mrs. Silva! Mrs. Silva!" she called out, her voice sharp with urgency. There was no response. Panic clawed at Nurse Ramirez's throat as she fumbled with the call button. Just then, Dr. Sanchez entered the room for his routine rounds. His eyes fell on the nurse's panicked expression, then darted to the erratic beeping of the monitor. "What's happening?" he demanded, striding towards the bedside. "I don't know, Dr. Sanchez!" Nurse Ramirez exclaimed, her voice trembling. "It just… it just started all of a sudden!