Fatal Polaroid

I spent the next week at work and refused to meet Oliver.

He was happy about it, as he kept meeting up with Bella.

Then, Bella posted something on social media. Even though she deleted it immediately, I still managed to see it.

[Help! What should I do if my family starts growing fur?]

She had even attached a photo of her parents.

I felt like it was time to visit the hospital again.

It was 10 a.m. when I reached, and the hospital was just starting to get busy.

I had informed Bella that I was coming to visit that morning, so she was waiting for me at the entrance.

“Hi, Eleanor, showing up empty-handed?”

She stared at me in annoyance. I smiled awkwardly.

“I did prepare something, but I forgot it in the office. I’ll bring it over on my next visit.”

She looked pleased after that.

I followed her into the hospital ward. It was only then that I noticed the two people on the hospital beds. They looked very different.

Her father was very skinny and resembled a monkey.

He kept scratching his head, and his body hair had turned yellow.

It was only noticeable when I got closer.

Her mother looked even funnier. Her nostrils had gotten very big.

She was covered in a thick coat of brown fur.

Bella looked a little embarrassed when I stared at them.

“The doctors don’t know what’s wrong with them. They examined them, but they couldn’t find anything wrong.

“My father’s so skinny now, but my mother has gained a lot of weight.”

In the next second, she seemed to realize something.

She looked at me anxiously. “Did something happen to your parents recently?”

I nodded.

“They keep complaining about headaches. My father has lost weight, too.”

She let out a sigh of relief. “It’s good that it’s not so serious.”

After that, she turned around and gave her parents some water. I looked at her back. I could not help noticing that, despite her slim face, she had gained a noticeable amount of weight overall. The word “bear” popped into my head, and I had to stifle a laugh.

Bella stared at me in confusion. Her hand involuntarily went to her face.

“What’s wrong?”

I immediately shook my head. “Nothing. I just feel like your skin looks better.”

She smiled happily and then stared at my face for a very long time. Then, she mumbled a little unhappily, “Why hasn’t your face changed at all?

“Oh, Eleanor, last time I told you to take pictures of your parents. Where are the pictures? Show me!”

I pulled out the polaroid films from my bag a little awkwardly. “Oh, I couldn’t find the time! I had some urgent matters to deal with, so I haven’t been home much.

“But I did go to a zoo a few days ago and got to use the camera! I took some photos there. Look!”

She snatched the photos from my hand and was furious as she looked at the photos of the animals.

She was trembling.

“You! Are you insane?!

“Why did you take photos of these animals with the camera I gave you?

“Go back home, immediately take a photo of your family, and show it to me!”