The automatic sliding doors hissed open, and a blast of icy air swept into the lobby, disturbing the quiet hum of the hospital. Julie Thompson glanced up from her paperwork, expecting to see a late-night visitor—or maybe an emergency patient. What she saw instead made her freeze.
Standing at the entrance was a bull moose. Snow clung to its massive frame, and its antlers stretched wide, nearly scraping the top of the doorframe. The room fell silent, the usual bustle of the hospital replaced by the low rumble of the moose’s heavy breathing.
Its dark, intelligent eyes scanned the space before landing on Julie. It didn’t panic, didn’t bolt. Instead, it took a deliberate step forward, as if it had come with a purpose—one Julie couldn’t yet understand.