Clinic

The Clinic
Location	The Town
Inhabitants	Kristi Miller (doctor) Gina† (nurse) Bing-Qian Liu† (patient) Marielle (nurse)

The Clinic is located in the Town’s former school building. It has been repurposed to serve as the Town’s medical building, with most of its limited supplies coming from the ambulance that got trapped in Town. The Clinic includes a common area with cots for patients on the main and basement floors, as well as personal quarters for Kristi Miller, the third-year medical student who acts as the Town’s doctor.

The Clinic is also home to Bing-Qian Liu, who has dementia, and Gina, who works as a nurse primarily taking care of him.

History

Season 1

As the sun sets, Kristi informs Deputy Kenny Liu and his elderly father, Bing-Qian, that it is time for him to go to the basement. Bing-Qian gets agitated, but Kristi calms him, and Gina helps the old man downstairs. As he exits, Kenny compliments Kristi’s skill in calming his father. Later the next day, two separate cars arrive at the same time and crash on the road. One of the drivers, Tobey McCray, is brought to the Clinic by Kenny, who informs Kristi and Gina of the accident. Kristi hands Tobey off to Gina and rushes out with Kenny. Sara Myers stops by and gives Tobey a glass of water. Later that night, he wakes up again, and Sara stabs him in the throat.

That night, Bing-Qian wins a game of chess against Gina, who declares herself not very good. Bing-Qian tells her that she is good, but he is simply better. He explains that when he came to America, he couldn’t speak English, but he could play, and it was like a universal language. Gina remarks that it’s nice that he taught Kenny. Bing-Qian says that Kenny’s name is Fu-Hen, but Kenny wanted to be American and to have an American name. Bing-Qian then begins to get confused and starts speaking Cantonese before declaring that he wants his son. Gina calms him down and promises that Kenny will be back tomorrow. Meanwhile, Sara has a breakdown after killing Tobey, mumbling to herself about something she doesn't want to do. She then leaves the Clinic, but leaves the door open for the Creatures, who kill Gina and Bing-Qian. Their bodies are discovered the next morning by Kenny and the others.

Sara Myers has a seizure and is taken to the Clinic. Kristi Miller checks on her, and declares her seemingly fine. Sheriff Boyd Stevens stops by to get a report from Kristi, and mentions that Ethan Matthews also had a seizure upon arriving in the Township. Kristi notices the tremors in his hand, and tells him to return the next day. That night, Sara and Kristi talk about Kenny's feelings for Kristi. Sara then asks Kristi that were there were something that would allow her to see her fiancee Marielle again and for everyone to go home, even if it was something bad, if she would do it. After ensuring that they are speaking hypothetically, Kristi says she would do anything to see her again, and if everyone else got to go home, it’s a lot of good for one bad thing. Sara departs the next morning.

Boyd visits Kristi, and asks her how Kenny is doing. Kristi admits that he has been having a hard time since his father’s death, and is trying hard to be a person that he thinks people need him to be because he is Boyd’s deputy and doesn’t want to fail him. Kristi tells him that right now, Kenny needs a father.

The morning after the Colony House attack, Kristi sets Ellis’s arm in the Clinic. Fatima asks if she can help, and Kristi tells her to make sure Ellis does not leave the bed until Kristi can do a final checkup. Kenny arrives and asks if he can help Kristi, and she asks if he can help secure the building. Kenny adds that he finished chapter 6 of the book, and says things are getting interesting. Kristi replies that she doesn’t think she’ll be able to read much tonight, but kisses him on the cheek and thanks him for his help.

Boyd later approaches Ellis and Fatima in the Clinic, and informs them that he is going to be leaving to try and find a way out. Ellis grimly remarks that he is going off into the forest with no idea what he is looking for, which worked well the last time. Boyd asks Fatima to excuse them and when she does, Boyd tells Ellis that he can be angry with or hate him, but he will listen to what he has to say. Boyd says that if he does not make it back, he does not want Ellis to regret what he did not say. Boyd says that Ellis is his son, that he loves him and is proud of the man he has become, adding that there is not a single day where that is not true. Ellis responds “ok” and Boyd leaves.

Fatima returns to Ellis’s bedside and says that she will say something that may make him hate her, but she is ok with that. She tells him that what happened was neither his nor Boyd’s fault, but the fault of the Town. While Fatima may not have been there, she knows that if there was anything else he could have done, he would have. She acknowledges that what happened filled Ellis with rage and made him inconsolable, and he directed that rage at his father, which his father accepted, because that is what parents do. Fatima asks Ellis if he has ever thought about what that day was like for Boyd, and what he has carried with him ever since. Fatima tells him that if he does not get up and go after his father now, he will regret it for the rest of his life.

In order to help with the Radio Tower, Kristi strips the ambulance of wire. Kenny approaches her, and asks if she wants to travel with him if they escape. Kristi tells Kenny that she likes him a lot, but reminds him that she was engaged prior to her arrival. Kenny apologizes and leaves with the wire.

Season 2

After Jim Matthews is rescued from the rubble of his home, Kristi patches up Jim as his family watches. Jim tries to rise to leave, but the pain prevents him, and Kristi tells him that he has cracked ribs and likely a bruised lung, and needs to rest. Kristi asks Tabitha how she is doing, and she says she is fine. Noticing Marielle has entered, Kristi leaves to go talk to her. Jim then asks Julie and Ethan for privacy before telling her that he thought she was dead and that he can’t lose her. She tells him that the wires weren’t connected to anything. Jim asks how the kids are holding up, and Tabitha admits that she doesn’t know. The two say they love each other and kiss.

Later that day,  Jim notices the exit sign above the door flickering, and painfully rises to try and look at the wires. Tillie then arrives looking for Kristi, and Jim tells her that she had to run out, but asks if he can help her. Tillie realizes Jim was the man trapped under the house, and says that Brick sat across the aisle from her. Tillie begins to leave, but Jim asks her where she was going on the bus. Tillie says that she was going to the racetrack to bet on the horses, and has been visiting racetracks across the country. Jim asks if it was a charter bus, but Tillie does not know. Jim then asks her what is in her bag, and Tillie remarks that he asks many questions. Jim tries to ask one more but collapses from the pain, and Tillie calls for help. Marielle arrives and helps Jim into a chair. Marielle goes to look for an aspirin, and Tillie tells Jim that Marielle is Kristi’s fiancee, shocking him.

Kristi returns to the Clinic extremely shaken, and tearfully tells Marielle that she needs her to stay. Marielle holds Kristi as she cries.

Tabitha visits Jim in the Clinic, but does not find him in bed. She looks for him, and finds Marielle looking through the medicine cabinet. Tabitha asks who she is, and Marielle introduces herself, and explains that she is a nurse and was helping Kristi with inventory. Tabitha asks about her husband, and Mari says that he left a little while ago. Tabitha finds him looking at the bus passengers unload their belongings, and scolds him for not resting. Jim directs her to their collapsed house and explains that the entire night he was trapped he ruminated on the question of why this happened to them. They then overhear Randall criticizing Tian-Chen for taking the belongings of the deceased. Jim then informs Tabitha that Kristi’s fiancee was on the bus. He then voices his belief that the Town is all a messed up experiment. He reveals that the radio worked, but they haven’t told anyone, and that the voice on the other end addressed him by name and said Tabitha shouldn’t be digging right before the house collapsed. Tabitha then asks if anyone else heard the voice.

After a returned Sara Myers reveals to Kenny Liu that she was responsible for his father's death, he goes to the Clinic. Boyd Stevens finds him standing by the spot where he found his father's body. A furious Kenny lashes out at Boyd for concealing the fact that he knew about Sara's misdeeds, and quits as deputy.

The next morning, Kristi brings Marielle a box of pastries that Tian-Chen makes. Mari says she has a surprise for Kristi, and tells her to close her eyes. Mari then gives her a Gerhardt Trucking t-shirt, delighting her. Kristi is amazed that Mari has it, and Mari explains that she doesn’t go anywhere without it since Kristi disappeared, and that she still remembers the last time she saw Kristi wearing it. Kristi’s face turns somber, and upon Mari’s asking, she explains that she worries whether or not she is still the same person she was before after all she has seen and done. Mari assures her that they are still themselves, and will figure the rest out together. The two then begin kissing.

Later, Mari gives Kristi a haircut. Tillie then arrives, and gives Kristi a bottle of liquid morphine for safekeeping. Kristi asks why she is carrying that around, and then realizes that Tillie has cancer and asks when she was diagnosed. Tillie answers a month ago, and by the time she needs the morphine, she won’t be in any shape to administer it. Tillie then admonishes herself for ruining their afternoon, and leaves them alone. Tillie adds that they are better off staying in the Clinic anyway, given the hubbub surrounding Sara’s return to Town. This shocks Kristi, who runs outside with Mari on her heels. Mari stops her and ask her to explain, and Kristi explains that Sara tried to kill Ethan, and that she feels responsible because she told Sara it was worth doing something bad to go home. Mari calms her down and brings her back inside.

As the sun sets, Kristi looks for a hair clip in Mari’s bag and finds a rehab brochure. When Mari arrives, Kristi confronts her, reminding her that Mari told her that she was on her way to see her aunt when she arrived in Town. Mari insists that it isn’t a big deal and that it is all under control. Kristi points out that she was on her way to rehab and is now stuck here, therefore nothing is under control. Kristi asks when she relapsed, and blames herself for causing Mari’s relapse. Mari tries to say that she was going to tell Kristi, who rushes to the drug cabinet to secure its contents. Mari tries to insist that it isn’t a big deal and tells Kristi to stop treating her like a junkie. Kristi says that their drug supply is limited and vital, and asks if Mari took anything. Mari admits that she took a bit of morphine to even herself out. Mari gets angry and tries to storm out, but Kristi warns her that it will be dark outside soon.

Boyd Stevens is brought to the Clinic by Kenny for his fainting spells. Boyd tries to explain to Kristi what happened with Martin in the dungeon and the worms. Boyd continues to say the worms had been feeding on Martin for years but they would not let him die. Kristi is disturbed, and Boyd asks her that if she can’t believe him, for her to promise to end his misery if things get too bad for him, leaving her shocked. Kristi exits and talks with Kenny about Boyd’s condition. Kenny worries that Boyd’s mental state is declining, much like his father’s did. Kristi tells Kenny that dementia usually only happens later, but Kenny points out that it does happen. Boyd later has another hallucination and draws his gun, almost shooting Marielle.

As the night goes on, Boyd has another hallucination where he has a long conversation with a vision of Father Khatri. Kenny walks in and asks Boyd who he was talking to. Boyd tries to say he was just thinking out loud, but Kenny sees through the lie and repeats his question. Kenny then bars the doors and says Boyd is not leaving until he is assured that it is safe, having heard what happened with Marielle. Boyd admits he was talking to Father Khatri and knows it looks bad, but insists that something happened to him out in the forest and it terrifies him.

Fatima Hassan and Elgin arrive with Ellis, who has been stabbed in the chest and is losing blood. Kristi is able to stabilize him, but says he needs a blood transfusion. Boyd refuses, out of fear that he would pass on the worms in his arm. Kenny then points a gun at Boyd and tries to force him to provide his blood. Boyd then begins writhing in pain, and Marielle sees the worms and alerts the others to their presence. Fatima begs them to do something. Kenny retrieves a knife and tells Boyd to transfer the worms to him so he can do the transfusion, and they can figure out the rest later. Boyd refuses, explaining that there is a nightmare happening under his skin which is getting stronger and is not willing to risk passing it onto Kenny.

Boyd has an idea and leaves the Clinic, calling the Creatures to him. When the Smiley Creature approaches, Boyd cuts his own hand and then Smiley's throat, pressing his own wound to Smiley's. The worms migrate from Boyd's body to Smiley's, killing the Creature. Boyd then rushes back inside, and the transfusion is successfully performed. After checking on Ellis, Fatima asks Kristi for a pregnancy test.

The next morning, Kristi confirms to Fatima that she is pregnant, and asks if she has told Ellis yet. When Fatima answers no, Kristi says that although they are not in ideal conditions, women have been giving birth for thousands of years, and Fatima has the added benefit of having a third-year medical student at her disposal. They then attend a meeting with everyone else on the subject of Smiley's body. Kenny advocates they burn the body, while Kristi thinks they should perform an autopsy to try and learn more about the Creatures. After deciding to the autopsy, Fatima and Ellis are sent back to Colony House, to prevent visitors from seeing the Creature's body.

The body is moved inside the building, while Mari's condition worsens as she goes through withdrawal. Eventually, Kristi needs to put her in bed. As they proceed with the autopsy, Kenny freaks out when the body twitches, and storms out of the room, He reveals to Kristi that he is struggling with his feelings for her after Mari's return. Meanwhile, Mari has a nightmare that Smiley attacks her.

As the autopsy goes on, Kenny returns to help. They discover that the Creatures have the same anatomy as a human, but shriveled and desiccated, with no fluids to speak of. Kristi is dismayed by the absence of blood, recalling Boyd’s description of the worms. She digs in the body looking for some fluid but begins to break down and begins stabbing at the body randomly. Kenny notices an orange liquid, and Kristi says it’s bile leaking out of the gallbladder. Boyd and Kenny are encouraged by this, and they work to gather it. Afterwards, Kristi comforts an ailing Mari.

Boyd and Kenny head to the Clinic, where they find Kristi tending to a worsening Mari. They tell Boyd and Kenny that sounds were coming from the boiler room where Smiley’s body is being kept. Boyd and Kenny go down to investigate, telling Kristi and Mari to run if things go bad. They carefully advance on the door and find hundreds of cicadas crawling all over Smiley’s corpse. Kenny explains that in his dream, he heard the exact same buzzing and saw a pot full of them. Kristi then recalls that Elgin dreamt about drowning and awoke spitting up water. Kenny adds that when the music box started playing, one jumped out and burned his arm. Marielle is frightened by the idea that their dreams can harm them now. Donna arrives asking for Kristin, and noticing their expressions, asks what is going on.

Boyd tells Donna about what happened with Smiley, and Donna is irate that he failed to tell her about this earlier. Boyd apologizes and Donna asks about the bile, and Boyd says they are not certain but it is worth trying. When he shows her the body, the cicadas are gone. Donna is shocked by the body, while Boyd is worried about the disappearance of the cicadas. Donna says they probably scattered, and that they need to burn the body. Boyd and Kenny cart the body away, and Donna tells them to burn the body far away so people don’t get curious. As for the dreams, Boyd suggests they have people sleep in shifts. He says he’ll have Sara put up in the Sheriff’s Office, and tells Kristi and Mari to join her, warning Kristi that he has seen withdrawal before and it is going to get worse. Kristi refuses to be under the same roof as Sara but agrees to go to Colony House. Unbeknownst to them all, Randall has been observing them from behind a tree.

Season 3

Sara arrives at the Clinic, much to Kristi’s fury, and informs her that Tian-Chen was killed the previous night before departing. Marielle arrives, and Kristi sadly tells Mari that Tian-Chen was killed. Later that day, Ellis and Fatima stop by to see Kristi due to Fatima's difficult pregnancy. In her absence, Mari offers to examine Fatima. Ellis, Fatima and Mari discuss Fatima’s morning sickness and lack of eating. Mari reassures Ellis as he asks a litany of questions, calling it a tradition of first-time fathers. However, Fatima is severely malnourished and suffering from exceptionally bad morning sickness. Mari says everything seems fine with the baby, and searches for food that will be easier on Fatima’s stomach.

After their expedition to the Settlement, Jade and Kenny bring the injured Kristi to the Clinic, where she is taken by Marielle. Jade and Kenny ask about the ambulance, and Boyd reveals that Tabitha has returned, much to their shock. Boyd explains her story, and Jade runs off. Inside, Kenny explains that they will have to return to the Log Cabins for the remaining food, but warns that both times he has been there he has observed something walking around outside at night. Boyd says they have bigger things to worry about. Kenny asks why the Creatures didn’t kill Randall, and Boyd answers that they want the Townspeople to be constantly afraid, and no longer be able to pretend that they are safe.

Marielle examines Kristi’s ankle, and explains what happened with Nicky. Kristi tries to reassure Mari that Nicky’s death was not her fault. Mari believes that Kristi is insinuating that she will begin using again. The two are interrupted by Randall, who wakes up in pain, and Mari goes to tend to him, followed by Boyd and Kenny. Mari tells Boyd that he will only makes things worse here, but he can be of more use in Town now that Tabitha has returned.

Marielle and Kenny sort the supplies from the ambulance. As he leaves, he runs into Boyd, who asks if he is okay. Kenny promises that he is fine, and does not want to talk about it right now. Inside, Boyd finds Randall convalescing. Kristi, now on crutches, finds him and informs him that Randall is doing better, and the ambulance had an ultrasound aboard, telling him to inform Fatima.

After he wakes up, Marielle arrives to change Randall’s bandages, much to his chagrin. Neither wound has any sign of infection, but Mari warns that there will be pain and discomfort. Randall demands that he see his wounds, and Mari finds a mirror for him before giving him some privacy.

Later, as Randall prepares to leave, Marielle instructs him to apply disinfectant every time he changes the bandages. Randall asks why she is pretending like she is fine after her ordeal with the Music Box Monster. Marielle refuses to answer, and Randall says they experienced the same things. Randall remarks that it must be easier to cope with someone to sleep beside at night, but he is alone on the bus and is terrified. Mari tells him that he does not need to stay at the bus and offers to put him in one of the Clinic’s rooms, telling him that no one has to be alone.

Fatima arrives for the ultrasound, which is administered by Kristi. As she examines her, she and Mari are confused by the ultrasound and apologetically explain that she is not pregnant as there is nothing in her uterus. Fatima does not believe them and demands they keep looking. Kristi turns the screen towards them and shows that there is nothing. Fatima says that there is something inside her that she needs them to find, and Ellis says that they need to tell them.

Fatima explains her cravings to Kristi and asks what is happening to her. Kristi says were they anywhere else, she would guess that Fatima is exhibiting symptoms of a psychosomatic pregnancy. Marielle assures her that they do not think she is hysterical and they are not ruling anything out, while Kristi acknowledges that Fatima may have been pregnant. Fatima lashes out and insists that she is still pregnant and can feel something inside of her. Kristi offers to have her and Ellis stay the night but she angrily refuses and storms out. Mari goes with them to set up an IV. Kristi tells Boyd that he should have told her about Fatima’s symptoms. Boyd asks her to help, but Kristi says she does not know how, much to Boyd’s chagrin, and he angrily tells her to do her job.

Julie arrives at the Clinic as Randall exits, preparing to go for a walk. Despite his saying he wants to be alone, Julie joins him. Later that day, Boyd arrives and finds Kristi and Ellis arguing over Ellis trying to take powerful antipsychotics to give to Fatima. Kristi warns that the pills can make things worse, and Boyd agrees with her. Ellis storms out, followed by his father. Ellis, exasperated, asks what he is supposed to do, recalling Boyd’s worms and his mother’s fate, asking which nightmare he should fear. Ellis admits that he is helpless as he watches her fall apart. As Boyd pulls him into a hug, he begs his father not to let anything happen to her.

After Julie Matthews has a seizure, she is brought to the Clinic and examined by Kristi Miller in the presence of her family. Kristi observes no signs of trauma, which she declares a good sign, and Julie promises that she is fine. Kristi and Marielle ask for her to explain what happened, and Julie answers that she walked to the ruins, stepped inside and blacked out. Mari asks if she remembers anything else, and Julie says she had a weird dream. Kristi asks to keep her in the Clinic overnight before she and Mari leave the Matthews alone. Jim asks Julie what she was doing at the ruins. She begins to explain that she went there with Randall the previous day, Jim grows angry, but they are interrupted by Tabitha’s arrival.

As Randall checks the bandages on his face, he becomes overwhelmed by the sound of cicadas. The sounds stop when Jim arrives, and he asks what they were doing in the woods. Randall is defensive, and Jim explains that he knows she is going through something after her shared ordeal with him and Mari, but she refuses to discuss it. Jim admits that he cannot understand, but figured that Randall might. Randall says he was teaching her how to drive when they ended up at the ruins. Randall confesses that even he cannot explain what happened, but he told Julie not to go to the ruins because they inexplicably felt wrong. As Jim leaves, Randall suggests he teach Julie to drive, because there is nothing they can do and none of them will escape alive. Jim retorts that he cannot accept that before leaving.

That night, Jim reports that the kids are asleep. Jim apologizes to Tabitha for his behavior and promises to support her in trying to figure out how to get home.

While Randall is exercising outside the Clinic, he becomes overwhelmed by the sound of cicadas, ripping the bandage off his face in frustration. Inside, Marielle tells Kristi that she isn’t allowing her injury to heal and needs to rest. Kristi responds that she cannot just do nothing, and point out that Mari was very quiet after they brought Julie in. Randall barges in and asks where the equipment from the ambulance is. when they tell him that it was downstairs, he retrieves a defibrillator and tries to use it on himself, as the sound of cicadas grows louder. Mari finds him and stops him in time, assuring him that he will be alright.

Staff & Residents

• Kristi Miller, a third-year medical student and paramedic who serves as the Town's doctor
• Marielle Sinclair, a pediatric nurse and Kristi's fiancee
• Gina †, a nurse
• Bing-Qian Liu †, an elderly dementia patient
• Randall Kirkland

Trivia

• The chalkboard has a partially erased quote from Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven": Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing/Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;"
• The name of the school is damaged, with letters "| ST | AL " somewhat visible.
• Possible names based on the intact letters, these names could also indicate the name of the Town:
  • West Falls
  • Celestial
  • Canning West (after the 1972 yearbook found in the diner inventory collection)
• In the main room, the missing cursive letters on the wall are I, O, R, T, V which could spell out V I _ T O R.