Asylum

by Amy Cross

  She stares at the card for a moment, before putting it in her pocket. "Okay," she says, turning and walking away. I watch her as she goes, half-expecting her to vanish into thin air like a ghost, but she just walks further and further along the road until finally she disappears around the bend.

  Realizing I've got no other choice, I head back up to Lakehurst. The sun's low in the sky and I'm pretty sure it'll be dark within an hour or two, so I've got no option but to ask for help and possibly even stay the night. With my briefcase in my hand, I figure I can use the equipment I brought and get some readings from inside Lakehurst. The building looks so imposing as I wander up the steps and press the buzzer.

  A couple of minutes later, just as I'm starting to think that perhaps I'm going to be ignored, I see the guard from earlier coming to answer the door. He looks particularly unimpressed to see me, though not very surprised. As he opens the door, it's as if he was expecting me. It's hard not to imagine that he was perhaps the one who sabotaged my car on the orders of the people who run this place.

  "Mr. Evans," says a familiar voice, and I turn to see Nurse Winter coming down the stairs. "Did you forget something?"

  "Car trouble," I say. "Do you have the number of a local mechanic?"

  "As a matter of fact, I do," she says, barely able to conceal her pleasure at this turn of events, "but I'm afraid it'll be quite impossible to get him out here tonight. I can give him a call, but it'll be tomorrow morning at the earliest before he can reach us."

  I nod, having expected precisely this response. "I don't suppose -"

  "Of course!" she says. "We have plenty of guest rooms ready for just this type of eventuality. I'll get Morris to make the necessary arrangements." She pulls a mobile phone from her pocket and dials, but no-one answers her call. "He must be busy," she continues as she puts the phone away. "I'll see to the matter personally. Eddie, will you show Mr. Evans through to my office so he can wait while I arrange for a room? Dinner has already been served, but I'm sure the kitchen can rustle something up."

  "That's very kind of you," I say, trying to hide my cynicism.

  "Nonsense," she says. "I'm only too happy to help." With that, she turns and heads along the corridor, while Eddie leads me in a different direction.

  "Nice lady," I say.

  "Wait here," Eddie says as we reach Nurse Winter's office. He pushes the door open and I step inside. Once I'm alone, I walk over to the window and look out. I guess I'm going to be seeing a lot more of Lakehurst than I'd planned, but maybe that's a good thing. Sure, this Nurse Winter woman seems to run a tight ship, and there's something about the place that doesn't seem quite right, but I doubt she's a murderous psychopath. All I have to do is act nice, make sure I don't arouse any suspicions, and see what I can discover during the night. I look down at my briefcase. After searching for the source of the EMB-57 signal for so long, I'm closer than ever to uncovering the source of the mystery. And then there's Annie, who clearly needs help. Nurse Winter might be in charge around here, but I'm pretty sure I can outsmart her and uncover the secrets at the heart of Lakehurst.

  Jerry

  The plan is simple. I'll spend a couple of days gathering what I need, making copies of certain information, and then I'll leave Lakehurst. I don't know where I'll go, but I figure Nurse Winter owes me some favors and I can practice a little blackmail to seal the deal. All I need to do is send certain incriminating evidence to some online contacts, along with a time-delayed encryption key, and then I'll tell that bitch upstairs that the truth about Lakehurst will come out unless she gives me the money I need to start a new life. It's the perfect plan, really, and I'm pretty sure she'll accept that it's in her best interests to help me disappear.

  I'll be free.

  As I'm heading through to the main lab, I see Morris walking toward the elevator. The fucking janitor is the last person I need to see right now, but I guess I can practice looking normal. I need to be able to gather the information I need without arousing suspicion.

  "Yo, Morris," I say. He immediately freezes, turning to me with a startled expression. He looks as if he's been caught in the middle of some kind of illicit activity. Damn it, but Morris is one of those guys who always appears as if he's doing something he doesn't want anyone else to see. "What are you doing down here?" I ask.

  "I -" he starts to say. "I'm checking things," he continues. He looks startled. "I was checking the system."

  "Me too," I say, determined to make sure he doesn't get too nosy. "Checking the computer system."

  "I was checking the boiler," he replies.

  "Cool," I say. This conversation is clearly stilted, and I can see that he's trying to find a way to get out of the situation.

  "What are you doing tonight?" he asks. It's as if he thinks he can somehow strike up a normal conversation. All I want is for him to fuck off, so I can get on with my work.

  "Working," I reply, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "As usual," I add, trying to keep things casual. "But it's a private project this time, you know? Stuff for myself." Damn it, why did I say that? I need to make him need, not to encourage him to get curious.

  "You going to be up late?" he asks.

  "Not sure, man," I reply. "Not sure." There's an awkward silence. It's as if we each have something to hide. Personally, I'm happy for us to just end this encounter and get on with our own activities. I don't care what Morris is doing, and I hope to hell he doesn't care what I'm doing. All I want is to be left alone. I turn and head through to my lab, but at the last moment I glance back at him. "Night, Morris," I say. This conversation has already gone on for way too long, and I just want to get on with my own stuff. Morris can fuck off, as far as I'm concerned. He's just the janitor, right? What the hell does it matter if he thinks I'm a little weird?

  Heading through to the room with the computers, I decide now's the perfect time to copy the files I'll be using to blackmail Nurse Winter. My mother would want me to get out of this place, and I'll probably head to New York. I've heard that's the place to be, and I can probably use my skills there to get a new job. It'll feel good to get away from Lakehurst, to start a normal life. Lakehurst can rot, as far as I'm concerned. I'll just forget that the place ever existed as I start my new life and -

  Suddenly I hear a sound behind me. I'm about to turn and see what's happening when I feel something smash into the back of my head. An immediate feeling of nausea rushes through me and I drop to my knees. I can't see, and there's a sharp pain in my head. Reaching forward to try and steady myself, I feel the pain change in intensity and then there's another impact that seems to smash through my brain. A bright light flares in my mind - a light brighter than any I've ever seen before - and then everything starts to fade, and I can feel myself falling to the ground. I try to get up again, but there's another impact in the back of my head, and this time everything turns black. Finally, even the blackness fades away to nothing.

  Part II

  Nurse Winter

  What the hell is that old fool doing? Standing at the window in one of the rooms at the rear of the hospital, I watch as Morris, the janitor, drags a large bag out of the yard. I have no idea what's in that bag, but I'm pretty sure that whatever he's doing is not official Lakehurst business. I'm not opposed to him having his own side projects, of course, but I'd at least like to know what he's up to. He's a disgusting old man, but I guess he refuses to accept that his life is meaningless. Some people are like that: they cling on to their lives against all the odds. I guess Morris and I have something in common after all.

  As I watch Morris haul the bag away, I can't help wondering whether perhaps it has been a mistake not to pay closer attention to him over the years. When the business with Annie Radford and her visitor Mr. Evans is over, I might start keeping a closer eye on Morris, just to be certain that he won't spring any nasty surprises. For now, though, I'm busy with other matters, and Morris really should get to work fixing the pipes in this building. Tonight, they're especially no
isy, clanking and groaning as if they're struggling to work properly. I'll have to get Morris to take a look at the boiler first thing in the morning. There are a few things that need to change around here. Since I took over from Dr. Campbell, I've neglected some important matters. Time for a fresh start.

  "There's a problem," says a voice nearby.

  I turn to see that Eddie has entered the room. That's strange: no-one has ever crept up on me before, but tonight I seem to be struggling to focus. I can't shake the feeling that important things are happening.

  "One of the patients," Eddie continues. "She's dead."

  "Which one?" I ask.

  "Amanda Myrtle," he says. "Suicide."

  I take a deep breath. "How the fuck did that happen?" I ask. Damn it, we can't afford to waste patients like this. Amanda Myrtle was fairly new here, which means she could have been used in a number of different ways. It's so hard getting patients sent to us at Lakehurst. We have to be careful with each of them."

  "It looks like she managed to smuggle a knife into her room after dinner," he says. "We should've caught it, but we were short-handed and I guess she -"

  "Why were you short-handed?" I snap.

  "Well, for one thing, Nurse Perry's nowhere to be found," he replies. "Wherever she is, she's not down on the ward."

  "Nonsense," I say, walking toward him. "People don't just vanish from Lakehurst, and even if they do, that's no excuse for letting patients get knives into their rooms." I hurry into the corridor, heading back to the ward, with Eddie following. Nurse Perry is my most reliable member of staff, a woman who cares deeply for the patients. She'd never wander off like this. "What did Amanda do?" I ask Eddie as we walk. "Cut her wrists?"

  "No," he says. "She gouged out her heart."

  I stop and turn to him.

  "It was a steak knife," he offers by way of explanation.

  "Clean it up," I say. "Save the heart if you can. Get Morris to clean up every drop of blood, and have the body prepared for a quick burial tomorrow, but..." I pause for a moment. Why the hell did this have to happen tonight, of all nights? "Be discreet," I add. "I don't want our visitor finding out about what happened. And get Jerry to take a look at the body. Maybe he can salvage something."

  Heading through to the ward, I find that the members of the night shift are getting ready to take over. There's a general sense of unease, as if everyone's wondering what's going on. This is the first suicide at Lakehurst since I've been here, but it adds to the impression that the place is becoming chaotic. I've only just calmed people down after Dr. Campbell's death earlier in the year, followed by the death of another patient, and now I'm having to deal with a suicide. If I'm going to remain effective, I have to make sure I'm still seen to be in control. I have to restate my authority.

  "We can't find Nurse Perry anywhere," one of the other nurses says, clearly annoyed at the extra workload. "We can't work properly if we're having to second guess whether other people are doing their jobs."

  I stare at her for a moment. "You're welcome to resign," I say firmly.

  She pauses, and I can see from the look in her eyes that she knows she's gone too far. "I didn't mean it like that," she stammers. "I was just saying, we all need to pull together."

  "Perhaps you'd like to come and discuss your concerns with me privately?" I ask. "Shall we go to my office? Somewhere we can be alone?"

  She shakes her head. In just a few seconds, I've reduced her to a terrified wreck. "It's okay," she mumbles.

  "You're wrong," I say. "It's not okay. It's very far from okay. This simply isn't good enough. Amanda Myrtle was supposed to be helped here at Lakehurst. She came here because it was decided that we'd be the best people to fix her problems, to turn her life around and get her into a state where she'd be able to return to society." I pause for a moment, letting my words sink in. "She was a troubled girl who needed help and care. She needed to be protected from herself. She needed to be comforted and supported, and we let her down. We allowed her demons to consume her. We should have been there to keep her safe." I pause again, to give them all time to think about my words. "I take full responsibility for the tragedy that stole Amanda from us, but I urge each and every one of you to think about ways you could have perhaps acted differently. The little things are just as important as the big things. We can't bring Amanda back, but we can learn from what happened. Let's not lose sight of the fact that a girl has lost her life in a cruel and horrific manner, and let's also not lose sight of the fact that we're the only people who can make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else here at Lakehurst."

  There's silence in the room as everyone stands with bowed heads. My words have got through to them. Having been angry a moment ago, they're now saddened. I guess that little bitch's death wasn't a complete waste after all.

  "This isn't like Nurse Perry" I say, turning to Eddie. "Find her. She can't have left the building, and if she has, she can't have got very far. Track her down and bring her to me. I want to know what the hell's going on with her."

  Eddie sighs. "Any idea where I should start looking?"

  "Search every inch of the building if you have to," I tell him. "Start from the bottom and work your way to the top."

  He pauses. "The very top?" he asks.

  "Obviously not the attic," I say. "She's not going to be up there with him, is she?" I take a deep breath. "Find her."

  "Sure," Eddie says, but he just stands there, as if he's waiting for something.

  "What do you want?" I ask, stepping closer to him. He's annoying me tonight. It seems as if he's just bringing me a series of problems that should never have occurred in the first place. Eddie's a useful member of my team, but he's not indispensable. I could find another Eddie if necessary. "What's wrong now?" I ask, fixing him with a dark stare.

  "Your office," he says.

  "What about my office?" I ask, but then I remember. "Oh," I say. "I'll deal with that. Find Nurse Perry, and get Morris to clear up Amanda's mess. I'll deal with the other issue." I turn to the night staff. "I want a quiet night tonight," I say firmly. "Do not come moaning to me with problems. If anything comes up, sort it out yourselves, do you understand? I'm busy. We all have to take responsibility for our patients."

  The others murmur their assent.

  "Did Nurse Perry say anything to any of you?" I ask. "Did she do anything that might have seemed out of place?"

  None of them reply. Above me, one of the large heating pipes groans loudly.

  "Some of the patients are already complaining about the noises from the boiler," one of the night staff nurses says.

  "I'll get Morris onto it," I say. "It's probably just a small technical fault. Now get to work." Turning, I hurry through to my office, pausing as I reach the door. Eddie has followed me like a lap-dog awaiting his next order. "Is there a reason you're still here?" I ask, turning to him. "I thought I made it clear that you're to start looking for my missing nurse."

  "Of course," he says. "I just thought maybe you'd want me to escort the visitor to his room."

  "I can handle that," I reply. "Get on with your job."

  Eddie turns and walks away. I don't know what's going on tonight, but everyone seems a little nervous. I guess an event such as Amanda's suicide has the capacity to shake things up and cause people to start questioning their own actions, while Nurse Perry's disappearance adds to the feeling that something's wrong.

  I take a deep breath, determined to regain my composure before I go any further. It's not very often that I let myself get flustered, but sometimes I feel like everyone else here at Lakehurst is either incompetent or willfully stupid. Added to that, today is the anniversary of my parents' death, which always makes me feel somewhat ill at ease. Still, there's no point being sentimental, so I pause for a moment before walking into my office, turning to my guest and smiling. "I'm so sorry to have left you waiting," I say. "As you can imagine, from time to time things become a little hectic around here."

  "No problem," says
Kieran Evans, sitting with his briefcase on his knees. Damn it, I've been so busy this evening, I barely even registered that he'd got a briefcase with him. I need to know what's in there, but there's time for that. No need to be too pushy, but earlier he was mentioning research into radio waves. The last thing I need is for him to start poking his nose around. Did he really come here to visit Annie, or was that just an excuse? Either way, sabotaging his car was the only option; I couldn't let him just drive away. He can't leave. Not tonight. Not ever.

  "I've arranged for a bed to be made up for you," I say. "I'm afraid we're a little short-handed at the moment, so everything's rather rushed. Has anyone been in to offer you some food?"

  He shakes his head.

  "I'll arrange that right now," I say. "Please don't think that we're always this chaotic, Mr. Evans. You've caught us at a very awkward moment, but such are the challenges of life. From time to time, the usual routines become interrupted. There's nothing we can do but meet those challenges head on, and hope that we can improve ourselves in the process."

  "That's a remarkably positive attitude," he says, smiling.

  "It's the only attitude that works," I say, heading to the door. "Just a moment longer, and I'll have food and a bed arranged for you." I head out into the corridor and along to the kitchen, where I find that the staff are all off-duty for the night. There's no food left over from dinner at all, which is going to be a problem. Where the hell is Nurse Perry when I need her the most? It's as if everyone's fucking things up tonight. Damn it, the only person I can rely on right now is Jerry. I hate bringing him up from the basement, but he's the best option I've got.

  I head back to my office. I'm not sure how much longer I can stall Kieran, but I need to keep him down here until I've got his room ready. Once he's in bed and asleep, that's when I can deal with him properly. He thought he could come to Lakehurst, poke around and then cause problems, but his research into radio waves means he's got much, much closer to the truth than I'd expected. He's certainly not the type of man I find attractive, but I'll have to go to his room tonight and fuck him. After all, I need to get inside his mind, to understand his true intentions, and above all else I'll need to get a look inside that briefcase. As I walk back into my office, I decide the only way to deal with the problem is to tackle it head-on. This Kieran individual needs to be prevented from causing trouble.