"Okay, no ax murderers.. That's good. I will be sure to avoid the 3rd floor.. And Mia." Mabel said, as Felicity finished her fries, and tossed her paper plate in the garbage. "So... We can't leave?" Mabel asked, but Felicity cut in. "Ever?- And what about the forest being dangerous? Weird animals??! Mabel, we are gonna die here a horrible death of being eaten alive by weird animals!!" Felicity said urgently,. "Felicity. Calm down.." Mabel said dryly. "I promise I will not let the demon forest animals eat your soul." She reassured. "Okay, lets think of the up side of this situation. No ax murderers, free food, free housing... Okay. Felicity, you can deal with that? Correct? Mabel asked, though no matter what Felicity's answer would have to be yes. "Uhm... Okay...." She responded uncertainly.
"My nurse will be checking on me soon, and I need to wash up, so I am going back to my room now." Emily said. As she walked back to her room, she patted her pocket for reassurance that the keycard was still there.
When she was back in her room, she breathed a sigh of relief.
I'm so glad I have my room to myself. I don't think I could stand having someone like Felicity as a roommate. Emily went to her bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, patted it dry with a towel. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed.
I hate my stringy hair. It's so boring. She ran her fingers through it, combing it. She twisted it up into a bun, but had no way to secure it. She let go and watched in the mirror as her hair cascaded down onto her shoulders.
"You have our mother's hair" The disembodied voice made her jump. "Dean, you haven't spoken to me in long time, I thought you had left me." Emily said.
"I'm here, with you, always". Dean replied.
"Use the key, tonight. You have to get out of here." Emily patted the keycard again. "What about the creatures or animals or whatever those things are in the forest?" Emily asked.
"They are far less dangerous than the evil inside. You must get out before it's too late."
Emily's heart raced. "What happened to you while you were here Dean? Why did our parents send you here?" she asked her reflection in the mirror.
"Our father didn't want two children. When I made him angry, he had enough. He made our mother choose which child to send away. She loved us both and the choice tore her apart. She saw a lot of herself in you, and decided to keep you. I was taken to an orphanage, but they ran out of beds and started sending children to homeless shelters to wait for foster homes to be available. I was sent here. Over the years I learned of the terrible things that happened here, and broke into a staff office one night. I found a keycard in a desk drawer and hid it in my room behind the mirror until I got the chance to get out, but they locked me in my room. I attacked a nurse when she brought my lunch and was sent to see the Dr. He examined me, and put me in a cell in the basement. There were others there, screaming in agony. I soon found out why. He injected me with something that made my heart beat too fast and I died of a heart attack later that night."
"Your room was the one they put
me in on the 3rd floor! You put the keycard behind the mirror!" Emily exclaimed.
"Yes" Dean replied.
"I never had the chance to use it, but you must, to save yourself."
"I will Dean." Emily promised. "I wish I could have known you and grown up with you as my brother" Emily said, wiping away a tear. She felt a terrible guilt that her parents had chosen her over Dean. "I'm so sorry Dean. It's my fault you were here. It's my fault you died. I wish I was never born" Emily sobbed.
"Dear sister, do not cry. It's our father's lack of love that sent me here. I never blamed you for what happened to me. Father was the one who made our mother choose, and he felt no remorse, even when it destroyed her to do it."
Emily tore a few sheets off the roll of toilet tissue and blew her nose. "Thank you for being with me in this terrible place Dean." Emily said, her voice wavering from crying. She returned to her bedroom and sat in the corner arm chair watching the sunset over the trees of the forest, going over in her mind everything she had learned from her departed brother.
(Maybe Janette could come in to check on her if she's done with Mia?)
