She appraised me, and I painted on a weak smile coupled with a nod. I was brave and strong. Capable of handling this. Anna took care of giving out the meds, settling 5B back in—his name was apparently Robert Essic, but most everyone referred to the patients by the numbers here. It was easier when delivering items, Anna had informed me. 5B promptly settled back onto his cot, his head on his pillow as he stared at the ceiling.
“Not long now, then. Not long now, Jessica.”
Anna shook her head as she led me out of the room.
“Told you. Total nutjob. I have so many stories,” Anna said as she locked the room tight. “Don’t want to scare you away though. With your actual medical experience, you’re a godsend.” She turned to walk down the hallway, spewing off information about night shift and records for medicine, leading me to the filing system at the front desk. I knew I should pay more attention, but I had to have one more look. I put my eyes up to the tiny window, peering in at him.
He was still on the cot, but his head was turned, staring at the window as if he knew I’d be back. He pointed a finger at me, strong and serious. Entranced, I stared as he proceeded to put the finger in his own mouth and gnaw at the flesh, wild animal sounds echoing in the room. My heart thudded as I watched, horrified. A cold hand touched my skin, and I jumped.
“Are you coming, new girl? You have so much to learn. I’ll tell you, Mama always said my generation was lazy here at Redwood. If she could’ve seen the ones your age. You’re not a zoo tourist, you know. You’re more like the keeper. Now come on. We’ve got an injection to administer in the A wing. 2A is getting out of hand. Bit one of the staff when he was delivering his meal this morning. Doctor wants to calm him for the day.”
I let myself be led to the newest horrors in the A wing, wondering if every newbie was graced with the pleasure of the top floor—and wondering how long until I could switch to a new one.
“You’ll be fine. Honestly. I was overwhelmed my first week, too,” Anna reassured, seeing the troubled look on my face.
“How does anyone get used to this?” I asked, the thought of the gnawing, snarling man in 5B sticking in the fringes of my mind.
“You can get used to anything if you’re around it long enough. That’s what Mama said. And if that doesn’t work, there’s also wine.”
I grinned, knowing that at least I had a good partner in crime. Anna knew the asylum inside and out. It was the family business, she’d told me yesterday. Her mother had been a nurse in the asylum for twenty years before passing the trade down to Anna. From what I could gather, she was basically the keeper of the place. She knew everything, all the patients. All the history, the legends. She was a good one to learn from and the one everyone came to for help. She was essentially the main supervisor since the actual board of owners stayed at home counting money instead of showing up.
I trekked down the hallway to the other wing with her after we entered some medical information in the archaic computer system. The hallways were cold and draughty, and I chilled as I walked forward. Anna was probably right. I just needed time to settle in.
I had a lot to learn, but it was good to keep my mind busy. Maybe in a way, Redwood was the penance my soul needed. Still, it’s hard to find peace for one’s deeds when you’re surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of instability all around.
Chapter Two
Ichecked the mailbox when I got home from my shift, but I hadn’t been in town long enough to even get junk mail. I slipped off my shoes, my feet aching, as I headed to the kitchen to rustle up some food. I really needed to get to the store and to settle into a new routine.
The apartment I’d found in Oakwood was nice enough. It was on a poorer street in town close to the asylum grounds. Still, in Oakwood, poor was relative; it simply meant the homes were middle class and modest. My apartment was nicer than the house my family had lived in growing up, in truth. And probably more expensive. At least it was just me, and I didn’t need much.
Most of Oakwood was filled with mansions of all varieties. The town was known for its wealth. In the older days, tycoons of all types had settled in the glamorous town, as Anna had told me. Now, it still housed many of their descendants who had settled into a quiet life in the suburbs while still flashing their money in a way to get noticed. The rest of Oakwood consisted of suburban life. The streets were lined with tiny houses, streetlights, and middle-class American life. It was a sleepy town, all things considered, although certain parts of it glittered golden in the sun.
Weary from the week of changes, I settled on a pint of ice cream and some reality television for the evening. I’d almost made it through the first week in town, somehow. But the job paid decent, and I had the solitude that I needed. Redwood hadn’t even asked for references, hiring me on the spot. It was the kind of place you could escape to, and that was what I needed more than anything.
I glanced at my cell phone, the familiar name and number
