Wheel of Fate

58.

The girls arrived just in time at Pennhurst Asylum.

With their chins high and trying to look confident, they walked in.

"You should do the talking," Olivia suggested.

Robin turned her head rapidly to look at her. Olivia thought her head had snapped. "What?! I can't do the talking; you know how I get," Robin whispered loudly.

"Don't worry, I'll help you if you need it," Olivia reassured her.

"Dr. Hatch will see you now," the secretary told the young girls.

They whispered a thank you, and Robin went in first.

"Good afternoon Dr. Hatch, it's an honor to be able to talk to you," Olivia said, looking at Robin. Having trouble finding the right words, Robin took a seat.

Olivia handed Dr. Hatch the recommendation letters. The older man was quiet for a few minutes going over the papers. Robin was moving uncomfortably in her seat.

"3.9 GPAS. Both of you impressive." Both girls smile shyly.

Hatch was going over the recommendation from Professor Brantley. "I know, Larry. Quite well, actually. Eh, you know what they say. 'Those who can't do, teach'" Hatch laughed, removing his glasses, and Robin laughed awkwardly, looking at Olivia, who gestured for Robin to say something, but Robin shrugged, not knowing what to add.

"Uh yes, yes, that's actually why we're here. I mean, we can only learn so much in a classroom," Olivia said quietly.

"I'm sympathetic to your struggle, truly. But there is a protocol to visiting a patient like Victor. You put in a request and then undergo a screening process, at which point the board will make a decision."

Both girls looked down. "I can see you're disappointed." Hatch inhaled and explained, "But I'm more than happy to give you a tour of our facility. Perhaps you can even speak to some patients in our low-security wing."

Olivia looked at Robin, then at Dr. Hatch, and said, "And w-we would love that. It's just that, um. Our thesis is due next month."

Hatch was very strict and took his job seriously. "And you're out of time. Whose fault is that?"

They need to talk to Victor; he might be the only one that knows how to stop Vecna; he's the one that can help save Max.

Robin had enough; she could tell how upset Olivia was. Her sister's life was on the line.

Robin got up from the chair, pushing her chair back loudly. "Screw that. The fact is, we did put in a request months ago, we were denied, and then we reapplied and were denied again. Coming here was our last-ditch effort to save our thesis."

Olivia was proud and not fully surprised by Robin's speech; what she was not ready for was that Robin was not done.

"I'm starting to think this whole thing is a colossal mistake. I'm breaking out in a rash. My boobs hurt, and I'll tell you the truth, Anthony. May I call you Anthony?"

Robin didn't wait for an answer and continued, "I wanted you to take us seriously because nobody takes girls like us seriously in this field. They just don't. We don't look the part or whatever, but can I tell you a story?"

Olivia was sure that even though Anthony could have said no, Robin would still have shared the story.

"1978, I was at summer camp, and my counselor Drew told me and everyone in Cabin the true story of the Victor Creel Massacre And little Petey McHew... You know Petey, right, Ophelia?"

Robin looked down at Olivia, who was still sitting on her chair, intrigued with the story. "Of course," Olivia responded, sounding more like a question.