Psychic Fishes (A Psychonauts story)

Part one: Introduction to the show

Minno snapped back to her senses after spacing out, she noted that perhaps hours have passed since she dissociated from the drive. The radio was tuned low humming some soft tune, familiar yet unrecognizable. 

She turned her attention to outside the car, noting the fine border when the asphalt cuts off creating a small line of dirt between it and the trees, Birch or Oak she thought as she studied them, eyeing each as they passed. Soon the trees became few and the car rocked as they drove onto gravel, the sound of the tires sliding between the rocks in an attempt to find footing was somewhat calming to Minno. 

The agent let out a small sigh "we're almost there" She smiled weakly as she looked at the rear-view mirror in an attempt to meet eyes with the kid in the back, almost unrecognizable from when they last met, aged from when her parents met an untimely fate in response to a car accident. 

Many people would be afraid to sit in a car after a major event that changed their lives but not Minno, no not her, she was never afraid of cars or being inside after, she was afraid of who drove it, the outside, nothing more, nothing less. 

The car lurched again with a thud as the tires once again changed their footing onto a rickety bridge. She started repeating her fathers map over and over in her head, the lone island occupied by an asylum, the town below flooded into a sea. Her father always talked about it when she wandered into his study, detailing to her that that's where her grandparents sent her uncle, she never thought she would meet him. And that's what occupied her mind, her grandparents never talked about Uncle Cali, all she knew is something was wrong with his brain and they had to send him away. 

She quietly picked at her fingers as the car bumped up and down, if it wasn't for the roof she would've thought them floating, a boat rocking on the sea at dusk, she watched as the last of the sun slipped behind the trees, maybe it was scared to, nervous on what will happen. Her thoughts raced on what might happen, but they immediately subsided when she felt a prick of pain and a rusted taste on her tongue, she realized she had been biting the nail of her thumb, the bed was raw and red as a sliver of blood dripped when she analyzed it. 

She wiped it on her dark purple almost black skirt trailing her hands onto her knees as she looked ahead, just as expected there was an asylum, partly broken from the elements and raised by a rock base. Before she came here she did the research, it had been recently closed, a few years had passed, but she was determined that the inmates would still be here, left by the employees. A sense of longing gripped her heart, her stomach twisted and she felt sick, nervousness she explained in her head, of course she would be nervous, this would be her new life, right? The car came to a halt and the agent clicked the key out from its former position. 'No leave it in, turn the car around, I don't want to be here' her mind screamed but she pushed it down as the Agent opened the door.

 "Are you sure this is the right place?" She questioned helping Minno out of the car, Minno nodded solemnly in response then turned to grab her bag, it was all she needed, she buried the rest, she shook the thought from her head. They started up the ladder to the entrance, crows cawed from the tree as she heaved herself up onto the stone, reluctantly helping the agent as well. 

The gate was closed but no sign of a lock was on it so she let herself in, the whine of the metal filled the cold air as she pushed the gate, it led into a courtyard surrounded by hedges, a fountain occupied the middle, partially fresh water still leaked from its facets, to the side was a opening in the hedge, she had read that there was a garden so she guessed that it was through it. 

The clacking of heels interrupted her thoughts, she realized the agent was already at the door and beckoned for her, Minno quietly walked towards the closest pair of stairs on each side, she tidied her sweater and partially straightened the scarf she wrapped around her neck, and covered her mouth. 

She nodded to the agent and she knocked on the door, a sort of booming sound compared to the quiet night, a clatter was heard within. She noted the circular window that was stationed above the door. focusing on the dusted glass calmed her but she immediately snapped back to the door as she heard it groan open.