Spirit Meadows : The Asylum

Chapter Six

 UNFORTUNATE DAY

Next day Lisa woke up early by a huge commotion outside. When she went downstairs, she was shocked to find Mrs. Fredrickson hanging from the oak tree outside. Her eyes wide open and her teddy bear still clutched in her hand. The patient were scared by the scene so she was ordered to take every one of them to their respective rooms. It was her third day there and she still didn't see any sign of the so called 'Doctor'. When Lisa came down for breakfast, Mrs. Fredrickson's body was gone and everyone was acting normal as if nothing happened. Lisa was surprised. "Shouldn't they at least inform the family" she thought.

Soon her orders were to take care of some patients, feed them and take them out in the lawn for a stroll. After having a quick breakfast and wearing her new nurse uniform, Lisa set out to do her chores. While feeding some cereal to a patient named Frank in the living room, she tried to ask him what had happened to Mrs.Fredrickson. She needed as much information about everything as soon as possible. But to her dismay, Frank was unresponsive. He just stared at old television watching some 80's cartoon show and was opening his mouth from time to time for Lisa to feed him. But Lisa kept trying, she tried different questions in a different way. But he was the same.

''He is basically a potato'' a voice said.

Lisa looked back. It was Ryan. He was the last person she wanted to see right now. She rolled her eyes and started feeding Frank. Ryan came up to her and crouched down beside her.

''Still pissed at me, huh?'' he said casually. Lisa didn't answer. ''I won't be able to help you if you keep acting like this'' Lisa didn't answer him.

Just that lady came and ordered Lisa to clean Mrs.Fredrickson's room and to hand over Mrs.Fredrickson's belongings to her.

''Go and clean the room, maybe you could find something important related to your sister. After all Mrs.Fredrickson was a very old patient here'' Ryan said slowly.

Lisa looked at him. ''You think so''

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. ''Maybe''

Lisa sighed. This guy always keeps her confused. He never explains anything clearly to make her work easier. She somewhat thinks that maybe Ryan has a hidden agenda as well.

''What's her name? She never told me'' Lisa asked, looking over at the lady who acted as a principal or matron of this place.

''Come here'' Ryan gestured her to come to the corner of the room.

Lisa kept Frank's bowl of cereal on the side table and followed Ryan.

''She is the one you should look out for'' he said, '' that's Eudora Clayton, she is the right hand of the doctor and also the head here. She takes care of everything. She doesn't talks much but she is always keeping an eye on you, your every move.''

''And what about the doctor?'' Lisa asked.

''Oh Doctor Clifford? You'll see him eventually, he is charming and manipulative''

''I have never seen any asylum like this. There are no staffs here, so less patients, only one doctor who is nowhere to be seen, something is not right here'' Lisa said.

''Maybe but you don't do anything to raise any kind of suspicion. Your brother told me you are the reckless type. So be careful'' he said and left.

Lisa went upstairs to clean Mrs.Fredrickson's room. It was already noon and everything was quite around her. She looked through Mrs.Fredrickson's room. There weren't many furnitures or belongings. She opened her cupboard and a foul smell caught her nose. She saw only a big suitcase inside, the whole cupboard was empty. The suitcase was old and there was a name engraved on the sides ''Arabella Fredrickson''.

The suitcase had a few clothes, an old wedding dress  from the 80's,a tooth brush, and few photographs. Some were taken on a polaroid camera. Lisa couldn't think that anyone in the mental asylum could have a polaroid except for Ryan maybe.

She looked through the pictures. Some were old, taken in the 80's with Mrs.Fredrickson wearing her wedding gown, the next picture was with her husband on their wedding day, the third picture was of both Mrs.Fredrickson and her husband with a little kid, the fourth picture was from a polaroid camera of Mrs.Fredrickson alone standing by the oak tree, smiling at the camera, as soon as Lisa looked at the fifth picture, she was shocked to the core. The person in the picture was none other than her sister Jean with Mrs.Fredrickson, both smiling and it was taken in this same room. Lisa remembered that June once gifted a polaroid camera to Jean and she used to carry it everywhere.

Lisa was both shocked and happy to find the picture but soon tears welled up in her eyes. If only she had found this picture sooner, if only Mrs.Fredrickson was alive to answer all her question right now. She secretly kept the picture in her skirt pocket and handed over Mrs.Fredrickson's belongings to Eudora.

She called June and reported everything that night, even about the picture and also noted everything in her Journal. She hoped to find out more.
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