CPH

2019

The ball of a foot pressed hard on the brake. 

Those two bodies that sat on the driver's and passenger's seats jerked forward. The car screeched to a halt as the hospital came in the view. Two men hopped out of the car and stood upright.

The building in front of them was not a place to bring the loved ones to get treated and become better. This was a place to bring the forgotten ones. Those who needed their own space among others like them. Those who would now only get institutional love. Those who were now of no use to society. 

The asylum for the insane.

"Chestwood Psychiatric hospital." The man's mask went up to his nose as his jacket got unzipped. "Since 1999." He gawked at the horrendous sight in front of him. 

The heathered grey walls were smeared up with charcoal to cover the falling paint. Its windows were also covered with black films - half of which were already broken. The building was clearly decaying with weathering, just like any other in the town. But this one was beyond repair. They needed to demolish it first. And after throwing the scraps away, they needed to make a new one from the new materials. That was the only way to retrieve the said hospital for the mentally ill.

The LCMC was in a clear view on the left side of it. Separated by a black wall. Flourishing in the greenery and timely checked maintenance. Looking a hundred times better than the precarious asylum.

The sky was not crying for now. It was the deepest hue of castor grey.

Detective Ezio fidgeted his fingers on the brown file in his hands. He took out the case report and handed the file to Officer Mason. He stamped his foot on the ground as a stubborn leaf stuck to the sole of his shoe. His tongue rolled on his hard palate as the sound of three tsk left his mouth. 

He leant his back on the car as his eyes began to savour the soup of the alphabets spread on the page. He wanted to revise the details of the case before questioning the suspect. Her body had scratched marks, she was being dragged with very high speed. Maybe the killer tied her body to a car or truck and dragged her on the ground?

Meanwhilst, Officer Mason got busy in noticing a few people walking hither and thither - with different files trapped in between their fingers. Are they thinking that this is some kind of inspection? He could not stop himself from speculating. 

His eyes caught two middle-aged women sitting on the wet garden bench and reading books. An old lady sat beside them and kept staring at the blank space in the air. They might have behaved well, to be let out in the garden without any surveillance. 

No topiary trees were to be seen in the proximity. Nobody paid any heed to furbish the garden. It was all a nature's decor.

"Mason," Detective Ezio broke Officer Mason's scrutinisation. His finger stopped at a particular point in the report. 

"Jane's autopsy states that no sexual assault took place. Just like the last four victims. All of them were girls. No sexual assault in any of these cases. But all of them killed with almost similar brutality. There can be a deception involved here. Check the authenticity of the autopsy. Someone from the hospital is surely in it... But still, let's just say the report is right. If the killer is not doing it for any kind of sexual advantage, then what does he or she want?" Detective Ezio tucked the report back into the file as he removed his glasses.  

"Sir, I guess the killer might've done it out of hatred or revenge." 

"Hmm, that might be a possibility. But what about fun? What if these murders are committed for fun. In most cases, that turns out to be the motive with these serial killers?" As soon as those words left his mouth, a gust of rain started dashing against the walls of the hospital. 

The cold, stinging sensation could be felt on the bare skin of anyone out in the open. A wild breeze attacked the trees as the sky turned dark grey. A panic of rush began to rise in their veins. The people in the garden started running towards the entrance of the building. To get back inside to meet their insecurities and fear again, that had them trapped in the four-walled cage. Away from the world that had already erased their last bit of memories. 

Detective Ezio cursed under his breath and walked inside. With Officer Mason trailing behind like a tail. I'm so sick of this weather. His nose shrunk in disgust as soon as his eyes fell on the corridor. 

His brain cells could easily compare the narrow corridor to a dark, clogged ally situated close to a sewer. The light bulbs flickered as his legs moved ahead. They needed to lighten up now. As the greyed sky had come up again. A nurse in a green scrub walked past him, flashing an awkward smile. He did not return it. He never did. 

An old woman passed from his side by propelling her wheelchair, completely unattended by any staff. He slightly tilted to his right to let the woman pass down the narrow way. 

He moved his head in different directions to focus on the walls, like an owl in the nighttime. The walls had a huge variety of art. Starting with a few posters about the importance of mental well-being and ending with some nail marks, greasy smears, and dried blood spots. Irony. He smirked. If this is how the corridor walls look like, I don't want to imagine the rooms. 

He adjusted his mask on his nose and wore his glasses back. The corridor finally ended with a wide door that led to a crowd thronging the area. He opened the door to see white tables and chairs scattered all around the place. People in the hospital gown occupying each of them. He froze at the door. Wondering if they were serving the evening snack in the cafeteria at this hour. Did they just leave the cafeteria door open? He remembered how easily he opened the door and was now hugging it. 

An unrestrained queue lined up near the food counter. Too many people were in the sight. Are they admitting above the limit?

The patients took plates off the rack, lined up with others, and got served with shredded lettuce and rotten fruit custard. Those who got served, hurriedly sat on the chair and devoured half of the food in one go. 

The ratio of women to men was large in there. And the older one dominated the younger ones in number. An aged blonde woman rested her fork and spoon on the table and shot a glare at the door-hugging Detective. And soon enough, more glares started burning his soul. 

He closed the door in a rush and got back to the corridor. 

"Sir!" Officer Mason called from behind as he stood near the lift door. "It's working." He continued shouting, breaking the eerie silence.

Thank god. Detective Ezio exhaled a sigh as he did not need to pass the cafeteria now. He quickly distanced the corridor to get inside the lift with Officer Mason. The sound of rusty metal screeching against each other filled their ears as the cable lifted them above. The maddening sound stopped after a few minutes and the door opened. 

They could not expect a receptionist to help them as it was almost night. They decided to go on the adventure on their own. 

They read a signboard on the wall that said 'Special ward' and took a turn to the left. 

And right in front of them was the room they needed to go to. 'Patient 103.'

Everything was set. The time of the questioning session was already fixed. And they were on time. 

A guard stood outside the metal door to open it for them. They were informed that a psychiatrist and a nurse were already inside with the patient. 

They reached near the door as the guard twisted a few keys in different locks. A click sound was heard, following which it opened wide. The white light the room illuminated single-handedly brought down all the gloominess to zero. The walls were well-painted in pale green. All of them better than the corridor walls. The mattress on the bed was smooth and a fresh green blanket sat on it folded in four. 

The patient sat on the chair with her arms strapped on it. Her eyes fixed on the table and her hair falling on her face. A nurse was standing beside her, completely paying attention to every move of hers. A psychiatrist in a white coat sat on the chair in front of the patient. They stood up as the officer and detective stepped inside. 

"Thank you for listening to our request to interrogate her in her room, detective." The doctor passed a warm smile at him and extended her hands. "I'm Dr Freya." Her grey eyes beamed in the light as her brown bun set her hair in a perfect peak. A few freckles fell on her clear skin that had no discernable blemishes.

"It's completely fine. Good to meet you, doctor. I'm detective Ezio Gabris." He shook her hand and sat on the chair opposite to that of the patient. Officer Mason stood beside him with the report file in his hands.

"I've checked her vitals and she is now completely conscious to answer your questions. But please, try to be sensitive to her. It's a request." Dr Freya sat on the chair adjacent to the detective's. 

Detective Ezio cleared his throat. "So, Vilana...how are you?" A reluctant smile spread across his face as he began to be sensitive to her.

Vilana's eyes shot up at the mention of her name. Her burn marks glorified her wrinkled face. "This drink is nasty. I won't drink it." Her hands started struggling in between the straps as her body began to twist on its own.

The officers passed each other a confused stare as there was no drink on the table. 

"Um, she had her medicines a while ago and we have to make her drink it by mixing it in water. That must be why she's saying it." Nurse Anna clarified as he let it pass.

"Okay, Vilana, I am here to talk to you about Jane Parker. Do you know her?" He moved on to his next question, his eyes scrutinising her facial expressions.

"Jane. Jane. I went to meet her. She was sad. I wanted to give her a flower. It would make her less sad. I went to meet her. They brought me here again. To meet you. I don't want to meet you. I want to meet Jane. She was sad." Vilana kept twisting her body as her medication was wearing off.

"Vilana. Do you realise that you are a suspect? You broke out of the hospital to meet Jane. The dead Jane... She was a nurse here. She nursed you. She last talked to you. What did she say to you?" The level of anger was clearly rising in his voice. He was unable to control it.

"I'm..I'm. She...sad." Her eyes filled with tears as a wave of nausea engulfed her. 

"Vilana what did she say to you?" He shouted this time.

"Detective, can you please keep it down." Dr Freya shouted back at him as he was fringing with the rights of the mentally ill. Vilana was now wailing due to the continuous shoutings.

"No, I can't. That's why I'm a detective and not a goddamned doctor." As soon as his voice registered his highest note, he realised his mistake. "I'm...I'm sorry." 

He took a deep breath to start again. 

"Vilana, please tell us what did she say to you?" It was the sweetest his voice could get.

She was now sobbing. Her nose snuffed as her open hair made her state seem more miserable. "She was sad. About her dad. And...and I want green. Can you get me more green?" Her face lightened up at the mention of the colour. 

But detective Ezio's mind noted only one word. "Her dad? What about him?" He shot up the question at her but received the answer from his adjacent side. 

"Her dad died a few days ago. He was admitted to LCMC and died there. She was very upset about it and could hardly focus on anything. She said her mom hadn't even said a single word after his demise." Dr Freya's face marked a downturn at the corners of her face. 

 "She said she was going. To meet him. He called. From the hospital. He knew something. He wanted something." Vilana continued as she kept twisting her body to a fixed posture.

"Yes, we know that someone from an untraceable number called her. We also heard the conversation in her cell's audio recordings. His voice was croaky. The recording said, 'I'm calling from the hospital. I want something and in return, you will get what you were searching for. Meet me in the building in the middle of the woods.' How can someone be so vulnerable to give in to such promises? Who was it? Did she say anything about him, like if she knew who was it?" His eyes asked that question more to himself than to anyone else.

"Green. Please. No injection. I don't want to sleep now." Vilana let out a heavy cry, again twisting her body to the same posture.

"What injection?" Officer Mason asked, his eyes being uncomfortable at the sight of her suffering. 

"Nothing. Just Insulin shots." Nurse Anna answered as she tightened the strap on Vilana's arms. "She's really violent." She finished, gulping down the lump of saliva down her throat. "I think she needs to rest now."

 "Okay. We'll be taking your leave, now. Thanks for the cooperation." Detective Ezio got up and began to head out along with Officer Mason. What happened in the room after leaving was not their call to take.

They quickly paced down the building and reached their car. The night was almost at its peak. The rain had stopped for the time being. But the cold wind had not stopped sending chills down the spine.

"Mason, I want you to do some history check." He opened the door as his gaze averted towards the hospital one more time. His eyes fixed at the blackened windows.

"History check? This asylum's?" Officer Mason stopped to confirm.

"Yes, and also of the murders. I don't think it's just a two-year-old thing. We need to check if anything like this ever happened before the killing spree began two years ago." He finally broke his gaze and sat in the car.

"Something is terribly wrong in this town." He huffed under his breath. 

The car left the premises as Nurse Anna stealthily peeked out from one of the broken windows.

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