A Love With Limits

Chapter 2: New Beginnings

Situated the middle of a busy Bronx neighborhood, the Bainbridge Hospital was hard to miss. It wasn't an ugly building, but not exactly inviting either - it was intimidating, looming ominously over the bustling NYC streets. By now, citizens of the city were used to the sight of the building, and every day, people went on about their business without much thought as to what was going on behind those red brick walls. Everyone knew what was going on, but nobody wanted to talk about it. It was simply too morbid to utter a word about, but for the patients inside, this was their every day life. Inside lived a sizable population of catatonic patients - meaning they couldn't do anything by themselves. This included, but was not limited to: drinking, eating, using the bathroom and putting on their own clothes. They were all either strapped to a wheelchair or laying in bed, every single one of them with dead, glazed over eyes, looking into the wall. This had been their lives for decades at this point - nobody had a cure, because nobody knew why this was happening. There was no answer, at least not for the time being. All the hospital staff could do was keep them as comfortable as possible, despite the patients being unable to voice their needs. The windows didn't let in much light, as many of them had metal bars obstructing them, almost like a glum prison, but the inmates were innocent. Anyone would start to get depressed if they spent too long inside these four walls, but unfortunately, there was nothing to be done. These human beings had functioning brains, but no way to communicate, vocally or physically, so this life was their only option.

****

On this gorgeous spring day in 1969, things were about to change. New beginnings. A small, black car rolled up to the carpark of Bainbridge Hospital, and a a young lady, no more than mid-20s, stepped out of the vehicle. She was delicate and dainty - but at the same time, she had a certain strong aura, the kind of person who could protect you despite her small size. The woman had long, brown hair, glistening in the hot sun, and she was wearing a sleek, but comfortable and casual suit. If you did not know her, she might've come across as intimidating, but Dr. Caroline Vízková was nothing of the sort. In fact, everyone who knew her, knew that she was incredibly caring, never harsh towards anyone - unless they crossed certain lines. Taking a deep breath, Dr. Vízková walked into the building, masking her nervousness with a confident demeanor, something she had done her entire life. Life had not always been easy for this girl; she was still young, but she was wise beyond her years, due to unfortunate circumstances in her early childhood. Not many people could break down her tough exterior, as this was her coping mechanism, but despite this, she wanted to do good in this world. Being a doctor had always been her dream, and as early as she could remember, she had been caring for others before herself. Today, she was starting a job as a caretaker for the catatonic patients inside the hospital - and she was hoping that she could offer a change in their lives. How? She didn't know yet, but she was not about to give up hope.

****

Indoors, Dr. Vízková was met with a rather depressing atmosphere - the interior was dark, not so dark that you couldn't see, but it wasn't exactly as uplifting as she had hoped. Everything in the entrance lobby seemed to be brown; the desks, the chairs, the walls, the vending machines. In the waiting area, there were people waiting on God knows what, and one person in particular catched the young doctors eyes. A slim blonde woman, hunched over in her wheelchair, with her hair covering her face, making her unidentifiable. The woman did not move, except for her fingers which were twitching slightly; It made Dr. Vízková uncomfortable, but this was something she would have to get used to, sooner or later.

"How may I help you, young lady?" The woman behind the brown desk inquired.

"Oh... Uhm, I'm Dr. Caroline Vízková, and I'm here to start my new job as a staff neurologist. I've been hired to care for your hospitals catatonic patients..." She quickly realized her gloomy disposition, and promptly lifted her shoulders back; but she could not stop scratching at her arm out of sheer anxiety.