Jessica Elwood is one of Hawkins High's elite social group, most notable for being the co-captain alongside best friend and head cheerleader Chrissy Cunningham. Her brother, Tony, is part of the infamous Hellfire Club and one of the drummers for Edd...
"These are our gardens," Dr. Hatch pointed out, giving the girls a short tour of the facility as they made their way to the higher-security wing. "Beautiful, aren't they?"
Jess looked around in thought as they walked, quietly observing the courtyard where several patients idled about. An eerie feeling loomed over the gardens and the whole asylum itself. She knew it wasn't the happiest place in the world, for obvious reasons, but if they added more color and vibrancy to things, it wouldn't seem so dreary. After all, for a place labeled "gardens," the cheerleader expected to see flowers and plants all around. Only there were none in sight—just bushes and hedges accompanied by stone benches or decorative fountains that had never been touched. A place like Pennhurst seemed far more depressing than upbuilding, that much was certain.
"We allow them two hours of outside time a day," he continued, causing Robin to furrow her eyebrows.
"Can't they just escape?" She wondered aloud, walking beside Jess and trying not to fixate on how the smaller girl's curls blew in the breeze.
"They could. But the vast majority choose to be here," he explained. "They like it here."
Upon entering another wing of the hospital, Jess immediately heard the soft melodies of classical music being played in a room painted a robin's egg blue. A large chalkboard hung on the wall to her left and metal barricades adorned the windows on her right, cascading shadows down onto the tiled floor.
Dr. Hatch ushered them through, whispering as he did so, "This is one of our more popular areas. The listening room. We found that music has a particularly calming effect on the broken mind. The right song, particularly one which holds some personal meaning, can prove a salient stimulus."
Walking through the room felt oddly calming, just as he described it. Jess even hummed quietly to the serenade softly wafting through the speakers. She had always liked classical music, owning some records featuring well-known composers like Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Chopin. All of these provided a soothing effect whenever she was anxious or overwhelmed with unwanted thoughts. She truly felt for the patients they passed on their way, wondering what personal demons they were all battling themselves. The listening room was popular for a reason, and Jess knew it was because they all longed for an escape. In a way, she understood how that felt. Amongst other outlets, music was always a way to do just that. Escape. So, it certainly didn't surprise her to see so many people taking advantage of what the room provided.
"Dr. Hatch," Nancy spoke up, hesitantly, as they found themselves in the dark stairwell leading down to the criminal ward. "Do you think it might be possible for us to speak to Victor alone?"
Her words immediately caused the man to look back at them in confusion, even the security guard behind him mirroring his expression.
"I...I think that we would just love the challenge of speaking with Victor without the safety net of an expert such as yourself," Robin chimed in, her nerves beginning to get the better of her. "Then we could really rub it in Professor Bradley's face when we get back to campus."
