The Warden Of Nightmares

Chapter 4: Into the Halls of Ravenhurst Sanitarium.

Liliana adjusted her uniform as she set out on her first official round, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down on her shoulders.

Her orientation with Mr. Whitmore had left her with more questions than answers, but she was determined to put her best foot forward and prove she could handle whatever this asylum threw at her.

Her first task was a routine check of the west wing, which, according to Mr. Whitmore, housed some of the “more challenging” patients. She made her way down the dimly lit hall, her footsteps echoing against the high stone walls. The air was heavy, almost stifling, as if years of secrets clung to the very bones of the building.

As she passed the patient rooms, she could feel eyes watching her from behind closed doors. A shiver ran down her spine, but she kept her gaze focused ahead, reminding herself of the rules. She wasn’t to enter any room alone, and certainly not without a reason.

When she reached the end of the corridor, a faint voice from one of the rooms caught her attention. It was quiet, almost like a whisper, but unmistakably there.

“Help… me…”

Liliana froze, her hand instinctively going to the key ring at her belt. She knew the protocol—never enter alone—but the plea in that voice tugged at her heart. She took a cautious step closer, straining to hear.

“Please… they’re watching…”

The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, but she swallowed her unease. Focus. Stick to the rules.

Just as she turned to move away, a shadowed figure stepped out from around the corner. Startled, she stopped, only to realize it was Dr. Harper, the asylum’s head physician. His face was unreadable, his gaze sharp and assessing.

“Miss Costa,” he greeted, his voice smooth but laced with something she couldn’t quite place. “I see you’ve started your rounds.”

“Yes, Doctor,” she replied, keeping her tone professional. “Just familiarizing myself with the patients’ quarters.”

Dr. Harper’s eyes flickered toward the door she had been staring at moments earlier. “It’s wise to keep your distance,” he advised, his tone neutral but firm. “Some of our patients have… ways of getting inside the minds of those around them.”

Liliana nodded, the weight of his words settling over her. She’d already felt it—the subtle pull, the magnetic sense of something more lurking behind the walls.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Doctor,” she said, hoping to convey her willingness to follow protocol.

“Good,” he replied, his gaze lingering on her a moment longer before he moved down the hall. “Ward Hollow can be… unsettling at times, but I trust you’ll acclimate soon enough.”

As he disappeared down the corridor, Liliana took a steadying breath and resumed her rounds, her mind racing. There was something both fascinating and deeply unnerving about this place, and every instinct told her she had only scratched the surface.

One thing was clear: Ravenhurst Sanitarium held secrets—secrets that were waiting, watching, and biding their time.