Demon Lovers (Pinhead And Chatterer)

Chapter 35

Grace sat at the end of Kirsty's bed with a worried expression. What she had learned about Doctor Channard was disturbing.
With being dead, who would look after Kirsty? With Kirsty being locked up, she worried for her safety. Doctor Channard is dangerous, not just to his patients, but to himself as well. Everything she comes to know about the good Doctor has been a lie.
Grace jumped when she heard a noise from the hallway. Kirsty bolted up from the bed as well, half asleep, she looked terrified. They heard a door close next door and heavy footsteps leaving down the hallway.
Grace was curious, quickly got up off the bed and left the room through the wall in a hurry.
Kirsty quickly followed, minus the walking through wall, she silently opened her door, surprised it was unlocked. Kirsty spots grace looking through the doors small window with a lonely expression.
Kirsty slowly walked towards Grace, and peeked into the room.
"Meet Tiffany."
Kirsty looked at Grace. "Your friend?"
Grace nods her head.
Kirsty noticed that the room was more decorated. It had curtains and wallpaper. A tiled floor with a large pink rug.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor is Tiffany. A girl in her early teens. She had shoulder length blond hair. In front of Tiffany was a puzzle. The puzzle is an intricate abstract design in black and white. There are several pieces unfitted,  but they watch Tiffany work steadily, efficiently and with complete concentration.
Grace notices behind Tiffany. On the shelves, sealed in plastic by staff members are puzzles she has solved, with dates marking her advancement. They begin with the simplest wood block animals, usually given to small children. Photo puzzles of increasing difficulty and culminating in one of two other samples of the kind of complicated pattern-work she is involved in now.
Tiffany looks at them and eye contact is made. Mainly to Kirsty as Tiffany won't be able to see Grace. Kirsty gives Tiffany a small smile and a wave.
Tiffany stares at her, then returns back to her puzzle.
"It's sad. She's been here a year and she hasn't said a word." Grace tells her.
Kirsty looks at her. "What's up with her?"
"My diagnosis. Nothing. They don't even know her real name, so a nurse named her Tiffany."
"And you know her name?"
Grace nods her head smirking.
"What's her name?" Kirsty asked.
"Tiffany."
Kirsty rolled her eyes. "Her real name."
"It's Tiffany.
"The name the nurse gave her?"
"No... Tiffany told me her real name is Tiffany."
Kirsty's mouth opened and closed. Grace smirked and walked back into Kirsty's room. They both sat on the bed, deep in thought.
"What did you find out." Kirsty asked.
"That doctor Channard is a psychopath. He killed Tiffany's mother."
"What?" Kirsty screeched.
"Shhh, do you want anyone to come in here." Grace whispers harshly.
Kirsty gives Grace an apologetic look. "How did you find that out?"
"Her mother is one of the ghosts that roams this hospital. She is lost and confused. She doesn't believe she's dead. She's searching for her daughter..."
Kirsty interrupts Grace. "How did she die?"
"Smothered. She had a bruised hand print covering her mouth and nose. But she must have ingested the chemical because she was foaming from the mouth and nose. Poor woman, she must be in pain."
Kirsty looked horrified and a little sick.
"What else?" She pressed on.
"Plenty. But I can't tell you...don't ask, not my rules."
"So what is he up to?"
Grace shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."
They both jumped when Kyle opened the door. He steps inside and closes the door behind himself. He reaches into his lab-coat pocket and pulls a pill out of a small box.
"Wanna suck on this for me?" He tells her.
Grace bursts out laughing. She pops a cigarette into her mouth and it lights on its own. She leans against the wall watching in amusement.
The chat they had about Doctor Channard was forgotten.
Kirsty looks at him sharply. He is proffering a pill and grinning facetiously.
"Hey, good joke, Kyle. Do you always come onto the mentally ill?" Kirsty asks him seriously.
His face falls. He blushes. Pressing the pill into Kirsty's hand, he backs off towards the door, apologising.
"Shit. Sorry. Here's the pill. I'm red faced. Door. Bye." He stammers, not making much sense, as Grace and Kirsty watch him leave in amusement.
Kirsty grins at Grace. She looks at it for a second and then puts it back in the small box. realising there is no bedside table, she puts the box on the chair.
As Grace pulls another cigarette, Kirsty walks towards her bed.
They both sense something wrong in the room. They are both tense. The room gets hotter.
They both look in the corner of the room. Grace stares in shock and Kirsty gasps. In the corner of the room, against the wall lying in a pool of blood is a skinned man.
"Daddy....!" Kirsty cries.
Grace shakes her head. It can't be right. Larry was in heaven. Her mates and mother told her.
That...thing in the corner wasn't Larry. She watches it raise its arm weakly from its side and begins to write on the wall in its own blood.
'I'M IN HELL. HELP ME'
Grace had a feeling she knew who this thing was. The thing smirked and winked at her, when Kirsty had covered her eyes and sobbing loudly. Grace blinked and the thing was gone. The pool of blood is gone but the writing on the wall remains.
Kirsty raises from the bed and walks across the room. Her eyes full of tears, she stretches out her arm and touches the word 'I'. As her finger makes contact, the words disappeared.
Kirsty presses her blooded finger quickly to her lips before that last trace of her father can vanish, too.
Grace kneels down in front of Kirsty.
"Daddy..." Kirsty sobs.
Grace wanted to tell Kirsty the truth, but she couldn't.
"Kirsty! Listen to me. Something doesn't feel right. I have to go and see someone about this. Please stay in your room. Don't talk to doctor Channard."
Grace leans forward and kissed Kirsty forehead. Grace quickly gets up and leaves the room.
Kirsty is frozen in shock. She touches the area when Grace had kissed. She felt it.