Mirror Mirror

Chapter 20

They stopped off at a little café and got two coffees and two grilled cheese sandwiches for their on the go breakfast, which they ate at the beach.  Then Stephen drove off towards the institute, stopping the car in front of a tall white building that looked very much like a hotel.  There was a narrow walkway with markings on it showing which facility was where.  Lacey caught hold of his arm nervously as she fell in to step beside him.

Stephen stopped for a second to read the information board.  There were arrows pointing in different directions to make finding what you were looking for easier.  Left was for the adult facility, right for the children’s. 

He went left, and followed the stone pathway that led to the entrance of the building.  Two clear glass doors, with two guards dressed in dark blue uniforms, complete with batons, stood before them. 

They smiled pleasantly at the two visitors as they entered.  Sterile white tiled floors, a curved gray reception area, and a couple of well-dressed nurses and orderlies greeted them as they entered.  Stephen went to the desk, taking Lacey’s hand in his for silent support, as he spoke. 

“Hi.  I’m looking for a patient of yours-her name is Mickey-I mean Michaela Thompson.  She’s a friend of mine.”

He waited for a few seconds while the prune-faced woman processed his request. 

“Yes.”  She peered out over the top of the computer at him, her eyes as large as her head with her thick-lensed glasses.  “Her room is down the corridor, first door on your right.”  Her voice was pleasant, quiet and soothing.

“Thanks.”  Stephen said, and Lacey repeated the words after him.  They turned to go, and then Stephen turned back.  “She’s okay, right.  I mean...” He stopped.

“She wouldn’t be here if she were.”  The woman replied tonelessly.  “She doesn’t speak to anyone, doesn’t put up a fuss...does as she’s told.  The girl’s withdrawn.  Nobody’s come to see her since she gotten here.  I think seeing her friends would do her good.”  Then she smiled at them, and Stephen turned back to go, feeling both relief, and pity for the once bubbly person he was about to meet.

“Hey, kids! One more thing.”  They stopped, and Stephen turned around again.  “You forgot your visitors pass.”  She came around the desk and handed them over. “Take as long as you need to-It’s a day/night pass.”  She whispered, and winked.  Her eyes crinkled at the corners, her lips spread apart revealing crooked yellowed teeth, two of them smeared with her burnt orange lip-stick.  She looked thoroughly menacing, but Esmerelda had looked worse.  They smiled, thanked her once again, and headed for the room.

White lights, white floors, and white doors-the interior was so white, they were sure they would be blinded.  Nevertheless, they found their way to the end of the corridor.  Turning right, they were confronted by two more starched people.  Stephen repeated what he had said at the front desk, and they pointed to the door on the right.  A heavy-set orderly walked out of the room as they neared it.

He was a large black man, clean-shaven and bald, with the name Connor embroidered on the front of his shirt.  He held the door open for them and mouthed the words ‘good luck’ as they stepped past him.  The room was bright, the curtains were open wide, letting the sunlight through, but keeping the patients in.  Thick metal security bars weaved their way over the large windows.  Two single beds with mint green duvets and fluffy pillows stood on opposite ends of each other, on either end of the window.  The smooth wooden floors were scattered with rugs.  There was one two-seater couch, and two recliner chairs that finished it off.  Although it looked like the perfect bedroom, it was no doubt a high-class prison cell.