Redrum: Origins

Part 2: The Asylum

Disclaimer: I do not own Redrum. Redrum is a game that was developed by Anarchy Enterprises. I only own the OC characters.

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As she had promised, Maddie stood outside the double wooden doors of the Asylum, absentmindedly tugging a heeled shoe onto her foot. Her simple white blouse underneath a black suit jacket matched well with her work pants. But Maddie was nowhere near relaxed. She grumbled internally over having to wear such a professional outfit. Apparently, her insistence on keeping a low profile didn't get through to Detective Ravenwood.

"What? There's no way in hell that I'm wearing that!" she exclaimed when she looked at the professional attire that Ravenwood had selected for the interview.

"You're gonna have to. You don't expect a press journalist to dress like she's a hitchhiker, do you?" he chastised playfully.

A vein in Maddie's temple bulged. "First of all, I do not look like a hitchhiker. Second," she continued, pointing her finger at the outfit, "this was not our deal! You never said I had to wear anything this flashy! Didn't you hear me when I said I needed to blend in?"

Ravenwood sighed, as if he was dealing with a particularly unruly teenager. "I said that you had to go undercover, and that means you have to look the part. Besides, this is the least conspicuous thing I could find. So, you're gonna have to wear it whether you like it or not."

Despite her hatred in having to wear formal attire, Maddie had to remind herself that this was part of being this guy's personal private investigator. There was a mystery to be solved here, and certain sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. So, she agreed to wear the suit, but not without letting Ravenwood know of her annoyance and irritation.

Her teeth grinded with the same emotions of irritation as she stood there in front of the facility. As far as asylums went, this one was smaller than most, with only one floor and two wings. The building itself was actually very old, its roots tracing back to the early 1920s. It was made of stone initially, and as the years went by, renovations were made to fix structural instabilities. The stone had been reinforced with concrete, and the interior was lined with tile. Even without knowing its history, however, its looming shadow caused shivers to race up and down Maddie's spine. The building had been several things before it was an asylum, and the things done inside of these stone walls was simply appalling. She was surprised that the place was still open.

Filled with apprehension, Maddie approached the entrance, a clipboard containing Ravenwood's questions typed on a sheet of paper tucked under her arm. She was ten minutes early for her "interview," hoping that it was enough time beforehand to scrutinize the grounds. Steeling herself, Maddie gripped the brass door handle of the wooden double doors. Her uneasiness still had not gone away, and she suspected that it wouldn't. There was something about this place that put her on edge, as if something would jump out of nowhere and start chasing her. Taking a deep breath, Maddie turned the handle and stepped inside.

The pure white of the interior tile momentarily blinded her, and she had to blink several times to regain her vision. She noticed that the entrance led into a central, circular atrium. A glass window, also circular, was set above the wooden doors, illuminating the large room within. There were benches lining the walls, in which only a few patients were sitting, enjoying their leisure time. A fountain sat in the center of the room, a winged gargoyle perched over the basin, its arms open wide, as if it were supposed to be holding something in each hand. Water spewed from the stone gargoyle's open mouth, continuously filling the basin.

A receptionist desk was set up in front of the fountain, much grander than the one at the precinct. A woman with her brown hair pulled tightly in a bun typed furiously on the computer in front of her, completely absorbed in whatever she was doing. Maddie approached the desk slowly, dodging the nurses and orderlies that were milling about occasionally in the large room.