The iron door cut off the pale day light like a guillotine slits the necks of the convicts. And just like that the old thing that was called life was locked outside. He looked around. The walls were painted something that with the years had come to look grayish... The floor was a glooming rat-gray too. Many wretched doors climbed up the dry walls. This place looked so misty and old it gave you the impression of an ancient jungle. You could feel the madness, smell it on the walls, even hear it. Your steps would echo on the planished corridor and come back to your ears sounding like a judge's hammer.
The corridor was long and empty. The few light-bulbs gave it an ill-looking appearance. House breathed heavily. The blonde woman beside him gave him a look. He didn't look back. "My god, what is this place?" he thought to himself. His chest felt heavy.
The tow nurses were walking ahead, leading him to his room probably. The Blondie glanced at his cane every now and then. It was a habit of people around him that House considered to be really annoying. It was the rudest thing that one could do. To consider you a handicapped and throw all their hypocritical compassion on your face. People actually never ever bothered to reach further to a cripple's personality to actually get to know them. They see the cane or the wheelchair and suddenly everything's about that. And next thing you know is you spend so much time with these false relationships that in the end you lose yourself. Things need to be seen with reason, one needs to be rational to sort out the truth, keep true to himself. Lies are the most dangerous invention of human kind.
At the end of the corridor they took a turn which led to another long corridor. House started swearing through his teeth. His led was killing him. If only there were some vicodin in his pocket! But after what had happened he had given them all up. Wilson had promised to clean his apartment of every stash he held secret for the time House would be back. "If I ever come back" he thought. Finally they entered an elevator. House sighed quietly with relief when he saw it. The room inside was really wide. Elevators like this were only in hospitals and supermarkets. When they reached the seventh floor they got out. House was wondering how this place was organized. They were taking him to the highest floor. Did that mean that he would be neighbor with the really mad people or that his case had been taken over by the most important doctor? He hadn't really been ever to a psychiatric hospital this big.
The Blondie suddenly held him by the arm and showed him to a door. She pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked the old gray door. House saw a dark room behind it. The Blondie nodded him to go inside. She followed him in and tuned on the lights. House was looking the place when she spoke. "Doctor House, this will be your apartment during your stay here. If you need anything just notify the nurses and they will notify me. Would you like me to show you around?"
House felt nothing like being with people any longer. When he opened his mouth to respond, his voice was hoarse. "No. I will be fine. Goodnight." he said in with a final tone in his voice. Blondie understood and quickly left him alone.
He walked a bit to see the room. It was a small bedroom and living room at the same time. On House's left there was another door, leading probably to a bathroom. The hospital bed and the steel tables and desk were poor imitations of furniture. He threw his suitcase on the floor and collapsed on the bed. The day had been long, the pain had reached to the marrow of his bones and so within few minutes he was carried away in sleep.
The next morning he was woken up by loud voices coming from somewhere outside. At first he couldn't make out what they were saying but as they came closer and his own head became clearer, he realized it was an argument between two of the staff members. One was definitely a man and the other a woman, but initially he couldn't figure out who had a higher position in the hospital. The man's voice sounded indifferent but really arrogant and bully-like, while the woman's voice was impulsive, steady and gave you the impression that a plywood bass had magically started talking. House couldn't figure out who the dominant one was. The man sounded like a classical type of boss. The woman on the other hand was like… unreal! He had no words to describe. It was like nothing he had ever heard. She was that kind of a talker that could inspire you to do the most unthinkable things. A natural leader! "Oh I have a feeling of who the boss is…" he thought waving his head.
They were really close now and the words sounded distinctively.
-No you can't wear these things at work. Dress properly or you will be fired!
The woman guffawed. "Damn it, she's not the boss!"
-I am afraid I cannot do that. You see I have a very disturbing habit: I don't follow the method in which a doctor dresses like a congress man to intimidate and impose his patient.
-Are you saying that I bully my patients? the man said almost blown with range.
-I also like freedom and free thinking, she continued fiercely.
-Miss Rellway, if you continue to undermine my authority I will make sure to crush your career and you will never be able to be a doctor ever again.
-Chain me on the pillar, blind me, silence me, and cut off my hands. All I have to say to you is Eppur si muove*.
The steps had stopped. "The High Inquisitor must have had a stroke!" House thought laughing. Then he heard a key turn in his door. He sat up on his mattress. From the half opened door a figure showed in. Houses eyes were dragged immediately to the face. The woman's eyes.
-Oh, hello, doctor House. I am sorry that we disturbed you. This is Doctor Evens, she showed the tall, skinny and unbelievably unprepossessing man beside her.
House's eyes glided from the one to the other. Of course he didn't spend more than two seconds with the Doctor. His gaze stopped at the Miss Rellway. Harmonic face, small mouth, full lips, french nose, round apples, almond-shaped eyes and beautiful eyebrows. The deep brown eyes seemed to be made to show any emotion in its most extreme power, and those eyebrows above them gave her an animal look. And the long, untidy brown hair added even more to that. In general she reminded House of a wild lion. She certainly had the spirit for it.
House didn't say anything, just raised his left eyebrow.
-He has taken over your case, she added, with a clear touch of disturbance in her voice. House started to feel amused.
-Are you a doctor Miss?
-Doctor House, I will be your doctor. Miss Rellway was just leaving.
-Doctor Something, I think I get to decide who my doctor will be, don't you think?
-No it doesn't work this way, dryly answered the arrogant leech.
-Actually this is the way it works. Miss Rellway said with an incredibly mischievous look on her face. Dr Evens turned his head to her, his eyes wide open with anger.
-In fact I followed you all the way here today to remind you of the regulation.
Evens shot her a look full of hate and hissed. House was almost blown with laughter.
-I want her, he said.
-I beg your pardon! Evens reclaimed.
-I want her. I don't know how to make it clearer to you.
Evens turned a cold face of resentment.
-Very well. Let's see how you will do with Doctor Gregory House, Miss Rellway. Rellway had a weird half smile on her face as she watched him go out of the room. She turned he head to House and said: Seven o' clock in the evening, in my office, on this floor. Nurses will come and get you. You don't have to bring your coat. And with those words she twisted herself and left…