"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before"~ Edgar Allen Poe 'The Raven'
The three doctors followed the male nurse out into the corridor and into a small side room
"This is Isabelle's room" Martin explained "At the moment she's on suicide watch and being looked after by Jack here" he said motioning to the nurse
Martin opened the door to Isabelle's room and the group stepped inside. Harry felt his heart break when he saw the young girl inside.
Isabelle was sitting in the centre of a small room that had been turned upside down in a rage. The bed covers had been ripped off the bed and now Isabelle was busy tearing the stuffing out of the duvet cover as she rocked backwards and forwards.
"Through me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain: Through me among the people lost for aye" she chanted
"How long has she been like this?" Martin asked the nurse
"She woke up about twenty minutes ago and just started to get herself worked up into this state" he answered
Justice the founder of my fabric mov'd: To rear me was the task of power divine, Supremest wisdom, and primeval love" the chant continued
"What is she speaking about?" Jack asked
The group listened to her further as she continued to chant "Before me things create were none, save things, Eternal, and eternal I endure. All hope abandon ye who enter here"
"It's Dante" Harry informed the group "The Divine Comedy"
"Such characters in colour dim I mark'd. Over a portal's lofty arch inscrib'd: Whereat I thus: Master, these words import" Isabelle fell silent but continued to rock backwards and forwards
"Isabelle…" Martin said crouching down in front of her "Talk to me Isabelle"
The young girl's head snapped upwards and she glanced across the group before fixing her eyes on Harry "Out dammed spot, out I say!" she started to rub up and down her arms where smears of blood had been when Harry had last seen her
"That's from 'Macbeth' isn't it?" Jack asked and Martin nodded
"Isabelle" Martin said more firmly and the girl fixed her eyes upon him "Will you let these men take a DNA sample from you"
The young girl shook her head as if coming out of a trance and nodded slowly
"Good girl" Martin said smiling encouragingly as he led her out of her room and into what Harry and Leo assumed was the unit's infirmary
Martin led Isabelle over to the bed where she hopped onto it leaving her legs to swing over the sides whilst Leo prepared the swab
"The medication we've got her started back on seems to be taking effect" Martin said quietly to Harry "But she's still very distressed from what she's been through hence her unusual behaviour"
"I've never met anyone who is able to spout prose and poetry like that" Harry said looking over at Isabelle who was watching Leo with a hawk like gaze
"She is an intelligent one" Martin nodded "When she gets upset she retreats into this fantasy world and she'll communicate through oblique references, anything from lines from a soap opera to the work of Shakespeare"
"Okay Isabelle" Leo said moving slowly towards her so to not scare her "I just need you to open your mouth and I'm going to put this swab in to take some DNA"
Isabelle sat there with her mouth shut firmly and Leo glanced across at Martin
"Isabelle…" Martin said trying to catch the girl's attention that was firmly fixed on the pathologists "Leo's a friend, he won't hurt you"
The young girl ran a hand through her tangled hair and whimpered slightly before finally going in and nodding. Leo gently held the bottom of her jaw open whilst he swabbed inside her cheek
"Alone done" he said removing the swab and Isabelle closed her mouth quickly
"Good girl" Martin said encouragingly "Leo, do you think I can have a quick word outside?"
The older man nodded and stepped outside the door with Martin, the door remained open so they could observe the interaction between Harry and Isabelle but they were far enough away so their conversation couldn't be overheard.
"You gave me quite a scare" Harry said to Isabelle whose gaze had dropped to the floor
"Why didn't you let me go?" She said looking up at him and Harry could see the tears forming in her eyes
"I'm not going to let you throw your life away" Harry said simply
"You have no idea what you've done" Isabelle said grimly "They won't ever stop now; whispering and hissing away, they won't ever stop. I've heard their cruel ways and I could have stopped them…" Isabelle pressed a clenched fist to her forehead and moaned loudly
"Who?" Harry asked
"I can hear them" Isabelle whined "They're so loud and jumbled up…please speak one at a time…"
At that moment Leo and Martin came back in the room and turned to Harry
"We've got a little conspiracy to keep the police away from her for a while longer" Martin told the younger pathologist
"Good" Harry nodded
"The problem is if she won't let us help her then she's going to be at the mercy of people like PC Davis…" Martin sighed
"What's your plan?" Harry asked
"Well, feel free to say no but I have the feeling that you might be the key to getting Isabelle to open up" Martin said ominously leaving Harry looking quite shocked.