"Excuse me? Excuse me?"
Katherine stood at the desk of Weatherby Asylum, peering over. Davey, who was standing behind her, glanced over at a group that was just coming out of the area where the patients were held. They were talking excitedly as they left, no doubt interested in all the people they had just learned about.
He really hoped Crutchie was doing alright.
It had been almost a month before any of the newsies had managed to raise more money to visit. The newsies were currently waiting outside, as they had been told only two could see their friend.
A man sauntered up behind the desk, beaming at Katherine and Davey. "Hello! So sorry for the delay. And how may I help you?"
"We're here to see a young Mr. Morris?" Katherine spoke up. "Would you please tell him we've arrived?"
"Morris?" The man frowned. "That name doesn't sound familiar….let me check the records." He bent down and brought up a folder, leafing through it until he arrived at the right section. He frowned, flipping through the pages once, then a second time.
"I'm…sorry, but there isn't a Mr. Morris listed here."
Davey and Katherine looked at each other. "There must be some mistake," Davey said, nervous. "He was sent here only a month ago."
"Only a month—oh! He must have been transferred." The man grinned again. Katherine was starting to find his amiable mood very irritating.
"Transferred to where?" She asked. "And why?"
"We haven't had enough room for a while," The man tutted. "Poor people. So we send them to Bloomingdale."
"Bloomingdale?!" Davey exclaimed. He had been trying to research other asylums in New York, and even though there wasn't much information about the medical practices, Bloomingdale had stood out as the worst.
"Yes," the man started to put away his paperwork, sighing in regret. "A shame, isn't it? We have so little room."
"How often does Bloomingdale allow visitors?" Katherine questioned.
"About once a month," the man answered. "The next allotted time is in two weeks."
"Two weeks!"
Katherine and Davey left the asylum, meeting the newsies out front. It was Katherine who told them.
"Crutchie isn't here. He's at Bloomingdale."