Scratchy music played through speakers long outdated, the music emanating from an antique gramophone in a room long forgotten by the inhabitants seated sparsely on dusty cobwebbed chairs within it. Mindless hulks danced idly in circles with invisible partners while some sang incoherent words with mouths mangled by a long unquenched thirst for fresh air. Erratic laughter from people who's minds were lost to the iron clad grip of madness echoed in the corridors outside and terminated in terrifying screams brought on by the slightest infringement on their demented joy. Those lost in limbo cried, laughed and screamed almost all at once as their minds fought against the antics of the drones desperate to take them to their level, their own weak wills wanting them to join the others in the depths of a domain where nothing in life mattered save for the items they conjured for themselves.

Shut in another room all alone was sat the newest arrival to the place. Too scared to leave her bed for fear of those waiting in the corridors all around her she shut her eyes and tried to convince herself she was somewhere else. Her nerves shot to pieces she flinched at every new outburst of uncontrolled, uncontained laughter. With every scream she shrank further into herself and willed the demons outside to leave her be. Every now and then fists would knock unknowingly on the door to her room voices on the other side of it asking if she would like some double glazing or a playful kitten as a pet.

An angry shout boomed through the music, screams and laughter sending bedlam into even further chaos until the tramp of hard soled boots sounded in the corridor outside and the ceiling above her. Shouts and screams echoed throughout the place as patients were forced back into their rooms so that medication could be given to those that required it and others could sleep, their minds rested in a dream that they never seemed to wake from. Silence soon fell as everyone was quickly put back in their places.

Revelling in the silence outside long tarnished by the uncontrollable hordes that dominated every single room in the three vast buildings that had been standing for at least a century, the lonely newcomer was startled by a soft knock on the door to her room. Not knowing who waited on the other side for her she ignored it. When the person knocked again and asked her by name to let them in she slid from the bed. Taking up her crutch she walked unsteadily to the door and unlocked it, opening it just a crack she peeked round it and saw a doctor standing just outside.

The doctor noticed the door open and peeked round it to look at the person he sought, "Hello Robyn, you don't know me but I'm Doctor Malone. May I come in and speak with you?"

"Are they out there?" Robyn asked her eyes darting nervously about for a couple of seconds.

"They? No, I'm the only one out here. You've nothing to fear. Can I come in?"

Robyn nodded and stepped back from the door slightly allowing the doctor to open it himself. When he'd come fully into the room she shut the door quickly and locked it, an action which concerned the doctor and didn't fail to make him jump at the suddenness with which it had been executed. Looking briefly at the doctor as if trying to remember him, Robyn shook her head and hobbled over to the sorry looking lump of wood with a mattress on top that acted as her bed. Sitting heavily upon it she waited for the doctor to do as he wished, as far as she was concerned she had all the time in the world.

Picking up his rather disturbed nerves after the door being slammed so suddenly, Doctor Malone straightened his tie and sauntered after his own fashion to Robyn's bedside. Standing in front of her he shined his pen torch into her eyes and felt her pulse with the unoccupied hand. Assured that her physical state needed no consideration at the present time he moved his attention to her mental state. From what he'd seen already she'd reacted badly to her surroundings which concerned him no end.

Pulling his trousers up slightly Doctor Malone sat on his haunches and looked up slightly at Robyn, "You've been here for three days haven't you? How are you finding things?"

"As well as can be expected."

"How so?"

Robyn smiled slightly and looked around erratically, "I'm trapped like an animal and I can't get out. I feel like I'm going mad, this place, everything around me. All the people, they're pulling me down. They want me to be like them. They want me to be like them but I can't."

"You don't have to be like them, Robyn. You want to get better and you're able to do that, they are not. I'm going to help you get better but I can only do that properly if you help me. Are you going to do that?"

Taking in what the doctor had said Robyn nodded.

Sitting back slightly with a smile Doctor Malone put a hand on Robyn's knee, "Very good. First of all I'm going to have you moved, you shouldn't be here. From what I've read of your assessment and seen here this afternoon you'd be much better off in the low security unit. Come with me now and we'll find you a room."

Removing his hand from Robyn's knee Doctor Malone stood up and assisted Robyn to do the same. Following her to the door he waited for her to unlock and open it before stepping out of the stuffy little room and into a large, windowless corridor that looked as if it stretched for miles. Gesturing for Robyn to follow him he led her down the corridor and through several doors until they reached a bright room full of people sitting in soft, comfortable chairs.

At Doctor Malone's request Robyn sat in one of the chairs and watched as he walked over to a desk on the far side of the room and talked to a nurse sitting behind it. Looking around the room Robyn smiled, this place was nice. None of the people around her were dancing to the music that played in the background, none of the people were laughing or screaming, none of the people scared her. This room was bright and had clean windows that she could see out of. The colour on the walls was a soft peach making a change from the boring, white washed walls she had been surrounded by in her cell of a room. Relaxing considerably and feeling much better she sat back further in her chair and closed her eyes.

"Hello Robyn," A voice said at Robyn's ear.

Robyn turned her head to look at the speaker, "Who are you?"

"My name is Ellen. I'm a friend of your uncle's, a close friend."

"He's never mentioned you to me before."

"I know. He wanted to keep us a secret-"

"Us?" Robyn interrupted with a frown creasing her forehead, "Secret?"

"We're in a relationship and he didn't want to tell you until you were better but I fear that at the speed with which he puts these things off that he'd never tell you which is why I'm here."

"And how long has this been going on exactly?"

"Since you were in a coma after the operation you had."

"Right, well now you've told me what I should have been told over a month ago you can get lost."

A rather taken aback Ellen stood up and thinking better of throwing abuse at her boyfriend's niece for her rudeness, stormed from the room and out the front entrance. Getting in her car she started it and headed for Lazytown determined to tell Sportacus what his niece had said to her. She was sure he wouldn't be pleased.