Chapter Twelve
Above him came the pallid glow of a fluorescent bulb as he walked down Brookhaven's halls. Further down was another, winking in and out of existence as it tried to stave off its own demise. In its fading moments it cast itself down on Lewis' face, highlighting a contortion of determination and uneasiness.
For the past week the doctor had been focused on his encounter with Christian Leiters, desperately searching for some clue as to who the man was and why he had taken hold of his life. This search had plunged Lewis into the town's history, caused him to call one of the few people he disliked in Silent Hill, all before finally breaking down on a beautiful and innocent young intern. Hindsight made him regret each of these actions, as nothing good had come from them.
Instead of wasting so much of his focus on trying to solve the enigma that was Christian, he should have merely spoken with the mental patient once more. Michelle had been right when she told him that Christian was the only one who would be able to ease his demons, yet his mind hadn't rested on the possibility until hearing her suggestion.
Why his being had been wary of this suggestion was clear. The first time he had spoken to the insane man had left him unconscious and in need of treatment. Following the swift and unprovoked attack, the Brookhaven doctor had felt the need to speak with him yet again, this time turning the tables so that he was the aggressor. Attacking a patient, despite any justification that he might have had, left Dr. Lewis' record and his reputation marred.
If Christian could cause tragedies to befall his life, then why should he be eager to once more be in his presence? Life was already too short, and too dangerous, to throw one's self into the face of danger willingly. Out of fear and a survival instinct he had shoved the possibility of once more speaking with the man to the recesses of his mind. So deeply in fact, that it was a notion that barely held any substance.
Beyond his personal feelings on the matter was the fact that Christian had been returned to his nine by six isolation cell. The man apparently hadn't fulfilled his sentence for the incident involving his roommate, and what had occurred between he and Lewis certainly had extended his stay in the cramped padded room. Since he wasn't Christian's assigned psychologist then it would be difficult for Lewis to ask anything of the man without raising suspicion about his motives.
These concerns had kept him away from the mental patient, leaving Lewis to explore every other avenue in an attempt to gain a shred of understanding about what had become of his life. No matter what he tried, or where he searched, there didn't seem to be any source of information other than the man that had caused the situation in the first place. Seeing no alternative for easing his own fears and angst about the very essence of his life, Lewis carefully wound his way through Brookhaven's hallways towards the isolation ward.
Up ahead he saw the elevator that would take him to the third floor where Christian waited. So far the exodus from his office had been a solitary one, as there wasn't a soul other than his own that roamed the dim hallways. More than a few hours had already faded into memory, lending to the fact that most of Brookhaven's staff should have arrived and already slipped into their bustling routines. The fact that he saw no one struck Lewis as odd, but only for a moment before his mind focused on other matters.
In honest, the fact that no one had crossed paths with Lewis gave him a great sense of relief. Were he to run into anyone then surely they would have stopped him and stolen a fraction of his time away in conversation. Normally he would welcome such an idea, being as personable as any individual could be. On this day however, he welcomed the silence that Brookhaven provided.
To just place himself before Christian without any idea as to what he would say to the man was a grave mistake. Before, Christian had managed to turn the tables quickly in his conversation with the doctor, and that was when Lewis had a clear understanding of what to say. Still, he had gained nothing from either of their previous conversations.
Another thing he had to consider was what excuse he would give to the on-duty nurse that would be sitting on guard just outside of the isolation wing. Lewis' contributions to Brookhaven over the years had earned him recognition and a fair amount of respect from his colleagues. All of that had been quickly undone as a result of attacking Christian. Knowing this, and that the man he sought was also the one he nearly killed, would make it all the more of a challenge in gaining clearance to visit the disturbed patient.
Behind him the elevator's doors closed, and with a tap of a button the sensation of movement came from just beneath his feet. Trapped in the small moving room allowed the first notions of what he was about to do to sink into his mind. Leaving his office and traveling down the familiar hallways had given him a sense of purpose, yet not a sense of reality. It had all passed by him in some dreamy instance, and it wasn't until now that he truly felt committed to the task at hand.
Slowly the elevator approached Lewis' fate. Breathing in and out he considered what words might be helpful in gaining access to Christian's cell. Just as his mind raced through the possibilities he became aware of the perspiration that seeped its way out onto his palms. On instinct he pulled his sweaty hands across the white uniform, drying them in a futile effort to keep a calm appearance.
The condition of his hands would have quickly dropped on his list of concerns were he given a mirror. Across his face were signs of his angst and dread over what he was about to do. Nothing seemed right about his life in the following heartbeat; a heartbeat that quickened as he could feel the elevator slow its approach. Another second passed for the doctor before the movement slowed altogether, followed by a sharp chime and the opening of doors in front of him.
Stepping out of the small elevator, Lewis absorbed the atmosphere that he found on Brookhaven's third floor. With a deep, calming breath he felt suddenly glad that he had taken the guest elevator over the staff one. Brookhaven's third floor, or the S level as some called it, was home to the most disturbed patients that had the misfortune of finding themselves here. Where Lewis now stood was quite a distance away from the hallway of crazed patient rooms, yet even with the space separating him from them he could still make out several screams coming from the direction of the patient wing.
Had he been forced to use the staff elevator, which opened into the patient wing, then he didn't know if his fragile state could have handled it. Already his nerves were pushing his body to its limits, both because of what he had to endure and because of what he was about to put himself through. He couldn't help but to imagine his sanity to be standing on a precipice, where even a slight breeze would cause it to topple into darkness. Still, he knew that if there was to be any salvation then he needed to once again speak with the blonde headed man that had attacked him. After a final reassuring inhale he turned away from the desolate elevator and headed down the hallway.
Only a short walk was between the guest elevator and the nurse's station that marked off the isolation wing. This brief distance gave Lewis little opportunity to finalize anything in his mind. Instead of focusing on what he was about to say, he decided to focus on the how. Whoever was on-duty would be far less likely to admit him into the wing if they saw him shaking and heard his request come wrapped in a nervous tone. Every step that drew him closer resounded in his skull as another moment to ease the terror that trembled in his voice, until he finally found himself standing before a brunette woman.
For a few moments nothing happened, as the thirty-something woman sat staring at the latest edition of the town newspaper. Though she kept an eye on a monitor that displayed everything that occurred in the isolation wing, none of her focus seemed to notice Dr. Lewis standing there. A tick of the clock faded away, and then another, before the psychologist felt the need to gain this woman's attention.
"Excuse me," he said curtly, surprised by how stable his voice sounded. "I need to see Christian Leiters."
Abruptly placing the newspaper down, the nurse sat staring at Lewis. The sudden noise caused by the action startled the doctor, though he worked hard to keep this fact unknown. "What was that?" came her response in a grating voice.
"Christian Leiters," the doctor angrily repeated. "I need to see him for an evaluation."
"Are ya on the schedule, Dr. Lewis?" Before he had a chance to reply the woman plucked a clipboard off of the angular desk and stared at it. Running her finger down the list she began to shake her head before saying "Nope, I don't see your name listed here."
Silently Lewis cursed to himself about this oversight. Many of the people in charge at Brookhaven worked constantly to keep the hospital running like a finely tuned machine. Schedules and paperwork haunted the lives of everyone that were able to call themselves an employee of the hospital. Quickly, he tried to come up with a plausible excuse for stepping around protocol once again.
"There must have been a mix-up in the paperwork," he lied as he took a step away from the station and towards a pair of doors that were clearly marked: Isolation Wing. "But I really need to speak to him so that…"
"Hold it, doctor." Cutting short his words, the woman rose from her chair and moved between him and the door. The presence that she held was intimidating for the aging doctor, but his determination to see Christian held out. Unwavering, the two stared at each other until the nurse said "Nobody is getting in there without being on the list."
Inside of his mind the doctor grew frustrated at this turn of events as his heart sank with dismay. Speaking with Christian was already troubling for him, so he didn't need anyone to prolong his misery. Looking into the nurse's large brown eyes he merely wetted his lips, giving his mind the chance to consider every possible response he had. Finally he just said, "I don't have time for this. Christian needs to be evaluated, and it needs to be done quickly so I can get back to work."
Neither these words nor the rough tone that Lewis backed them with proved to sway the nurse in her refusal to let him into the isolation wing. With a cold presence she just stared at him, crossing her arms against her chest as she waited for his next move.
He was so close to Christian, so close to gaining a tangible explanation about what was going on in his life, that it pained him to have this obstacle in his way. Knowing everything that Brookhaven was founded upon left Lewis to understand why the nurse stuck to protocol on this matter, but in this instance it wasn't enough. Wanting to speak with the cause of his torture, or rather needing to, caused the tough veneer that he approached the woman with begin to fade.
Emotions welled up inside of him as he tried to plea with the woman, "Please, I just need to speak with him for a few minutes. Then I'll be on my way." The fragile tone of his voice betrayed what was really going on in his mind, as a shimmering tear threatened at the corner of his eye. As with Michelle, and so many others that had stepped into his life, he didn't want to show the full extent of his pained soul to this woman. Yet, he felt that such a thing was no longer his choice.
"I'm sorry," came the nurse's words in a tone that lacked any sympathy for the doctor's situation. "You know the rules, Dr. Lewis. I can't let anyone into the isolation wing unless I'm told to put them on the list. No exceptions."
Even though it stopped him from his goal, Lewis understood this woman's resolve in adhering to the hospital's rules. With the world falling into anarchy around them then what else could those within sanity's grasp do but cling to the ideals that defined them? A lifetime ago he would have been just as adamant about upholding the few regulations imposed on Brookhaven's staff, but now he felt so pushed away that it was becoming hard to even know what those ideals were.
Blinking away the signs of emotion that had crept into his eyes, he let them fall onto the woman's own hazel eyes. Being denied the chance to speak with Christian left him to feel a new sense of defeat and uselessness as he meekly asked "What am I to do now?"
Responding to this somber question was the first wisp of anything caring to come from the steadfast nurse. "If it really is some mix-up with the paper work then I'm sure it'll be cleared up. You can either wait for that or go talk to one of the administrators."
Though the suggestion was meant to be helpful, it instead was far from being something Lewis could use. Part of his plan to speak with Christian required as few people to know about the discussion as possible. Knowing what had occurred the last time Lewis was in the man's presence would never allow for permission to be given to the psychologist to once more be in the man's presence. Still, he recognized the fact that he had to do something different, or else give up on the matter entirely.
Giving the woman a half-hearted reply the psychologist somehow managed to drag himself away from the nurse, and the pair of doors that she so resolutely guarded. Letting the station and the moment slip behind him with each soft thud of his feet on the tiled flooring, he made his way back down the hallway he had come from. Every step that he took worked in concert with his heart, until the quickened beating slowed to match his footfalls. An almost mesmerizing rhythm formed between these two separate actions. Lewis was ignorant of this however, as he turned the corner and was completely out of the nurse's view.
No longer feeling the woman's piercing gaze on his back, he could think of nothing to do other than lean against the gray wall and fight away the overwhelming emotions that lingered in his mind. If he was to be denied his fate of speaking with Christian once more, then how was he supposed to sort anything out in his life? Already he had exhausted every other course that had presented itself, yet he remained standing there without anything of consequence gained.
There had to be something that he had overlooked. What other explanation could there be? Surely the events of his life were not solely for his own torture. But if this was in fact the case, then what was the point of it all? What was the point of his life when everything seemed to be there merely to cause him unceasing harm without hope for escape? On this thought he collapsed into himself, not quite sure how he was to go on.
Fate was not as cruel as Lewis had begun to believe, and to prove this to Lewis' pitiful soul, it worked to give him the smallest of reprieves. Lost to his own cursing mind he nearly missed its gift, bringing the surly nurse down the hallway before stepping through the patient wing's oppressive double doors.
At first glance Lewis felt the need to rub his eyes, to be certain that she had indeed just left her post and the isolation wing unguarded. This realization brought him to the hallway's corner, where his eyes traced the way the nurse had come. Only moments ago there had been a physical barrier that had prevented Dr. Lewis from speaking with Christian, but that barrier was now gone, leaving nothing but a few steps between the two men.
Whatever had caused the nurse to abruptly leave her station was a concern that didn't cross Lewis' mind. The only thing that he focused on was the fact that he was given a new chance to get at the mental patient. Unaware of what was going on in the world around him, he simply made his way back down the hall and stood before the labeled doors that marked off the isolation wing.
Barely a hesitation came to the Brookhaven psychologist as he felt the need to glance back down the hallway and make certain that nobody would see him. Knowing how resolute the nurse had been in her devotion to keep Lewis out of this part of the hospital made him all the more nervous as he pushed open the door and slipped inside.
Across from him was a series of four doors set into the wall. Narrow rooms were placed behind each of these. So narrow that there were only a few inches between the metal door frames. Inside one of these rooms sat Lewis' target, waiting for the chance to enter the doctor's life once again. Even in this moment, after having come so far, Lewis was unsure of how sincere his desire to be in Christian's presence was. Still, he pressed on.
Reluctantly he moved towards the first door and pressed his face against the small window to see if Christian was contained inside. His heart skipped a beat before he let out a sigh and moved away from the empty cell. This pattern continued onto the next isolation room, and the following one as well. Three times Lewis had dared to gaze into a small enclosed room, knowing that his antagonist may rest on the other side, only to find three empty cells. Only one remained, only one last barrier existed between the doctor and the mental patient, and it was a barrier that Lewis was eager to keep as long as possible.
Every step that Lewis took towards the final door seemed to weigh him down, and every breath of air seemed to leave a pain in his chest. Another second faded away as sweat formed on his brow. Almost stumbling now, he approached the metal door, and let a shiver run down his spine as he stared beyond the small glass window into the cold face of insanity.
Though Lewis was unsure if Christian could see him from beyond the metallic door, he was sure that the patient could hear him. All four of the isolation wing's doors were designed that way, so the patient held within could talk to their assigned psychologist without any risks being taken. It was far from the most ideal of settings for confidentiality to occur, but it was what they had to work with.
Cautiously Lewis wetted his lips as through the small window Christian's face remained blank and unmoving. From this appearance it was impossible to determine what was on the insane man's mind, which only served to send another icy chill down Lewis' spine. Even though he now stood in the presence of his destiny, and had given much time deciding his words in this moment, he still felt painfully unprepared. Going against his emotions he tried to make himself appear as calm as he could, knowing that it was his only chance to set things right.
"Christian, we need to talk," the doctor unwaveringly began. "It's doctor…"
"Ah, Dr. Lewis," abruptly came Christian's voice. "Have you decided to finish your task of sealing yourself to a damning fate?"
The chilling, emotionless tone behind Christian's words made the doctor seize up. Somewhere deep inside screamed out a voice that begged for him to put the whole matter behind, and to simply walk away from this man while he still could. Another part, a far more desperate part, longed to stay in the hope that something of use could be gleaned from the man. As always, desperation won out and forced the doctor to continue on.
Pushing his angst away, or at least as much as he could, Lewis continued on. "The note that you sent me…"
"I didn't send you any note, Dr. Lewis," Christian broke in with. "You know that."
Sweat began to collect on his brow again as Lewis' angst turned into frustration. This was hardly the time for such games. Knowing that the man wouldn't help him at all unless he gave into Christian's whims, the Brookhaven doctor could do nothing but sigh and swallow hard in anticipation.
"Yes, yes I know that. But I still need to know what it means, and who really did send it."
"So, you need my help then?" Something about Christian's question, whether it was the actual words or the manner in which he spoke them, froze Lewis in terror. When no reply came from the doctor the mental patient felt the need to repeat his question, which was followed this time by a small and barely audible yes.
Silence was forced between the two men, leaving Dr. Lewis to seriously question his decision to speak with Christian, and hoping the man would have an answer to give him. Nothing from their previous discussions led the doctor to believe that this man would help to ease any of the angst that had gripped his life, and out of that he nearly left the man to further rot alone in his isolation cell. The only thing that caused him to stay was a voice that whispered in his mind that this was his last chance for peace.
"Christian….I have to know." There was such a helpless quality to Lewis' words as he spoke them, making it very obvious as to just how close he was to breaking down.
"What makes you believe that I have any answers to give you, Dr. Lewis?" Letting the question hang in the air, no answer came to the doctor's mind as he stood there. He just wanted everything to end, and though the mental patient couldn't see the doctor's true state, he sensed well enough as he suddenly spoke "I will help you, but only if you let me out of this box."
Instinctively Lewis' hand moved in response. Beside the isolation door was an electronic reader, and the Brookhaven doctor found himself fishing an ID card from his pocket. Placing the card just above the reader he suddenly stopped, taking in the scene that he had stumbled into and realizing what he was about to do.
Christian was a dangerous man. During their first encounter he had proven this to Dr. Lewis, in addition to several reports that had been filed in regards to earlier transgressions. Because of these things he had been locked away and removed from society as much as possible. Considering the man's history, Lewis found it very hard to go through with things.
Before he could shy away completely from releasing the man something else entered his mind. The nurse that had been assigned to guard the isolation wing may have left her post, but for how long? Whatever it was that had drawn her away certainly wouldn't keep her occupied indefinitely, and it was only a matter of time until she returned. Lewis knew full well what the consequences might be if she were to find him talking to Christian after the previous run-in they had, so for that reason his hand dropped and a soft click was heard as the door to Christian's cell became unlocked.
Placing a hand on the small room's metallic door handle, something drew Lewis' gaze back down the length of the isolation wing. Certain that no one had snuck up on him and that his actions were done so in complete privacy, the Brookhaven doctor pulled the door open and stared at Christian as the two men once more came face to face.
Cassie just sat there for a moment, looking confused, before she brought her arms up once more and offered her shackled wrists, hoping to now have them be set free.
A small measure of comfort came to Dr. Lewis as he noticed Christian's hands and feet were cuffed together by a chain. With these restraints then he felt Christian would at least be prevented from attacking him outright, and it would be impossible for him to do so without alerting someone as to what was going on.
"Thank you, Dr. Lewis. It is good to see you again." An eerie smile creased its way across the blonde haired man's face as he took a cautious step forwards, placing a foot just outside of his cell's doorway.
"Now, will you please tell me who sent that note?"
"Lead the way." Echoing across the small hallway were Christian's metal shackles as he gestured with his hand. This noise only helped to add to the chilling aura of the moment.
At first Lewis was unsure of what exactly Christian meant by this gesture. The only part about their agreement that he recalled was the fact that Christian wanted out of his cell. Already the mental patient was testing the limits of the doctor's generosity by suggesting that they leave the isolation wing altogether, and Lewis couldn't help but to feel used.
Still, Christian's suggestion did have some merit. The whole reason for letting the man out of his cell was to help minimize the chances of anything happening to Lewis as a result of sneaking in and talking to the disturbed patient. Were someone to come in and see them standing there now would not bring fewer accusations upon the doctor, but in fact would cause them to be far worse. Seeing no choice but to continue their conversation in a less conspicuous environment, Lewis warily grabbed Christian by the arm and led the way out of the isolation wing.
Without a nurse present to watch him remove Christian from his cell, Lewis believed himself to be totally free of guilt in this matter. The entire time something had been overlooked, and it was that exact thing that could cause him more trouble than anything else he had encountered. Watching on as the two men slipped out of the wing sat a camera in the ceiling's corner, recording everything, in addition to a silent alarm that had been tripped the moment Lewis' ID card had opened Christian's cell.
Holding his breath, Lewis stepped out of the wing and anxiously stared at the nurse's station. Relief swept over him as he saw it to still be empty, and that no one else appeared to be roaming the nearby hallway.
Making his way down the hallway with Christian walking alongside of him, Dr. Lewis couldn't help but to cringe with each step. Every time the mental patient moved, the metal shackles fastened to his wrists and ankles rattled with a grating sound that Brookhaven's vacant hallways echoed with. If they were going to make it to a safe place to talk then the job of actually reaching such a place was going to be that much harder thanks to Christian's chains.
Pushing aside his frustration Lewis began to consider where they should go. On his way to the isolation ward it had never been his intention that the insane man should leave his cell; much less roam the hospital's halls in search for a secluded area to speak in. Now that he was stuck the man then the doctor began to rack his mind for every possible room that might be available.
The rest of the third floor was instantly crossed off. Other than the isolation wing where he had found Christian all that the top floor had to offer was the S level patient wing. Even if there was a place vacant amongst the S rooms, Lewis still didn't want to dare looking. Having to deal with one disturbed patient was enough of a burden on his sanity without those locked in the S wing to have a chance at him as well.
Brookhaven's ground floor didn't give him much assurance either. Most of the rooms on the hospital's first floor were for use by visitors and the administrative staff. While a handful of patient rooms were located here, they were hardly ever empty. Besides, if there was any chance that he might run into someone then it would be on Brookhaven's bottom floor, which was something he was trying to avoid at all costs.
Rounding the hallway's corner only one place was left in his mind; the second floor. Other then a few locker rooms and storage closets then the whole middle floor was dedicated to patient rooms. Scratching his head he tried to recall the whiteboard from earlier in the morning, hanging in the reception area that listed which patient was in which room. He tried to remember what room on the second floor was currently vacant, as he could distinctly remember that one of them was indeed absent of any patients.
Before his mind could rest on which room was the empty one, Lewis startled himself as he ran into the third floor elevator. Not since he had first begun his residency at Brookhaven had he stumbled into the hospital's walls. He had always remained very focused in his work, even at some of his worst times. For him to literally bump into something seized his mind, and he realized just how grave the situation consuming his life had become.
Tapping a button the doctor stood and waited for the elevator to return, trying his best to put the whole matter of his lost focus out of his mind. There were other things that needed his attention at the moment, more important things. One of those things was standing right beside him, gazing off with a blank face that only masked the true horror of what lay beneath. Looking at Christian again sent a shiver of revulsion down his spine as a soft chime let him know that the elevator had reached him.
When the doors slid open, he was about to take a step forward, before something caught his attention. Brookhaven's elevators were small, hardly the size that many of the staff felt they should be. At most it would be a tight fit for three people. There might not have been quite that many people about to step on it, but with someone as dangerous as Christian then any enclosed space could easily turn into a coffin.
"What's wrong?" the mental patient coldly asked as the doctor stood there in hesitation.
Something about the man's tone made Lewis even more uneasy about the whole situation he was about to place himself in. Knowing what the man had done to him before left a sick feeling in the doctor's stomach, and once again his conscious rose to question why he was helping this man at all. Letting the argument subside he forced himself onto the small elevator, with Christian a step behind.
Creaking with age, the elevator doors closed and shut the two men inside. As he reached for the '2' button, Lewis realized that his hands were trembling. Having his one-time attacker practically breathing down his neck unnerved the Brookhaven doctor like nothing had before. Standing there on very little sleep didn't help either, as the only images that flooded his mind were those of bleeding patient bodies and chilling clues.
Taking a deep breath Lewis tried with all his strength to ease the quakes that ravaged his body. Experience had taught him that men like Christian were predators, and predators could sense fear. If he wanted the mental patient to help him out then Lewis knew he had to try and create the most benign environment that he could. Only in that environment would the two be able to talk on level ground, and something be achieved.
Once Lewis reasoned this in his mind, his hand became still and he again felt at peace. Quickly he tapped the elevator button, knowing that another wave of panic could attack at any moment. Even with a layer of calm wrapped around him the doctor still felt a twinge of angst as he sensed the elevator move beneath his feet.
The time spent between floors could have been measured with a handful of heartbeats, but they were heartbeats that Lewis was painfully aware of. Every second spent next to the mental patient stretched on into eternity. Dr. Lewis knew that the few moments stuck waiting to reach the second floor should have been spent on figuring out how he was going to get the man to the vacant room unnoticed, yet instead all he could do was focus on how close he was to a man that had caused his soul such torment.
Reaching their destined floor Lewis gave such a loud exhale that the grinding doors barely drowned it. Opening onto Brookhaven's second story the doctor pushed himself into the awaiting hallway. As he took in a breath of the dank air something suddenly came to his mind, forcing him back into the cramped elevator.
In the rush of excitement over being given the chance to escape the close proximity he had been forced to share with Christian, Lewis made a costly mistake. With the mental patient in tow he had to be extra cautious in maneuvering around the old hospital. Were someone to spot them he had no excuse that could explain why he had removed the man from isolation and brought him here.
Cautiously he returned to the fluorescent lit hallway, darting his eyes in search as he did so. The visitor elevator was tucked away in a corner, letting the doctor enter the floor in near seclusion. While this gave him few places to search, it also gave Christian more cover to covertly attack him and escape. Unwilling to have his back to the man, Lewis simply sidestepped towards the hallway's corner.
Both the spacious hallway and the cramped elevator were now within his field of vision, but instead of focusing on one or the other he kept his eyes jumping back and forth. No sign of danger came from either sight, yet something was gnawing deep in his stomach that kept him alert. Dr. Lewis couldn't quite put his finger on what this feeling meant, but it was something he felt needed to be paid attention to nonetheless.
Christian seemed to be aware of the situation that the two were now in. Remaining in the elevator he merely stood in silence and awaited a signal from the Brookhaven doctor that everything was clear. By gaining his freedom from the small isolation cell he was closer to complete freedom then he had been in a while. Knowing the cost of that freedom, and how delicate it was, allowed a strong sense of patience to take hold of him and wait out the doctor's next move.
To Lewis' amazement not a soul was found roaming Brookhaven's second floor. Several office's had been placed on this floor, along with the locker rooms for both sexes. Closing in on the day's lunch hour should have made the hallway a far busier place then what it appeared. Instead of dwelling further on why he hadn't run into a soul since releasing Christian he decided to take advantage of the small luck he had been given and move as quickly as he could to the vacant room.
Pulling his file folder close to his chest he returned to the decaying elevator and stared into the cold eyes of a madman. "I think we are safe to go," he said to the shackled patient.
"You think?" The tone behind Christian's question was a far harsher one then Lewis had been prepared for.
When Lewis' eyes met with Christian's then something sparked deep within him. Nearly the entire time he had known the man Lewis had been afraid. In this instance though that fear had been pushed aside, and his normally dormant temper flared. "Look, don't start to with me," Lewis said as he jammed a finger into the man's chest. "I've done you a favor by letting you out of your isolation cell, a favor that could cost me dearly. If you don't shut up and follow then you can always go right back." Fierce determination reflected in the doctor's eyes as well as the emotional strain he had been under.
In response Christian's mouth crooked in a half smile, obviously amused by the fragile emotional state that the doctor found himself in. Unable to see any reason to push further he merely held his shackled hands up in mock surrender and said "Whenever you're ready doctor."
One last moment was spent as Lewis stared coldly at the man in his off-color patient jumper. Contempt for him and for the situation he had placed Lewis in emanated from the doctor, before both men stepped out of the elevator and into the corridor.
Whatever thoughts were now roaming in the insane man's head was a mystery as his face returned to a blank stare that he seemed comfortable with. Dr. Lewis' mind was far easier to pick, as the rapid movement of his eyes conveyed his continued paranoid sense. So far that sense seemed unjustified as Brookhaven remained eerily vacant.
Once during their journey Lewis stopped Christian, feeling the need to peer down the hallway leading to the twin locker rooms before continuing on. Even this action seemed unnecessary as the only thing that was revealed to the nervous doctor was a bright yellow pale and dirtied mop. With only a few more feet between him and his destination then Lewis could sense relaxation begin to embrace his being, though even now it was far too soon to drop his guard.
Passing through the double doors placed across from a staircase Lewis exhaled his relief as they were now in the patient wing of the second floor. Room M3 was located halfway down the hall, and even now it had remained abandoned for some reason. Maybe for a change the residents of Silent Hill were beginning to solve their own problems, and the flow of insanity was finally being curbed in the sleepy resort town. Whatever the cause, he was just happy that there was a place where he could speak to Christian alone. Focusing on this, he began to drag the mental patient towards their destination.
Suddenly his focus was ripped away yet again as a noise came from just ahead. Out of instinct Lewis pushed Christian behind him, though being nearly a head taller than the doctor wouldn't allow him to be hidden much. When the door to the floor's exam room was pushed open Lewis' panic level sharply rose, causing him to throw himself against Christian in an attempt to shield both of them from view.
A dark scowl made its way across the patient's face, but Lewis didn't even notice. All he noticed was the red hair of a woman who appeared to be going over some medical files. Joyce remained oblivious to everything outside of those typed words as she headed further down the hallway towards the staff elevator. Something within Lewis longed to speak with his friend, hoping that somehow she could save him from Christian and the nightmare he had forced upon Lewis' life.
Before he could make a move towards the woman then he saw a new figure emerge from the exam room. The tightly clinging uniform and short velvet black hair caused an instant recognition for Lewis. Unlike the other woman, Michelle stopped and seemed to stare over her shoulder in Lewis' direction. The older doctor seized for a moment, wondering what the young girl would do next, only to see her turn back towards Dr. Hunt and follow down the hall.
Pressing against the gray concrete wall Lewis breathed in deeply. That had been a close call; too close of a call. Tiny drops of sweat had collected on his brow and as he forced himself to wipe these off he just shifted his gaze back to his companion, who looked to be far from happy about being shoved. Lewis made no attempt to apologize for his actions, but instead merely gestured with his hand that the way was now clear.
Less than a full minute passed as the doctor approached the empty room. That time stretched out into eternity as he kept looking behind him, certain that at any moment someone would sneak up on him and discover his violation of conduct. No one appeared though, and Lewis now found himself standing before the large double doors with M3 painted off to the side.
Seemingly an eternity had passed since he had left his office a short hour ago, yet here he stood. It was almost ironic that M3 had been chosen for the next step in his destiny. This room had been where he had first met with Christian, and where the serious doubts regarding his life and his character had emerged from. Yes, fate did seem to have a sense of irony, but that didn't matter to Dr. Lewis. None of it did. All that mattered was a murdered young girl and a note that had caused an unrealized terror take hold of his life. With that thought he opened the door, and stepped into fate's awaiting arms.