Chapter 3:
Luz and King found their way to the art room again and immediately got to work on crafts. Actually, King started licking his own butt. Luz however worked on a card for her Mami. So the two sat hunched over the table, tongues sticking out in concentration, for half an hour. They were interrupted suddenly by an unfamiliar nurse requesting Luz to follow him.
"Your mother is filling out visitation paperwork and about to go through security. She will meet you in the lobby if you wanna wait. Feel free to bring a game or other activity with you, if you and your mother want to play something like that." After a quick stop in the game room, to grab Candy Land, they walked down a new flight of stairs. Going to the first floor which Luz only now knew existed.
"How many floors are there here?" Luz asked, while helping King get his pudgy belly down the flight of stairs. " There are separate buildings between adults and children. This is the teenager wing and connected to the children's wing, but has separate levels. The main floor is where the lobby and visitor area is for our teenager wing. The main floor is also where certain events are held for the patients occasionally. Then the second level is the general floor, cafeteria, school, rec rooms, and other day activities. Third floor is the girls' dorm, and the fourth is the boy's dorm. There is also a fifth floor, but that is somewhere you don't wanna end up. That's the solitary level and reserved for the most unstable or dangerous patients." He stopped talking there, knowing very well Luz had been to that level more than a few times.
The lobby itself was very plain, but the amount of smiling families in the room brightened everything up. A handful of leather chairs, some tables with wooden seats, there was even a bookshelf with various boxed games. Luz was glad she brought Candy Land, they didn't seem to have it down here. The walls were light tan and had dull pictures of flowers settled upon them. Several other families milled around, but not so many it seemed overly busy.
The nurse led her and King over to a two top table and beckoned for them to sit. "Your mother will meet you shortly. Remember, visiting days are a privilege that can be removed. Behave and you don't have anything to worry about." He gave a quick, fake, smile and left Luz alone. Well, not completely, she did have King… who happened to have dozed off at her feet. Exhausted from the 'long' trip down the stairs. From where Luz sat she could see a receptionist behind a small desk. Chatting with a few parents and filing papers. She looked very familiar, almost like Kikimora? Short woman with dyed hair in long bangs covering one of her eyes. Nothing like how Luz remembered her, but the resemblance was uncanny.
As Luz waited, she noticed the door visitors were coming through. It was so familiar, brown and above it was a single framed plaque. It looked very much like an eyeball, then she remembered where she had seen it before. It was the portal to the Boiling Isles. What is it doing here? As more and more people walked through it, Luz swore it started glowing. Subtle at first, but soon blinding to look at… just like the one she stumbled into on her first day on the Isles. King seemed to notice Luz was trembling, something even she hadn't realized, and pitifully whimpered. That was enough to snap her out of the trance, pulling the wagging dog onto her lap for cuddles.
"Mija?" Luz glanced up to see Mami standing in front of her. "MAMI!" Shoving King off her lap, gently, and jumping into her Mami's warm embrace. "Oh I missed you so much! I was afraid I would never see you again, when the portal was destroyed I thought I lost you forever!" She was afraid if she let go, her Mami would disappear and never return. "Whoa Mija, I would never leave forever. I was very sad to not visit you last week, but when Doctor Eda told me what happened I knew it was for the best." So her Mami knew what had happened. And most likely not Luz's side of the story.
Once Luz finally let go of her mom, they sat down at the table. King decided to sit on Camilla's lap this time, still slightly miffed from Luz's sudden departure. "Eda already told you what happened… didn't she?" Luz refused to meet Camilla's eyes, embarrassed at what Eda possibly told her. "Yes, the condensed medical version. But I am curious to hear your version, if you want? Then I challenge you to a Candy Land battle. ¡Solo los más valientes sobrevivirán!" Luz immediately perked up at this, Mami wasn't upset?
"Well, I guess it started with a trip to Emperor Belo's Emporium. All my friends went, except for Amity because her leg was still broken from our Grudgby match with Boscha. Well Gus, Willow, and I snuck away to 'borrow' some magic relics to help Eda's curse but Lilith caught us. Then she captured me to get Eda! After that she betrayed Belos and helped me find Eda, but got caught and Eda, Lilith, and King were all almost petrified into stone! I saved them by fighting Belos with glyphs and breaking out of the Conformatorium. The portal back home broke in the process and I was afraid I would never see you again… But that's not what everyone here seems to think. Todas piensan que estoy loca ..." Camilla warmly smiled, but behind her eyes was a mother's sadness.
"Well, I believe that's how you remember it. I'm just glad I can visit you once again, I missed you and your friend's goofy antics. Now, I brought M&M cookies if you want some? And as usual plenty to share with your friends. Speaking of which, where are they?" Willow, Amity, and Gus usually joined for games and cookies in the visiting room. Gus's parents rarely visited, Amity didn't have anyone to be visited by, and Willow's dads never stayed for long. Needless to say Camilla visiting was a special day for them also. "Oh, well they should be down shortly. While we wait can we play Candy Land?" So the two played a few rousing games of Candy Land, most of which Luz won.
They had just finished a round, Luz won by the way, when Amity and Gus were escorted in by a stern looking orderly. "Hello Ms Noceda!" They both said in unison, Gus more screaming his words then Amity. Due to lack of space they moved to a larger table, much to King's schagrin. Camilla brought out a tupperware container of cookies. "I have more for you to share with the other kids, make sure Gus doesn't eat them all." Camilla gave a pointed stare to the young boy, mouth filled with at least three cookies.
The four, five including King who was currently begging for a morsel of cookie, chatted for a while before Willow entered the room. By the time she arrived, the visiting room was fuller than before. At least ten more families filled the area, leaving little open room for any more people. Luckily they had already saved a seat for their plant loving friend. After Willow had gotten comfortable, their conversation picked up again. Anything from blue panda bears to giant jelly beans, such topics were free real estate when it came to Luz Noceda and her friends. A few games of Go Fish and Texas Hold 'em were also played. Amity sat close to Luz, not quite holding her hand but she might as well have been, obviously more comfortable there than anywhere else.
Time flew by and before they knew it visiting hours had ended. The remaining occupants of the room were slowly filing out. Parents and loved ones saying goodbyes to their children before going separate ways. A new nurse arrived to escort Luz and her friends back upstairs. "Ms Noceda, it is now time to say goodbyes. It's 3:00 p.m. and visiting time is now over, the kids must be returning for late lunches and the weekend therapy session." This elicited an upset groan from the entire table, King joined in but it was most likely because he was hungry. "Well, I will see you guys next week. No te metas en problemas, ¿quieres?" Luz didn't want to say goodbye, a whole week before seeing her Mami again felt like torture.
"Puede abrir esto una vez que llegue a casa. ¿Suena bien Mami?" Camilla brought her little girl into a hug. "That sounds wonderful." After a rather rushed goodbye, the nurse was adamant they would miss lunch if any more time passed, and Luz managed to choke back tears that threatened to overflow. She just barely remembered to give Mami the card she worked so hard on. Making sure her Mami pinkie promised to open it after returning home. With a container of cookies for the other kids in her hand, best friends at her side, and King underfoot they headed away.
After goodbyes, the nurse led them back upstairs to the common area. King by their side, this time he was propelled forward with the smell emanating from the cafeteria. As she and her friends walked back in comfortable silence Luz had time to think. Surely that strange door was the portal to the demon realm. She saw it glowing, that had to be a good sign. Maybe there was still a way she could return to the place she remembered, the Owl House. Unless… She actually was crazy? No, that isn't possible. The Owl House is real and there was possibly a way to prove it.
The nurse insisted on leading them to the cafeteria, something about lunch ending soon and needing to eat. It was burgers and broccoli for lunch, a weird combination but I guess they needed to make the meal healthy somehow. Once they sat down Gus blurted out. "Willow, did your dad's visit today? I thought they promised today was the visiting day, but I didn't see them downstairs!" Luz had been wondering the same thing, but was worried it might be rude to ask. Gus had no such quandaries. "Yes, they promised. But I got a call from them saying something came up and they would be unable to visit till next week sometime." She had a blank, uncaring, stare but unspoken sadness welled up behind suppressed tears. No more was said about Willow's parents, instead they shared the M&M cookies with other kids and talked about Taylor Swift's newest album.
Lunch, more like an early dinner, ended abruptly when two familiar green haired teenagers barged in. Large, dual handed water guns in tow and pasta pots situated on their heads making them look straight out of a low budget war movie. Their faces contorted in wicked grins, daring anyone to try and stop them. The room was silent, all eyes focused on the twins, for about three seconds before chaos broke out. The Blight twins started shooting everyone in a ten foot radius with glittery purple liquid, just barely missing the table Luz and company was seated at, the screams were deafening.
Around twenty kids clamoring in a panic to escape the hail of water guns. Orderlies and nurses tried to calm everyone down, only to get soaked with a kool-aid and glitter. "Who let them get a hold of the water guns again!?" A male orderlie next to Luz's table shouted into his walkie talkie. Amity led the way out of the chaos, obviously a pro at this. "We should be safe here, they avoid Lilith's office like the plague. Just to be safe, let's wait here for a while..." Amity said as she, Willow, Gus, King, and Luz took a seat on the floor. Just outside a door with Doctor Lilith Clawthorn in silver letters on it.
It wasn't long before three orderlies ran by, stopping when they saw Amity. "Did you see your siblings come this way? They somehow keep avoiding us today." Gus couldn't help but let out a bemused giggle, which was sternly hushed by Willow. "No, try looking in some storage closets though. That's where they hid their pranking tools sometimes." The lead orderlie nodded before heading off, incoherent mumbling into his walkie talkie. They waited with baited breaths for ten minutes before deciding the coast was clear.
Amity wanted to 'try' and find her siblings, promising to meet back up for group therapy. Gus, loudly, volunteered to help. Quite terribly wanting to witness more of the infamous twins pranks. Willow decided against risking her life in this way and was going to the courtyard to tend some plants. Luz followed Willow, wanting to see the communal garden and to let King out for bathroom duties. Unaware of the courtyard till right now, Luz was dying to explore it. So they split, going two separate ways, agreeing to meet up later for group therapy.
The courtyard was blocked off and only accessible with a nurse's keycard. That or a King sized doggy door that looked exactly like the one into Eda's office. Apparently Willow visited often and had high enough privileges to enter without almost any questions. The area consisted of a surprisingly large grassy area surrounded by a thin concrete path and a few black metal benches encompassed by a flower bed of assorted pansies. A handful of trees on the fence line, windchimes, security cameras, and an empty birdbath occupied the yard also. Granted, the tall chain link fence separating the inhabitants from the outside world reminded Luz that this was a glorified prison. From here she could see the hospital's nearly empty parking lot, the road, a row of houses, and the beginning of a dense forest. Even from the inside of this institute, anyone could see how picturesque the scenery here was.
Willow immediately got to work, plucking weeds, dead-heading flowers, and rearranging the mulch. King sniffed around for a while before heading behind one of the trees for privacy. "Would you mind filling up the watering can Luz? It's near the spigot, bright red, you can't miss it." Willow asked, not even looking up from the pansies she was carefully examining. With King now happily lounging in the sun, Luz walked off to get her friend a watering can. Just along the cement walkway, sure enough, a metal spigot and red watering can sit waiting. There was also a shiny pet bowl, so the service animals didn't get overheated on warmer days. Proceeding to carry a rather heavy, now filled, watering can to Willow. Watching in awe as Willow carefully covered all the plants in the gentle barrage of water.
After every plant had their turn to be watered, which included multiple trips to refill the bucket, it was nearly time for group therapy. The sun had begun to droop low in the sky, making way for the tangerine sunset. "We can't be late, that's how you lose privileges." Willow explained. So they headed inside, King reluctant to leave his spot in the waning sun.
As the two girls, and pudgy dog, headed inside they were viscously ambushed by Viney, Jerbo, and Barkus. Actually, it was more of a fumbling collision then planned assault… but the latter sounds much more interesting. Viney piped up. "Oh hello there Willow, Luz, heading to group therapy? We WERE headed that way also if it weren't for Jerbo's never ending brain fart. He left his favorite jacket in the cafeteria and refused to go on without it. We'll meet you there after our impromptu dining hall visit…" Finishing with a medusa level glare in Jerbo's direction.
"Did they ever catch Ed and Em for their prank earlier?" Willow asked, not wanting to seem opinionated but hoping to hear incriminating news. "N-not as of the last half hour check in. Ed is a w-wonderful, if clingy, boyfriend and checks in on me a bunch. It would be endearing if i-it didn't get me in so much trouble." Barkus merely huffed before ending with an upset growl. "B-barkus would like to make clear he has nothing to do with the mischief." Another bark. "Or approves of such n-nonsense." Luz giggled at this. "Well next time you see them, let it be known I would very much love to assist in a future adventure of theirs!" Everyone laughed, except Willow who turned paler than usual.
After farewells the two girls, and thick dog, managed to find their destination. It was located in the library but the chairs were reconfigured into an oval shape. It was big enough to seat about twenty kids, and maybe a few nurses. Already a few recognizable faces dotted the area. Boscha and Skara were sitting together with a few other girls Luz couldn't place names to. Dr. Lilith was jotting down something in a notebook, probably attendance. Mattholomule, Gus's arch nemesis that nobody liked very much, sat chatting with other kids. Again, most faces she found difficult to place names behind. Amity and Gus were nowhere to be seen, then again the session wasn't supposed to start for another few minutes.
On one end of the room, sat an older gentleman. Wrinkles covered his face and he wore a long robe that looked academic in nature. Luz would have overlooked him as a normal teacher, if not for the reddish magenta beanie placed low on his head. The resemblance to Principal Bump was uncanny. Upon closer inspection of his name tag, his name was Professor Hieronymus Bump. It was Principle Bump! At least a version of him? He looked just as tired and grumpy as she remembered him, except much more human. It was right then Amity and Gus raced into the room, just as Bump cleared his throat and began to talk.
Forty five minutes of, arguably pointless, group banter later and Luz was pretty caught up on names. Not that she remembered any, but future sessions and it would catch up. "Now as a conclusion to our group therapy. I will see each of you for private sessions later this week. In the meantime please work on assigned breathing exercises Lilith will hand out as you exit. Thank you kids, see you next time." Bump finished. As the entire room funneled through the door, Lilith sure enough handed out papers to each and every teen. King still hung closely to Luz's ankles, not wanting to get lost in the fray. Most were headed to the cafeteria, dinner period just now starting, while others headed to the activity center or dorms.
After finally escaping the crowd of people, Luz managed to stumble upon her friends. The events of the day had caught up to Luz now, feeling exhausted and ready to sleep. After the late lunch, even eating dinner seemed like a meaningless task. "Would anyone mind if I went to bed early tonight? I don't want to if that would be a bother… I'm just feeling wiped after today." Amity, Willow, and Gus nodded encouragingly. Short goodbyes and one peck on the cheek from Amity. King followed her back to the small room she had started the day in. It felt nice to change into pjs, cuddle up under the blankets with King, and read magical fan fictions.
Several hours later, time flies when you're reading Good Witch Azura fanfics, Hooty stopped by with the lights out warning and meds. "Hope you had a good day! HOOT HOOT! I know I sure did. I helped Lily out with important paper filing. All day! What a good time, then I ate pizza for dinner. Pineapple, can you believe that? Hooty hoot hoot." Luz however had turned him out after the first 'hoots'. The medications made her drowsy and unable to finish even one more chapter. Before the lights went out, Luz had already made her way into dream land. Filled with glowing portal doors, her friends' hijinxs, and Amity.