AN: This chapter was hard to write, as I couldn't think of any reason why Kaufman would want Lisa to meet him at Cedar Grove. I mulled it over for quite some time, but in the context of the game, there was no real explanation.

Also, there's nothing to suggest that Helen Grady is officially dead (at least not until after Travis pays Momma a visit), hence why I included her in the story. I couldn't think of any other way Lisa's, "You KNOW who's in there!" line would make sense.

Kaufman had given Lisa strict instructions as to what time she was allowed to enter the basement. She was to ensure that nobody saw her go down there, and that nobody saw her emerge. This was something which would have been relatively difficult, if not for the din in activity that occurred during dusk and dawn.

Unable to sleep, and unwilling to return home, the girl chose to stay and lumber about the hospital, sipping coffee and wandering aimlessly through the corridors. She was stunned to discover that a secret chamber lived beneath the structure, pondering endlessly as to how long it had been there, and what purpose it could have served.

She began to suspect that the recent renovations were nothing more than an excuse to build said tunnel, which only caused her to delve deeper into such unpleasant thoughts. Had it been part of some larger scheme? There was no way to be certain, but something about it seemed very suspicious.

In the passing hours, her evasive boss had briefly called her into his office, informing her that she should meet him later at the sanitarium. For what, he had not said, though she certainly wished for an excuse not to go.

The teen felt a shiver creep down her spine, reluctant to set foot inside that house of madness. Though she had never been inside Cedar Grove, her grandmother had briefly transferred to the contagion ward. She had heard many stories about the place, neither of them particularly pleasant.

Most patients were ultimately harmless, with the majority suffering from mental disorders that regular hospitals didn't have the means to deal with. Some would stumble absently through the halls, others needed round-the-clock care, plenty had only mild disorders.

But it wasn't always rainbows and sunshine, her grandmother had made that abundantly clear. Some of the orderlies had to physically restrain the more violent patients, sustaining many injuries in the process. It was a rather distressing sight to behold.

Then there were contagions. Outbreaks of polio and tuberculosis were common, and treating them at Alchemilla was simply not possible. Everyone, staff included, ran the risk of becoming infected, meaning that seclusion was the only solution.

Many were so sick, so beyond help, that they were simply left to die. Unethical though it were, a surprising number of patients had been abandoned by their families, who were no longer able to cope with the situation. Nobody would miss them.

Perhaps one day, she too would have a room of her own, sealed away from the rest of society. Surely a woman who saw illusions, drug induced or not, was deserving of such a fate?

As she prepared to leave, the nurse found a man curiously sprawled on a waiting room bench, his features concealed behind a low cap. Thinking he must have fallen asleep, the young woman tentatively approached him.

With bloodshot eyes and a tired mien, the girl enquired as to whether he was okay, fearing that he may need medical attention. He seemed bewildered, a glimmer of concern betraying the stoic expression he adopted on waking.

Introducing himself as a man named Travis, the intern was startled to discover that he was the one responsible for rescuing Alessa. Despite his heroics, the nurse received no enjoyment from this knowledge, believing that it would have been better if the child had died.

What was a life wrought with such pain?

Wearing a sincere expression of sorrow, Lisa solemnly confessed that Alessa had died from her injuries, a lie that almost consumed her when she saw the look on his face. Sad though it made her feel, she had to obey the doctor's orders.

Bidding farewell, she and Travis went their separate ways, with the intern hoping that he would find some comfort in knowing that he tried. She would have preferred to examine him first, but the man reassured her that he was alright.

It was grimly ironic. She was doing what she had always wanted to do. Act.

Skulking her way to the oppressive brick walls that surrounded the sanitarium, the strawberry blonde held herself tightly, anxious as to why Kaufman wanted to meet her there. Pushing through the steel gates, she made her way up the curving path.

Inside the building was warm, wide corridors carrying the overpowering stench of bleach. Shoulders sagging as she embraced the heat, the young woman was relieved to see the director approaching from a nearby door, thankful that she didn't have to search for him.

The less time I have spend here, the better. She thought.

Screams could be heard echoing throughout the halls, and whether they were borne from pain, or simply the mad ramblings of a lunatic, she wasn't sure. Nurses and orderlies waltzed back and forth, perfectly composed despite the atmosphere.

'Why are we here?' She asked, slightly irate.

'I don't particularly like this place anymore than you do.' He confessed, peering over his shoulder. 'But I have some very important items to retrieve.'

'So why do you need me?' She quizzed, not entirely believing his words.

'Perhaps I enjoy your company.' He smirked, further enraging the girl.

Suddenly annoyed, she sped ahead of the man, causing him to stumble to an abrupt stop. Brushing flyaway hair from her face, she furiously stomped her foot on the ground, not caring that it made her resemble a petulant child.

'I lied for you today, and to the poor man who rescued Alessa. It would be nice for you to tell me what's going on, or at the very least explain what we're doing here.'

Making a small sound, the older man regarded her with a hint of frustration. 'I have no ulterior motive, if that's what you're thinking.' Pivoting on his heel, the doctor resumed walking. 'Three days ago, a polio survivor was transferred to my hospital for recuperation. I have simply come to collect his belongings.'

'Shouldn't his family do that?'

'He doesn't have any. There are two boxes, I can't carry both by myself, and seeing as how you had nothing better to do, I brought you along.'

'Is that so?' Came her rhetoric reply.

At his insistence, Lisa stopped just short of the Patient Belongings room, leaving Kaufman to converse with an orderly. With the excuse of having to sort through some documents, the two disappeared behind a set of doors, leaving her to stand around, idly awaiting their return.

Bored, the teen wandered off to explore the sanitarium, pumps squealing as she gingerly traversed the polished floor. Unfamiliar with the layout, she found herself absently weaving in and out of hallways, losing herself deep within the facility.

Despite knowing that Kaufman would be angry once he discovered she was missing, the girl continued on regardless of the fact, spurned by a twisted curiosity that refused to leave. There was something mysterious and deeply interesting about the building.

Though standards were slowly improving with each passing year, the state of the institute still left much to be desired. Lobotomies had once been the most prominent method of dealing with unruly patients, and despite having been all but phased out, the alternatives weren't much better.

Many of the sick were forced into straight jackets and sealed inside their rooms, usually by leather straps that bore into their flesh. Orderlies with little patience would occasionally beat people into submission, a sight her grandmother had witnessed often.

Mental illness came in many different forms, and the intern was certain that Cedar Grove, like many sanitariums, lacked the personnel and experience to truly cure those which they were trying to help. Of course, the "abnormal" people had to go somewhere.

Finding herself in the east wing, the young woman became aware of a strange, almost animalistic howl echoing from one of the far corridors. Feet moving of their own accord, she grew close to the sorrowful wail that escaped a solitary door, leading to Female Seclusion.

There was no one around to witness her inconspicuously sneaking inside the small hall, and though she told herself it was wrong, and that she should return to the main foyer, she was so perplexed by the noise that she found it almost impossible to turn away.

Five rooms greeted her on the other side, clearly reserved for patients who were unable to integrate with everyone else. One of them was slightly ajar, with the sound of a struggle resonating from beyond the door.

Creeping towards the small crack that released a faint beam of light, Lisa peered through the gap to see a middle-aged woman, scrawny and withered, being held down by a pair of female nurses, arms raw from where metal buckles had grazed the skin.

Though feebly struggling against their grip, it was obvious that she was far too weak to make much of an impact, legs kicking uselessly as she soon gave up the battle. A selection of pill bottles - presumably her medicine - sat on a metal tray.

'Where is he?' She croaked, glazed eyes scouring her surroundings. 'Where's my son?'

One of the women let out a deflated sigh. 'He's not here.'

'Why?' She asked, lifting her head to glare at the nurse. 'I want to see him. I want to see my son.'

'You know why he's not here, Helen.'

'Where's my boy? Where's Travis?'

The second nurse cleared her throat, gathering equipment as they prepared to leave. 'Mrs. Grady, it's been over a decade since your son came to visit.'

'I want my child! Bring him to me. I want Travis!'

Ignoring her, they made to leave the cell, forcing Lisa to flee the scene before she was spotted. Watching as they locked the door, she waited until they were out of sight before seating herself in a nearby chair, suddenly solemn.

That must be Travis' mother. The teen mused, keeling forward with her head bowed. I didn't know he was from around here. How sad. He never comes to visit.

She could hear muffled cries escaping the room, abruptly stifled by a haunting silence as the woman grew quiet. Never before had she seen somebody forced to live in such conditions, and it disturbed the nurse to see how swiftly she was disregarded.

Out of mind, out of sight, locked inside her own personal hell.

Slumping disparagingly where she sat, a set of footsteps invaded her ears, followed by the sound of a man's voice. Mumbling to herself, she slowly lifted her head, meeting Travis' stern gaze with her own. Was he here to visit Helen?

'Is Alessa in there?' He foolishly quizzed, perplexed by the girl's rambling.

Furious, Lisa got to her feet and screamed at him, unable to contain the anger she felt for his idiotic questions. Was he trying to provoke her? Was he really so dismissive of his mother?Pushing past the trucker, she hurried back to the foyer, wiping tears from her eyes.

She decided then that she would never again return to Cedar Grove.