Chapter 2

It was still a glorious day outside. Sunlight glaring through the glass of Green Acre's west side. D wing was bathed in a glow of early evening light and looked so calm and serene that Nica was taken aback by the tranquillity as she looked up from her magazine. Shadows cast across the entire length of the common room as the sun began to set, gently, silently whispering a goodbye to the world. She closed her magazine and looked over the front cover again. Nothing new, just the usual, same old shit she'd seen gracing the front pages of the countless reading material on offer. 'My Husband Ran Off With My Daughter... But I Still Love Him!' had been one of Nica's favourites. Just the very headline made her laugh. Why did people think spreading news like that to millions of people across the country, the world even, would ever be a good idea? Money was probably a huge factor, but the embarrassment must outweigh even the healthiest of cash incentives. She could imagine her very own headlines at times. 'Serial Killer Used Voodoo To Live On As Doll And Killed My Family... But I Survived!', that had a ring to it. She threw the magazine down, turning to examine what else was on offer. The TV set had been playing re-runs of Bewitched all day. That had gathered a little bit of a crowd. Even Mavis was sat clutching her pillow to her chest, seemingly hypnotised by the unfolding escapades playing out on screen. Nica grasped the wheels of her chair and turned before steadily heading out of the common area, her eyes occasionally drawn to the TV, canned laughter echoing around the room. Entering the hallway she looked at the clock sat high on the wall above the nurse station. Not too long and she could meet David, she was looking forward to getting off the ward and taking in some slightly different scenery, even if it was the same basic colours and endless corridors. She rolled forward and approached the senior nurse sat behind the desk, giving her a smile and a friendly tilt of the head.

"Hey Grace." Nica gushed.

"Nica... How're you doing honey?" Grace looked up noticing her immediately. Her greying shoulder length hair hanging either side of her weathered and wrinkled face, the dark green scrubs identifying her as a senior nurse. Nica had come to the conclusion that, as old as she looked, Grace was probably only about late forties. She just had the look of experience. Battle scars of her career so far.

"I'm really well. Had to get out of there." She flicked her head back, motioning to the common room. "That laughter drives me insane."

"Well, if that's the case then you're in the right place dear." Grace laughed as she ended her sentence. "You look better... Healthier, I mean. I like it. Still doing the exercises?"

"How do you mean?" Nica seemed puzzled, had Grace been watching her?

"No need to get all worried." She smiled. "I was doing my rounds one night last week and had a look in your room. Was gonna see if you needed anything, but you sure were going for it. Figured I'd best leave you to it."

"I can't believe I didn't hear you." Nica was surprised. "I hear everything usually."

"Well you were pretty distracted, you seemed to be enjoying yourself."

"It's just until they let me use the gymnasium." Nica explained. "I have to do something to stay in shape, and it's just a good way of letting off steam, honestly."

"Seriously. No problem." She held her hands up, "You have your ways, just like everybody else. Last thing you want is me laying down the law. I understand David wants to take you on a little trip too? Now that boy is encouragable, but don't you be doing anything stupid Nica. I shouldn't be letting you wander off this ward, so don't make me regret this. You got that?"

"I know." Nica nodded. "It's just nice to have something to do. I'd love something to keep me occupied full time. Help with the laundry maybe? Surely that can't be a problem?"

"Well I'll be sure to mention it to Dr Abner. So just wait and see. He's really impressed with your progress recently, so who knows?" Grace was suddenly distracted by the phone, ringing and startling her on the corner of the desk. She grabbed the receiver, raising her eyebrows in a comical fashion, obviously somebody that Grace didn't care for on the other end of the phone. Nica wheeled herself back a touch and turned, giving Grace a little wave of the hand, mouthing a 'goodbye' as she set off down the corridor and towards the elevators. As she slowly moved forward, hands thrusting her along at a steady pace, she took in the same old sights she'd become accustomed to down here. There was the odd store room, marked 'Staff Only', a couple of counselling rooms which usually had the 'Engaged' notice placed in the window, meaning somebody had broken down or just needed to talk. The disabled toilet was practically Nica's. Nobody else ever used it, so it had become a little bit of a safe place for her recently. Nobody could come in, nobody dared intrude, so if she ever felt like she needed a place to get away from all the noise and chaos then that was where she usually headed. By the time she reached the elevators David was just emerging from one of the rooms marked 'Staff Only'. He saw Nica and his face lit up.

"Hey," He beamed as she came to a stop just in front of him. He was amazed how beautiful she looked, her jeans and 'AC/DC' t-shirt were giving her a pretty hot rock chick look. Her hair beautiful and long, hanging over her shoulders like a waterfall of brunette, cascading to her chest before coming to an abrupt halt. "You look great."

"Really?" She gave David a confused look. "Just threw these on. My best ball gown was in the wash." She joked.

"Ha ha, seriously Nica. Looking good." He laughed. "Feel a little underdressed now." He said, motioning to his overalls.

"Na, you look okay. Could do with smartening up, but you're good." She giggled back. She'd never felt this way before. Correction, she'd never been allowed to feel this way before. Her mother more or less stamped out any romantic exploits before they even had started. Said it was all for the best, but Nica never understood that. She always had her suspicions it was to do with her being afraid. Afraid of being left alone, no Nica, no Barb, nobody.

"Well," David lifted his key ring from his pocket and picked the key card marked 'Staff'. Swiping it down the electronic reader at the side of the elevator door, the light changed from deathly red to an emerald green as the LED display lit up above the elevator door, indicating it was now on its way. Within seconds the whirring of the engines and the whipping of the cables came to a stop as the elevator doors slowly opened, the brightly lit interior steadily coming into view. "Shall we?" David motioned as he stepped aside allowing Nica to make her way in.

They reached the basement level in next to no time, David explaining how he'd gotten his job at Green Acre long ago. Basically a friend of a friend knew of a night job going. Nothing much, just a porters job really. Moving patients from one ward to another, helping new residents to their rooms, that kind of thing. He'd taken it because he was desperate really. Something to help pay his way through college. His parents were hardly the richest people on his block and since moving down here from Wisconsin he'd had to fund his education any way possible. He'd originally dreamed of being a teacher. Art, music, drama, whichever he could get wouldn't have mattered, but then this job came up. The money was okay, but the chance came up to make more money, do more hours, maybe even get a promotion, be a supervisor. So he'd thought long and hard and taken it. That was four years ago. Sure his money had gone up, but not like promised, and the promotion, well that never came either. He'd been thinking recently of going back to college, starting his second year all over again and getting his degree. He felt he had unfinished business there really, and that he'd let his parents down by taking this job which was basically a glorified janitors job. He wasn't doing the night shift anymore, but that was about the only positive he could take from his time at Green Acre. Girls tended to give him a wide birth once they found out he worked at a mental facility too. Like maybe he was actually an escaped convict.

"So wait..." Nica laughed as she rolled along at his side, coming to a halt as David stopped to unlock the door to the mail room. "They won't look at you twice?"

"Very rarely. Honestly." He laughed back. "To be honest it's just cool seeing their faces nowadays. The second you mention 'Mental Facility' they just clam up and pretend they have to go meet a friend."

"And college?" Nica asked. "You're thinking of going back?"

"Well it's crossed my mind. I kinda feel I owe it to myself to give it another shot. Always get the feeling that if I don't then I've just let college beat me." He explained.

"You ever heard of completion anxiety?" She smirked as she asked.

"No... What you mean?" He looked at her a little confused as he swung the door open, finally.

"It's fairly common in males apparently."

He gave her a blank look.

"I did a thesis on it for my degree. Something I never finished either." She carried on.

"Aah, I see," He said as he flicked the light switch and disappeared inside the mail room. "Another college drop out right?" His voice emerged from the room.

"Something like that." Nica felt her memories racing back to her. "It was my mother. She wasn't well. I needed to be with her. It was... Difficult."

"Yeah," He came back out pushing a mail trolley, the canvas sack suspended either side of the metal frame, the wheels creaking every rotation they made. "Parents... Who needs 'em?" He gave a little laugh. Nica just stared vacantly into the distance.

"Yeah..." She whispered to herself as David turned to lock the door back up, before quickly turning to her, arms out by his side.

"So... Are we ready to hit the road?" He smiled a huge grin and Nica was right back under his trance.

"Lead the way." She enthusiastically said.

Truth was, there wasn't much mail to deliver. There was a lot for Dr Abner. David guessed it was all notes, this patient, that patient, he figured a patient couldn't take a dump these days without Dr Abner being asked to sign it off. They did the first three floors of the west wing, which were mainly offices and assessment clinics, then stopped for a coffee at one of the vending machines. They both seemed to be enjoying the quiet and very eerie silence of the facility as they laughed and joked, both relaying stories of their past, some funny, some laced with a touch of tragedy. Not once did Nica go into her ordeal six months earlier. As far as she was concerned David didn't need to know all that. But then she figured he may do already. But then she second guessed herself and came to the conclusion that if he knew she'd been accused, evidence stacked against her, of five separate counts of first degree murder, then the last thing he'd be doing is letting her tag along in to the empty, vacant bowels of a mental asylum. No it just wouldn't happen. The mail round could really have been done in about one hour, but they took their time and spent a good two hours, neither of them claimed to be in any kind of rush. As the trolley became emptier and emptier David thought he'd give Nica the job of pushing it while he ran in and out of the various offices dropping bits here and there. Finally they were done, the clock hitting 7:30pm as they dropped the last of the mail in the inbox of a Dr Thomas Kramer. A new one on Nica, but the way David described him he was a nice guy. About their age, first job out of university, the world at his feet. They headed back to the basement level, the elevator whizzing non-stop from the fifth floor and reaching its destination in a matter of seconds. As they reached the mail room, David unlocked the door and turned to Nica.

"Think you'd be able to push that thing inside for me?" He gestured to the mail trolley and placed both hands on his crotch. "All that coffee's made me need to go."

"Sure." Nica laughed as he started to look uncomfortable, more or less dancing on the spot as he tried to hold it in. "Go nuts, I'll wait right here."

David turned and bolted down the corridor, not too far, maybe about twenty or thirty metres, before bursting through the men's room door. Nica looked into the darkness of the mail room and placed her hand around the inside of the door frame, feeling up and down, trying to find the light switch. Finally she found it and was almost blinded by the intense light that hit her, having to shield her eyes at first, lifting her hand up to block the light from burning her retinas out. When her eyes had gotten used to the light she managed to grab the mail trolley between her knees and wheeled herself forward, pushing the trolley inside as she went. Taking a look around, she wasn't all that sure where it was meant to go. There was a spot in the far corner that seemed made for it, so she decided to manoeuvre it over there and hope that was okay. She'd just wrestled it in between a stack of metal shelves and herded it into the empty spot when there was something in the corner of her eye. Leaping at her, she struggled in the blink of an eye to make out what it was but she instinctively wheeled backwards suddenly, clattering into the stack of metal shelves, mail falling from high above her, landing on the floor. The unidentified missile whizzed past her face and into the corner of the mail room. She gasped for breath, her heart pounding, as she tried to see what it was. It had landed behind the mail trolley. Nervously she moved forward, quietly, slowly, she reached out, her hand trembling as she grasped the frame of the trolley and closing her eyes and counting to three she yanked it backwards as she opened her eyes, unearthing whatever was hid behind. She exhaled in relief, the sweat dripping down her back as she took in the sight before her eyes. It was a mouse, no doubt one of hundreds, thousands even, that had taken up voluntary residence inside the walls of Green Acre. Feeling at her chest, her breath returning to normal, she spun around, noticing the mail that had fallen from above just moments earlier. Leaning down and picking it up she decided to leave it on the shelf in front of her, no doubt somebody else would deal with it when they came in later. But something hit her as she glanced at the various letters. The name they were addressed to.

Miss Nica Pirce.

How was that possible? What was this? The date too. These letters were dated nearly six months ago. Suddenly she heard footsteps down the corridor. David! Did he know about these? Thinking quickly, adrenaline coursing through her veins she did the only thing she could think of and hid them down the front of her t-shirt. Just finally pulling out her hand as David's head appeared around the corner of the door frame.

"Hey," He gave her that cute smile. "You okay?"

Nica wheeled herself forward, shaken, but trying earnestly not to give anything away. She gave him a brave smile as she left the mail room but he could sense all was not well.

"What's the matter?" He asked, gently placing his hand on her forearm. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Nothing." She shook her head. "Just been given a pretty good scare by a mouse. I'll live."

"I getcha." He let go, "Hundreds of those things, especially down here. Come on, let's get back upstairs. Otherwise Grace's gonna have my ass."

He locked up and they headed back to the lift. Nica wasn't sure what to think now. Why was this mail down here? Why hadn't it been delivered to her? Was David in on this? Were they all in on this? One thing was for sure. She needed to get back to her room and see what the hell was going on.

That night Nica lay in her bed, the letters she had smuggled up from downstairs lay safely under her pillow as the afternoon staff made the last rounds of their shift. Right on schedule Grace stuck her head in.

"Hey honey. You need anything? Water? Asprin? David said you had a bit of a shock down there." Grace enquired.

"No, just a mouse that's all. I used to get them all the time back at home. Just been a while since I saw one, it was pretty big too." Nica answered.

"Okay then Nica, well I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night and don't let our mutual friend Mr Grant get to you. That guy's on a hiding to nowhere from what I've heard. Dr Abner's on his back and it's not going to be pretty. Besides which, he's all dick and no balls anyway." She gave Nica a wink as she retracted her head and went about checking the rest of the patients. Nica reckoned it was only about 9:30pm, which meant she had half an hour before the night shift started and lights were out. She pulled the letters from under her pillow. Only three of them, but she was curious just who had been writing to her. She started opening them, the earliest dated letter being the first to be opened and started reading. She was shocked, saddened and at the same time outraged by what she read.

'Dear Aunty Nica,

Grandma says I shouldn't be writing because you're in the bad place for what you did to mommy and daddy. But I don't know what to do because I didn't see you argue with mommy or anything like that. You were really kind when we came to stay and I know you were upset because grandma Sarah had just gone to heaven to be with granddad. I'm not allowed to ask too many questions because grandma just gets upset, I think she misses daddy. She doesn't say anything but I can hear her crying on a night when I'm in bed. The lady and mister said I have to live with grandma now because she's the only person that can look after me. So I'm starting a new school in a few days which i don't really want to but grandma says I have to.

Aunty Nica where did Chucky go? He kept cursing and then he locked me in a closet. Did he know you were upset? Is that what happened?

I'm going to post this tomorrow when grandma goes down to the store. Please write back aunty Nica, I miss you.

Alice x x x'

Nica fought back the tears as she read. Alice, did she believe that Nica could be capable of such an atrocious act? What had they told her? What had Ian's mother told her? She was besides herself with rage, the fact that these letters had been kept from her making her shake with thunderous anger. She placed the letter back in the envelope and grabbed the next one, dated nearly a month later. She opened it, hands shaking, and read what it had to say.

'Dear Aunty Nica,

Chucky was here! I came home from school and found this big box on the table, there was no sign of grandma and Chucky said she was in the cellar.'

Nica looked to the heavens, tears now flowing down her soft, delicate cheeks. What was happening? The sick bastard.

"Dear god no!" Nica whispered to herself, feeling the hatred burning within her.

She read on.

'I turned around and he was sat on the kitchen table. He surprised me. He said he wanted to play a game called 'hide the soul' and then did this really weird thing with his hand and started saying these really weird, creepy words. I don't know what he was doing but he said he had to play it with me because I'd be the one they'd least suspect? Does that sound right? He was saying these words then he stopped because grandma stood up behind me. Chucky looked really surprised and angry. I don't know what had happened, grandma had a bag around her head and was scared, but Chucky just started calling her all these names and cursing. I told him to stop but grandma chased him out of the house and he ran away. He's not been back since. Grandma is still really upset and says you were right all along but that we can't go to the police because they'll not believe her. Just like they didn't believe you.

What does she mean aunty Nica? Did Chucky kill my mommy and daddy? He always said he was my friend to the end and I really thought he was nice, but he scared me when he started saying those things to grandma.

We're living with grandma's friend at the minute because she thinks he might come back. Please please please write back aunty Nica. The address is 1798 Laurel Avenue, Aspen, Colorado. I don't remember the zip code, but I don't think it matters that much.

Alice x x x'

'Jesus' Nica thought to herself as she tried to take in what Alice had said. What the hell was he trying to do? Why did he go to Alice? What the fuck did he mean she'd be the person they'd least suspect? Hide the soul? What was he doing? Then it dawned on her. She felt sick, nauseous and like she'd been hit with a hammer. The sick bastard. He was trying to do the same thing that had gotten him stuck in that fucking doll in the first place. He was trying to get into Alice. She didn't know how this all worked, but obviously there was a way to do it. He'd already proved that, twenty five years ago, when he transferred his soul into that fucking doll and ended becoming the plastic freak Nica had encountered that night months ago. What was he planning on doing? What would happen to Alice? How could somebody be so cruel, so twisted, so evil? Nica's head was spinning, partly with revulsion, but also with amplified anger and sickness. She almost forgot that there was a third letter, she threw the second letter from Alice to the ground and reached for the third and final envelope. This was different though. The writing. It was more literate, less child-like, like a grownup had written it. Not pausing to mull it over any longer, Nica tore open the envelope and frantically yanked out the letter.

'Nica,

Words fail me right now.

I'm sat here speechless, knowing that you are sat in that place, innocent, but alas, knowing there is nothing I can do.

You tried yourself to tell this story, and they threw you in that place and left you for the lions. So you will understand that I cannot possibly go to the police and tell them the truth. If I do then I will be leaving Alice out here on her own, unable to look after herself, and completely at the mercy of that beast.

I hope you understand and I hope it is of some comfort that you know that the truth is acknowledged out here. I know my son's death was nothing to do with you and I cannot possibly imagine what you have been through with all this. Although we've only met briefly in the past, I have always had a respect for the way you have rallied yourself and never given up, despite your condition.

I only hope that you can do the same now, in that hell hole you find yourself in. As I have already said, there is no way I can go to the police.

I am so sorry Nica

May God forgive me.

Diane'

Nica couldn't believe it. Diane, Ian's own mother had witnessed Chucky first hand? She had survived him, just like Nica, but was refusing to go to the police? At first Nica was infuriated. But then, slowly, she realised that Diane was absolutely right. What would happen? Diane would be thrown in here alongside Nica. Then Alice would be at the whim of Chucky. He'd have no problem stalking her, ensnaring her and then... God only knows what. No if this was for the greater good, if it meant Alice would be safe, then Nica was at peace with that. She wouldn't have it any other way. Her head still spinning, Nica noticed the voices down the corridor.

Change over. The night shift were just starting. Chief amongst the Indians? Eric Grant.

Nica picked up the letters, envelopes too, and placed them safely under the mattress of her bed. She was going to struggle to sleep tonight. Just as everything seemed to be going so well too.

It was about 3am when Nica was awoken. She only knew that because she got a pretty good look at Eric Grant's wrist watch as she woke up and found him forcing himself on her. She was completely surprised as she woke up, still in a daze, like an ongoing dream as she felt his blubbery stomach up against hers. His hands had each grabbed her wrists and were holding her down on the bed as he ran his tongue up the side of her face, his hair thick with grease had fallen out of place, covering his eyes. She tried screaming but suddenly felt his hand release her wrist and clamp his torch down on her throat, strangling her. Unable to breathe she struggled to make even the tiniest sound as he let go of her other wrist and ran his hand down the side of her body. Nica panicked and threw her hands about, thrashing, grabbing the torch he was using to starve her of oxygen, but unable to lift it, his grip was tight and his strength was too much. He probably weighed as much as a heavy weight wrestler, but without the muscle definition. Nica didn't know what to do, her eyes looked all around as she tried in vain to find some instrument to fight him off, but obviously there was nothing. Even her pencils, which could've been used, were on the desk in the far corner of the room. Then suddenly he spoke. Whispered would be more precise.

"Got a lot of fight in you Pirce!" He grunted, his hands running down to the parts of her body she could no longer feel. She was scared mainly because of that fact. Her eyes laboured to see what he was doing, but she could tell his hand had gone under her nightgown and were feeling around for something. She choked and gasped as she tried to inhale, even a tiny slither of air. Then he leaned in, his tongue starting to leap from the mouth sat atop his grotesque double chin, and that was when Nica took her chance. Time seemed to slow down as something ignited inside her brain, she picked out his weak spot and pulled back her right arm. Then in one flowing motion she curled her hand up in a fist and launched it straight at his nose, making impact right on the spot she'd pin pointed. Grant shot backwards, glasses splintering across the bridge, his hands instantly pulled away from Nica's nightgown and the torch he had been pressing against her throat. He grabbed his nose, blood streaming from his nostrils and fell off the bed. Nica took a deep breath and sat up, still dazed and shocked at what had just happened. She looked at the image of Eric Grant laying on the floor of her room, blood spilling from his face. As though telepathic he looked up, staring Nica straight in the eyes.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" He spat. "You've broke my fucking nose!" His voice waivered to an inaudible cry as he finished.

Still Nica sat up, unable to do anything but stare. She suddenly felt something she'd not felt since that last night at home. She felt the electricity racing up her spine and into her chest as she stared straight back at him, not blinking, not flinching. Calmly she pulled off her covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed, resting the palms of her hands on her knees.

"What's up Grant?" She smiled, breathing faster and faster. "Don't you wanna party?"

Grant stood up, hands still fixed to his nose, and staggered backwards. Tears racing from his eyes, he grabbed the frame of Nica's door as he fell and tried to hold himself up. He failed.

"You fucking bitch!" He spat again.

"That all you've got?" Nica shot straight back.

"You cunt!" He exploded There was venom drizzled over every word. "I'll see you for this Pirce! You can count on that!" He stood, and raced from the room.

Nica laid back down, heart racing from what had just happened. Her body felt charged with static, every hair stood to attention. She was like a coiled spring, a cobra, senses alert and ready for anything. She eventually managed to calm down, the adrenaline subsiding, and finally drifted back to sleep.

A couple hours later a van raced down the highway. The sunlight bouncing off the silver frame, the blue US-X logo announcing another delivery by America's finest logistics company. One more drop off for the driver and that was it. Nearly 5am and he was out way past his allotted time. He'd been struggling to find the place though, had to stop off in town and ask directions, which had involved him coming back down the highway and taking a right down some dirt track. The large, non-descript box on his passenger seat had been delayed a day already, so he was glad to finally be dropping it off.

"Hope this is the right place." The driver said out loud, looking at the sign by the mesh fence and security gates. "Green Acre Mental Facility..."

Inside the box the thoughts were positive.

'Definitely the right place, you fucking idiot!'