Chapter 111 Leaving Vachilit
For 22 years, she had existed in the realm of humanity, a world that bore an uncanny resemblance to purgatory, teeming with trials and tribulations.
Her childhood had been a time of joy, until an earthquake ravaged Norland on her birthday, robbing her of her cherished grandmother. In the aftermath, Stanley and Rosalie had taken her under their wing, providing her refuge in the grandeur of the Cullen Villa.
At the tender age of 13, tragedy struck again. Her father and brother suddenly passed away in an accident. Rosalie, overwhelmed by grief, fell into a deep depression, later diagnosed with kidney disease. From that moment on, Natalie shouldered the burdens of life alone.
Regardless of the hardships, she was resolute in her quest to find Rosalie, to liberate her from the clutches of Vachilit.
In the antiquated district of Vachilit, a mental institution stood. It was modest in size, comprising two buildings - one dedicated to outpatient services, the other to inpatients. The patient count was meager, barely reaching double digits, most of whom were somewhat eccentric, unable to recall their own identities. The staff was equally sparse.
The inpatient building towered six stories high, serviced by a single elevator that ascended to the top floor. There had once been a second elevator, but it had been abruptly decommissioned a month prior.
Even within the confines of the mental institution, gossip was rife.
"Dr. Kroger, how is the patient on the sixth floor doing? Why are there so many bodyguards guarding over there? Is it someone important?"
Dr. Kroger pushed up his glasses and replied, "How would I know? I haven't been up there." His curiosity, however, was piqued.
The newly admitted patient didn't exhibit signs of mental illness. The medical personnel attending to the patient were unfamiliar faces, a conspicuous sight in the otherwise rundown institution with a limited staff.
"I heard it's a kidney-related issue," a janitor interjected, "I caught snippets of a conversation about a kidney transplant... something about rejection..."
A nurse gasped, "A kidney transplant? Here, in our mental hospital? And under such stringent security? I counted four bodyguards at the entrance alone."
Dr. Kroger intervened, "Enough, Miss Coleman. Your curiosity can wait. The patient needs to be escorted back to the ward. It's time for recreation."
Just then, a black van pulled into the hospital grounds.
Denise glanced at the nurse beside her, "I feel like I've seen this van before."
The nurse confirmed, "It's been here four times in the past month, roughly once a week. It appears to be visiting the patient on the sixth floor."
Denise mused, "How intriguing."
Suddenly, a nurse emerged from the building, calling out, "Miss Coleman, Kevin is missing. Have you seen him?"
Denise frowned. "Kevin? Wasn't he playing on the swings with you?"
The nurse shook her head and replied, "I stepped away for a moment to use the restroom. When I returned, Kevin was gone."
Kevin was a 13-year-old boy admitted six months prior by his family. His fanciful claims of seeing the future and being haunted by ghosts had terrified his parents into seeking help. Despite his lengthy stay, Kevin's condition remained unchanged, his daily utterances as cryptic as ever.
Meanwhile, Natalie, blindfolded, disembarked from the van, guided by a bodyguard.
Saturday arrived, it was the day she visited Rosalie.
The familiar sting of disinfectant hung in the air. She counted her steps meticulously, exiting the elevator and approaching a ward door. Her bodyguard exchanged a few words with someone, and the door swung open. Her blindfold was removed, and Natalie stepped into Rosalie's ward.
"Mom."
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