Merida

The rest of the day is a blur.

I purposely sequester myself in the kitchen after watching Jane's ordeal on the upper floor. The mess has been cleaned up, and the only other person there is Tiana. For the first time since I've known her, the studious chef can't bring herself to work. We sit together in respectful silence, havin' brought two chairs in from the dining hall and sunken into 'em in apparent defeat. We're both lost in thought. Tiana's sittin' by the stove so she can pretend to watch the soup she carelessly tossed together and left to simmer. I'm loungin' by the door that leads to the courtyard- which is still bolted shut, as are all the windows now- starin' up at the ceiling. I wish I could say that I'm so stricken with grief that I've gone into a comatose state; that the world is washing over me without me even being able to hear or see it. Like I'm a morose statue locked in place and I can't be bothered to process what's happened.

But none of it is true.

Still, it's simple enough to go on pretendin' like that so I can ignore everyone who passes through the kitchen without getting any slack for it. I try to take this time of imaginary solitude to clear my head and think through the situation. But all that comes to my mind is the look on Jane's face when she realized she was strapped to that table; the way she cried as Helena and Jafar leered over her, trapped and helpless... And how she screamed for my help when she saw the needle in her periphery.

She was so lucid, so coherent... It just doesn't make sense.

I'm painfully aware of Belle's presence when she slips into the kitchen through the other door. She's trying not to draw attention to herself, but I know it's her. I can just see a trace of her dancing on the edge of my bleary vision like a spectre. She stands by the door for a while, presumably waiting for me to look at her.

"Don't bother. She hasn't responded to nothin' for hours." Tiana mumbles from her spot by the stove. "I think she's in shock. Refused to go home, though."

How can I? How can I possibly head on home after this? Explain to my parents how much more dangerous my job just got, if someone like Jane could take a turn like that. Look my pa in the eye and tell him about how this happened on my watch.

"I don't feel right leaving, either." Belle whispers back. I can tell that she's hugging herself the way she does when she's nervous about something. But it's different now. Not so much a defense mechanism as her trying to force any warmth into her deflated form; as if her arms pulled tight around her are all that's keeping her from falling apart. She walks toward the counter so that now she's completely out of my line of sight and I can only hear her voice. "Alice needs me here more than ever. And Jane..." A sudden inhale, followed by the sob that's barely been contained until now. "I can't leave her, either... Poor Jane..."

I wanna cry along with her, but I don't seem to have any tears left.

I hear Tiana rise from her seat and walk around the counter. There's a light shuffling as Tiana wraps Belle up in her arms, softly shushing her. "It's alright, hon... That's not your responsibility, you know..."

"No..." Belle chokes. "I should have seen it coming. I should have done more... It's just like my papa, all over again..."

A pause. Then, Tiana asks, "You don't think she did it?"

Belle scoffs, bitterly. The wave of mourning seems to have passed and given way to anger. "I know that she couldn't possibly have."

Tiana's tone becomes very serious, unwavering. "Belle, I know that you were friends, but-"

"But you were the last person to talk to her before the...the murder. Please, tell me. How did she seem to you?"

A deep sigh from Tiana. "Honestly? Better than usual, given the circumstances..."

"The circumstances?" Belle asks.

Another pause.

Belle presses on, "Tiana, what circumstances?"

I can hear Tiana moving away from her now. "You know, just forget it."

"Tiana!"

"I really shouldn't say! Other people could get hurt..."

"Tiana, whatever it is that Jane said to you, you know that you can share it with me!"

"Well, I was the one she told, not you!" Tiana snaps. There's a long, heavy silence. Then, Tiana continues, much softer, "She told me this in confidence... It concerns a patient."

"Alice." Belle says in understanding.

"Yes. And not just her."

"Tiana..." Belle takes a few steps toward her. "If what you know could save Jane and Alice from this horrendous fate, now's the time to share it. You can trust me."

Tiana takes a moment to deliberate on this, leavin' me and Belle in suspense. I figure she must suspect that I'm listenin' in now. I can't help the way I squint my eyes when I'm bein' thoughtful.

"Fine. Well... Jane told me that Alice was making accusations against Hornsby. Apparently, Alice and Peter actually broke in to Hornsby's office, and found...something. I'm not sure what. But I guess it may have suggested that Jane may be in danger. That Hornsby was going to do something terrible to her."

More silence. I finally tilt my head to look at them, but neither of them notice. They're both too focused; Tiana trying to keep her mind clear so she can speak objectively, Belle completely rapt with this new information.

Watching the wheels turn in Belle's head, Tiana's immediately onto damage control. "Now, Jane's been paranoid about what Hornsby would do with her for weeks. Alice has been watching that, absorbing it. So she decided to use it to somehow win Jane over, or...or...something. Or maybe Alice really did see something that she thought was incriminating and recklessly decided to involve Jane. But, come on, Belle. Let's remember what the girl's here for."

"So today's events were just a coincidence? "

"Belle-"

"Everyone's decided that Jane's some kind of 'high-functioning sociopath', and here you are, letting them! While you sit on this information that could save her!"

"Keep your voice down!" Tiana hisses. Her eyes flicker toward me for an instant. She's just realized that I'm not actually inert, but she says nothing to me. She continues to Belle, "Clearly, anyone who crosses Helena is going to get into trouble. If I went around sharing this with anyone who would listen, I could wind up like Jane. Or worse. And then, what about Alice and Peter?"

Belle's eyes dart back and forth as all this sinks in. She sighs. "You're right."

"We have to be smart about this..." Tiana angles her body so that she's speaking to both of us now. Belle's eyes meet mine for the first time since enterin' the room, briefly. Then we both focus on Tiana. She continues, "We're all Jane has... Even her own father isn't going to come to her rescue. It's on us now. And I suppose Alice will have to be involved, at some point, but she's not exactly a reliable character witness..."

"We can't drag the girl into this conspiracy." I snap suddenly, startling them both into gaping at me. "And I won't be a part of this, either. We've known for a while that Jane's unwell, or at least not herself. Maybe now she'll get the help she needs."

"Merida, you can't be serious." Belle whispers. "In spite of Jane's prior shortcomings, you know that she couldn't possibly have done this."

"The only thing I've learned from working in this place is that ya' can never be certain what people are capable of." I rise out of my seat, automatically. I have to get out. "I won't be staying to see how this insane venture turns out."

"What do you mean?" Tiana demands as I walk toward the door to the dining room.

"I'll be goin' back to work at the station with my dad. I can't take this place any more."

I'm forced to stop mid-step when the heavy door swings toward me. I practically jump back as Helena steps into the room, strangely casual. She doesn't seem bothered by the three of us staring at her.

"I hope you don't mean that, Merida." She says to me, sickly-sweet, and my stomach turns. Immediately, I'm onto the game, and less inclined to take off. She's still got tear trails apparent on her pale cheeks. Nice touch. She goes on, lamenting, "The only way for us to move on from this senseless tragedy is to stick together, don't you think? I believe that poor Jane needs us all together to support her. And each of us will need someone to talk to, as well. Why run away from the only people in this world who understand your grief?"

I want to laugh in her face. I'm practically gnawing on my tongue to hold it back. I want this woman hurt, badly. I'm not sure I've ever felt such a hatred for another person before now.

"Ms. Porter is, unfortunately, very delusional. Poor girl doesn't even remember what happened. She has herself convinced of some other reality she's created for herself. Quite sad... Poor thing is so distraught. Hopefully our treatments will put her back in her right mind." Helena tilts her head to one side, regretfully. "I know how hard it will be for each of us to see her like this. The road to her recovery will be long and arduous, to say the least. But you must understand, I myself have seen her at her lowest point. And, on top of it all, she's making wild accusations against me, incessantly. I don't know what has turned her against me, but..." She trails off, tears brimming her eyes. She takes a deep breath. "Nevertheless, I will personally see to it that she gets the help she needs. If I can commit to that, after everything, certainly she can count on her closest friends, as well?" She stares at each of us in turn, heavily.

"Of course, Ms. Hornsby." Tiana replies, after a too-long moment. "Anything you or Jane might need, we're here."

Helena's lips curve dramatically into a tight, close-lipped smile. "Wonderful." She turns to leave, but pauses on her way to the door. "The soup smells delightful, Tiana." Then she vanishes. The door swings to and fro shortly, then finally clicks shut.

There's a long, suffocating silence in the kitchen as we weigh our options, hopin' against hope that she didn't possibly hear anything that was said before my last statement. Wonderin' if she might still be listenin' in now.

I turn to find Tiana and Belle standing close together. Tiana's got her arms crossed. Belle's chewin' on her lower lip.

"You're not really gonna leave, are you?" Tiana asks in a tone that's strangely accusatory.

"Merida...you can't. We need you." Belle whispers balefully.

I'm frowning as every event of the day washes through my head again. Somehow, for the first time, everything is clear. Somehow, in spite of my own stubbornness, coming face-to-face with Helena has awakened a frightening, wrathful rage in me that I'm unsure how to act on. But of one thing I am absolutely sure: Jane Porter needs rescuing.

"Of course, I'm staying." I say, strongly. I stare back at them both, clear in my conviction now. I practically snarl, "That woman is lyin'."

Alice

"If they were going to punish us, they would have by now." Peter is saying to me for the third time. We're sitting together at lunch, after three days of dreading what might be coming our way. Quasimodo's been especially fidgety; having to lie to Frollo seems to be eating him up. We can only meet with him at night to reassure him that soon we will make things right, though we have no idea how. Each day is torture, not knowing how Quasi's getting on under Frollo's watchful eye. I, personally, am struggling to go about business as usual while gripped by the terror of my worst suspicions coming true, the guilt of allowing Jane to be tormented like this despite my efforts to prevent it. I can't even think clearly on how to save her or expose this evil place because I'm too concerned about what they might be doing to her.

While I'm doing my best not to lose my nerve entirely, Peter is a rock.

"I'm telling you, Jane's not going to sell us out. After everything she's done to protect you, there's no way she'll tell them anything. She knows we're her only shot at escaping." He whispers to me.

"We have no way of knowing what lengths they'll go to, Peter. What they might be doing to her to find out what they want to know. They could be torturing her." I hiss in response. I'm so riddled with despair I can't bring myself to so much as nibble on the carrots I've been repeatedly battering with my fork.

He opens his mouth to respond, but refrains. He's spotted something over my head. I then become aware of footsteps drawing near.

"Peter..."

"I'm sure it's not what we think." His whisper is so quiet I'm almost unsure he actually said anything, that I imagined the sound.

The footsteps stop, right behind me. I have a sinking feeling in my gut as I turn to see Helena standing there with a woman I barely recognize. She's another doctor, tall and strikingly beautiful, a somber stoic hovering at Ms. Hornsby's elbow. I've seen her around before, but we've never been formally introduced. She's never so much as glanced my way as we've passed in the halls.

Ms. Hornsby wears a tight, close-lipped smile. "Alice, dear, would you accompany us for a moment?"

I collect myself enough to stop gaping up at her and quickly nod my head. She turns abruptly and walks toward the door, expecting me to follow as the other woman already is. I shoot Peter a quick look before rising from my seat and heading after them.

Out in the hall, Hornsby gestures to this strange doctor. "Alice Liddel, meet Grimhilde. Your new doctor. She's going to be handling your treatment here now that we've lost Ms. Porter."

You mean since you framed her for murder and locked her up... I can't help but think it. I hold myself back from glaring at her outright, and instead politely respond, "Wonderful." I've been without sessions for three days and have actually gotten used to life without a schedule, but I knew this would come eventually.

"I'll give you two some time to get acquainted." Hornsby says before sharing a smirk with Grimhilde. Then she abruptly turns and walks away.

Grimhilde looks me up and down, then says, "Walk with me. I want to show you to my office."

"Well-"

"It's not far. Come." She pushes past me to lead the way. I bite my lip on a sound of annoyance and follow her. We walk side by side for a moment in silence. Turn a corner to the left.

"It is terrible what's become of Jane. I never would have suspected..." Grimhilde says suddenly, startling me, and trails off. I stare up at her as we keep walking. Finally, she continues, "She was a fine colleague. And a wonderful doctor. Quite brilliant. I always respected her." She shakes her head, face expressionless. She hasn't looked at me once since we started walking, just stares ahead. "Truly unfortunate."

I do my best to keep the edge out of my voice, try to seem merely regretful of Jane's predicament. I look down at my feet because I don't trust myself to hide my anger with my expression. "I just hope she gets the help she needs, and finds peace."

"I know Ms. Porter has been fairly lenient with you since your arrival. Things are going to be different with me. It might take you some time to adjust, but I'm sure that eventually we will come to an understanding."

"I must admit, I'm not sure there's much more for you to do for me, in terms of treatment. I can't imagine I'll be here much longer..." I look over to see that Grimhilde has finally turned to look down at me, her expression hard and her eyes unreadable. It's enough to shake me to my core, to make me want to turn and run. I stutter, "I... I assure you, I'm q-quite well..."

"Not according to Ms. Porter's notes, you're not." She snaps back. I want to recoil from her, and she can sense it. She goes on, in an eerie tone, "My treatments are going to have to go beyond talk-therapy and journaling."

"What do you-?"

"This is my office." She cuts in. We suddenly stop in front of a door in a corridor I don't normally visit. I know that the hospital wing is nearby, but that's it. I take a few steps forward so that I'm standing on the other side of her door before turning to face her. Her gaze rests heavily on me, making me want to shrink down until I'm nothing, non-existent. She says, "You will be coming to see me twice a day; once immediately after breakfast, and once before dinner. Each session will last one hour. You will not be late. You will be taking your lunches at mid-day, then continuing your usual tutoring sessions with Ms. Thoreau for two hours in the afternoon."

"Two sessions? But-"

"Any deviation, and those sessions will be two hours instead of one." She cuts in with a glare. She narrows her eyes at me, takes a step forward. It's all I can do not to retreat. "My rules are simple, girl. You'll do well to follow them. I do not tolerate rebellion." She pauses, waits for me to argue. Then, she says in finality, "You will also come to me to take a new medication before bed, after you've done your chores. It's a special dram I've concocted that has proven most useful in peculiar cases. Am I understood?"

I nod, shakily. "Yes, ma'am."

"You will always refer to me as Doctor or Lady Grimhilde."

"Yes...doctor."

She nods, seeming close to pleased. "You will come back tonight for our first session. One hour before dinnertime. Do not make me wait."

"Yes, Dr. Grimhilde." I try to hold my head high and seem obedient, when all I want to do is crumble in my misery.

"Good girl. Now, leave me."

I don't hesitate to hurry past her. I flee to my room, rather than go back to the cafeteria and have Peter pester me with questions.

Of course, I was not eager to return to Grimhilde's office that evening. But our first session was not terrible. We spoke for awhile, giving me some time to assess her as much as she was studying me. I watched the way she wrote her notes at a furious pace, how she tapped her foot impatiently when I took too long to answer a question, kept my head when she would suddenly look up to give me a pointed look, listened to her clipped and uncaring tone of voice. She learned as much about my "condition" as she cared to know in the allotted hour, then dismissed me, supposedly to plan out my treatment. I was ordered to come back that night before retiring to my room for bedtime.

I sat away from Peter, which he seemed hurt by, but he opted to leave me alone rather than push his luck.

After doing my evening chores, I approached Grimhilde's office again, dreading what strange medicine she may have for me. I was able to avoid taking the pills that Jane handed to me at the end of our sessions, but Grimhilde would undoubtedly want to watch me take this dram down completely. I tentatively knocked on the door and waited until she gave me permission to enter. She decided instead to come open the door without a warning, causing me to flinch back.

She smirked at me, half robed in the darkness of her office. "Such a twitchy little thing, aren't you?" She pulled a small bottle from her coat pocket and held it out to me. "Here."

I reached over and took the bottle, careful to avoid touching her fingers. I looked down at it curiously and carefully pulled out the cork. A strange, sickly-sweet odor wafted up toward me from within. I wrinkled my nose and squinted down at the frothing, vibrant green liquid inside.

"Go on, then. Drink it, the whole thing." Grimhilde instructed. When I looked up at her uncertainly, she rolled her eyes and snapped, "I can assure you, I'm an excellent chemist. It's perfectly safe." Her impatience grew more unbecoming the longer I hesitated. "What, you really think I would poison you? Stupid girl. I've brewed this for cases worse than yours and seen unparalleled results. Do I need to call Rourke or Gaston to force it down your throat?"

I quickly shook my head and, holding my breath to avoid smelling the dram, tilted the bottle against my lips so that the putrid liquid trickled over my tongue and down my throat. I almost gagged as the hot, foaming medicine ate it's way down my esophagus and settled heavily into my system. I had to tip my head back to get it all down, squeezing my eyes shut to hold back the involuntary tears. When I finished, I all but threw the bottle back into Grimhilde's waiting hand, and reached up to swipe the droplets of medicine left on my lower lip by the hasty end. My lip was left stinging by the unnatural potion I'd just funneled into myself to avoid Grimhilde's wrarh.

"Good girl. Now off to bed, immediately. I'll see you again after breakfast tomorrow." Grimhilde says with no empathy before retreating into her office and shutting the door in my face.

I turn away robotically and stumble back to my room, my legs feeling heavy and my head foggy. I don't remember how I found my way into my bed, as I'm sure my eyes had closed and consciousness slipped away before i ever saw my door. But i did wake up the next morning in my own bed, and sat up to see my door securely closed before me.

After breakfast, I followed Grimhilde's orders and returned to her office. Before I even had a chance to knock, she opened the door and stepped out into the hall, catching me by surprise.

"Follow me, Ms. Liddell." She greeted me without so much as a glance before leading me further down the hall to a small, dimly-lit room made entirely of stone. I noticed a set of padded shackles hanging out of the wall to my left and immediately felt uneasy. On the opposite side of the room, a long hose extending from a rusty metal tank in the corner of the room was wound around an iron reel.

"I don't believe the shackles will be necessary, as long as you comply." Grimhilde told me matter-of-factly, moving toward the tank. She motioned for me to stand in front of the wall with the restraints. When I moved to stand in front of that wall, she ordered, "Disrobe first."

I gaped at her, unsure of what she meant. "I'm sorry?"

She glared at me as though I were an imbecile. "I need you to be nude."

"Why?"

"Many seem to think that hydrotherapy works just fine when the patient is in a gown, but I find more efficient results come from direct contact between the water and the skin."

"I don't-"

"Besides, I don't feel like finding you another undergarment, and I assume you wouldn't be happy in a wet slip all day."

I found my voice enough to blurt out, "I'm not comfortable with undressing."

She stared at me, seemingly unafflicted.

"I... I've never...been nude in front of someone before." I explained meekly.

"No one here is going to be gawking at you, child."

"But-"

"Will the shackles be necessary after all?" She snapped her fingers, and Rourke suddenly stepped into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Dread rolled over me as my eyes met his. Grimhilde continued, "I'm sure Captain Rourke will know his way around those laces if you won't untie them for us."

I reared back in fear. Now she meant for me to undress in front of them both, or be subjected to having myself chained up like an animal by this man who would easily overpower me and rip my clothes from my body while I kicked and screamed. Just imagining it filled me with shame and terror.

"Do not try my patience, child. This doesn't have to be difficult." Grimhilde said stonily.

I took a deep breath, then gave Rourke a pleading look. He huffed in annoyance and turned his back on me. I worked my numb fingers to unlace my bodice and shrugged off my dress. I gave Grimhilde one last nervous glance before pulling my slip off over my head with one swift tug. I flung the garments toward Grimhilde's feet and stepped out of my shoes, kicking them away toward the door. I stared down at my bare feet, my face hot.

"Good girl. Now, don't move from that spot, or we will be forced to restrain you." Grimhilde said forcefully. "Rourke?"

I look up just as Rourke was turning a lever on the metal tank, the monstrous nozzle of the snake-like hose aimed straight at me. I flinch as a thunderous stream of frigid water pounded into my naked frame, shoving me back against the cool stone wall. I scream without meaning to, gasping and sputtering in shock at Rourke mercilessly sprays me with the icy torrent. My entire body shudders in retaliation, every fiber of my being screaming at me to bolt for the door, to escape. Every icy breath was pain.

I can't say for certain how long it went on. I will admit that it crossed my mind at a few points that Grimhilde might have intended to torment me like this for the full hour. The treatment was intermittent; every few minutes or so Grimhilde would instruct Rourke to pause, and we'd be left standing there for a few moments, the only sound being my agonized breaths. Then, with a nod of her head, she would let Rourke know to start it up again. Each time the water hit me was no less shocking, and I did scream each time, though I'd hoped that eventually I would grow numb.

During the third or fourth pause, Grimhilde explained over my gasping, "The cold water should reduce blood flow, decreasing in your brain activity. Hopefully it will do something for your over-active imagination. Or, at least, curb some of your behavioral issues." She's scribbling in a notebook the whole time, not even looking at me.

I sputter, "B-behavioral i-i-isssssues?"

"Yes, Mr. Porter made extensive notes about some of your little 'quirks'. What she was studying, I intend to actually do something about."

"Wait-"

"Again, Rourke."

"Wait!" But the water bombards me again, pressing me flat against the wall, silencing me apart from a short cry and a long, woeful groan.

It goes on for awhile. Again, I can't honestly say how long. But eventually, she finally instructs him to stop for good. I stand there for a moment, violently shivering, covering my most vulnerable parts with my hands when I am of the mind to. Rourke winds the hose back up and then slips out of the room. I listen to the water hissing down the drain in the floor a few feet away, staring down at my blue toes and breathing heavily.

"I'll wait for you in the hall. Get dressed, and we'll go back to my office." Grimhilde callously instructs me before leaving the room.

I don't move to get dressed immediately. I take a moment to process everything that's happened, and realize with faint horror that at some point during the hydrotherapy, I'd lost all sense of myself. I was so focused on pushing away my instincts to flee from the water for fear of being shackled, so preoccupied by the violent torrent of water and cold that I hadn't been aware enough of how embarrassed and fearful I truly was. I hang my head and break down for a moment, silently sobbing. My tears slip down my cheeks and disappear on the wet floor, probably gone down the drain as well. I pick myself up as quickly as I can when my senses fully return, laboriously go through the motions of getting dressed again, having nearly air-dried, and wander out into the hall to meet Grimhilde.

"Don't take so long again." She barks at me before grabbing me by the wrist- the first physical contact we'd ever had- and leading me back to her office.

She talked to me for a little while. Most of it went over my head, as I was still so shocked by the whole experience. Every once in a while she impatiently demanded a response, but for the most part she was intrigued by my condition, and made extensive notes. I don't remember how long it went on before she finally dismissed me. She reminded me to come back before dinner.

I wander away to my room and lie down for a little while. I feel like I could fall asleep, but I never do. I don't stop shivering for a long time.

Eventually, I headed out for lunch. Peter stopped me as I was passing by with my tray. I barely feel his hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, where'd you disappear to after breakfast?" He asked, trying to seem nonchalant.

I gazed back at him, and watched his face fall. My expression gave me away. I quietly replied, "I'll be meeting with Dr. Grimhilde twice a day from now on."

"Jeez, you're near-catatonic." Peter remarks, pulling back his hand to rub the back of his neck. "What the hell'd she do to you?"

"It's nothing I can't handle." I turned away and sat at the furthest table I saw. But he followed me.

"I thought we were a team." He said lowly, with an almost accusing tone.

"The last time I asked you to help, I put both of us in danger. Quasi, too. And Jane wound up being the one to pay for it." I shake my head. "Who next?"

"Alice-"

"This is something I have to face on my own. As long as I'm obedient and do as they say, eventually they'll have to admit I'm not ill. They'll have to let me go."

Peter shook his head. "It's not that simple. Look how long I've been here. Alice..." He reached over from where he sat across the table and placed his hand- surprisingly warm- over mine. "They're only going to release you if you admit to making up the whole thing. The dreams that got you put here in the first place. You believe they're memories, but these people think they're delusions. As far as they're concerned, that's enough of a reason to keep you here."

"What, so I'm supposed to lie?" I scoffed.

"You may not want to compromise your principles, or whatever is going through your head right now, but if you ask me, anything you can do to get yourself out of here, so you can expose this place and free the rest of us...do it."

"Peter..."

"You're our only chance right now."

I shook my head, pulling my hand away from his. "That's all I am to you. A means to escape. That's why you were willing to investigate with me. Why we're in this mess now..."

He does a good job looking hurt by this. "Alice-"

"I thought we were friends." My lip is shaking.

"Listen to me-" He pleads.

"No." I rise from my seat, startling him. "Whatever I need to do to get out of here, I'll decide for myself. From here on out, I don't need your help."

With that, I leave.

The rest of the day passes in a haze. I do my chores, have some free time to think out in the yard, then go right on through my lessons with Belle. She can tell that something is wrong, but doesn't press me to explain myself to her. She places a comforting hand on my shoulder, reminding me that not everyone here intends to use or abuse me. There is still goodness in the world.

I do more chores, have more free time. I spend some time alone in my room, with a book Belle has given me. I think about writing in my journal, but don't feel like fishing it out of its hiding place.

Finally, it's time to go back to Grimhilde's office. Though my legs and feet are leaden with dread, and my stomach turns with each step, and I can hear my heart beating in my ears, I trudge up to the door, fearful of what might be coming next. The door opens before I'm within five feet of it, and Grimhilde steps out to look at me expectantly.

"Ah, there you are. Come, time for your next treatment." She turns, expecting me to follow. I begrudgingly trail after her. I realize that we're heading back to the hydrotherapy room and slow down considerably. I look around for any sign of a guard, wondering if I can run from this horrid situation.

"Hydrotherapy again?" I bleat out like a frightened lamb.

Grimhilde casually calls back, "Not like this morning, child. This time will be different."

I'm unsure whether to be relieved or more terrified. Then I realize that she's not heading to the same room as this morning, but one a few doors down.

Aurora

I can't help being mildly surprised when someone else is brought into the hydrotherapy chamber. I'm used to being alone in here. I look up from the tub that I'm contained in to see Dr. Grimhilde leading an unsuspecting Alice in. She looks at me with eyebrows upraised, and I offer her a small smile to put her at ease. She looks about the room in apprehension. It is a lot to take in, a long room lined with copper tubs, and me sitting alone on one of them with only my head visible, due to the heavy lid keeping me trapped inside with the steaming water.

"I've had a bath drawn for you, girl." Grimhilde impatiently informs Alice. "Go on, disrobe. I'm not looking."

Alice glances toward me again, and I squeeze my eyes shut to appease her. I hear a short amount of shuffling, and a loud creak as the metal lid on Alice's tub is lifted up. I can imagine a rush of steam reaching up toward the girls face, and her blue eyes going wide in surprise.

"Go, get in, then." Grimhilde quietly prompts the girl. There's a light splashing sound.

"It's terribly warm." Alice whispers. I can practically feel her grimacing.

"You'll get used to it." Grimhilde responds carelessly. "Go on, sit... lie back." More movement in the water. Alice makes a noise in discomfort, which Grimhilde ignores. "Watch your hair." More metal groaning as Grimhilde shuts the lid, leaving only Alice's head free of the smothering heat. I figure it's safe enough to open my eyes again and watch as Grimhilde quickly locks the lid down. I can't see Alice's face, only the back of her blond head.

"I'll be back to let you out before dinner. Try to relax, girl. This should help with your sleep disorder." Grimhilde says tersely.

Alice gives her a tight nod in response and Grimhilde leaves. I wait to hear the door shut, then stare at the back of the girl's head. She's stiff, unable to let the water calm her nerves. She probably feels like it's sweltering. I remember really disliking it my first time, too.

"You should really try not to clamp up." I mutter to her. "Your neck will kill you later, otherwise."

She sighs. "I suppose you're right..." She seems to sink down a little.

"We've missed you at lunch." I say after a moment.

"I ate with Dr. Thoreau today." She responds shortly.

I smirk. "To get away from Peter?"

Silence.

I add, "I probably shouldn't say...but he worries about you."

No response. We both stay quiet for a long time.

Finally, I say, "So they've started you on hydrotherapy, hmm?"

"Yes."

"They sprayed you this morning, didn't they?"

She cranes her neck to try to look at me, but of course, it doesn't work. "How did you know?"

"Most of us have been through it."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. Me, Eric, Peter... Plenty of the upstairs patients. Anyone who shows suicidal or violent tendencies, or signs of schizophrenia or insomnia wond up getting put through it."

"Why?"

I shrug, as much as the tub will allow. "They think it works." After a pause, I continue, "They'll give up on the hose after a few weeks, as long as you don't fight back."

"Good to know."

"It gets better."

She laughs bitterly on response. After a few quiet moments, she asks, "How long do you normally get left in here?"

"Depends. Could be a few hours, or a few days."

"Not really." Alice says in disbelief.

"Yes, depends on how much you've pissed them off. I spent three days in here once."

"No!"

"Mm-hmm. Made the mistake of speaking out of turn during the cold shower. Far worse than solitary confinement. They wouldn't even let me out for meals. They force-fed and medicated me through a tube. It was awful. Changed my tune pretty quick after that."

Alice said nothing else for awhile. I closed my eyes in the silence, sinking as much as I could into the water, practically dozing. It could be relaxing, once you got used to it, as long as you weren't claustrophobic.

"Aurora..." Alice piped up after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"How long have you been in this place?"

"Nearly 18 months, by my estimate."

"How do you...cope?" She whispers.

I open my eyes now, gazing up at the ceiling. "Oh... I'm not sure."

"There must be something." Alice insists. "Something you think about, to give you hope."

I think on it for a moment. These are things I never speak to anyone about. Not around here. But it seems Alice needs the reassurance.

"Remember the days before all this, when you would wake up in the morning, safe in your bed at home, with way too many pillows and stuffed animals, and hear the birds chirping outside, and watch the sun brighten up your room through your window?"

She nods slightly. "Yes."

"Smell breakfast cooking downstairs..."

"Cat sleeping by your feet..." Alice adds with a whimsical tone.

I smile in her direction. "Right... Eating and laughing with your family as you get ready to face the day, while music plays from the main room..." I can see my parents and my three aunts sitting around me at I speak. I'm not sure who Alice see, aside from her weak-minded sister and, apparently, a cat.

"That's what you think about?" She asks, bringing me out of my reverie.

"Mm-hmm. The simple things that I took for granted then. That's what I want to get back to."

"I don't believe you're ill or dangerous, Aurora. It's unfair, the way they keep you here. The way they treat you."

I'm unsure how to respond, so I decide to remain silent.

"I know they'll have to let us both go soon. When my sister comes on visiting day, I'll convince her to get me out. Then we could talk to your parents, if you want-"

"My brother's already tried that. Any way...she won't allow it." I assume Alice understands who I mean.

After a pause, Alice whispers, "What is it she's done to you? To make you despise her so?"

She wants an affirmation that Helena is as evil as we all suspect.

"Alice, I don't mean to be cruel. But every time I say or do something that someone here doesn't like, they find a new way to punish me for it. And people I care about tend to get dragged down along with me. So you'll have to understand if i don't want to speak any more."

"Oh... That's fine."

"We should both stay quiet for the rest of this hour if we want them to release us in time for dinner."

"Alright."

Weird way to end this chapter but it's been sitting like this for literal months and my brain is at a standstill soooo here's...something. I know I've been gone awhile. Life's been hectic, yadda yadda yadda. But I do intend to finish this thing and as many of the other stories I've started as I can in a reasonable amount of time. Meanwhile I have a bunch of new story ideas too and ignoring them for now is sooo hard but obviously I already have too much on my plate.

Oh, hi, by the way. I am living. And also very tired from working two jobs. But any way.

ALSO if you noticed that I kept switching the tenses up during Alice's segment, before you message me about it, I'm doing that on purpose. Bear with me, I'm trying something.