The Psychological Mystery of Thomas King

Chapter Fifty: The Map

Ava

While Thomas, Connor and Liam go get supplies, Sienna, Hailey, Claire and I try to figure out where the exits are. There's only one problem.

We don't have a map of the new asylum.

"How are we gonna figure out what the layout of the new asylum looks like?" Hailey asks.

"Maybe we could ask one of the workers who worked there?" Claire suggests. "Or maybe one of the patients who escaped?"
"Wait," Sienna says. "I remember Thomas saying he went and talked to one of his parent's friends." Sienna says. "Her name was Persimmin. Persimmin Oakland. He had some questions about his past."

"Persimmin Oakland?" I ask Sienna. "I don't remember my parents mentioning someone of that name, and they shared a lot with us, especially our mother. I don't think my parents knew her."

"What if she was a nurse who used to work at the asylum?" Claire suggested.

"That would make sense." Sienna says. "It was before he told me everything."

"Do you know where she is?" Hailey asks.

"I think she's at the Spring Garden Mental Home."

Another mental institute?

Great.

"Alright," I say, taking my keys out of my purse. "Let's go."

*******

We arrive at the mental home late in the afternoon. I park the car in front of the double doors leading inside.

"Maybe only two of us should go." I say. "It would be weird and maybe suspicious if all four of us go."

"Good point." Sienna says. "Ava and I'll go."

"Wait, why me?" I ask.

"Because your Thomas's twin." Sienna explains. "The nurse won't think it's weird if his sibling and wife were to visit Persimmin." I laugh at myself.

"Right." I say. "I didn't think of that."

Sienna and I both leave the car and walk to the door of the mental home. When I open it, I'm overwhelmed by the bright colors and floral smells. As we see people pass by us, both patients and doctors, I see genuine happy faces all around. It warms my heart to see that these people were making a difference. But it only reminds me of my past. I turn away from Sienna to hide my tears. We walk up to the receptionists desk.

"Hi," Sienna says to the lady working. "We're here to see Persimmin Oakland."

"Name and relation?" The receptionist asks.

"Sienna Thompson and Ava Thompson." She says. "I believe my husband, Thomas visited her not too long ago?" The receptionist flips through a check-in book.

"Oh! Yes, I see his name in here." She calls for a nurse to escort us to the room. Ava and I exchange a look of relief and follow the nurse down the hallway.

She opens the door and says to the patient,

"Mrs. Oakland? You have visitors." She gives us both a small smile and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. The woman is sitting on the cushioned window sill, reading a book.

"Hi, Mrs. Oakland." I say. "My name is Sienna. Sienna King and this is-"

"Ava King." She says, looking up from her book. "I know her well."

"How?" I ask, shocked.

"Why, you're the sister of Thomas King, aren't you?" She says. "Of course I know you. I was one of the nurses involved with your twin's experiment. He did talk about you a lot you know, when he was with us." I take a seat at the edge of the bed, taking the information in. Sienna takes a seat beside me.

"Do you know why we're here?" I ask her.

"Not exactly, but I do know you're probably here to talk to me about Whisperwood."

"You know where they went, didn't you?" Sienna asks and Persimmin nods. "We need a map to their new asylum."

"Their safe haven." I say more to myself. The woman smiles and gets up. She walks over to the drawers at the table beside her bed. She takes out a folded piece of paper. She unfolds it and hands it to me.

It's exactly what we asked for.

"How did you get this?" I ask.

"When I escaped, I snuck it out with me." She says. "I guess I had a feeling someone was gonna need it someday. Someone like you." After a few minutes of useless small talk, a nurse comes inside the room and tells us it's time to leave. Sienna starts following the nurse, but Persimmin gently grabs my arm before I can follow after her.

"Be careful, child." She tells me, in a soft voice. "Those people are dangerous folks. Very dangerous folks. I hope you know what you're doing." She lets go of my arm.

"I hope so too." I say quietly and leave the room.