It looked like a nursery.
Or perhaps, it was because he didn't see the panels of explosion-proof glass surrounding the person. In this room, there are at least five monitors, and maybe more in his blind spots.
This is not a nursery. It wouldn't be wrong to call it a prison.
Perhaps.
Lin Yie has a hard time convincing himself that the person being monitored is a devil and not a regular girl.
Behind the translucent glass panels hide a pure-white world: white closet, white bed, white blank, and the sleeping girl in pure white.
This much whiteness would normally make people feel uncomfortable. It may even be light pollution, but the scene in front of him feels just right. Perhaps, the girl is the only black dot in this whiteness.
She has long blond hair that can reach her ankles. Maybe it is how she curls up when she sleeps. She looks tiny.
Lin Yie heard in the past that girls that sleep like this are usually insecure: when they sleep, they subconsciously curl up to protect their fragile hearts. So devils have fragile sides too? Devils can feel insecure or even afraid?
It is hard to believe this girl is a devil despite her horns that belong to ones.
"Why is it like this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Everything..." Lin Yie doesn't know how to continue. Even though he had never gone to a mental hospital before, he intuitively knows that even their intensive care units are not like this, "Are you people monitoring her or caring for her?"
"Both," Shining says in a low voice,
"Nightingale is a Sarkaz, but she loves whiteness, so everything here is arranged to stabilize her mental state but it is still not enough. The strength within her is too great. We don't want her to hurt others or herself. Which was also partially why I brought her here. After all, very few places would be willing to provide all these."
Lin Yie looks at the girl again. He can see those machines near her bed. Maybe they are there to monitor her conditions. The black wires that connect them to the girl's wrists look strangely out of place.
"It seems her sleep quality is not bad," Lin Yie tries to come up with something to say.
But he doesn't know what he said was not nonsensical.
"Nightingale's sleep quality cannot be good." Shining shakes her head, "We have to inject her daily with sedatives to help her sleep."
"Sedatives?" Lin Yie is shocked, "But those things are bad for the body..."
"We know, but we have to choose the lesser evil."
"... But you said she lost her memory."
"Hmm?"
"Doesn't that mean she is like a blank piece of paper?"
"Blank?" Shining looks at him with a weird look,
"How is she a blank piece of paper? If we have to use a metaphor, she is more like a piece of paper with random lines. You can think of the lines as chaotic thoughts and emotions. Rhodes Island has been able to control her physical symptoms but we haven't been able to do much about her mental state. If those lines keep growing in her mind, eventually they will fill up the paper, and that means, Nightingale will..."
No wonder Shining doesn't want to wait any longer. Lin Yie understands the seriousness of the problem now.
He takes a deep breath, "What should I do?"
Shining just takes her ID out and swipes it on the scanner of the glass door.
The glass panels slowly open up.
Then, Shining takes a bottle of pills out, "This can wake her up."
Lin Yie nods but before he can take it, Shining holds it back.
"Have you decided?" Shining asks.
Lin Yie pauses, "What do you mean? Didn't you bring me here for this?"
"Yes,\ but you can still decide for yourself." Shining whispers,
"Even I can't turn off the monitors here. That means, if you go in, everything you do will be recorded. Everyone will see what you do. Do you understand?"
"So if I fail, I have to leave?"
Shining shakes her head, "Not to that degree. You saved my life, so if you want to stay in Rhodes Island, I can help. You might even be able to be a psychologist."
"But no one will trust me."
Shining looks at him, "The psychologist department is just symbolic. Even when Orchid worked part-time there, people rarely went to her for help."
Lin Yie nods, "She told me. Very few operators are willing to share their inner thoughts."
"But you are different, and you can prove yourself." Shining says, "More accurately, you can prove yourself when you step inside."
"So I will prove myself to be either special or being a con-artist." Lin Yie smiles, "Interesting."
Shining shakes her head, "I never thought you are a liar because I experienced it personally. Even Rangers had similar feelings, but Nightingale is different. I am not sure a psychologist can help her, so you have to think carefully..."
Lin Yie takes the bottle away from her hand.
"You look confident." Shining smiles.
"No. Not at all." Lin Yie smiles bitterly,
"who's the psychologist? I am just good at sterilizing pets after two years of work. And that ability... Alright, I admit I have some innate talent. Pets have always been attracted to me since my childhood... But I don't think it is anything important. I was able to save you because you have a strong will."
"If that's what you thought, why do you still want to go in?"
Lin Yie takes a deep breath and grips the bottle harder.
"But you told me, someone here needs my help." Lin Yie says,
"For a doctor, that is enough for me to go, even though I am just a vet."
After that, he steps inside.
However, the scanner somehow detects his ID and triggers the alarm.
"Intern Lin Yie! You don't have the privilege to enter! Please step back! Please step back!"
Lin Yie looks back at Shining, and Shining is looking back at him.
It is now or never.
Despite the mounting tension, Lin Yie suddenly feels relaxed.
He walks towards the sleeping Nightingale and opens the bottle. He says softly, "Time to wake up, little devil."