Page 4 of Wonderland Asylum
As a medical professional that's one year away from becoming a fully licensed RN, I try, and fail to hide my disappointment. I've only been present once when the Madd Hatter was in charge, and it's something I'll never forget.
Patient Lukas Harlow has Dissociative Identity Disorder, which used to be known as Multiple Personality Disorder. His host personality is a sweet shy guy with a high IQ. Although it's not known how many personalities he had, Dr. Jekyll has merged all of them together except for his loudest most dangerous one, The Madd Hatter.
Gunner has said on more than one occasion that he doesn't think Lukas will truly ever be fully cured. He's come so far, but he's made his peace with his disease.
Even though the Madd Hatter is a stone-cold killer, he protects Lukas and will do the things that his counterpart won't, and together they are an unstoppable force.
I hear the sound of the kitchen staff serving tea to the patients as we round the corner. At Wonderland, every group therapy session involves tea and snacks.
Above the entrance to the therapy room are the words: We're all mad here.
And it's true, I've felt for years that there's something that isn't quite right inside of me. I don't know what it is, but I've had dreams since I was a little girl where my hands are covered in blood and I'm the one holding the knife.
As we enter the room, Knave Hartman looks up from his phone and gives me a big smile. "Ms. PK, how are you doing?"
Knave has only been here for a year, and he's already charmed half the staff into sleeping with him. "I'm doing well. How's therapy been this week?"
He rolls his eyes at my stepbrothers. "Very boring. They aren't as easy on the eyes as you are."
Bullshit. Because of obvious reasons, I don't say that out loud. "I've been telling them that for years, Knave."
Gunner sneers while Kai polishes the bread knife on the table. Their jealousy causes Knave to chuckle.
I haven't gotten to listen to any of his sessions, so this should be an interesting one today. He seems fun, and definitely not boring.
Moving toward the other patients I say hello before sitting in between Kai, and Lukas. "Hello, Lukas. How are you feeling today?"
He blushes. "I'm good, PK. Excited for the new semester?"
I nod. "One step closer to my freedom."
Kai bristles at my answer. He doesn't know that I plan on leaving the island after graduation. I want to stay in Georgia so I've thought about working at a hospital in Savannah or maybe even Atlanta.
Gunner takes out his pocket watch and calls the session into order before I can ask Lukas anything else. "Jack, last week you briefly touched on a reoccurring nightmare you've been having recently. Care to elaborate?"
Jack Skellington, has been a patient here since he was found wandering around a neighboring pumpkin patch last Halloween. He's not mentally incapacitated, but does have amnesia so Dr. Jekyll has allowed him to stay and participate in all things Wonderland.
He smiles at Gunner, his tall masculine frame bows a bit in his seat. "In the dream, I'm dancing in the rain with a woman. She has silken red hair, and jagged scars line her pale face. Those slight imperfections take nothing away from her appearance, I still find her beautiful. She's familiar to me, but I can't remember how. Twirling her around, her laughter makes me feel lighter, and it's the last thing I hear before a flash of light blinds me in an instant. She's ripped from my arms by an unknown enemy, I reach for her but she's vanished. All that's left is my desperation to find her."
Gunner nods, writing notes down on his notepad. "This could be significant for recovering your identity. With amnesia patients, the memory often returns in the form of a dream especially if they're having a hard time dealing with the trauma that caused their condition. As you know, my father Doug Donovan is a trained hypnotherapist, if you're ready, I can put him in touch with you."
Jack nods, but doesn't utter a word, alluding to the fact that he feels it's not time.
Moving down the line, Kai asks Sierra Rose, the self proclaimed Queen of Wonderland the next question. "Sierra, I haven't seen you around lately. How are things since the last time we spoke?"
Kai's work persona is vastly different from his real life fuck boy one. So professional, and just as hot.
"Queen" Sierra shifts her gaze from me to Kai. A smile plays across her thin lips as she leans forward. "Do you want to know a secret PK?"
Furrowing my brow, I lean toward her. "You have an admirer, but it's not the good doctor or his brother."
I chuckle. "I'm intrigued, is it someone at Wonderland?"
Her dark curls bounce softly as she shakes her head. "No, he's not kept inside these walls, but he should be. He wants your heart, Presley Kate, and he'll get it one way or the other."
A shiver moves its way through my body, I probably shouldn't take too much stock into what she's saying, but she was dead ass serious. It's like she's harboring this big bad secret, and loving the fact that we won’t believe her because she’s crazy.
Kai, ever my protector, pulls his chair closer to mine. "Well, tell him she's taken."
