2019-08-07 - Digestive Issues

It's a fairly typical office, the front part is where the receptionist would be if there was one, and it's just down a tiny hall to the actual office, where the door is open and the movements of one Vivian Glass can be heard.

Everything is new, smells like new paint still, furniture new. Vivian is behind the desk working on things, the sound of a click pen heard as she absently clicks it as she reads through something. Today the blonde is dressed in a pale pastel patterned dress with a suit jacket worn over it, and a pair of matching heels. Everything about her is perfect, make up, hair, clothes. Like she spent a great amount of time on that this morning.

Julia is nervous. It' evident in her posture and the way she swallows. Her nervousness borders on phobia as she enters the doctor's office. She's not come straight from work, so thankfully Vivian doesn't have to worry about the smell of the fryer that Julia carries when she's working a shift. A nice, bright blouse and capris are the order of the day, her hair held back by a bandana folded to function as a hairband and hoops dangling from her ears. Her lips are scarlet red, because every girl needs her armor.

"Hello, Dr. Glass." she says, her accent that of someone raised in a bilingual home. "Thank you for being willing to talk to me. Like I said on the phone, I think we can help each other. I was in the asylum for about seven years. Alice and another girl were in there with me. We protected each other."

"Miss Velez." Vivian greets, glancing up from her work before she gestures towards a place to sit, "And it is that Miss Whitehouse is still there, I'm lead to believe at least." She closes the file that she's reading, moving to set it aside before she sets her pen down on her desk, "If this is too much to think back on, I do understand if you'd rather not. I can find information other ways, I'm sure."

Julia takes a deep breath. "Actually, part of the problem is that I don't remember much. My memories are vague at best. But I want to get Alice out if possible, and do what we can to stop the asylum from collecting more people. Maybe kill it. I don't think it exists in this reality. I think you may have guessed that, along with the fact that it moves?"

"I had guessed that it did not exist in this reality, but had not found anything to support the idea that it moves. Or unsupport the idea, really." Vivian replies with a shake of her head, leaning herself back in her chair, elbows settling on the arms of her chair, fingertips resting together, "What makes you think that it moves?"

Julia moves to take a seat as well, settling her hands in her lap. "About a week ago I was drawn through the veil, the doorway between worlds, and back into the asylum. In the waiting room, there were nurses, and one of them mentioned that it moves around." Julia's on edge. "I think that's part of why people don't remember it, between it moving and not being in this reality. And as to what it is, I've thought about that, too. It might be a place that moves, but it could also be a sort of entity unto itself. And in a way, the girls inside it, we were being made to be in fear and pain so it could consume it. In a way, it was digesting us."

"I see." Vivian tilts her head very faintly, "It is possible, and my experience so far has shown that it is highly self aware of who approaches it. However, the waiting room is not the same as the rest, that was made clear the other evening when a few of us arrived there. At least, he said that where we were was just the waiting room, and implied that the institute was somewhere else."

"He?" Julia asks, and then, "The doctor. The dead doctor. You're who gave Violet the map, right?"

Vivian shakes her head, "I am not the one that gave anyone the map. But I'm aware of the map, yes. And he is Dr. Marshall, yes."

"Oh." Julia reaches into her back pocket, leaning forward to do so. She pulls out a copy of the map and offers it to Vivian. "I think the route marked out on it is of the places where the asylum has been. You can keep that copy if you don't already have one. It might be useful for Christine. I mean, the car."

"Cecelia." Vivian reaches for the copy of the map, "And evidently she doesn't require a map, which does beg the question of why there is a map in the first place." There is a very faint smile, the copy being folded up and tucked into her pocket.

Julia looks askance, and it looks like she is about to make a big ask. "Doctor, do you know how to do hypnosis? I read that sometimes suppressed memories can be brought up that way."

Vivian nods faintly, "I do, yes. Are you wanting to see if you are able to tap into some of your memories from your time in the institute?"

"I think it might be helpful." Julia admits. "I mean, I'm terrified. I don't want to remember anything, but I think I have to. The things I saw might help when it's time to rescue Alice and make it all stop." There's a pause. "If you're willing to do it, could we do it another time so I can bring some support?"

"I'm willing to do it, and we can do it at any time that you want." Vivian leans back in her chair once more, considering the situation, "Give me a few days warning, and we can set everything up."

Julia's nod is determined, but she's clearlIy terrified of the whole prospect. She's just so determined to get it done. "Thank you. I can move between here and there, but there's no point in trying until we know as much as we can."

"You're most welcome." Vivian offrs in return, smiling very faintly, "Hopefully we manage to unconver the information that we need."

There's a faint, grateful smile, as Julia rises. "Thank you for seeing me. I'll talk to a friend of mine, see if he'll come along, and we can text to figure out the best time."

Vivian gets to her feet as well, "I look forward to hearing from you, Miss Velez."