Chapter 6: There is something about her eyes

Lilly was in a dilemma whole day. She made an excuse and left early. How can she forget who she was dealing with? In all these weeks with her patient she didn’t realize that she was spending time with a possible psychopath.

At least Lilly found one thing about her, her hatred for others and comparing herself to others had started from her traumatic childhood. Her jealously ran so deep that it blocked all rational thought until she destroyed that thing or rather people.

It had been two weeks now and she didn’t go into room 4011 since the last event. She spent these two weeks interacting with the psychiatrist who was responsible for her patient, P666.

Lilly had hinted some things about the patient’s past however she did it in a rather ‘what-if-suggesting’ way as not to breech the trust she had developed. However Lilly did tell the psychiatrist about what happened in regards to the drawings.

The psychiatrist concluded that this was the first ever reaction they were able to get out of her since her stay here for over two months. Normally she would be very calm and stayed on her own. No one would even have a slightest clue about what she was admitted for in the institution unless someone read her file. She didn't look like a person who belonged here.

Lilly discussed what she thought would be appropriate with the psychiatrist. They needed as much information as available for her upcoming trial.

The psychiatrist had quite a judgmental attitude towards patient P666 and her thoughts weren’t hidden as well. Lilly was astounded with how unprofessional and ethically wrong she was.

Lilly started finding about her patient’s parents and discovered that they had died a long time ago. There death was labelled as a burglary gone wrong. Despite that nothing was missing from the house. The officials had concluded that the thieves had run off when things had turned for the worst. Four bodies were discovered from the house of which two of them belonged to a notorious drug dealers.

No neighbors would have guessed what went on behind closed doors. According to the statements of the neighbors, they described the family as sweet and loving with occasional loud music but overall they were fine.

While sweeping the house, the officers had found a young girl, no older than 13 years old, handcuffed in the basement. And that’s when the abuse was revealed.

This was a very famous case on the other side of Manhasset.

As Lilly read on other articles that popped up, she saw a very famous name involved with the case, the Mcalvey Industries.

Lilly searched for the CPS officer who took the little girl in. She found the details and went to search for the lady named Maria Acker.

Lilly arrived at the small building and went to the receptionist and asked about Maria Acker. Since she didn’t have an appointment, Lilly was instructed to sit and wait until she was called in.

Lilly was exhausted from waiting for so long, she was about to go when her name was called and she was told that Ms Acker would see her now.

Lilly knocked on the door and entered a small cabin which was overloaded with files upon files.

“Good morning Ms Acker, my name is Lilly Smith.” Lilly forwarded her hand to shake hands with Ms Acker.

“Good morning Ms Smith, what can I help you with?” Ms Acker, a lady in her 50s smiled at Lilly.

“Please call me Lilly.” Lilly fumbled with her back pack and took out the file she had made last night.

“I’m a 4th year psychology student of Columbia University.” Lilly introduced herself.

Ms Acker nodded at her.

“I’m doing my project attachment at a mental institute for prisoners. I came across someone, maybe you might remember her?” Lilly forwarded the print outs and her patients name and photo to Maria Acker.

Confusedly Maria Acker looked at the details given to her while looking at Lilly once in a while. When Ms Acker got to the picture of the little girl, her eyes flashed with recognition.

“I remember her.” Ms Acker exclaimed, nodding her head. She put the picture of Lilly’s patient and the picture of the little girl side by side, “Are they the same person?”

“Yes ma’am, she is the same girl who you took under your wings when her parents were killed.” She added quietly, “She is my patient.”

Ms Acker gave her a look but didn’t say anything else on that. “Why did you come to me?”

“I sympathize with her. She told me some things which is so horrifying. I just want to help her.” Lilly sighed. “Can you tell me anything about her? When you first met her?”

A frown marred Maria Acker’s caramel skin. She thought back to how she first met that young innocent green eyed girl.

*

Maria was called into the scene of crime when the police officers found a badly beaten tied up girl in the basement. Maria walked up to the girl who was sitting in the ambulance receiving medical attention for any serious injuries.

She accompanied the poor girl to the hospital. She was a mother herself and she can’t imagine the horror the little girl just lived through.

Maria Acker entered the ward where the young girl was kept at for security reasons. The first thing she noticed was how tiny she was in the bed she lay on. Her cheeks were sunken making her cheek bones very prominent. Her arms were really thin, it was very obvious she was malnourished. Her skin had an ashen pale look to it which made her dark bruises pop up.

She cautiously approached her, “Hi there. My name is Maria.”

The young girl just continued looking at the bare white wall ahead.

Maria Acker sat on the chair beside her bed. “Would you like to tell me your name?” her voice was soft and soothing.

Yet again the girl remained quiet and pretended there was no one else in the room.

“I know it must be really hard for you right now. I can’t imagine the pain you must be feeling from losing your parents.” Maria reached out her hand and lightly patted the young girl’s head.

Maria had no idea what the girl had went through at the hands of her parents. They had assumed it was the intruders who had tied and beaten her up. However looking at her current state and from what little the doctor told her, she had her doubts.

The young girl turned her head slowly looking straight at Maria and without missing a beat she uttered, “I’m glad they are dead,” and resumed looking at the wall.

Maria was surprised at how dangerously calm her green eyes looked. It looked dead and indifferent.

*

“And after the tests and confirmation from the doctors, we found out she was being abused at home.” Maria Acker had a faraway melancholy look.

“However she never said anything about it to us, so we never really found out what exactly happened to her and for how long.”

Lilly pursed her lips, deep in thought. It looked like she was the only person who knew about her past to some extent.

“She was in the foster system of how long?” Lilly asked.

“I think it was two weeks and she was then taken in by a nice family.”

Lilly nodded her head. Both remained quiet for a while.

“You said she is your patient?” Maria hesitantly asked. “Why is she there?”

“I’m sorry but I can’t tell you that, it’s the order from the court. No one can talk about the case until it’s over.” Lilly apologetically explained. “All I could say is that some really influential people are involved.”

Maria nodded understandingly.

Lilly excused herself and prepared to leave. “Thank you so much for you time and help. I appreciate it.”

Maria Acker stood up and walked Lilly to the door. “It’s alright.”

Lilly strung her backpack on her shoulders and was about to leave the room when Maria’s words stopped her, “Lilly, I don’t know what she did, but her eyes, it always gave the passage to her thoughts. I knew something was wrong with her when I saw her eyes in the hospital. Be careful.”

Lilly’s mind froze, thinking back to how ferocious she looked when she saw her painting.