Prisons are of the Mind (Sloane)

[Dr. Gene Menelaus]

Sunlight drew its fingers haphazardly through the patches of ivory on the gates. Dr. Menelaus reached out, tracing his gloved fingers over the leaves. Without them, these gates would look imposing and terrifying. He supposed many children used to see them that way. Now, the grounds were unkempt, uncared for. Slowly taken back by the vines and foliage that grew here. Some would call the picture unkempt. He thought it was beautiful, and entirely without fear.

Only here, outside the walls of the Orphanage, could the doctor even breathe without fear in his heart. Despite the gates. He was not a prisoner in these walls. He should--as he halfheartedly planned many times--disappear one of these nights to places unknown. He could practice almost anywhere with less danger to himself. Yet, his own inner obligations kept him here, with these children and their vengeful demon.

Still... He cast a wistful glance through the bars and down the path beyond it. One day, would he be able to leave this all behind? And if he did, would he take it with him regardless?

He lowered his gaze to the ground. There was no answer, at least none that he could see. Perhaps he would live out his years and die here after all.

[Sloane Hannelore]

She'd ended her time at White Chapel earlier that day and had watched some of the children scurry away towards this path. She'd followed slowly, quietly. She wanted to know more about the orphans and the place they lived. Sloane had learned that no adults were allowed in, and that those who had worked there, and come up there had not been heard from again. She could remember her mother telling her that much as well of this place as she came upon the large facility.

Walking over the old road she was thankful she'd changed into her slacks and shirt, a dress would have only gotten in the way this far out from the city. With all her hair up under her cap, she was able to see the entire place without obstruction. She felt overwhelmed by the sheer size of it as she stopped halfway up the path. Children all alone up here by themselves...that is not right... She thought to herself as she pushed herself up the path further.

The vines that covered the gate were almost enough to block any view inside the walls, but as she got closer the cracks and the broken vines gave a glimps inside, and at the body on the other side. Moving right up to the gate her hands came to rest just above the other's.

"I thought adults weren't allowed past these gates?" Sloane spoke up softly, leaning in a bit as she tried to better see the other through the vines.

[Dr. Gene Menelaus]

Gene leaped back half a foot at the voice. It jarred with the peaceful scenery and his own mood, injecting both with his weary ever present fear. His gentle, spooked gray eyes peered through the obstructed gates for a glimpse of this person, whomever they might be. They sounded like an adult. That put him on his guard, instantly. Any grown person who came within these bounds was in peril, though he or she would not know it.

In fact... he couldn't quite tell whether this person was a he or she, not at first. They appeared to be a woman dressed as a man. It was difficult to tell from the poor view. The voice seemed feminine at least. But the words themselves...

His brow furrowed in wariness more than fear. Who had this person been talking to? Surely, none of the children would risk the Shadow Man's wrath by revealing secrets to outsiders. Unless they were planning to mark her for... for whatever the Shadow Man did. He felt ill just thinking about it.

"M-madame, what can you be speaking of?"

[Sloane Hannelore]

"Really now?" Sloane started, one fiery eyebrow quirking up above a bright blue eye as she studied the other closely. His sudden start away from her, the panic...or was it fear that shown through made her wonder just what sort of place lay beyond this gate.

"You do know that the city whispers of this place? There are people scared to come up here. I'm speaking of whatever this..." She laced her arm through a bar, pointing beyond the man towards the orphanage, "...is, and just what is going on." Sloane paused as she began to draw her arm back in, gripping several thick vines before she pulled at them. The soft tear of leaves and vines rose before a hushed rustle followed of the plants falling to the ground. A small hole now in the forest that covered the gate now as she could see the other better.

Pink lips curved into a gentle smile, and hand running down the front of her shirt as she wiped it off, the cotton pulling tight over her curves, "I've heard there are no adults in there. A world run by children. People have gone missing...and I would like to offer my help and services as best as I can, but I can't do that without knowing if rumors are true. Would you happen to know?"

She held her hand out through the bars once more, "I'm Sloane Hannelore, a teacher for some of the children at White Chapel. I've seen the orphans around there, and I thought I would come and see for myself this place."

[Dr. Gene Menelaus]

"The city ought to..." Gene closed his throat against the trembling in his voice. He should have expected this. Curious adults from the inner city would here whispers, or perhaps the children here weren't being so careful when they spoke to others outside of these walls. He needed to tread carefully, because...he didn't want this woman to disappear. If the Shadow Man caught wind of her curiosity... well. That was a good possibility.

"...ought to respect the privacy of our Institution." He leaned forward as the woman pulled her arm free of the vines. As if to stop her from damaging them...but he stopped at the last moment and slowly lowered his outstretched hand.

"If it were true, would I be standing behind this gate? Children...ah, they like to make up stories." Sweat beaded out on his brow and it had nothing to do with the warmth of the air. "I could, ah, inquire. I'm not sure you'll be granted a visit, but there is no harm in asking."

As if he'd go anywhere near the Shadow Man to ask that particular question. He was just trying to derail the woman's--for he could see that she was female, now--attempt to visit the Orphanage.

[Sloane Hannelore]

It didn't feel right. Sloane was not the more knowledgable woman in these parts, but she was no idiot that was for sure. Moving as close as she could to the gate she let her gaze bore into the other in front of her. No one else occuppied the courtyard beyond the gate, no shadows that couldn't be explained...nothing that could cause someone to tighten their lips in such a manner as this one.

"One word of honesty is all I need sir, just one word and I can help you know." She replied through the vines and irons, a confessional of sorts as blue eyes grew darker within the shaded arch of the gate, "I am not a person seeking to hurt anyone, only help, and if no one speaks up then what sort of help is to be expected to come?"

Slender fingers gripped the bars as she sighed softly, "Even the stories of children hold truth, the monsters in closets and under the beds...I cannot but wonder just what sort of things lay beyond this gate and think that if only someone were to speak up." She smiled, so sweet, but the expression tainted with sadness, "What is your name sir? What business do you have within these walls?" Sloane inquired, resting against the bars as her gaze traveled to the empty windows, someplace far away the breeze carried the sounds of children playing.