𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐢 𝐓𝐨𝐛𝐲 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐭

Children Should Be Seen, Not Heard

READ TICCI TOBY: AN EYE FOR AN EYE (book 1 on my profile) BEFORE THIS

Y/N didn't realize Sally Williams would be her little saving grace when she first met her.

Her previous place of work, The Subordinate: Psychiatric Hospital For The Criminally Insane, was closed after the disaster that occurred almost two years ago. The second anniversary of its closing will be in December. There was multiple lawsuits against the place from the patient's families that died. In an ordinary situation, the hospital would cover it and pay the families but no one was found alive in the hospital after that night. Therefore it became an issue with the federal government.

It was truly unbelievable what happened. No soul survived that night. No patients, no doctors, no orderlies. The facility was forced to shut down, never to reopen again.

Y/N is sitting in the dayroom of her new facility. It's a state-run children's psychiatric hospital called Fallacious Care: Children's Psychiatric Hospital in Denver. It's an old building, having been around since the early 1900s. The exterior is very vintage as well with vines climbing up crumbling brick, windows covered with rusted bars and some are boarded up completely.

She isn't fond of this place at all, she thinks there needs to be many updates but she needed a job that wasn't too stressful after what happened to her. She figured a children's hospital couldn't be that bad and besides, she's been working with adults all of her career, kids must be easier. Wrong, they're completely different. She isn't specialized in childcare for the disturbed but the hospital gave her a job either way, already incredibly low on staff.

Sally Williams is an 8 year old girl who was brought into the hospital just a month after Y/N began working here. She was assigned this little girl and was left heartbroken after reading her case.

Her uncle had been consistently sexually assaulting her and one day, bludgeoned her over the head and authorities suspect it was attempted murder. She was hospitalized and the family covered it up as an accident in order to save the uncle's reputation. Sally (rightfully) murdered her uncle one night after her return from the hospital. Her parents sent her here, telling the doctors they believe their daughter is a danger to the whole family. Sally is the only patient with a murderous past around this place, but it's kept a secret between the doctors. Many staff have admitted they can't fault her actions after enduring such abuse for months on end.

In the day room, children as young as 4 to 10 frolic around, playing with the toys and materials left around by staff. Y/N sits and watches, monitoring the kids. They usually aren't any trouble at all; collaborating well, sharing, being respectful of each other's boundaries and personal space. In Fallacious Care, the ages of patients range from 4 to 14. The 12 and up are on the third floor, then anyone older than 7 is on the second floor, and younger than that is on the first floor. Y/N works with the older kids on the second and third floor only.

It's 9PM and Sally Williams runs up to Y/N.

"I'm tired, Dr Y/N." When she first met Y/N she told her she liked her first name, that it was pretty so she lets Sally call her Dr. Y/N. "And Charlie is too."

She giggles and hands Y/N her teddybear. Y/N smiles and tells the rest of the children that it's time to clean up and get ready for bed.

Y/N works the night shift from 6PM to 6AM. She is a psychiatric counsellor who checks on the patients during the night as well. Usually that is a nurse's job but she took on the task, knowing how they lack the staff to do it.

Y/N's job at night is to assess the children before bed and make sure they feel safe and comfortable.

"I hope I don't have another dream about that man," Sally sighs, rubbing her eyes as she tucks herself under the blanket.

"A man?" Y/N asks with a grin, "Who? A friend?"

"I think so. He's friendly but a little. . . Creepy?"

Y/N completely writes this off as just a part of childhood. She had lots of imaginary friends as a kid too. Sally's psychological prognosis is leaning toward early onset schizophrenia so any dreams or sightings she mentions, Y/N remembers to write them in her file.

Sally finally shuts her big emerald eyes and rests her head upon her pillow, wavy brown hair strewn all over. Y/N brushes her hair away from her sleepy eyes before wishing her goodnight and heading out the door.

Y/N has known Sally for a long time, ever since she started working here. Sally told her she reminds her of a mother; not her mother, however. Her mother never believed her. Y/N always did and always will.

As much as Y/N didn't like how it made her seem old, she appreciated that Sally thought of her like a mom. A cool older sister would've been more to her liking.

They talk just like sisters about everything. Y/N has even told sally about her past lover Toby and she knows lots of details about that relationship. Can't really call it a relationship; they never dated but clearly were very much in love. Still in love, at least she is.