“May I ask why?” Dr. Seward said, concern on his face.
“A few days ago, I had the strangest dream,” she began. Her heart raced as she shared such information, fearing they might think her mad. But wasn’t all of this madness? Wasn’t all of itbeyond the realm of reason? Mina exhaled, steadying herself. “It was unlike any dream I’d had before. It was as though I were seeing through someone else’s eyes.”
A chill ran down her spine as she recalled it—the sights, the smells. The eerie quiet.
“I was in an abandoned building, or so it seemed. There was a man there, in the shadows, whispering to himself.”
“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Van Helsing cut in.
She frowned, agitation clear as she replied, “It was a dream. Why should I think it meant anything?”
“Why wouldn’t you?” he asked, matching her irritation.
“Perhaps I was rather occupied with trying to survive,” she snapped. “If you hadn’t insisted on keeping so many secrets—”
“Now, now, let’s not fight,” Dr. Seward said. “It seems as though we might pay Renfield a visit.”
“But what about Lucy?” Mina asked.
“I can stay with her,” Jonathan volunteered. “It would be best for a man to guard the home.”
Mina chose not to point out that multiple men had already watched over Lucy, and yet she had been repeatedly drained of blood.
But there was no use lingering on what had already happened. Lucy still needed saving.
“Thank you, Jonathan,” she said, leaving the rest unsaid.
CHAPTER 36
The asylum was a large grey building off a lonely road beyond the city limits. Despite Mina’s desire to visit this patient of Dr. Seward’s, her heart raced as the group stepped inside the front door, afraid of the horrors that might await her within.
The foyer was far warmer than she’d expected, with high ceilings, polished wooden floors topped with a tan-colored rug, and floral wallpaper that could have easily been in the parlor room of any townhouse in London. Dr. Seward led them past the front desk, through a set of double doors, and into a corridor decorated much like the last, the soft glow of gaslights guiding them down the hall.
They came upon another pair of doors, though these looked heftier than the first and had both a keyhole and an unlatched chain. Dr. Seward pulled out a ring of keys from his jacket, selecting one, and then unlocking the door and leading them inside. The scent of disinfectant was heavy in the air, and the lovely wallpaper was traded for plaster painted a soft grey-green tone, but otherwise all was the same. On either side of the hallwere closed doors, and Mina couldn’t help but think of the castle, the thought making her chest tighten with anxiety.
“I don’t wish to frighten you,” Dr. Seward said as they came to yet another locked door, “but there are some best practices to ensure the patients don’t get ruffled.” This time, he made his way through two separate keys, the locks releasing with aclick. “Don’t make prolonged eye contact and don’t speak directly to any of them, no matter what they say.”
“What might they say?” Van Helsing asked.
“It depends on the patient,” Dr. Seward said. “Some of them will ramble on about nothing at all, and some of them can be—well, I hope neither of you is particularly sensitive to insults.” He looked to them then, and Mina shook her head. “Wonderful.”
Dr. Seward smiled, seemingly perfectly at ease as he pushed the door open, the groan of the hinges announcing their arrival.
As they stepped inside, the air was much cooler than the rest of the building, the lights were dimmer, and the floor was cement rather than wood. The corridor ran only a few paces before branching to the right and left, each side with several closed doors. Dr. Seward led them left, and as they passed each door, various sounds and smells came through the narrow slots that offered a peek into the rooms beyond. Mina glanced down at one and found a pair of eyes watching her as they moved down the hall.
Finally, they came across the room that must be the patient Dr. Seward had told them about. The doctor unlocked the door, pushing it open to reveal the bare room within.
“Mr. Renfield?” Dr. Seward said.
Mina’s eyes wandered from the bed to the corner of the room where a man sat, his back facing them, and his knees pulled up into himself. The posture reminded her of a frightened child, and her heart clenched for the stranger.
“Renfield, I’ve brought some visitors with me.”
“Go away,” Renfield said, not bothering to look at them. “It’s too late.”
Mina looked to Dr. Seward for explanation, but the man only shrugged. “Wouldn’t you like to at least meet them?” he asked. “This is Abraham Van Helsing and Mina Murray.”
Renfield whipped his head around, fixing his eyes on them. Onher.
