11, willows hill

The car hummed along the dark roads, Miss Capri's singing faint but oddly cheerful from the front seat. Ari tried not to cringe at the high notes echoing off the windows.

Wednesday was pressed against the side of the trunk, arms crossed, staring straight ahead. Her expression was unreadable, as if the world itself were an annoyance she tolerated only reluctantly.

Ari leaned closer, whispering. "So... um... what exactly is happening?"

Wednesday turned her head slightly, her eyes sharp and flat. "We are rescuing my uncle Fester from Willow Hill Psychiatric Hospital. He went there willingly... as a patient."

Ari blinked. "Wait, what? He... let himself get committed?"

"Correct," Wednesday said, her voice dry and precise. "It was part of the investigation. Lois, deceased outcast, suspect of foul play, has connections here. Fester agreed to enter as a patient to gather information from the inside. I am retrieving him before he discovers that, occasionally, psychiatric hospitals are more interested in bureaucracy than logic."

Ari swallowed, her heartbeat quickening. "Okay... that's insane. And dangerous."

Wednesday tilted her head slightly, as if Ari's use of adjectives amused her. "Danger is an occupational hazard when dealing with incompetence and evil. You may hold on to the thrill if you wish, but keep your screaming to a minimum. The walls are thin."

Ari nodded, trying to ignore the tingling mix of nerves and excitement crawling through her chest. She stole a glance at Wednesday, who remained impossibly calm, like a predator in human skin. Ari had a strange feeling she was about to witness a masterclass in chaos and that she might not survive it without secretly enjoying every second.

Mrs. Capri's singing swelled again, completely oblivious, as the car carried them closer to Willow Hill.

——————

The car rolled to a stop just outside Willow Hill. Before they could move, a voice called out.

"Gonna have to check the truck," someone said security.

Ari's heart skipped a beat. "What the hell are we gonna do?" she whispered, leaning toward Wednesday.

"Shh," Wednesday said, her eyes scanning the perimeter, unmoved. She looked as if the concept of fear were entirely foreign.

The security guard moved closer to the truck, inspecting it carefully. Then, without warning, a muffled explosion erupted from somewhere in the distance. The guard yelped and ran toward the source.

"Let's go," Wednesday muttered, and they slipped out of the car, pressing themselves against the shadows near the vehicle.

From their hidden vantage point, Ari watched as the security returned, muttering to himself. "It's okay... go on," he said, letting Mrs. Capri drive the car past the gates.

Ari exhaled. "What... was that?"

"Agnes," Wednesday replied flatly, barely moving her lips.

"Agnes is here? Who else?" Ari asked, her voice a whisper tinged with anxiety.

"Enid."

Ari froze. "Enid? Oh god... she's going to kill me when she finds out I'm here."

"You'll survive," Wednesday said, almost casually, as if brushing off the possibility of death were just another minor inconvenience.

—-

They sprinted toward the door, where a cafeteria worker was waiting, her face calm but alert. She gave them a subtle nod.

"Quickly," she whispered, guiding them inside. "Follow me."

In no time, Ari and Wednesday were hidden inside a serving trolley, the metal sides closing around them with a soft clank. The trolley began to roll, moving silently down the dimly lit corridors.

"Evening, Louise," someone called from nearby. "What's on the menu tonight?"

"Nothing edible," Louise replied flatly, pushing the trolley along without breaking stride.

While Louise distracted the staff, Wednesday's fingers worked deftly, slipping an officer's card from a nearby pocket. She pressed it against the locked doors as the trolley moved, and with a soft click, the barriers gave way.

Finally, the trolley came to a stop outside the right room. Wednesday and Ari slipped out quietly.

"Tell Fester I'll be waiting for him," the cafeteria worker said, giving Wednesday a meaningful look.

Wednesday nodded, her expression unreadable, and they slipped into the room where Uncle Fester was confined.

Ari's eyes immediately widened. "Oh my god... Slurp."

There he was, Pugsley's zombie, locked up but fuming, muscles tensed, hunger in every twitch. He lunged slightly, but the restraints held him back.

"Less than ten seconds. Might be a family record," Fester said, his voice calm as he extended a hand. Electricity sparked from his fingertips, a gentle but firm control over Slurp. "Play nice."

Ari blinked, stunned, her mind racing.

"You must be Pugsley's friend," Fester said, smiling slightly.

"How do you know?" Ari asked, intrigued.

"My brother and sister-in-law wouldn't stop talking about you. How much of an effect you've had on our Pugsley. He really likes you," Fester explained.

"He does?" Ari's grin spread, and for a moment, she was lost in thought, imagining Pugsley's shy, hopeful smile.

"We don't have much time," Wednesday snapped, her voice sharp, pulling Ari back.

"Uhhuh," Ari said quickly, shaking her head to refocus.

"Ari!" Wednesday's sharp glance reminded her of the urgency.

"Yes, yes! Let's go," Ari said, following Wednesday and Fester out of the room.

As they walked away, Ari stole one last glance at Slurp. "Bye, Slurp... Pugsley likes me," she whispered, a small, private smile tugging at her lips.

———

They arrived at the room where Lois—or rather, the supposed Lois—was being held.

Wednesday swiped the stolen officer's card at the door, but the panel blinked red. "Not quite enough," she muttered.

"Let me try," Fester said, stepping forward. He typed deliberately. "Five... one... nine... seven... one."

The lock clicked. The door swung open.

"How would you know the code?" Wednesday asked, eyebrow raised.

Fester shrugged. "The trash-talking parrot. Don't ask."

"This place," Wednesday said, scanning the dim hallway, "is full of surprises."

She pushed aside a row of shelves, revealing a hidden passageway. Ari flicked on her flashlight, the beam bouncing across the walls.

"Look at the initials," Fester said, pointing.

Ari read aloud, her voice low: "Long-Term Outcast Integration Study."

"Lois isn't a person," Wednesday said flatly. "It's a program."

A narrow staircase led them down into the basement. Individual cells lined the walls.

"Oh... my god," Ari breathed, taking in the grim sight.

Wednesday stepped to the first cell. "Patricia Redgar." She moved on. "And Julian Miojas... recognize them from their obituaries. Except..."

Fester added quietly, "...neither are six feet under."

"Their deaths must have been faked so they could be kept alive, as experiments," Wednesday said, looking back at Fester and Ari. "That is what Galpin feared would happen to Tyler."

They reached another cell. A prisoner screamed. Wednesday slammed the small window shut.

At the last cell, a woman's voice trembled.

"Hello?"

"Are you here to kill me?" the woman asked, fear sharp in her tone.

"No," Ari said softly.

"Then leave me alone!" the woman demanded.

A sudden flapping echoed from above. A raven landed nearby, its eyes gleaming in the dim light.

From the shadows, someone stepped forward, cloaked in black.

"So, you're the new face of mad doctors," Wednesday said, her tone cold and cutting. "You do realize that 'Fairburne' doesn't roll off the tongue as smoothly as 'Frankenstein.'"

The figure stepped into the light. It was a woman. "There's nothing mad about what I do. Fairburne works for me. I recruited her as the public face of this institution, to continue my father's work."

Wednesday's eyes narrowed. "You're Augusta Stonehurst's daughter. That's how you knew about the secret passages at Nevermore. You must have used them to visit your aviary in Lago Tower."

"I have fond memories of my father's time at Nevermore," the woman said, her voice soft but commanding. "He loved outcasts."

"Evidence to the contrary," Wednesday said evenly.

"He wanted to be one," the woman replied. "Imagine extracting their abilities... and sharing them with normies."

"You mean stealing them, exploiting them," Wednesday said sharply. "This is a basement bargain version of Dr. Moreau's work."

"I did more than attempt," the woman laughed, dark and chilling. "I am living proof. Born a normie, now my beautiful black-winged friends obey my every whim."

"Experimenting on your own daughter? That's twisted," Fester said. "Even by my six standards."

"I volunteered," the woman said, eyes glinting. "My father and I were a team. He needed a subject. I wanted to be part of his legacy."

"Until he lost his mind," Wednesday said.

"He dreamed of being a Da Vinci," the woman continued, "but his body couldn't take it."

"Well, if he can't bring Icarus to the sun," Wednesday said, glancing at Fester, "then we'll bring the sun to Icarus."

Fester's hands sparked with electricity. The room lit up as a violent jolt surged through the floor. Everyone fell to the ground. Ari groaned as Wednesday helped her up.

The cells clanged open. Prisoners emerged, their eyes wild, attacking the woman.

"As much as I want to watch them pluck her feathers," Fester said with a grin, "we need to vamoose."

"You go," Wednesday said to Fester. "I owe you one, Uncle Fester."

She turned to Ari. "You go too."

"No way," Ari said, stepping forward. "I'm not leaving you. Besides... Slurp's out there wandering somewhere. You need me. I've got werewolf strength and claws."

Wednesday gave a small nod.

Together, they approached one of the prisoners, helping her to her feet.

"I'm going to get you out of here," Wednesday said.

"What kind of angel are you?" the woman whispered.

"An avenging one," Wednesday replied darkly, guiding her toward the exit with Ari at her side.

——————

A/N

Someone asked me on tiktok and I couldn't say no (I couldn't wait to post) so here it is

One last chapter tomorrow and we'll have to say goodbye till season 2 part 2 comes out. I am gonna miss you guys 😓😓