She always believed that people were -- to their core -- selfish by nature, and she was most definitely no exception to that theory. She thrived most in her desires, in every aspect of her life, and early on, she had discovered how addictive her personality could be. It was simple really, whatever gave her the most pleasure, she sought...and continued to seek for as long as it suited her. When it stopped, she looked for new things to latch on to. It was an extreme way to live and naturally, as was the way of the world, there had to be consequences. It never mattered to her though, what the price was (and more often than not it was heavy), she paid every time.
For instance, she wanted power...she turned green. Others would have been appalled, would have shied away from such greatness like cowards. Not her though, she merely saw the price as a small inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.
She continued to mull over her thoughts as her feet carried her through a bare corridor of the top-most floor in the hospital. It was eerily quiet, the kind of quiet that made people nervous and wring their hands together in an anxious gesture. She didn't mind it, she liked the quiet, especially when her mind was always full of noise.
At the end of the hall, she stopped in her tracks and studied the heavy-duty doors. RESTRICTED ACCESS, it read in bold, block letters. She glanced at the security pad on the wall beside the entrance and walked over to it. It was simple, plain black with one tiny, little bulb in the corner that glowed red. Her hand reached out, stroking at it lightly -- state of the art, durable, secure. She dropped her hand, smiling as she did so. She loved the technology in this world.
Ella reached into her pocket and pulled out a blank, white key card. She held it over the pad for a few seconds and waited. After a moment, there was a loud, buzzing noise that filled the hallway, followed by the light on the keypad turning green, and the sharp click of the doors unlocking. She pocketed her key then grasped the handle and pulled the door open.
Where the corridor she had just come from had been empty and seemingly deserted, this portion of the wing was bursting with life. Nurses and doctors bustled about, machines beeped, and light chatter filled the air. Nobody paid her any mind, nobody ever did, and she preferred it that way.
She walked all the way to the back, heels clicking as she strolled leisurely amongst the employees -- her employees. The curse had given them human forms and she had to admit, the change wasn't unpleasant. It was a step up from the monstrosities she'd had to lay her eyes upon for endless years.
At the end of hall was a room with glass windows, she stood in front of it with her arms crossed and her expression unreadable. She felt rather than heard the resident psychiatrist join her on her right side. It pleased her greatly. She'd trained them well -- to make as little noise as possible, to slip in and out of places undetected...but she always knew. It was her job to know.
"Madam Mayor," he said in greeting.
"How is she?" she wondered, no patience for formalities.
"Her condition remains the same."
Ella's lips pursed at that and her thoughts swirled about in her head. She studied the figure lying motionless on the bed in the room, hooked up to monitors and an iv drip -- a young woman with blonde hair and a kind face. Her stomach clenched and she nodded before turning her head back to the doctor.
"Keep her on the Lithium, her hallucinations must be controlled. Up the dosage if you need to." Her voice was clipped and it was all she said before going back the way she had came. She'd be back though, she always came back.