An extensive inspection of the clinic’s grounds was launched — not just the main buildings and walkways, but also areas that were rarely visited or even thought about. The search was meticulous, covering overgrown corners, unused storage spaces, and forgotten parts of the property.
Then came the turning point. In a quiet, secluded section of the garden, where fallen leaves had gathered in thick layers over the years, the staff noticed something unusual. Clearing the debris revealed the outline of a metal hatch, rusted with age yet still firmly in place.
When the hatch was opened, it exposed a narrow yet surprisingly solid underground tunnel. Its walls were reinforced, showing that it had been built with care and durability in mind. The passageway led directly to the male ward of the hospital. Based on its design and materials, experts believed it dated back to the pre-war era, possibly serving some long-forgotten purpose. What made it even more striking was that it no longer appeared in any official blueprints of the facility — it had simply been erased from memory and record.
After this shocking find, the clinic’s management decided to install a hidden surveillance camera to understand how the tunnel was being used. The footage revealed something that startled the entire staff: patients from both the male and female wards were secretly meeting inside the tunnel and surrounding areas, entirely outside of staff supervision. There were no safeguards, no medical oversight, and no consideration for the patients’ conditions, treatments, or vulnerabilities.
For some of these individuals, these encounters appeared to be a source of emotional closeness, companionship, and fleeting comfort in an otherwise restricted environment. However, for others, these unsupervised meetings had serious consequences — including unintended pregnancies and renewed psychological trauma.
Once the full scope of the situation became clear, the clinic immediately revised its policies. The tunnel was sealed off permanently, the garden area was declared off-limits without authorization, and meetings between male and female patients were strictly regulated. These meetings could now only take place under the recommendation of a doctor and in the presence of qualified staff to ensure safety.
The pregnant women were transferred into the care of relatives where possible, or otherwise placed under the supervision of social services to ensure both their wellbeing and that of their unborn children. Additional guidelines were established for all patients, aiming to strike a careful balance: respecting their dignity and emotional needs while ensuring they remained in a secure, well-monitored environment.
When the story became public, it sparked heated debate. Public opinion quickly split into two opposing camps. Some accused the clinic of gross negligence for failing to discover the tunnel and prevent the unsupervised meetings. Others criticized the new measures, claiming they were excessively strict and emotionally repressive — even calling them an attempt to “sterilize” the human experience.
Yet, beneath all the arguments, one undeniable truth emerged. This incident served as a powerful reminder that even behind the locked doors and guarded walls of psychiatric institutions, real life persists. Emotions, desires, relationships, and struggles — the full spectrum of human experience — continue to unfold, sometimes in ways that rules and walls can never entirely contain.