March 26, 2010 - 5:43am — Alecsander
"How are you feeling today?"
"Fine. Can I go home now?"
"No...our session has just begun."
"I told you, there is nothing wrong with me."
"Normal people do not attempt to kill themselves."
"So I have heard."
"You are still having hallucinations?"
"No."
It had been going on like that for months now.
She would meet with the young man, the man would deny his condition, and they would spend the hour quarreling instead of working through his problems.
It was maddening. The man was clearly disturbed and yet he sat in that chair every day and calmly responded to the questions. He gave no sign of the dementia that caused him to be placed under protective custody nor the paranoia that his previous doctor reported on. Had she really done the impossible?
Josseline Jerri had never intended to take on the problem case in the first place. It was her duty to treat all patients, but she could not shake the feeling that this was some sort of punishment. The man was completely unresponsive. She paced silently in her office and glanced down at the file. She was the third doctor to attempt to treat him. He was believed to be unstable. He had hallucinations. He attempted suicide three years ago and was forcefully sedated after he fought off the paramedics screaming to "look at their eyes!". He was promptly institutionalized and all of that behavior mysteriously ceased.
Was it merely a trick? No. What sane person would fake mental illness and risk his life to get admitted to a hospital? What purpose could it serve?
She sat back down and continued to pour over the file for anything she missed.
He did not talk to his peers.
His parents made no attempts to visit him.
His friends were completely unknown.
He held no job and had no criminal record until he attempted to take his own life and harmed the men attempting to save his life.
How tiresome.
She turned to the first pages and scanned for anything of use. The notes were barely legible but the key to treating her patient may be found within the pages.
"Patient is unresponsive and does not seem to realize I am even present....mumbling about 'eyes'...frightens the other patients and seems depressed...prescribed anti-depressants"
Completely mundane.
Except...eyes.
Hm.
"Sasha, will you tell me about the eyes"
"Lady I will tell you anything you want if it will get you to leave me the hell alone. They're in your head. They're a pretty green colour. Your left eye is slightly bigger than your ri-"
"Not my eyes. I have your file from when you were acquitted."
She held up the manilla folder and gestured to the contents.
She watched a flicker of annoyance flash across his face before he maintained the calm blank expression she had become use to over the year and a half she had spent attempting to heal him.
"I was just messing with him. Can I go back to reading?"
She slammed the folder down and glared across the table.
"Look, I am trying to help you but I cannot do a thing if you will not help yourself! Do you want to get out of here or not?"
He considered this for some time before he glanced out towards the window and stared blankly.
"No..I don't believe so."
"And why not?!
"Because they are out there. May I go?"
"Our session has barely even started!"
"Fine, I was just giving you a chance to save your voice. Continue on if you must. hm..are you aware that the oak out there has woodpeckers?"
She was being punished.
She was sure of it now.
She attended years of schooling to earn her master's degree to help patients find their way and with one miscalculated criticism she found herself dealing with a clever lunatic who denied his own insanity. It was maddening and no end was in sight. She impatiently tapped the end of her pen on the low table. She would find a way to crack him. It was only a matter of time. She just needed more time to review his files. Maybe track down his past companions.
Wow, that was amazing. I
I-it seems I am not good at commenting stories, but I'll just let you know that this was really good, and I'll look forward to more of your writings. 8o