Strange Encounters

I stared in shock at her. Those previously angelic baby blue eyes that simmered with rage had turned sweet again. A deadly sweet.

Her head tilted to the side further and she began to giggle.

"But of course, you already knew that didn't you?"

I blinked at her in shock as she undug her nails and watched as a smile crept along her face.

"Don't be so mean. It's not nice to be a tease, else I might really get upset, okay?"

I nodded mutely. If I pushed the emergency button, I knew that the guards would come rushing in and this situation would be resolved but Dr Patel would hear about this and I wanted to make a good impression. I just needed to subdue her, somehow.

"Good, that's very good. Now repeat after me, Good afternoon Lily", she cooed.

"Good afternoon Lily".

She smiled happily, flipped her hair over her shoulder and let go of me slowly. I sat back down in my seat and ran my hair through my curls. My palms felt sweaty so I quickly wiped them on my skirt. I took out her files and began to write 'Responds with violence when not called by the name of the persona being presented' under the evaluation section.

"Ooh, I do hope you are not writing anything mean down", she giggled. "I will be hurt if you have".

"Je- Lilly, what I write is none of your concern. How about you tell me about yourself a little?"

"That's a pretty watch on your wrist. I see we have similar taste. How about we replace that fake", she said with a disgusted voice. "With something prettier and expensive".

I sighed. I had barely been here for ten minutes and the bribing had begun. It would be best to shut the option of bribery down quickly.

"It's a fake? Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course. But I can buy you some pretty things and we can be friends".

"Well, then I might have been fooled. I was told that there was only a limited amount of these watches by the designer herself".

"Ooh, did your daddy buy it for you? My daddy buys me pretty things all the time. Who is your daddy? What does he own?"

"Yes, he did. So please understand that any attempts at bribing me will not work and will be futile".

She pouted at me. "Even if I offer you that dress by that Italian designer who only made 100 of them".

"The one being sold last summer? I already have it".

"I do too! I knew it we can be friends".

"Lily, please. Tell me about yourself".

As she spoke about herself and her 'friends', I began making profiles for each one of her personas.

First of all, there was Lily. She showed aggressive and spoilt behaviour and from what she told me, Lily was twenty-two. She exhibited bipolar characteristics.

Then there was Adrienne, an elderly, prim woman who gave off a matron aura. I only caught a small glimpse of her when Lily stayed quiet for a moment. Her back had suddenly straightened even further and she lifted her head high as if she was looking down at me. As quick as that happened, Lily went back to normal as if nothing happened.

Then there was her 'little friend', Patricia. I knew little about her except that she had a princess complex from the notes I already had.

Lastly, there was Ava. I knew nothing about her at all. Even Lily said little about her except that she didn't speak much.

"Are you listening?"

"Yes, yes I am. Please continue"

"I can't continue as I am finished. There is nothing to say about Ava, she is the most boring person I have ever met".

"I wish she would show up, you've been talking non-stop about your hair", I muttered to myself.

"Excuse me, what did you say?"

"Nothing at all. It's time for your lunch break and when we meet up after, we can discuss your medication and your wellbeing". I stood up abruptly and without allowing her to say anything else, I began walking towards the door. Just as the metal door slammed shut, I heard a tiny giggle coming from the room.

Thanking the guard, I walked towards the cafeteria to grab a quick snack. The cafeteria had a sectioned off area for staff which was somewhat unnecessary as nearly all the patients had to eat in their room. They were that unstable. Grabbing a tuna sandwich and a smoothie, I paid for my lunch and started walking out to head to my office when a voice yelled my name.

I turned around and saw a bunch of staff sitting together whilst one was excitedly waving her hands in the air. I remember that Karl had briefly introduced me to her at the inn.

"Mrs Carter?"

"Yes, wow you have a good memory. Come sit with us and tell us how things are going".

I really wanted to escape to my office in where there was peace and quiet but I need to get to know the people around me so I grudgingly trudged over to the table and put a smile on my face. Mrs Carter made space next to her for me and I slid in.

"By the way, don't call me Mrs, call me Nurse Carter. There are some very good looking men here", she said with and whisper and a wink.

I tried to hide my surprise but the man opposite me noticed and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry we all know that she is married. She wouldn't stop talking about her 'perfect husband'. I think she just wants to feel young again now that the wrinkles are coming in. My name is Imran by the way".

"That is not true. Anyway, let me introduce you. That spoilsport is Imran, stay away from him and he's a specialist in something that's irrelevant. That's Scarlett she's a pharmacist and the nicest person you will ever meet. Next to her is Sean and he's a nutritionist and there is Mahek and she's a psychologist like you. And everyone, this is Arya, she's a psychologist!"

I nodded to everyone and realised I had ordered a tuna sandwich because I was planning to eat in my office where I had a stash of mints. Everyone here was potentially going to get a blast of tuna breath if I faced them. I mentally facepalmed.

"Don't worry, I have some gum with me. I also love tuna and I'm always prepared", Nurse Carter whispered.

That was embarrassing.

"Oh by the way, how come I haven't seen you around. When I went on my tour, I saw all these guys. Who's your patient?" I asked Nurse Carter.

She suddenly went quiet.

"Oh, I do work, you know, here and there", she laughed nervously.

"But who's your main patient?"

"Well, will you look at that? We all need to run, lunch is over", and by some miracle, the bell rang to indicate lunch period was over. "We will speak later Arya" and with that, she half ran out of the room.

Imran shrugged at my inquisitive look. "She's just weird".

That was strange.

After lunch, I headed back to Jessica's room and she was seated in the exact same spot as if she hadn't moved at all.

"Hi", she giggled.

I swear to God if she giggled one more time, I was contemplating murder.

"Hello", I replied curtly. "It's time to discuss your medicine".

"Ooh, those nasty things. I don't like them".

"They are not for you to like and surely it's not just the taste that leads you to being forced to take your meds".

"Clever, clever. My friends don't like them. It hurts them. And it makes us feel weak", she hissed.

"Who are these friends to you?"

"My everything. I cannot survive without them".

I noticed that she never spoke about Jessica and Jessica was not classed as one of her 'friends'. I inched back out of her reaching distance and asked, "Who is Jessica to you?"

She immediately lunged forward but was unable to grab me. "Jessica, is dead to me. Dead to us. She is weak. Pathetic. We don't need her". She sat back down slowly.

'Most likely does not like to take medication as some semblance of control must be given back to Jessica or the other personas must be muted temporarily'

"What about you?" she laughed cruelly.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not safe. Even with that pretty little button in your hands and all the guards outside, you are not safe", she whispered, her hair falling in front of her face.

"Of course I am, I mean fro-"

"Why do you think there is so much security", she cut in. "Why so many guards and guns. Why all the ID needed. They are hiding something from you. Haven't you noticed anything weird lately? Ooh, I can see that look on your face, you have!", she squealed. "Do tell me what you have seen".

"I do not know what you are talking about".

"Yes, you do, don't lie to me", she shouted. "You. Are. Not. Safe."

"Yes, I am!"

She banged her hands on the table.

"But you aren't. No one is. None of us. Including me. Not even that cute guard standing outside or that cleaner who comes once a week only".

"Safe from what?"

"Oh you don't know, do you", she giggled, leaned in and whispered. "The reason why there is so much security. Why there are guards, guns, watchtowers and barbed wire, is because downstairs, deep under there is someone".

My palms began to sweat. For some reason, I felt inexplicably scared and apprehensive.

"What do you mean?"

"Buried under all that security, there is someone that can easily kill all of us. Hidden, there is a beast".