1 Psychiatrist

The flash of scattering heat filled the place and tormented the flesh of two people agonizing in pain screaming and desperately crawling to get out.

*Beep beep beep beep*. The annoying sound of the alarm clock buzzed to her ears which made her jump and gasp for air.

"That dream again.."

In one sweeping motion, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and underneath her sunken eyes. The bedsheets fumbled as she leans her legs on the edge of the bed to stands up to prepare herself for work.

Rose's exposed collarbone was so alluring people get the gist of the feline body that hides under the huge shirt she wore. She spread her limbs to stretch and yawned, a lady about 5'6 stood before the mirror shocked as she saw her terrible morning face. Brown and blonde fight for describing her hair colour but it is near to golden. Some strands are tangled that it looked like she went for a hair tweak fight. Terrified by the sight of herself, she quickly did her routine and got off.

Walking on the busy street among the sea of people, where she has been going for the last four weeks handing documents and finally, her husband's will. Around eleven in the morning, she managed to arrive in the psychiatric institution where she casually walks into one of the rooms and sat down.

Her office seems spotless and plain, there is nothing but well-organized papers on her desk and a couple of seats but not long after she arrived a lady in a nurse suit opened her frosted glass door and entered.

"Mrs. O' Quinn, you have an appointment later at four with Mr. Anderson" she announced.

Before Rose could even talk, the nurse continued in a monotone voice " in this location, I'll leave the form on your desk" she left as soon as she placed the file on Rose's desk.

"Why is everybody in here like that to me. Geez" flipping through the page, she sat down to ease her feet from wearing heels. 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵����� 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘩. Setting the file aside, she started meeting her patients for a psychotherapy session until the clock arm hits three-thirty and four.

She looked for the file of Stephen Anderson that she had set aside earlier and found it under the stockpile of papers. Rose reviewed his given information and medical history for her session with him.

"Ah right, I better go meet him now" She remembered. Since the commute will take at least an hour to get to his building she hurried herself out and got off the train nearest to his company.

Around five-forty noon, Rose stood amused by how tall the building she almost could not see the zenith of it. "Ah so he really is rich" there is no time for her to be amused, a millionaire seeking mental health helper, Rose did not want to leave a tardy impression for her patient, though she wanted to look professional at her job she already arrived an hour late. She got in and asked for Mr. Anderson to the employee left in the company.

Rose was accompanied by a thin but bold woman, her red lipstick was sharp that it distracts other features of her face. While waiting for the elevator to reach the top, Rose warms both her arms. 𝘋𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳? She scanned the small space but there was nothing of sort.

Ding! The elevator opened and the woman gave a parting smile and left Rose by Mr. Anderson's office door. Rose turned the knob open and by the time she entered his office, the ambiance was odd perhaps because the lights were shut off.

"Mr. Anderson, I am Rose O' Quinn your private psychiatrist, you filled a form and asked to have a session at four, I apologize for arriving an hour late" she tried to sound professional.

The room made her feel uncomfortable but this is her job, money awaits her after the session. "I am glad you at least came." He stood about six feet tall, looking through the window that is covered by blinds. He seems to be around her age, 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 32 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 she guessed. Rose's eyes explored the room a little, to find a light switch. She tapped the walls and soon found a switch and turned it on "Mr. Anderson, would you like to start the session?"

The light shined in the room and Rose could tell he has been in the dark for a long time seeing that his eyes squinted upon opening the lights. Maybe because he squinted so hard that his crumpled cheek hid the dark circles around his eyes, Rose was shocked to see his full appearance but still kept a calm expression. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵'𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱?

He is indeed rich, yet his office is rather plain than lavish looking. It exerted so much of his personality.

Rose walked over to his desk and noticed the picture frame facing down on the table. She did not give a second look but she was intrigued by the reason behind why it was facing down. Perhaps they divorced she assumed based on the commonality of situations.

He sat on his chair and Rose sat across him on the couch. Anderson massages his temples.

"Sorry miss O' Quinn—"

"It's Mrs., but call me doctor instead" Rose exclaimed and plucked her lips into a smile.

"Right, forgive my appearance I have not been sleeping for days" he groaned still soothing his forehead. "Quite understandable, I am here for that" Rose interlocked her hands and placed them in her lap.

"It would be better if you are to relax around me, will it be all right if you lie down on the couch instead?" she asked cautiously.

He reclined on the couch and closed shut his eyes, laid his hands on his abdomen. Before starting, Rose sets the timer for the session as he was talking about the difficulties in his life. He kept releasing all the events in his life that troubled him lately. Rose did like the job diagnosing people base on their behaviour from hearing their stories and she had fun listening to them. Yet today, the time seemed to tick slowly upon seeing his lips move continuously. He muttered distinct words that sent chills to Rose's body.

After hearing those words she pulled the picture frame up. She lost composure and was in shock.