Reality Versus Delusion

"Transmigration of patient from containment to treatment program... Successful!"

Cole blinked.

In an instant, the pixelating of his perfect home, that perfect environment, disappeared and was replaced by the expanse of a blue sky and warmth from the radiating sun.

The cool, hard floor of the room was gone, having been replaced with the softness of grass that stretched as far as the eye could see. White peaked mountains reached skyward in the distance, their massive forms utter behemoths imposing on the area they overlooked.

Near where Cole lay, the edge of a luscious, green forest provided shelter from the hot sunlight that beamed down. The sound of cicadas and various other creatures of its domain carried to his hearing on the gentle wind which swayed the trees and grass.

"..."

Cole stopped screaming, his vocal cords beginning to cause him unbearable pain from the prolonged effort.

Instead, he clutched a fistful of grass within his hand and crushed it, feeling the spiky sensation press into his palm.

"Wha-uck!"

He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat and failed to spill forth. He could not recall the last time he spoke words, the sensation was an unfamiliar one. Trying to stand, he fell back to the earth, unable to move under his own strength.

Helpless, like a newborn.

So, he lay upon the grass and watched the clouds go by, breathing deeply and wondering about what exactly was happening.

His memories were returning to him and as he chewed slowly over them, he remembered everything that had happened up until this point. After having recalled nothing for what felt like an eternity, they threatened to overwhelm him, so much so that a headache began gathering strength.

The pounding of his heart slowly receded, calming as he grew accustomed to the peaceful tranquillity he now found himself in, separated as he was from that white room.

"Haa..."

He exhaled heavily, even that sound alone somewhat husky from his injured throat, symbolic of the physical release of all the tension built up within his body liberated.

Cole wasn't aware at how long he was there, not that it mattered. As long as he was out of that white room, then that was all that concerned him. As long as he wasn't isolated, abandoned in that place, this was fine.

This one was much more preferable.

"Big broootthhheerrrr!"

Cole frowned.

What was just heard was something he had never expected to be hearing in a place like this. In fact, there was zero chance that the particular voice which carried to him was that person.

"Big broootthhheerrrr!"

He heard it again!

Finally able to find the strength and push himself upwards, Cole sat looking around, surveying the surrounding environment. Glancing around he sought the source of the voice, the calling, that he dared not believe was real.

Yet, not too far away, stood a young blonde-haired girl with blue eyes and wearing a cheap dress that she had worn the last time he saw her.

Appearing in much the same way as when he last laid eyes on her, it was incredibly difficult for Cole to register what he saw.

Surely, his sight was betraying him?

His heart ached painfully in his chest, threatening to explode from the rush of emotions that coursed through it.

"Are you going to sit down all day and stare, or what?"

Beaming, she waved a hand high in the air.

"Annie..."

Cole gulped. The situation was too surreal, too manifestly strange for him to fully comprehend.

This had to be just another delusion that was determined to betray his expectations, his hopes, his heart.

"Seriously. You always need me to look after you, don't you? And you're supposed to be the big older brother who protects their younger sister."

Pouting, she began walking towards where Cole waited, stunned.

"You... You can't be real... There's no way you're here..."

"... Real? I can't be here?"

Stopping in her tracks, the girl was perplexed. Patting herself down she inspected her body, stretching out her hands and twirling strands of hair between fingers.

"I feel pretty real to me! I count ten fingers and I know I have ten toes. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face, the soft breeze in my hair and my footsteps pressing on the ground. This dress? You bought for me when I asked you to get me something pretty and it's been my favorite ever since. What do you mean I'm not real?"

"But this... No..."

"Perhaps you're not the real one?"

She teased, coming to a stop immediately before him. Annabelle crouched down and extended a hand, strands of hair hung freely, fluttering in the breeze as she peered at Cole.

"Maybe if you took my hand, touched me, that would help you decide whether I'm real or not."

Cole stared at her hand, inches from his face, too afraid to make a decision immediately. It had been so long since he had held his sister close, his heart ached for it.

"It's been so long since we've last seen each other, brother. Haven't you missed me?"

"..."

Of course he had missed her! Beyond words, how he had missed his younger sister, the only one left he considered family.

Trembling, he extended a hand to hers, gently taking it within his grasp.

"See? They feel pretty real to me. What do you think?"

She was right. He hadn't forgotten how small and delicate her fingers had felt between his.

"Annie, I'm..."

He spluttered, unable to say anything else as the tears began rolling down his face and pool on the ground between them.

"There, there, it's alright. I'm here now. Everything is going to be okay."

Settling onto her knees, the young girl pulled Cole into a gentle embrace and stroked his head, holding him close to her while he sobbed.

"You've hard a difficult time haven't you brother? I'm sure the torment you've suffered has been a heavy burden for you to bear."

It had been hard, unbearably hard, so much so that it had broken him. But...

"It's not that. That was hard, sure, but that wasn't what hurt me the most."

"Then, what was it?"

Wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tight, Cole sobbed even harder.

There was so much regret, so much pain that consumed him when it related to his sister. He would never be able to reconcile the disgust and self-loathing he bore towards himself.

He had dreamed of this moment when first secured within that prison. It was the only thing that had kept him soldiering on, maintaining his grip on reality whilst the oppression of that room began devouring his soul bit by bit.

Yet even that had fallen to the side as he was consumed.

Now was the opportunity he had wished for then. The promise he had made was already broken, shattered into a thousand tiny, irreparable pieces, blown away in the wind.

"I'm so sorry I didn't come. I'm so sorry I've been away for so long. I know I'll never be able to make up for having abandoned you. All this time you've been scared, alone to face the world. I have done something unforgivable but please, find it in your heart to forgive your big brother for failing you!"

Cole poured his heart out to his sister. No amount of time or begging for forgiveness would ever be enough to fix the damage he had caused. But he would endeavor to do everything he could, and more, to never let her down again.

"Don't be silly brother, you could never let me down. I love you and you love me, don't you? Family is supposed to be forgiving towards one another, no matter what. You being sent to prison wasn't your fault, it was mine, that's the miscarriage of justice here. You've always protected me, no matter what, so of course there's nothing to be sorry for."

"Really?"

Cole separated from his sister, wiping the tears from his eyes and face.

"Really."

Smiling gently at him, she wiped a few loose strands of hair behind an ear.

"Then..."

"Yes? What is it brother?"

Quizzically looking at him, she patiently waited for whatever it was that Cole wanted to say next.

Cupping his hands against her cheeks and squeezing them softly, Cole marveled in the smushiness of them momentarily, before running his hands down to her neck and gripping them around her throat, choking her.

"B-brother, stop! W-what are y-you doing?!"

She struggled to get the words out as Cole tightened his grip, her tiny hands futilely trying to pull his hands free from her neck.

"Then die."