The Media

Isabel didn't find Amy when she woke up. Cindy is still asleep.

On her bedside table, Amy's note says: I'll be preparing your schedules. Then heart emojis.

She rose and washed, then called Alex.

"Hi, I'm signing up for the experimental treatment." She announces it to Alex after asking for their breakfast.

"Perfect!" said Alex on the other line. Her business-like to Isabel doubt if she is glad for the contract.

She asks if they could bring Cindy's breakfast to her hut, so they could enjoy their meal together.

A few minutes later their breakfast, arrive, just-in-time Cindy got up from the bed.

"What do we have here?" She took off the covers. She smiled seeing egg-fried rice, bacon, and sausages.

"From the expression on your face, this must be your favorite breakfast." Facial expressions can give out a lot of information about one's personality, Isabel thought.

"Go clean up and let's dig in." She said while setting up the table for them.

"Oh, my freaking god!" Cindy screamed from her bath.

"What's going on?" Heart pounding, she drops what she's holding and runs to her.

It stunned Cindy standing at the entrance.

"It's like the freaking garden of Eden, with four little rivers flowing!" Her eyes looked like she's bewitched. Cindy froze in place.

Isabel hit her shoulders a bit hard. "Silly! Never do that again, you scared me." She held her chest, letting out a sigh of relief. She pushed her in and helped her wash her face.

"Come on, dry your face now." She's like helping a toddler, washing her face.

"Why in the world would they make the bath as grand as this?" Cindy shook her head, still can't believe the lush plants and ornaments in this open door bath.

"I thought they uniformed everything in the facility." Isabel shrugged her shoulders, it's not a big deal to her.

"No! Absolutely not! Although I have a grand living room." She smiled. Again her facial expression shows so much of her personality.

"I guess they based it during the interview." She remembered confessing that she liked luxurious baths.

"Hurry up! Our meals are getting cold." She scolded Cindy and pulled her hand back inside.

"Are you two ready?" Amie's voice is on the two-way radio.

"We're having breakfast," she is chewing fried rice when she answered Amy. She looked at Isabel, who is busy eating her sausage.

"Well, hurry up and get your asses here, so we can start your first session." She can't hide her excitement, even her voice is too enthusiastic.

"give us twenty minutes to enjoy our food Aimes." Isabel presses her own radio answering the person on the other line.

"Alright," Sh answered, still sounding excited.

"I'm wondering what she's so excited about?" No one can stop Cindy from chewing her fried rice.

"I know right, what's so glorious about treating cancer?" She nodded in agreement with what the fried rice chewer had said.

Amy's office is located in one of the Cove's weird science architectures. It has a triangular shape, but not a pyramid. Part of it is concrete and others are crystal. Her office is on the fourth floor, which is also the very top of the building. They signed the contract very quickly.

"Are you guys ready?" She looks really excited. She holds Cindy and Amy's hands.

She brought them in a pitch dark room.

"Amy! What are you going to do with us?" In a shaking voice, Cindy sounded panicky.

"Relax! I'll lead you to your places, I'll put on a headset on your heads just follow the voice." She said while still holding hands.

She let them sit on a soft couch and very comfortable headsets too.

At first, they've heard calming music that made them relax. And there's a voice that gives them instructions. They were asked to inhale and exhale to relax further, and then to imagine they were in their happy place. Which in Isabel's case in Hash's arms.

She opened her eyes, she is physically beside Hash, which is still sleeping it's early in the morning. She is so happy that she climbs on top of him and gives him a kiss.

"Hey handsome, wake up I'm back.!" She gave him a kiss but he didn't wake.

She became worried. Rose up and shook his shoulders.

"Isabel." He muttered her name, but his eyes are still closed.

She was just starting to smile when she thought he was dreaming of her. His chocolatey skin looks really delicious, his abs are still sturdy as it rise and fall when he breaths. His hair was now cut semi-bald with designs accentuated his earlobes, his thick eyebrow suddenly meets in the middle, his lush eyelashes are also moving.

His nose is narrow just like Elizabeth's but lips very thick and Isabel can't help plant her own lips to it. He still couldn't feel her presence. He whined in his sleep looking agitated.

"Hash." She calls. She shook his head. "Love, wake up, I'm back."

Nothing. Isabel is now alarmed. "Hash, honey come on."

"Isabel?" He suddenly gets up.

"Great and you are having a nightmare because of me?" Her nose flares, upset she stood away from him.

But he wipes his sweat like he saw nothing.

"Hello? Are you ignoring me now?" She waves her hands in his face, but he walks past her.

"The fu.." She uttered, but suddenly she remembered that she's on the fourth floor of the triangular building in Raven's Cove.

She's in her relaxed state and thinking of her happy placing which is Novalia. Interesting! Is this some kind of remote viewing? Or is her spirit travelled?

She tried holding the candle holder and she can! She has to think quick she looked around. Pen and paper! Yes, she needs one.

A few minutes had passed, she was putting his room upside down, but she can't find any

"Argh!" She sounded frustrated.

She decided to go to his office, but she unexpectedly felt a cold twirling sensation from her stomach, it was sucking her back.

"No! I'm not done yet." Her voice is echoing inside the room which is now brightly lit.

"Done with what?" Handing both of them a glass of water each, Amy's brow raised.

"Nothing I fell asleep, I must be dreaming." She lied and gave them a fake smile.

"How about you Cindy did you fall asleep?" Amy holds Cindy's shoulders, she's not looking good, she's very pale.

"Are you okay?" Cindy can be a lot of things, but her condition is much worse than hers.

"Yeah." But her answer is not too convincing.

"This is a normal reaction, the media will have this kind of emotional effect on you, but that's just a small side effect, nothing much."

"You mean that was our therapy?" She asks still unable to believe.

"But why did I find myself in a bad place instead of a happy place?" Her lips still dry and pale, but Cindy manages to ask.

"Where did it bring you?" Amy pours more water on her glass. Raised her brows to probe on her question.

"At my old house the time my parents split up." She looks down and licks her dry and pale lips.

"Well, it's possible that your happiest memory was also your home?" She sounds like she's asking a question but her eyes that are magnified by her thick glasses is firm like she is sure of her answer.

"Alright! Let's get out of here, Cindy needs a fresh air." Isabel declared, taking the glass of water from the girls' hands and pull them out of the room.

On their way out Amy ask her. "So what was your happy place?"

She smiled timidly and pursed her lips.

"Come on!" Amy softly hit's her shoulders, pressing her to tell.

"Well, I landed up on top of Hash in my dream." She lied, she knew it was not a dream.

"Uhum. Wish everyone can land on top of their dream guy." Cindy commented, and tickles her sides.

"You landed where?" It's Amy's turn to not believe.

"On top of my dream man." She said smiling dreamily.

Amy's reaction is so shock and stunned.