Third Ballad-Past and Present

I looked up to my older brother a lot growing up. Even though his grades weren't as good as mine, he excelled in everything else. It was something I never understood. 'Why be good at other things when mom says studying is the way to success?' It took 18 years to realize the nonsense I believed to be accurate. A chemistry book certainly would not teach a person about real practical life. It turned out my brother became more successful thriving as a cyber expert in his field.

"I always knew my son was talented", my mother proudly boasted during her tea party with the neighborhood ladies. "Sara has also received a great proposal, we're thinking of considering it", she further added, making the other ladies listen in awe.

She did not continue to add me to her list of things to be proud of. I had felt embarrassed by my very existence. My siblings told me I was taking her words too seriously, and I realized I was really desperate for approval and acknowledgment from my parents.

Even though he played pranks on me, my brother still cared about me. Or, so I had thought.

...

"Mary, I would appreciate it if you stop spacing out and look over here", I heard a voice addressing me.

My head was spinning, I couldn't see anything. For a second I thought I had gone blind, till my vision slowly recovered and I looked to see a face hidden behind a face mask, a stethoscope hanging from his neck as he scratched his grey head.

The doctor seemed relatively young to be working in a hospital.

'I'm still in the hospital? what happened to me,' i felt dizzy again.

"Yaya..." I muttered.

"Yes, You've been saying that name for a long time. Is it a friend of yours?" he asked while putting gloves on his hands.

"She was here with me, she was wearing red clothes"

"Hmm, the only person who stood here by you was a middle-aged woman in blue clothes"

An image of Aunt Sally suddenly popped in my mind.

'No, it can't be' I assured myself, 'it was probably Mom, or considering how young this doctor looks, he could probably mistake Sara for being middle-aged'.

He suddenly took out a large syringe and was prepping to stick it in my arm, I immediately recoiled.

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to find a way to escape from the doctor's grasp. My hands and feet seemed to have been chained. The room was tiny, like a private underground clinic, it did not help clear my adding anxieties... 'Rather,..why does this place look so familiar?' I pondered.

He was surprised by my every move. "How...can you move?" he was astounded.

"What?" I was surprised by his question. 'This looks bad. He probably did something to me. Is this still a dream?' Suddenly a voice could be heard by me.

[The girl had been poisoned enough to prevent her from moving. The underground cell was too cold for her fragile body. But the doctor was not going to stop so easily.]

"Hmm...maybe I accidentally brought the wrong poison." he carefully thought.

His eyes finally met mine and he walked closer to me and smiled.

"You must be a rare find" he grabbed my face as I tried to look away.

"What do you want from me?"

"... I want every bit of you..." he smiled as he looked at me, "...Your organs are going to fetch me a fortune after all."

I tried to shake off the shackles and escape, but it was impossible, 'it's okay, the narrator is here, you are dreaming Mary!' I assured myself.

"Oh you are wrong about something here," he said as if he had read my mind.

"This is not a dream sweetheart, but rather a memory from not so long ago."

"...."

"Oh sorry, I didn't get to introduce myself, I am Dr.Greyhound, that name might ring the bell?", he spoke in an oddly formal manner.

"Greyhound?"

"Yes"

"As in Joseph Greyhound?"

"...yes"

"The one who threw a tantrum and broke my mom's vase?"

"Ahem, that's not how I hoped to be remembered, but yes the very same 'DOCTOR' Greyhound" he flexed with a smirk on his face.

"Why are you doing this to me? I thought we knew each other"

"Well we did 'know' each other, but we weren't technically friends, so I can't let you go," he said standing up.

"I don't understand what's going on, everything is a mess, am I really here or is this a dream?"

"Do you want me to show you what's happening?" he asked plainly.

"How can you do that?"

"Well..." he said pointing at the syringe at the table, "I could give you a shot of memory booster to help you recall everything"

"That's not how memory boosters work you stupid quack!" I felt furious for the false hope he had given me.

He took a deep sigh, "Alright, enough fun and games" he spoke seriously and filled the syringe with some liquid.

I tried to get my hands free, but the shackles were too short for me to try anything.

"Be good now" he spoke as he got closer to me.

"No! Get away from me! Someone, please help me! Yaya! Henson!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"Why do you always look for someone else to come and help you?" he asked as he yanked my arm towards him, throwing me off balance.

"You're so pretty, if you'd have seduced me I could've given you a chance you know. I don't get much attention in a place like this"

He gave me a shot of whatever was in the vile. "Go to hell", I said as I felt my body get heavier.

"Hell huh? Well, I'm already in hell" he spoke softly.

He picked me up, and I couldn't move an inch, he laid me on the bed again and brushed my hair away from my face.

'Am I going to be killed in my dreams? Why did I never think about that before? Will I die in real life if I die in my dreams? I was hoping to talk to my brother again,...'

"The final stage is here

So do not fear.

Is the past better than the present?

A missing piece has descent.

Embrace the madness and be saved

For there are decisions to be made"

'Huh... did he say missing piece...? Like what Yaya was telling me about?'

The last image of Greyhound sitting in front of me, was looking at me with sadness, 'why?' I wondered as my vision slowly faded and I closed my eyes.