Natalie really had no idea what she had just said. She felt like she wasn’t herself anymore. Could this be because of all the things she had kept contained? No, that was impossible. But for some strange reason, she… liked it.

The therapist leaned in closer. “Sweetheart, I want you to tell me what’s happened to you.”

Natalie continued staring. There was a long pause. She smirked slightly, the wounds from her stitches opening slightly once again. “Why don’t you tell me, blondie? You’re the expert.”

Debera appeared mildly annoyed.

“Natalie, I can’t help unless you tell me what’s wrong.” Natalie’s fingers started to tear into the leather seating.

“Natalie isn’t here anymore.”

With that, Debera’s eyes widened and she rose to her feet.

“I’ll be right back. Please, stay here.” She walked out, leaving Natalie alone. Maybe if she had done something at this point, she wouldn’t have come to be what she is today. Maybe more people would be alive. And maybe she would be sane like she had been before.

As much as I would love to say that Natalie got up from that chair and stopped what came next from happening, I’m obligated to give you the horrid truth. Natalie did not move. She sat perfectly still, in total silence and absolutely calm, in that chair. And after a while of waiting impatiently, her parents walked in. Natalie stood, happy to go, but she noticed her parents’ expressions. Even her father had a strange, saddened expression on his face. Her confusion grew, but she said nothing and followed them to the car. On the way, while she thought she was going back home, she started to drift off.

Strangely, she heard a dark voice speak in her dream. It almost sounded like her own, echoing into an eternal abyss.

“Your time is up.”

She shot awake, some beads of sweat rolling down her face. She wasn’t home. She wasn’t in the car. She was in a bed. A white bed. In a white room. She looked to her side and realized she was hooked up to a heart monitor. She attempted to get up, but that’s when she realized that she was restrained. She panicked. She began to struggle, but paused when she heard a door open to her left. A man in a white shirt looked at her, his hands behind his back. He resembled one of the clichéd doctors you would see in a television program set in a scientific lab. She paid full attention as “Mr. Scientist” started to speak.

“I can only imagine how very confused you must be right now,” he said, “but I’m letting you know we’re only here to help. Your parents agreed to allow us to administer medication to you, in hopes of helping your state of mind.” Natalie opened her mouth to protest, but was quickly silenced.

“You don’t need to worry,” the doctor sought to reassure her. “You’ll be back to normal in no time. Just try to relax.” He walked over, and as he did, she tried to skittishly move away, but was unable to due to the leather straps binding her wrists and legs. He carefully took a mask,and put it over her mouth and nose. She stubbornly tried to get it off, but felt herself starting to slip under as the drugs kicked in, and slowly her eyes shut.

* * * * * *

Suddenly, Natalie woke up. She couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing. She was being given multiple injections, and something was being rubbed on her skin. She felt woozy, but was otherwise completely aware of her surroundings. She was entering a rare state patients sometimes find themselves in while undergoing surgery, in which they are able to see as they are being worked on. In this state they can feel the pain and their brain is active, but they are unable to respond. Natalie, however, was able to. Her heart rate began to accelerate, as reflected on the nearby monitor, and the doctors took notice of this. They looked at her, and took notice of her opened eyes.