Trauma Of The Mind

Strangling her, feeling her throat and the muscles within her neck be crushed within his hold, Cole continued to squeeze as tightly as his strength would allow.

From an outside observer watching the cruelty unfold, they would be right in feeling horrified, even traumatized, by what they saw.

Even more so when the object of that struggle would be revealed as brother and sister.

"Die, die, die, die, diediediedieDIE!"

"Whyckkk!"

Practically foaming at the mouth, Cole was unrelenting, refusing to release Annabelle. The feral, animalistic look shining in his eyes was proof enough that there would be no stopping from his course of action.

"Uggggckk!"

Giving up trying to pry his hands from her throat, of which she stood no chance against someone twice her size, Annabelle beat her balled fists weakly against Cole.

Face first turning red, then darkening to blue, she suffocated. Given not an ounce of a single opportunity to draw one lone breath.

Her pleading eyes, begging for her elder brother for mercy, were ignored.

To the outside observer, the tears that had recommenced streaming down Cole's face might have seemed as if they were from anger.

But they weren't.

It was a further release of the pain of devastation that he was suffering from, heightened by the fact that he was murdering his sister.

"DIEDIEDIEDIE!"

"UCKKK!"

Screaming, Cole let loose all of the torrential pain he was feeling, all those raging, boiling emotions spilling forth and into the world. Under the immense pressure, he feared for almost a brief moment that it would consume this new world he found himself in.

With a final choking sound, Annabelle stopped struggling. Finally, after she twitched a few times from a nervous system that was desperate to send signals throughout what was now a corpse, it stopped moving altogether.

"Haa... Hee... Haa..."

Panting, Cole hesitantly began releasing her body, unsure as to whether he had actually killed her or not.

Free from his grip, the lifeless body fell to the ground, making a soft thudding noise as it settled into a crumpled mess upon the grass.

"Annie..."

Trembling, he brushed a tender hand across her face, pushing aside the mess of hair that covered it.

A pounding heart, threatening to break free from its confinement within his chest suddenly froze solid, missing a beat that rocked his own body.

"What have I done... No... No no no no nononono!"

Gaining momentum, Cole was soon enveloped in a panic, terrified at the devastation he had unjustifiably wrought.

This was just another delusion, surely another delusion, it had to be another delusion, one that he would not allow getting the better of him like all those other times.

But now he felt self-doubt rise within him.

"Annie! Annie! Annie!

Taking a hold of both small shoulders, he shook her violently, recklessly, so roughly that her neck could break at any moment by the ferociousness alone.

The wright of her body as he moved her, the sensation of her bony shoulders, even the roughness of the fabric that was her dress was all so real.

What the hell have I done?! Did I just kill... My sister?! Was I... Wrong? No... Cole thought.

Self-doubt and confusion seeped into his manic state. This was wrong, all so wrong! It was like that first week back in the white room, the unknown and fear were enough to break him down into nothing once more.

He released her once more and sank backward, stunned into silence and shocked into submission, unable to or unwilling to be able to move.

"Ughhkkk... Blearghhh..."

His own strangled throat gave out, refusing to let another sound escape it. What instead spilled forth was the vomit he brought up.

The world began to spin slowly, a panic attack had built up and was now choking him into submission. Darkness began to creep up, trying to drag him into an unwilling sleep.

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The world, against Cole's spinning vision, twisted and distorted momentarily, similar to how a screen distorts when struck with some kind of signal interference.

"...Scenario failure... System advises that the patient has suffered a catastrophic mental breakdown and was resistant to therapy deemed most suitable to remedy the patient's mental health. The scenario has been canceled and an overhaul of a further treatment plan is being compiled... Standby for further plan of action."

A cool computer-like voice, that Cole thought he had imagined hearing when first arriving at this place, spoke.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Able to breathe and speak again, Cole shouted his newfound confusion out. This was completely unusual, confusing, and impossible for him to wrap his head around what was happening.

"System has determined that the patient requires further evaluation and assessment before the correct procedure for medical treatment is provided. Standby for further plan of action."

"Further evaluation and assessment? What is this place? Why am I here?"

The cool voice answered from no particular area whatsoever. As far as Cole could tell, it was coming from all directions.

Annie, who was lying lifeless in front of him, suddenly broke down into pixelated pieces and evaporated without a trace. If Cole didn't know any better, no one would have been able to tell she had been there only moments ago.

"The patient is currently occupying a mental health server designed and owned by Paragon Industries for the treatment and curing of psychological trauma, inclusive of mental health issues. Scenario-based, interactive programs have been determined as the most effective manner in which to assist the patient in this endeavor. Standby for further plan of action."

"But... I just... I just killed my sister! What have you done with her?"

"System advises that it has viewed memories contained within the consciousness of the patient to use those past experiences and interactions to assist with treatment. The sister, known as Annabelle Guildford, was built from those memories. Standby for further plan of action."

"Wha... Wait, what?! So I didn't just kill my sister?!"

"Confirmed. The patient, recorded as prisoner G211806233, did not in actuality murder their sister. The reconstruction was simply a reflection of her personality and appearance as per your perception of her. Standby for further plan of action."

"I didn't..."

Relief swarmed through Cole. He was right.

What he had perceived as another of his delusions was not even that. The make-believe scenario created by his mind that had brought forth his sister had never existed in this world whatsoever.

For once his mind, unlike on so many other occasions, had not betrayed him.

"But hang on... Did you say mental health treatment? Psychological trauma? Is that why I'm here and not in that... White… Room..."

Not that he completely doubted that there was the possibility he needed help. Those hallucinations, the isolation he had endured, the nothingness of that white room, all were still vividly burned into his mind.

The scar of that time would never heal.

"Removal from containment was required for treatment purposes. Doctor Katherine Vella, with administrator privilege, has assigned the systems treatment program to treat your trauma and mental illnesses. Standby for further plan of action."

"What! Why would she do that! Have I reached my parole period and I'm due for a hearing?"

That had to be the reason why he was removed from that place. Six years must surely have passed by, it certainly felt like it.

What the hell is going on? Cole thought, at a loss and desperate to get a grip on his current reality.

"Rejected. The patient's parole board hearing is not due. The system cannot advise on the reasons for Doctor Katherine Vella having determined this course of action for you. No information regarding that request is held within the systems information network. Standby for further plan of action."

"What! If it's not time for my parole hearing, then how long have I been under a full-dive for?"

Cole felt sick. This was nothing that he could have believed possible.

"The information requested by the patient is unable to be disclosed. All confidential matter relating to prisoners has protected privacy and is not under the authority of the system to divulge... Standby... Standby..."

"This is b*llshit! I want to speak to Katherine Vella!"

"Command refused... The patient does not have administrator-level credentials. Standby... Success! Processing and compilation of new treatment plans are complete. Treatment of the patient will recommence immediately. Reconstruction of scenario-based application of therapy will now begin."

"Wait, we're not done yet!"

The tranquil space surrounding Cole distorted and warped once more, leaving him screaming into an abstract world that collapsed and rebuilt itself around him.

Once again, he was subjected to another invasive treatment episode.