Lee: Anything wrong?
Monique: I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.Lee: Well, a first time for everything.
He placed the helmet on her, causing her to readjust it to her head.
Lee: Just hang on tight to me, okay?
She nodded her head. As he started his motor engine, she hopped on the back, holding onto him as tightly as she could. They made their way to the hospital where they were supposed to meet Lilith at for a procedural checking. Passed the forestry, they headed towards signs that pointed to the city. She tried to distract herself the with the scenery all around her. Tree, shrub, tree, shrub, tree, more trees, lake, shadows that looked eerily like Lee and Monique…What? She did a double take with that, but it was too late, they disappeared. She didn’t know what that was about. This was her first time here. She only knew him for like a day or two, so why would they be there? Were things just getting to her head at this point? They pulled into the parking lot where Lilith and some grumpy doctor with dark brown dreadlocks, chocolate skin, and hazel eyes had been waiting. Are we late?
Lilith: Glad you both could make it! Hope the ride wasn’t too bad.
Monique: N-no not really.Lee: Why so glum, sugar plum?
He had asked the doctor. Who doesn’t he know in this city?
Lilith: Oh, you know how Khan gets when he has to work when it’s supposed to be his day off.
Lee: Oh shit, that was today, wasn’t it?Khan: Yeah, it was. But then things happen, don’t they?
Monique: I’m sorry I happened.
Khan: Oh, no. You don’t have to apologize for a thing, child.
She gave him a puzzling look. His mannerisms reminded her of someone, but who?
Khan: Now lets all get in. We’re going to go over the standard stuff. You going to be okay with two men inspecting you? By which I mean me and ya boy there.
Lee: We’re not dating…Khan: Oh, I know, I’m just teasing.
She looked at Lee, then cautiously nodded her head.
Lilith: Don’t worry, I’ll be in there too. I’ll make sure they won’t do anything funny and I’ll also be asking some questions while Dr. Khan here takes your vitals and everything.
As they walked through the glass doors that politely opened for the four of them, Monique took note of every single thing. The hospital they were at was unlike the facilities she was locked in. Rather than there being stone walls with constant medical nurses and doctors having clipboard glued to their hands as they always examined each and every step you took, there were glass walls. Sunlight shined on through as people were coming to and from. Some were children in need of their yearly check-up, others were adults who came in for their usual (or unusual problems). The rest were officers of the Corps. Doctors and nurses were nicer to their patients and never held them back for anything. It was unlike what she had been used to. She had wondered if this was some form of a front or if people were just genuinely nice.
Lilith led her to the gowning room as the men were told to wait in the examination room. As Monique undressed, she felt the uncomfortable stares coming from Lilith. Lilith swiftly took her peepers towards the door.
Lilith: Ohmigosh! I’m so sorry! Please continue, I didn’t mean to stare.
Monique: It’s okay.
She tapped Lilith on the shoulder and was told she could leave her belongings on the side.
Monique: C-can you do me a small favor?
Lilith: For sure, what is it?Monique: M-my back side isn’t too exposed is it?
Lilith checked and reassured everything was fine. She then led Monique to the examination room. Khan had done everything normal doctors had always done with Monique. Taken her height, weight, vitals, blood pressure, used dongles to check her eyes and ears. And as he was doing all of these things Lilith went through a series of questions the first being if she was okay with Lee being there.
Monique: Yeah, I do appreciate having someone I know for longer than a day.
Lilith: Excellent. So, these questions are designed to figure out what you life was like before, if you were aware of any health issues from your family and so on. This is to help us build a profile so the more details you can give us the better. We will also be asking questions concerning your time on Earth-07395. This is so we can get an idea of why you had the circumstances you had so we can further investigate what went on. Will you be alright with that?Monique: I can try to be.
Lee: If you really can’t answer the questions, it’s alright.
Monique: But wouldn’t it be useful to answer as many as accurately as I can?
Lilith: Yes, but we also want to respect the difficulties it may come with and your feelings about it. This unfortunately won’t be a one-time check-up. For now, we’re just going to start off with the building blocks and hopefully overtime it’ll become easier. If you honestly don’t want to answer them now, you don’ t have to and you can choose to come back and answer them whenever you want.
Monique: Oh...alright…so how do we go about this exactly?
If this is what it takes to give myself a better chance, why not take it?
Lilith: Well first things first, I’m going to have to have you sit up straight for a while. Until Khan gives me the go ahead to lie you down as he checks for anything else going on back there.
Monique: Okay, then what? If you don’t mind me asking
Lilith: Oh, of course not. I am what you can refer to as either a puppeteer or a telepath. I can delve into people’s minds to help them remember things they are unable to recall themselves. I tend not to do any sort of manipulation; this is why we have third parties such as Lee or even Khan to ensure I don’t mess around with how you’ve remembered things. Now, what I’ll be doing is placing my fingers onto your head. We will essentially be sharing the same mind space. You’ll see as much into my memories as I will see into yours. I will then guide you down a trip through memory lane and you are free to see into mine afterwards.
Monique: R-really?
Lilith: Of course! I’d like to think we can establish trust between us.
Monique: Th-then I’m ready.
Khan gave her the signal to go ahead and allow Monique to lie down. As Monique lied down, Lilith happily placed her fingers in a spider like manner gently on each side of Monique’s head. The very tips of her digits glowed a white light. Monique instinctively closed her eyes. Lee readied the laptop and turned on the video recorder as he was going be the recorder for the session.
Lilith: Alright. so, without further ado, let’s get started. Lee will be recording us just so we can look back for future reference.
Monique: Alright.Lilith: This is officer Lilith, executive assistant of Dragon’s Nest with Patient #00466662 Monique whose last name will be omitted. Now, tell me Monique, what do you see?
Monique: Darkness…really pitch-black darkness.
Lilith: Now, concentrate. Can you find me?
She looked everywhere throughout her mind. After twenty or more steps forward, she found Lilith surrounded in particles of what seemed like a beach. Sand covered both their feet as waves were crashing nearby.
Monique: Yeah, you…you’re in front of a beach. I-I don’t think I’ve ever been here before. Is this part of yours?
Lilith: Yes! This city is gifted with many beaches and lagoons nearby. This is the first beach I got to go to when I was very young on this world. Has the clearest of waters and the best of sunsets. Now, let us focus onto you a little bit more. Do you see a door behind you?Monique: Yeah.
Lilith: We’ll now continue with our first question. These doors will appear as we go throughout this journey down your memory lane. Go ahead and open the door.
Monique: Okay.
She pushed open the door to find another beach scene, something that felt as if it were from her past. It was then immediately distorted to her time at the institution. Lilith had seen this distortion and immediately noted it. As she made notes in her mind, the laptop nearby would then record them as if she were typing them herself. If Lee were not used to this, he would’ve wondered if he had gone insane as notes he had never written were appearing before him. He then reorganized them into what Lilith noted and what was said throughout this conversation.
Lilith: How odd.
Monique: I-is that supposed to happen?Lilith: Worry not, we’ll still continue. Can you recall the first day you noticed things were different? Like when you heard the screaming or the distorted noises?
Monique: I-I think. I was thirteen at the time…I-I just re-remember suddenly waking up to constant screaming. I thought I was going dead in the ear.
They watched as Monique, no older than thirteen, crouching in pain. Putting herself in the fetalr position. Doctors came in, panicking about what to do and what it meant while the CEO just calmly stepped inside. He crouched by her side, whispering something into her ear. The younger Monique had then calmed down, eyes noticeably sullen. As if there were no light coming out. As if she were hollowed out.
Monique: And then, everything stopped.
Lilith: Do you remember what he whispered to you?Monique: No. This…this is the first time I’m even seeing it all happen. This is exactly what happened that day, correct?
Lilith: Yes. I specifically specialize in reawakening and tracing memories. Do you remember how old you were when you came here?
Monique: I was six I thi—
She tried prying open a door they saw right before them, yet it would not budge. Darkness had crept all around it, barring them from entry.
Monique: I-I-Is this a common occurrence?
Lilith: It certainly is not. Someone’s trying to keep you away from the truth.
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