It Has Started

 "After she left, I started hearing this voice inside my head, doctor! I-I know you told me not to listen to them, but it’s so hard. What should I do now?"

 Samantha hummed thoughtfully as she jotted down key points from her patient's account. Setting her pen aside, she regarded him with a calm, professional demeanor. “Last time you were here, Mr. Rito, you spoke about your friend Bryan, who lives under your bed. Do you remember?”

 The young boy nodded cautiously.

 “And then there’s your girlfriend, Dessa, who resides inside the mirror in your room,” she continued. He nodded again. “And the mysterious tall man who appears suddenly, anytime and anywhere?”

 He looked at her unsteadily, his eyes darting around the room. Samantha took a deep breath and glanced at the boy’s mother, who was staring at her son with a mix of disbelief and distress. It was her first time accompanying him to the clinic, and the revelation was clearly overwhelming.

 “I have conducted extensive tests on your son, Mrs. Lopez, and the results indicate that he is suffering from schizophrenia. This is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, manages emotions, makes decisions, and perceives reality.”

 Mrs. Lopez’s eyes filled with tears. “So, those friends he was talking about are just his delusions all this time?” Her voice broke, and Samantha nodded sympathetically.

 Biting her lip, Mrs. Lopez looked down in frustration. “H-His father actually suffered from the same illness, which ultimately led to his d-death.”

 Samantha pressed her lips together, having anticipated this possibility. The likelihood of developing schizophrenia has a genetic component. While the exact causes remain unclear, research suggests that a combination of genetic, physical, psychological, and environmental factors can increase the risk of developing the condition.

 In Rito's case, his girlfriend's departure triggered a psychotic episode, compelling his mind to create Dessa as a surrogate to shield him from his emotional torment. He had been clandestinely consulting Samantha about his condition, divulging the abuse perpetrated by his late father, a factor that likely contributed to his developing illness.

 Samantha prescribed antipsychotic medication to manage his psychosis, primarily targeting schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and handed the prescription to Mrs. Lopez. As they prepared to leave, Samantha, adhering to her routine, escorted them to the door.

 "Thank you, doctor," Mrs. Lopez offered a faint smile.

 "Not a problem. Just ensure he returns in two weeks, alright?"

 "Yes, doctor," she responded, glancing at Rito, who had been staring at the floor the entire time. "Thank Dr. Andersen now, Rito," she urged. Rito mumbled incoherently, showing signs of agitation. "Stop the mumbling, Rito. You know how I hate the mumbling."

 Mrs. Lopez gently prodded him to bring him back to reality, but instead, he fixed his gaze on Samantha and suddenly seized her arms. She gasped as his nails dug into her skin.

 "He's here!!" he wailed. "HE FOLLOWED ME HERE!"

 "RITO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! LET THE DOCTOR GO, THIS INSTANT!" Mrs. Lopez tried to pull her son away from Samantha, but his grip was too tight. She stepped back, calling for help. Rito continued to shake Samantha, who did her best to maintain composure.

 "He's here, doctor! He's here! He's here!"

 Samantha forced a calm smile. "It's okay, Rito. Calm down. No one’s here. No one’s going to hurt you. I’ll protect you. I promise."

 His eyes were filled with remorse and fear. "H-He's not here for me, doctor," he muttered, shaking his head. "You don’t have to save me, because he’s here for you."

 For a moment, Samantha felt as though a bucket of freezing water had been poured over her. "The tall mysterious man Rito has been mentioning can’t be the same entity," she thought, her heart pounding. Even the mere thought of the creature made her flesh crawl.

 Once Rito was pulled away, Samantha felt utterly drained, collapsing to the ground, trembling. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. "N-No! It can’t be him. H-He can’t be back, not yet," she stuttered, biting her nails in terror. She shut her eyes when a chilling lullaby echoed in her mind once again.

 "Tili-tili bom, ty slyshish', kto-to ryadom? Pritailsya za uglom, I pronzayet vzglyadom.

 Tili-tili bom, vse skroyet noch' nemaya. Za toboy kradetsya on. I vot-vot poymayet."

 Her eyes snapped open when someone placed a hand on her shoulder.

 "Babe! Hey, baby! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?!" She looked up to see Scott. Behind him stood Kaiser, who had helped pull Rito away from her.

  “Did he hurt you?!” Scott exclaimed, his voice laden with concern. He carefully removed Samantha’s white coat, and his face turned crimson with rage as he saw the scrapes on her arms from Rito’s sharp nails. The marks, accompanied by dark bruises, were visible through the thin fabric of her peach long sleeve. Samantha quickly pulled the sleeves down, trying to cover the injuries.

 "I'm fine. This is quite normal for me. I-I’m used to it," she said, attempting to sound composed.

 She tried to stand, but her knees were too weak, causing her to nearly fall. Scott caught her just in time, preventing further harm.

 "Let's get you treated," he insisted.

 "No, I told you I'm fine," Samantha responded in a slightly too loud, flat voice, standing up on her own. Scott, left bewildered on the floor, gave her a skeptical look, but she avoided his gaze.

 “I suppose the boy's grip didn’t affect your brain, did it?” he asked in a slightly playful manner. Samantha merely rolled her eyes. "Let me ask you something," he continued, his tone becoming serious. He took a few steps closer, and she winced when he touched the same spots Rito had grasped earlier, forcing her to look at him. "What on earth is going on with you?" he demanded.

 Samantha maintained a stoic expression. "Can you please just understand me?" she implored.

 “Am I not? I’ve been understanding from the very beginning of this relationship, but this is too much!”

 "Listen, buddy," she said, placing a hand on top of Scott’s. "I warned you from the start that our relationship would reach this point, and you clearly said you’d be fine with it. Now you’re complaining? You’re the one who got yourself into this mess!"

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***