Mentality of The Heart

CHAPTER 01

PROLOGUE

Under the starry sky of London, two figures sit entwined on a grassy hill, holding each other close as they gaze out at the city lights below. The breeze is gentle, and the silence is peaceful. In this moment, the world fades away; there is nothing but the two of them, alone on that hill.

Their eyes lock, brimming with unspoken love. No words are necessary to convey the depth of their affection.

"They say you'll meet your soulmate in the most unusual ways," the saying goes. But for these two, it was less a fateful love story and more a twisted psychological game. One wrong move, and both would tumble into a spiral of torment.

Two Years Earlier

"Take a deep breath. Now, tell me—you mentioned struggling with insomnia. What else is bothering you?" Alice asked her patient, her voice calm and composed.

"I keep having nightmares," the patient responded, seated across from her, beads of sweat forming on their skin. "Whenever I close my eyes, I'm trapped in a dark room. Voices echo—some high-pitched, others low and guttural. I try to run toward a light, but just as I'm about to reach it, something blocks my way. It's tall, about 6'5", with black, scaly skin, bald, and clawed. It's like an enhanced version of Freddy Krueger."

The patient shuddered, voice cracking as they continued. "It grabs me, throws me against the walls. It's terrifying because it feels so real. I wake up drenched in sweat, my head pounding. I can't handle this anymore—I can't even sleep. Doctor, you have to help me."

Alice listened attentively, her face betraying both concern and empathy. "And when did these dreams begin?" she asked, waiting for her patient to calm down.

"They started the day my parents were killed," the patient said, their voice trembling. "On my sixteenth birthday. They were murdered right in front of me. My mom, my dad...they were everything to me. Seeing them like that... I can't get it out of my head, no matter how hard I try."

Tears streamed down the patient's face as they struggled to speak. Alice felt her heart break for the person before her, knowing all too well the burden of trauma.

As a psychiatrist, Alice had encountered countless stories of pain, but it never got easier. Hearing about her patients' inner battles always tugged at her heartstrings.

"They say your greatest enemy is often yourself," she thought. And witnessing people struggle like this day after day was a constant reminder of why she had chosen this path.

Her journey into psychiatry began with curiosity—fascination with the workings of the human mind. But her passion was solidified when a young boy, an autistic friend, had died by suicide after relentless bullying. She had been the only person who tried to understand him, and his death left an indelible mark on her soul. She had been too late to save him. He had jumped from the school roof.

That was the day Alice resolved to dedicate her life to helping those who felt trapped within their own minds. She believed that mental illness did not diminish a person's humanity, and she refused to let others feel unseen or unloved because of it.

Putting her professionalism aside, Alice stood up and approached her patient, gently placing a hand on their shoulder. "Shh, it's okay. Let it out. This is your safe space. You don't need to hold back here."

"Am I going mad, Doctor?" the patient sobbed, their voice barely audible.

"No," Alice said softly, her voice brimming with compassion. "You're not going mad. What you're experiencing is post-traumatic stress disorder and possibly symptoms of schizophrenia, both of which are connected to the trauma you went through. Your mind is struggling to process what you saw, and that's why it feels like it's haunting you. But you're not losing your sanity. You're surviving a difficult ordeal, and you will get through this. I believe in you. I'll be here every step of the way."

After her session, Alice received an urgent call from the hospital director, asking her to meet with him immediately. She hurried to his office, knocking before stepping inside. As she turned to face the room, she noticed another man seated on the sofa—a man who exuded an aura of danger and intrigue.

Alice was in for an exhilarating ride, one that would not only change her life but everything she has ever known...