"staged staged!"

chapter five

Strange faces,
Strange eyes,
All staring...panting ,all so aggressive looking.

Everyone was seated in a circle around a mini campfire centerpiece. The entire room had high ceilings and stained glass windows which left fairytale like colours bouncing off fine marble walls.  A large bell graced the centre. The atmosphere was calm and quiet. Cool air teasing the hems of her skirt.

I'm starting to like this place

Some of them obviously did not want to be there. She had dealt with people like this herself before.

Nice and easy, take it slow darling.

That thought made her giggle which attracted more stares.

So ironic, she had never imagined she would actually end up in a place like this. Her mentors always told her that one day all that poison would drain into her blood.

That's every therapist's fate love

She was ushered to a seat by an ever smiling little woman. She sank into the comfiest bean bag she had ever sat on.

"Hey, never seen you here before" whispered a shaky  female voice. When Catalina turned to look at the person behind the voice she nearly fell over.

She was beyond cute!

A mass of rich curly black hair gathered into a huge poof. Some stray curls managed to bounce onto her smooth cocoa skin. Her eyebrows were perfectly shaped which floated loftily over big almond shaped eyes which reflected brown with flakes of gold.  Her had a little button nose which perfectly complemented her soft chubby cheeks. And her lips was a plump pink little heart.

Catalina might have been staring a little too long because the girl had to snap her fingers before she responded.

"Oh...uh I'm sorry uh what's your name?"

"Nadine, yours?" Her voice somehow loosened her up.

"Catalina and yes, I'm new here. How long have you been coming here?"
She had inched a little closer to Nadine, just a little.

"I've been in here for two years now. Well... let's say I haven't been so...consistent. I dunno what's wrong with me but everytime I feel like I'm getting better, I just..." She sighed

"You come back even worse?"

Therapist mode activated

"Yeah it's like that most of the time" she perked up a bit "but this time, I'll endure to the end" she giggled and the sound of that made Catalina flush.

She had never felt like this as a therapist.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the large  bell. A middle aged woman  took centre stage. She was hard to miss, she donned a massive feathered cap which made others give less attention to her floral floor length gown draped with a long silk sash. When she opened her mouth to speak, her voice carried a certain amount of reassuring authority which demanded respect.

"Hello wonderful people, you are all highly welcome to today's group meeting but before we get started, I would like all of us to get to know some of our new members. Now I know that they may be a little too shy to come out and greet  everyone so I want all of us to stand up and greet the new members of our wonderful community."

Then almost mechanically everyone got up and started shaking hands with other people including her. Some people smiled at her while some just brushed hands with her. Nadine's hand felt cloud soft when she took it in hers.

"Alright with that out of our way, I would like us to commence today's activities. Because it is our opening meeting this year, we would just be talking amongst ourselves. Remember, we are all in the same community, there is no reason why any of you should feel anxious to associate with anybody in this room"

And just like that, everyone clustered into their different mini groups. Nadine introduced Catalina into hers.

They were a small group of five. They called themselves the pioneers because they had been around the longest. When Nadine introduced her to them, they all got up to hug her. It made her a little queasy though, she wasn't used to hugs.

The oldest pioneer was a small tattooed man who looked just a little over forty. He said his name was Pete. He had a rough deep voice and according to him, he had been there for ten years.

The next in the little hierarchy were two men. They called themselves Ted and Bunny. They were referred here fresh out of prison for attempted murder five years ago. They had been in a physiatrist ward nearly three times.

"Rumor has it that they're dating, they never said anything though." Nadine added with a chuckle.

Next was a young girl probably in her late teens. Her name was Trisha. she was sent here by her paranoid parents who couldn't have a deranged child around them. It would simply damage their career and that was everything.

And lastly Nadine herself a bipolar young twenty two year old suffering from PTSD and an eating disorder. She had checked in there herself two years ago after she had lost her job after another panic attack. Just saying her story made her tear up a little which felt like a painful jab in Catalina's side.

She doesn't deserve to suffer like this

"Alright then your turn"  said Trisha, her voice slightly raspy, "what's your story"

Whatever happens Cat, don't tear up

"Hi guys, my name is Catalina but you can call me cat. I was a therapist but I..."

No...Not tears

"I couldn't work anymore. Everyone just thought it was burnout but...I... actually I don't really want to talk about my condition. My best friend just sent me here hoping for the best, That's all. "

She shut her eyes to ward off those images. She simply couldn't deal with that now. To her surprise, no one found it strange.

No one judged her,
Everyone in that room was... just like her.

And...she loved it!

The taxi ride home was one of the saddest thing she ever had to do. She nearly bawled her eyes off when Nadine hugged her goodbye. She would miss her new friends

Maddie as much as I hate to admit it, you were right.

Maddie was fast asleep in the living room when she came in. She could tell she was waiting, she didn't even shower. Her hair was greasy and her body was covered in sweat. It must've been so hard for her.

She was all alone.

She tapped on her shoulder. Grumpy Maddie stirred up.
"Maddie, go take a shower. I'll make us dinner" she said hoisting her up.

"How was support group?"

"Great, why were you up this late?"

"Lulu had nightmares, don't worry about dinner. I'll just shower and fall asleep. I gotta be out of here before six tomorrow"
She was heading for her room now.

"Don't tell me you got another job"

"Look Cat, I need this. Don't worry about me. I'll hold up just fine...Nighty night Cat" her voice faded up the stairs.

Catalina ate in total silence. Save for Maddie and Lulu's loud snoring.

She had made up her mind.

She was getting a job...