Shock Treatment (A One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Fanfic)

All He Wanted Was A Cigarette!

After another day or two, Nurse Ratched wanted all of us on the ward to have a group session. I sat on the far side opposite Scanlan. I didn't feel like talking because I was nowhere near Billy or my other guy friends. I was still trying to seek resilience although I played the German lullaby. Nurse Ratched started to talk but Cheswick started up.

All Hell broke loose, as soon as Tabor started screaming, Billy walk as quickly as he could to me. The orderlies were running amuck...all for cigarettes. McMurphy busted the glass from the nurse's station window, got the cartons of cigarettes and dumped them on Cheswick. A fight between Washington and McMurphy happened, Chief dropped his mop and came to McMurphy's aid. I buried my head in Billy's chest.

I felt the urge to vomit. I let go of Billy, went to a garbage can across from the nurse's station, and let it out. As soon as I spat the last bits out, I felt a hand on my back, I screamed. I immediately regretted it, it was Billy who was by me again.

"Get away from me, I...I'm sorry Billy, but please, I feel the walls closing in, back away. Billy please!"

Nurse Ratched walked to us.

"Is everything alright Miss. Gutman?"

"Sh...shh..shell shock," Billy replied.

"Let Miss. Gutman answer."

"I need some space, you're bombarding me, both of you!"

I started struggling to breath. Billy back up but Nurse Ratched stayed where she was.

"You poor thing, shaking, eyes wider than a deer caught in headlights, hyperventilating, nausea, and vomiting, this is an episode. This will induce nightmares for you tonight. We don't want that."

"I just need some space Nurse Ratched, please do me a favor and take a couple steps back."

She did so.

"The spat with Mr. Cheswick might have triggered your shell shock."

"You should've gave him a cigarette, then he and Randle wouldn't be hauled away! This all wouldn't have happened if you just gave him a cigarette calmly."

"Well Miss. Gutman, it did happen, it was out of your control, I think you need to calm down, have a seat, take some breaths. Better yet, I have an idea, an idea for a treatment to help settle you down. Let us get Mr. Cheswick out of the way then deal with you, Mr. McMurphy, and Mr. Bromden."

"What're you gonna do to me?"

"I'm gonna fight shock with shock."

Billy and I realized what she meant.

"N..nnnn no Miss. Ratched," Billy said.

"It's for her own good, she's suffered from her past for years, this was my last resort for her."

I was gonna get shocked!

Later on, I was lead by Nurse Pilbow to a bench, McMurphy and Chief were sitting there.

"Clara, darling, what're you doing here?"

"I'm getting the same treatment you are," I said quietly.

"What did you do to piss off Nurse Ratched?"

"Have a shell shock episode. She could've just let Washington tackle me to the ground like they did you, Chief and Charley."

"We wouldn't let those negro orderlies lay a finger on you. Wanna Juicy Fruit?"

"No thank you."

He offered one to Chief, he took it, he was offered another one, took it too. I heard something I never thought I'd hear.

"Ah...Juicy Fruit."

I look at Chief.

"You sly son of a bitch Chief! Can you hear me too?"

Chief nodded. McMurphy was laughing.

"Well I'll be a goddamn, Chief, they all think you're deaf and dumb?"

He nodded again.

"Jesus Christ haha, you fooled em Chief, you fooled em, you fooled em all!"

I was speechless, they both looked at me for a reaction to my giant Indian friend's revelation.

"You have guts my friend, keeping quiet for as long as you have. We don't have to write anymore," I whispered.

"Oh yes you will, for the rest of them, they don't know."

"At least I know he hears me."

"Clare bear?" Chief said.

I looked at him and smiled.

"Are you nervous?"

"Yes, you know why we're sitting here waiting, Nurse Ratched said it was a 'last resort' for me, I did nothing wrong today. All he wanted was a cigarette-"

At that moment, an unconscious Cheswick was being rolled out of the room and down the hall.

"Poor guy," I said.

Nurse Itsu walked out.

"Miss. Gutman, we're ready for you."

I got up.

"Good luck Clare," McMurphy said.

Chief just nodded, back to his usual self again.

I walked in the room, a couple orderlies were there and Nurse Itsu led me in, I laid down on the chair, put me in restraints.

"It'll be over before you know it Miss. Gutman, just keep still."

I felt something cold on my my head.

"That feels cold Nurse Itsu, what is it?"

"Conductant."

She put a mouth guard in my mouth.

"Bite down."

I did.

Next thing I knew, I blacked out.