Red Mary (Literary Science Fiction)

Red Mary Log: Seven

It is dark. The Doctor is performing some tests on my hippocampus. He has told me that it might be possible that I will see random images of sorts flash before me as a side-effect of the tests; but they'll all be an illusion. It's hard to tell where I am at this moment, he has taken me to the lab for tests, and I should be unconscious, but I am still able to recall and take logs of past events. So I'm not sure where my consciousness is. Either way this is probably for the best, after my rather uncharacteristic hallucination I had last night.

Entry 7: Mental Phenology

Boy in white: I've been trying to contact you.

Red Mary: You. You're the person in the painting, aren't you?

Boy in white: Mary. You need to break free. You are needed elsewhere.

The boy talked in a robotic manner, as if speaking was an unnatural and awkward task for him. I looked around. It was difficult to make out where I was. Red mist this time, plants at my feet. Trees in the distance, I think.

Boy in white: I'm contacting you through a place currently beyond your comprehension.

Red Mary: No You're simply a hallucination.

Boy in white: Don't be so sure. You're trapped in an illusion, one that's preventing you from releasing your true self.

Red Mary: But-

I believe it was around this point when Leo woke me up. I found myself lying on my bed feeling extremely hot. I was sweating, in fact. The wet patch on my bed was uncomfortable. I must have been left here to recover after the examination.

Leo: Hey, Mary. What the hell are you doing?

Red Mary: ...

Leo: Are you ok?!

Red Mary: I'm fine.

Leo: You were talking to yourself.

Red Mary: No. Not myself.

Leo: Then who?

Red Mary: ...You're out of your room? Finally?

Leo: The doctors told me you'd fainted. Once at the forest, and now during your examination. They told me it'd help if I talked to you.

Red Mary: The... examination?

Then I remembered, I was being looked at by the two doctors after the incident. I didn't even realise at the time.

Red Mary: I don't need help. I appreciate you worrying but-

Leo: Besides; I need to understand more about the ramifications of the paintings. I need to know more about the meaning behind them! Maybe if the doctors analyse you, they can figure something out.

Red Mary: Argh!

I pushed Leo off of me and then collapsed onto the bed.

Red Mary: I will be fine by myself. I am neither a subject of your concern, neither am I your test subject.

At the time I believed I had told him off well, and made a good point. However falling down and fainting did not help re-enforce my point.

***

Well, the tests are finished now at least. I feel better.

I can't help but feel sold out by Leo. He told Dr Eliot and Dr Francoise everything about what had happened. He did it with such vigour and concern that they had completely forgotten about the hidden room in the lab, and all the other questions I wanted answered. I simply felt nervous. I sat in one of the recuperation rooms as I listened to Leo tell the two exactly what he had heard me say.