Awakening

Chapter 8 -Dr.Rief (2/2)

Eelaya sat on a comfy couch. Although it wasn't made of any natural leather or anything natural whatsoever, it did provide her with enough softness to release the tension from the system and absorb her surroundings. The paintings hung from the walls of the room--portraying trees, ponds and many other natural phenomenon from a time long passed--were soothing the soul on the one hand but creating a disturbing dissonance with Mars' climate on the other. The U-shaped glass table of his receptionist and the C-shaped elongated synthetic dark couch which felt like rubber, created a mix of emotions, colors and scents. Some might find this combination of different materials and styles disconcerting, but she found it curious and even relaxing. Though, she had no doubt, the doctor was probably crazy himself.

Time was flying by as she prepared herself mentally for the meeting with the doctor. She still had mixed feelings about this meeting. If someone saw her coming here it might flare a new problem in her life. A problem which will be hard to repair. She worked hard to gain the status of 'untouchable' in the Dome, and being so close to finish repaying her debt to the corporation compelled her to 'stay in line'.

Five more years, she thought. Five more years and I'm gone. What the rads am I doing here...

And yet, a cold feeling of mystery crawled inside her and pushed her forward. It pushed her over here--to sit on the couch at the waiting room of DR.Rief. To wonder what it may do to her image and her life as a team-leader of a mining crew. To explore.

"Eelaya Cheen." the robotic receptionist called out with a metallic voice, breaking her line of thoughts.

She stood and straightened her head towards the only door in the room. It was painted oak-brown with a texture of a tree so it seemed wooden. A metallic plaque hung at the top third of it labeled 'DR.Rief - Psychology'.

The door opened and she was immediately greeted with the warm voice of the doctor "Ah, come in. Come in."

She did, hesitantly, mouth agape and watching the inside of the room with awe.

The room was darker than the reception. Coated with screens which connected to each other seamlessly and created the illusions she was in fact deep under water. Instinctively, she spun back as the door hissed and closed. As soon as it did, the blue of the waters wrapped it too, making it disappear.

"Don't you worry, it's all just an illusion to release us from the pain of the day-to-day red and yellow outside." He said.

"Aha." She said with a low voice, glancing around. Aside the strange appearance of the water animation and the sounds which accommodated the illusion, the room had only three apparent items--a couch for the doctor, a glass table which only reached his knees and a strange-looking chair with some wires sticking from it.

He was an aged man. Wearing a white coat with his name-tag, jeans and a pair of spectacles, he looked more a scientist than a shrink. He smiled at her, a very relaxing and familiar smile--though she has never met him.

"Come. Sit." He said, gesturing at the strange chair. It resembled more a torture chamber toy than a sitting apparatus.

"On that thing?" She said pointing.

It was obvious Eelaya had different things in mind other than sitting on what seemed to be a modern-looking, comfy and stylistic electric chair.

"Come, child." He said and she cocked her head, removing the chair from her consciousness. "That is just a piece of equipment to measure your mental and physical status."

This... He...

"Sit." He said, more firmly this time.

She paced slowly towards the chair, grabbing it with her hand and feeling along its contours as if trying to search for a trap. Hesitantly, she sat and jumped slightly as her body reached the seat itself. She half expected the chair to strap her in some kind of restricting way and the doctor to start interrogating her. But, surprisingly, nothing happened of this sort.