Total Drama: The PTSD Cases

Courtney + Duncan

Courtney and Duncan stood outside the door to DJ's room, accompanied by a security guard. "Should we go in?" Duncan asked.

"Of course we should. DJ's our friend." Courtney tugged her boyfriend along through the doorway. She stopped when she saw DJ. He laid in the hospital bed, looking lifeless. The ceiling light flickered a little, making the room seem uncanny.

"Duncan? Courtney?" DJ asked. His figure was now pale and ghostly.

"Hey, dude. How've you been?" Duncan scratched the back of his neck.

"I've been fine," DJ said. "I just wish they'd take these stupid restraints off of me." He tugged hard and the restraints around his wrists dug even deeper into his weak skin. The gauze protecting his wrists wasn't doing too much at this point, as DJ had bled through them.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Courtney said. She smiled weakly, feeling fatigued herself. She tried to step forward and put a hand on his shoulder, but the security guard stopped her. She reluctantly stepped back and rubbed her eye lids, which were now stained purple from the lack of sleep both on and off the island.

"Well we have a meeting with that psychiatrist or whatever, but we'll see you later, dude," Duncan said.

"It was good to see you two," DJ said. He tried to break free from the restraints one more time, but they only hurt his wrists even more.

The duo walked to the office at the end of the fourth floor hall where Dr. Lynch would be waiting for them. When they opened the door the doctor had his back facing them and he was writing on his yellow legal pad.

"Duncan and Courtney," he said as he swiveled around. "It's good to see you both."

"When can DJ be released?" Courtney asked. Duncan put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He has had numerous outbreaks in the past two weeks so he will remain under surveillance until further notice."

"Well maybe he has had numerous outbreaks because you people are keeping him hostage in that depressing room like he was on the island. Ever thought of that?" Duncan defensively pointed out.

"I am very sorry for out friend, but–"

"He's not your friend, buddy." Duncan narrowed his eyes at Dr. Lynch.

"I am very sorry for Mr. Bennet, but this is protocol for dangerous patients like him." Dr. Lynch was more stern this time; he spoke with confidence.

"Did you see Total Drama?" Courtney asked. "DJ wouldn't hurt a fly. It's all because of that monster that he– that we are all like this."

"And how have you been, Courtney? You look a little fatigued. Anything you would like to share?" Dr. Lynch smiled at her, but she instinctively pulled back in disgust. "Courtney, sweetie, I–"

"Don't fucking talk to her like that!" Duncan lashed out. Courtney buried her face in the crook of her boyfriend's neck, remembering a triggering experience from the island.

"Hello?" Courtney asked. "I– I can't hear anything." She rubbed her ear and suddenly remembered everything that had just gone down. The explosion, Chris' obnoxious smile, Bridgette... Wait where was Bridgette? Courtney rubbed her ear and frantically searched for her best friend. "Bridgette!" she yelled, unaware of how loud she was because she couldn't hear.

Suddenly something grabbed her torso and pulled her back. She screamed but she didn't know if she was screaming or not. She felt a cloth put up to her mouth and nose and she passed out. Courtney woke up a few days later resting on a bed of dead leaves and hay barrels from last week's "challenge".  She saw that she was in some kind of cave dimly lit by the embers of a fire.

"Hello?" she asked. She had regained most of her hearing. Her throat was hoarse and she felt exhausted. She was also famished, but that wasn't new.

"Hey," Duncan said. He was carving the end of a stick in order to make a point at the top. "You've been out for a couple days." 

"Did... Did you chloroform me?"

"I had to. You wouldn't stop screaming and it was dark out. Did you lose hearing or something? It was like you had no volume control whatsoever."

"Yeah. Why did you knock me out?" She was too weak to make a fuss out of anything.

"I heard the explosion and I ran towards it. I heard you screaming and, I don't know, I wanted to protect you. You were so vulnerable."

"Did you see Bridgette?"

Duncan remained silent and shook his head. Although she couldn't see him the silence was enough to confirm his answer.

Courtney began to panic. Her breath became heavy and tears welled in her eyes. She soon was having trouble breathing and her face was turning red.

"Hey hey hey," Duncan said. He went over to her and picked her up so that she was crying in the crook of his neck. They stayed like that until she had cried herself to sleep. Duncan laid her down on the bed of leaves and hay, but he moved the stump he was sitting on so that he was closer to her. He wouldn't leave her alone this time. Not ever again.