Ruby Redfort- Watch Where You Step

A bit of a mystery

Ruby stepped into Dr Selgood's office completely out of breath. The psychiatrist didn't look up from what he was doing.

"Is see you haven't changed your ways in terms of punctuality."

"Good to see you too," panted Ruby, her hands on her knees. He looked up at Ruby, the only sign of expression on his face was a raised eyebrow.

Dr Selgood: Been running a marathon or something?
Ruby: You'd think so. Did the Spectrum architects intentionally make this place impossible to navigate?
Dr Selgood: I think you'd be surprised. Now, what brings you here today? Hitch implied it was quite urgent, and you've hardly been eager to see me before.
Ruby: yea well before my problem was overconfidence. Now it's kinda the opposite.

Dr Selgood leaned forward. This was a different side to Agent Redfort, a vulnerable, scared side, one he was interested to see.

Dr Selgood: ok, so what happened?
Ruby: you tell me. Every time, I face danger I just seem to freeze up.
Dr Selgood: I assume you're referring to your run in with the Count yesterday?
Ruby: how'd you know about that?
Dr Selgood: Hitch passed it on to LB who passed it on to me. Happy birthday, by the way.
Ruby: thanks. So what do you think is wrong with me?
Dr Selgood: on the most basic level, a bad case of paranoia.
Ruby: really? That all?
Dr Selgood: you say it like that, but on large levels it's serious and can be deadly. Not to mention it's hard to get rid of.
Ruby: so what do you suggest I do?
Dr Selgood: you've no doubt heard the saying mind over matter. But what we need here is mind over mind. Your brain is telling you one think, an illogical thing, and what you have to do is convince your brain to do the opposite of that.
Ruby: sounds stressful.
Dr Selgood: more like difficult. This action takes a certain level of mindfulness and self awareness that isn't easy to obtain. It will take practice.
Ruby: sounds stressful.
Dr Selgood: in the meantime read this book, it explains it in a bit more detail.
Ruby: I'll be sure to read it as soon as. Is that all doc?

"Unless you have any other concerns, Agent Redfort."

"None at present times, but if I do you'll be the first to know."

Ruby got up to leave, a copy of The Mind in all it's Glory held safely in her hand. But just before she opened the door she looked back one last time.

"Dr Selgood, from the perspective of a psychiatrist, what do you think the Count will want next?"

The doctor looked up at Ruby and thought about what a young child she was. Freshly fourteen and dealing with levels of stress most people don't experience until they're mid- way through their lives.

      "That, Miss Redfort, I don't know. I'm highly trained and have seen some of the most unusual minds of the century, but the Count... he's someone on a different page altogether. It's almost scary thinking about it this way because in terms of understanding him we have nothing... it's safe to say his mind is a bit of a mystery."

Ruby just nodded and exited. She glanced around to check that no one was watching before heading in the complete opposite direction from the exit. A small trip to the gadget room can't hurt.

It had become a sort of habit of Ruby's to illegally sneak into the Spectrum gadget room whenever she got the chance. Many a time had one of the handy devices saved her life, even though she hadn't strictly been authorised to have them. And with the Count still out to get her, and her brain out of the running, it seemed only logical to seek help in the form of high- tech equipment. Who knows? Maybe she'd actually ask permission this time.