Short Horror Stories

Sunshine and Madness Pt. 3

"There is nothing that gives us more assurance than a Mask." ~ Colette

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"How are you doing today, Allison?" Dr. Dimitri Snow asked, smiling across his desk at his patient.

"I'm fine, doctor. How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you for asking. While I appreciate your concern we're here to talk about you, not me. That's a nice necklace. Did you get it for your birthday?"

Alice looked down at it, touching it with a small smile. "Yes. Stephan gave it to me."

Dimitri raised his dark eyebrows. "Oh? How is dear Stephan these days?"

Alice dropped the ruby and fixed him with a look. "Don't placate me, doctor."

"I would never!" His light blue eyes widened and he plucked at his tie absently.

"You don't believe he's real."

"But you do. That leads me to a question I've been meaning to ask you, Allison. Why do you believe Stephan is real?"

"Because I can see him and hear him and feel him? Because he gives me physical gifts that others can see? You and Mrs. Maybelle both commented on it." She touched it again as if to reassure herself it was, in fact, still there.

"Allison," Dimitri said softly, coaxingly, "are you sure one of your family or friends didn't give it to you? I want you to really search your memories now."

"My name is Alice!" She interrupted him with a sudden flare of hostility.

Dimitri slowly blinked. Maybe it was time to up her dose of medication again. "Allison Westley is your name."

"I prefer Alice."

"Alright, Alice, so why don't you tell me about your dreams?"

"I don't remember my dreams."

###

"Where did you first see Stephan? Do you remember?"

Alice smiled that disturbing, secretive smile. "On the corner of 18th and Fairfax, leaning against a lamp post."

Dr. Snow looked up from his notes. "Alice." He said sternly. "That's from the movie, "Harvey"."

Alice was gazing out the window, the smile slowly fading. "So it is."

"So is Stephan a Pooka, as Harvey was?"

Her nose wrinkled. "No. Stephan's not a giant white rabbit, he's a...a humanoid?"

Dimitri arched his eyebrows. "Humanoid implies that it is not, in fact, human."

"I guess not. I mean, he's an ancient magical being, you know?"

"Magic."

"Yes."

"Stephan is a magical being?"

"Yes, I think he's an Imp, to be precise."

"Oh, I see."

Alice sighed, glancing suddenly over to a corner of the room. "He doesn't believe a word I say." She said to the open air and a shiver ran up Dimitri's spine. "I only talk to him because you told me I should."