RED

ten

DR. ALEX STORM

I know I shouldn't be feeling regret for taking Red down to the Commons Lounge yesterday. But I do. She was doing fine and it only ended up in disappointment.

After instructing the ill-mannered young girl to leave after she so rudely offended my fragile patient, I tried to cheer Red up the best I could. She was embarrassed and it put a bad sensation in my gut. I didn't want her to be upset.

I gazed at the little foam craft she made for me. I had placed it sitting up on my desk in my office so I could always look at it. I made sure to take it before we left the lounge. A small rectangle with the letters of my name stuck carefully on. I couldn't force the smile off my face even if I wanted to. It was so innocent yet it was something that put another sensation in my gut (not a bad one, though).

She ironically made me so happy. She really did. Despite her extreme fussiness and eagerness to escape this hospital, she is something I look forward to when coming into work every morning.

Since I have Red now, I don't handle as many patients as I used to. I would only usually handle a few minor cases at a time since they were simpler to manage.

But now since I took Red under my wing, who is more of an extreme case, I only get handed a couple other patients a week, and ones who end up leaving soon after. Red is my only permanent (for now) case.

As much as I want her to leave and move on from this place, I don't know how I'd feel having to say goodbye to her. Even though we haven't made a great amount of progress yet, I really do enjoy having her around and don't think I could imagine not tending to her.

I know she still has a long road of recovery ahead of her and I can only hold her hand and help her along the way. Being a victim of a torturous kidnap is someone unimaginable. I couldn't ever comprehend what a survivor of such a tragic event had to go through.

It is clear from her demeanor that she also possesses extreme anxiety and a healthy amount of symptoms of depression. They can be expected from what she went through. The only thing that can keep helping her move along are her twice a week therapy sessions she's been having.

Dr. Lang is one of the best here and he is who she has been meeting with. Dr. Lang always follows up with me and records on her files how the sessions go, and as far as I can tell, they haven't been so good.

I've been told she refuses to speak (shocker) and doesn't express much in general. With this type of behavior (it is often expected), if no success is shown, then further actions need to be taken. That is why I found myself questioning Red this afternoon when I entered her room.

"I heard from Dr. Lang how your therapy sessions have been going," I say calmly, sitting myself in a chair next to the bed she was currently sitting upon.