Something About Alice Murphy: BOOK 1

P A R T - N I N E T E E N

Chapter Nineteen: Intense Moments
Thursday, 31st of January
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Dr Cote walked into her office, closing the white wooden door behind her carefully and clearing her throat. It was ten past nine in the morning, however the day was still dark and grey since the storm that had raged above Summerland was still going strong. She could hear the contant pattering of rain against the roof and windows, but seemed to ignore it as she'd almost gotten used to the sound.

Dr Cote walked over to the coat peg and hung up her light beige trench coat that had been covered with rain, since the umbrella that she had left behind the desk downstairs had taken most of the brunt force of the weather...

"You're late." A voice said, causing Dr Cote to gasp suddenly and turn around, only to see Alice Murphy sat in her usual place on the couch with her hands placed in her lap.

"Dear God, Alice." Dr Cote scolded unintentionally, then gathered herself together. "The office doesn't officially open until I get here in the mornings." She continued, unnerved by the perfectly done up sixteen year old who was sat up straight with her light blonde hair falling elegantly over her shoulders. She was dressed in a soft pink, ribbed turtle neck and high waisted light denim jeans, with a bag to match her top. Her make up was subtle but brought out her best features, making her look slightly older than she was. "How did you get in?"

"Your receptionist let me in." Alice replied, watching Dr Cote carefully as she walked over to her desk and turned on her computer to check her schedule. "You don't have an appointment with me this morning, but your receptionist said you can make time for an emergency session whenever needed."

Dr Cote sighed very quietly and made a note in her head to talk with her assistant, not receptionist, about who she lets in unattended. There was no telling what Alice could have done in her office alone, seeing as she didn't entirely trust the sixteen year old to keep her hands to herself in a room filled with important patient files. "What's the emergency, Alice?" She asked, seeing that her previous morning appointment had been mysteriously cancelled without her being notified.

"There's a search party today, for the girl that went missing." Alice said, her bright blue eyes focussed on Dr Cote as she retrieved Alice's file and her notes and sat down in the arm chair opposite. "I know I should go and show support but I can't help but feel like... it might be a waste of time."

"And why is that?" Dr Cote replied, putting on her glasses and opening her notebook to begin writing her thoughts down. It was only then that she noticed the slight crease in the previous page, one that she hadn't seen there before... she was always careful to maintain the high quality of her notebooks and knew she didn't put it there herself. She looked up at Alice carefully without moving her head and saw the sixteen year old watching her with a eerie but polite smile and a steady stare.

"Anyone, if not everyone, that goes missing in this town ends up dead... we should be saying goodbye instead of prolonging the pain." She replied, holding eye contact. "They just haven't found the body, which is why they're dragging half this town out to search the woods that they know no one goes in to,"

"I'm sensing some hostility, Alice." Dr Cote stated, causing Alice to sit up straighter and move her hair behind her shoulders as she cleared her throat quietly.

"I'm not hostile. I'm just confused as to why they want to keep torturing themselves with it," she continued, "All of us are already terrified as it is, and now we have to go and search for a potential dead body to traumatise us more." She shrugged and continued to stare.