Mind Games

Chapter 40 - Sean

The pictures fanned out in front of him in the dim room.

The more he thought of it, the more it seemed like there were unpleasant memories connected to most of them.

Hadn't his father suspected Amanda had killed their dog and made it seem like roadkill?

She was calm when the dog snapped at her. Even while blood dripped down her hand. Even as she had to take vaccination shots.

But two weeks later the dog was found outside the drive way with his head smashed in. On a street which hardly ever had rash drivers. At an angle which seemed impossible for a hit and run.

Sean of course didn't believe she did it. As far as he knew, his parents never questioned her about it.

But he heard his dad discuss it with his mom in hushed tones. His mom didn't believe it either. Her husband tended to have a bit too much whiskey every night. And his imagination tended to go haywire.

Amanda did have a mean streak. He even teased her about it. Used to call her a monster. She would laugh. It wouldn't upset her. It was as if she knew and accepted it.

But she was his baby sister. An angel to him. And he chose to only see that side.

He remembered being surprised that she chose to be a psychologist. 

Was it really to help people? Or was it to get her sadistic pleasure playing with the demons in their heads?

With a sigh, he pushed the pictures away.

He knew he couldn't save his sister.

He had to re-create her.

He hovered the mouse over the folder Me. The folder that he had fed in the program to design Amy's personality.

He shut his eyes. Not wanting to know what had really happened in her life. What were the toxic thoughts building in her head.

He thought back to his childhood.

There were good moments. And he believed that no matter how his sister really was, she did really love him.

This folder was a Pandora's box - it would destroy all the good he remembered in his sister.

With a resigned sigh, he pulled away.

And called Crystal.

"Are you sure you want me to open it?" Crystal sounded as skeptical as he was.

"You didn't know her. You can be objective about it. I can't. You know that and I know that." He said firmly.

There was silence for a moment. "So... if you don't want me to upload the pictures what exactly do you want me to do?"

Sean gazed at the pictures wistfully. They and her journal was all that was left of his sister.

"I want you to re-write her journal."

The silence this time was longer. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Change her memories. Her boyfriend cheated on her? Make it a misunderstanding. She got date raped? Delete that memory. Don't let that date happen. Make her life perfect. Don't give her a reason to be angry."

Silence.

"I can't delete the files, but I have made them editable." He said softly. "Re-write her life, Crystal.  We can't change what happened. We have to make the program believe it never happened. And so there will be no need for revenge or vengence or whatever madness it is trying to breed."

Crystal gave him a shaky laugh. "As crazy as it sounds, it might just work."

Sean felt a weight lift off him. "How good are your story writing skills?" He asked lightly.

Crystal laughed wryly "Let's hope they are good enough."

Sean took one final look at the pictures. Then he grabbed them all and put them away.