Capgras Syndrome

Guilty or Innocent

A pounding throb in the back of my head as I try to push past the sting in my eyes. "It's about time, I thought you'd never wake up." Looking to my right to see a nurse. I lift my head to look around and regret it immediately as an electric-like pain surges through my skull. "Has anyone come to see me? Did my brother come?" Murmuring, wincing at the pain coursing through my head. As if being timed, Alex rushes through the door. I can see the fear on his face slowly disappear as he catches his breath.

"Excuse me-..." the nurse began as Alex pushes past her. "I'm her brother" he said cutting her off as he comes closer. Tears formed in his eyes as he looks down at me. "I told you not to take off."

"Who are you? You're not Alex!" I exclaimed as confusion flooded over his face. "Where is my brother!?" I demand. He darted his glance from me to the nurse and back again as if asking for an explanation.

"She has experienced some major neurological trauma, it may take her some time before she realizes it's you," the nurse explains as she grabs his shoulder. "Until then she needs rest. Come back in a few hours."

"Wait, no! Where's my brother!?" I yell from the bed as he walks away, tears flowing down his cheek, "Where is he!?"

"It's okay sweetheart," the nurse returns to my side. "Let's give you something to feel a little more comfortable, okay? This will help you rest." I struggle to stay awake as my eyes grow heavy. I drift further and further into the darkness, the nurse smiling down at me. Catching her name tag before everything goes black. Abigail.

****

Sheets draped over me as I tingle from the warmth. I open my eyes, still heavy from the drugs. My head spins as I look around the room, searching for the man with my brothers' face. My body twitching from the pain as I sit up and feel all the joints in my back pop. I grip the needle on the back of my hand and slowly pull it out as I watch it glide from my skin. I cover it with the bandage again and take the heart rate monitor off my finger.

I bring myself to my feet and make my way to the hall, every step draining all of my energy. My head spins as I try to focus my vision. Voices echo up and down the hall as I reach for the railing on the wall to keep my balance. Doctors and nurses pass by me with looks of concern. "You aren't supposed to be out of bed," nurse Abigail says stretching out her hand, "Your brother can wait, back to bed." Taking my shoulders in her hands.

"That man is not my brother!" I yell trying to get away, her grip becoming more and more firm with every word. "I need to know where he is!"

"Okay sweetie, we will find him for you," she assures me, "But right now you need to get some rest." Struggling to get away as she begins to pull me back to the room. Almost succeeding, I thrust my fist into her gut and push past her as she crumbles to the floor. "Hey! Get back here!" A doctor yells as I hurry down the hall.

"I'm sorry Miss!" I shout back to her as she gasps for air. I make a run for the elevator, swerving through patients down the hall until the doctor catches me from behind, "No! I have to find Alex!" I scream as I throw my elbow back into his face, hearing his nose crunch from the force.

****

I make my way up Alex's front porch and burst through the door, "Who's there!?" A voice from inside as I enter my brother's house, "I'm armed! Identify yourself or I'll shoot!" 'Is it really Alex? Or the imposter from the hospital?' I think to myself, carefully creeping through the house. I grab the knife from the kitchen counter, walking into the living room to find the imposter. "Jeez, Kendal you scared me. What are you doing-..." before he could finish, I force the knife through his gut. Blood spilling from him as he falls to his knees.

"You're not my brother. Where is Alex!?" I demand an answer as I twist the blade inside of him, "You have his face, but you're not him!" grabbing my arm with his hand as I rip the blade out of his stomach. His grip loosens as he falls to the floor. A puddle of blood forms around him soaking the carpet. Rummaging through Alex's dresser for clean clothes, 'Mom will know where he is' thinking as I lift the blood-soaked hospital gown from my skin.

****

I rush through the door of my childhood home to find my baby sister in her highchair, "Mom?" I yell as I step into the living room, watching Ashley play with her food, covering her tray with it.

"I'm in here, can you keep an eye on Ashley? I'll be out in a minute." I hear my mother call out from the bedroom. "I need to talk to you, now!" I yell back as I go to take Ashley out of her highchair. The floorboards creak as she makes her way into the living room. I look up from Ashley only to find another stranger standing in the doorway coming into the living room. A stranger with my mothers' face, "What's wrong honey?"

"Who are you!? Where's my mom!?" Quickly pulling the gun I took from Alex's house out of my front pocket and aim it at her forehead. "Sweetheart!" She cries out in shock, "Where is my mom?" I ask again more sternly as fear forms over her face and tears begin to glaze her eyes. Trying to back away slowly, "No, don't move! You're not going anywhere until you tell me where my mom and Alex are."

"Mom, we're home!" my sister Frankie's voice. "Why is the door wide open?" My brother Dallas continued as they walk in together. In my direction the woman makes a dash for the door, grabbing my siblings and turning them away from me. Aiming for the back of the woman's head, I pull the trigger and a loud bang rings in my ears. My younger twin siblings scream trying to catch her body falling to the floor, "That woman is not our mother! She was going to get away, I had to stop her." I explained as they look up at me, eyes overflowing with tears and filled with fear. Only, it's not their eyes.

I raise my pistol once again, the boy with my brothers' face begins to scream but is cut short by another loud bang. His body collapses as I take aim at the little girl running out the front door. I squeeze the trigger and release three more bullets into her back before she falls down the porch stairs.

****

Sirens grow louder as they approach. Ashley smacks her toys together and laughs as we sit on the floor. Footsteps coming up the porch and a small whisper from outside, "She's dead." Officers rush through the open doorway, "Freeze! Hands where I can see them!" He says stepping over the bodies of the imposters.

"They thought they could trick me by wearing my family's faces, but I knew." I look up at the officer standing in front of me, his gun pointed at me, "They look like my family, but I know they're not." I continue as he stares in confusion, trying to make sense of what I'm saying. I lean forward to bring myself to my feet, but before I can stand I'm struck with a searing pain shooting through my back, and a noise like a fast paced ticking behind me, the pain so fierce it's like I'm being burned alive. Electricity surges through my body as it brings me to my knees and my face collides with the table. Once again, I'm forced into darkness.

****

"Given the evidence provided, it is apparent to this court that Miss Kendal Smith suffers from a severe neurological disorder and should not be convicted for crimes that were committed as she pleads temporary insanity. Instead, she is to be admitted to the St. Andrew's Psychiatric Hospital in Little Fort, Nevada under the care of Dr. Edgar White where she will be treated for her condition and provided with therapy sessions by a leading psychiatrist. She is to remain at this facility until her evaluations prove her fit for society." The judge raises his gavel and slams it down on a wooden block, the bang overpowering the gasps of disbelief.

"You're going to be ok, Kendal." I look over at the nurse sitting next to me, she looks back at me smiling. I recognize that smile...Abigail? "We'll take care of you." She says as she stands up and wheels me out of the court room. The disbelief, fear, and tears on semi familiar and unrecognizable faces sitting on the benches as I wheel past them.