The Dreamworld of Sylvia Stone

Serendipity

He could almost listen to the deceased souls calling out to him as he dragged his feet past the cemetery. On the other side of the street, kids pranced around looking at the toys and toffees that the stores had on display. It was Christmas time! He chuckled as he realised the metaphorical meaning. 'Robert Reeves, a superstar psychiatrist not long ago, is now trapped staring at death, while life moves on elsewhere. Huh, how did you fall so much Bob?' Robert thought as he pondered about Emily's worsening condition. They had just been to the hospital and the cancer was stronger than ever. As the treatment continued his finances degraded, and so did his ambition.

As he climbed up the stairs towards his clinic, he remembered the patient he was about to meet. 'Sylvia! Poor girl! What trouble have you gotten yourself into?' he thought as he recalled the facts he had uncovered while investigating Sylvia's story. He finally reached the fourth floor of the old dilapidated residence that was now almost deserted. Through the flickering lights in the hallway he saw Sylvia, sitting on the chair outside his office, dressed in an immaculate white frock, a white ribbon holding her black hair in place, and a pair of white shoes polished beyond perfection. She caressed her cat as she fed on the chocolate milk poured out for her. As he shuffled ahead, Sylvia looked towards him and mustered a warm smile that, for a brief moment, got him to forget his miseries. They entered his clinic and Sylvia shut the door behind her.

'How are you holding up, Sylvia? How has the past week been?' Robert tried to be as welcoming as he could. He liked the well-mannered kid, very much unlike the crop of teenagers he had been through.

'I'm doing fine Dr. Reeves. Thank you. How have you been?' replied Sylvia

'A broken life, an ailing wife, a horrible reputation and a mountain of debts. How could I be?' he thought. 'I'm fine as well!' he said.

'The last week hasn't been the best, to say the least. For starters, my step-father is no more!' said Sylvia maintaining an empty face devoid of any emotion.

'Oh poor you! I am sorry for your loss!' said Robert

'It's alright. I never quite liked him. In fact, I hated him vehemently. I am aware that there is good and evil in every human being, but this man was pure evil.' Sylvia said, faintly uneasy.

'Umm... alright. Do you want to talk about why you felt that way?' Robert said as he took out his notepad.

'That man had an affair with my mother when she was happily married to my father. He entranced her, convinced her that my father loved her no more and broke their decade long marriage. When he was married to my mother, in mere months, he showed his true colours. He started hitting my mother every evening and forced her to pleasure him every night! I have forgotten the day when I saw my mother's face without any bruises. He got her pregnant a year back and then used the unborn kid as leverage to prevent her from leaving. Not because he loved her, but because he loved the pleasure he could force her to give. For years, I have been longing about a life sans my step-father. And the day finally arrived. But...' Sylvia stopped abruptly.

'But what? You are in a safe place Sylvia, go on.'

'But it hurts my soul when I realise I was the one who caused his death. I killed him!' Sylvia said. Her eyes widened with the horror of her realization. A single tear flowed down her flushed cheeks.

'What!? What do you mean you killed him!?' Robert was shaken at the revelation

'That evening, he came back home drunk like a pig! As you said, I had been trying to keep my days mundane. I knew he was going to start a tussle, so I locked myself in my room. After a while, I suddenly heard a wail! My mother's wail! I ran out immediately to find her on the floor, bleeding from her forehead and a broken glass bowl by her side. He had the gall to hit her unconscious! I was enraged! I picked up the glass vase from the coffee table and flung it at him!'