The Game We Play

Chapter Three

The two walked out together and Conner led her to his car. Ash reached for the passenger's side handle but he got to it before her and opened the door.

"Ah- my knight in shining armor." Ash joked as she sat down.

"Anytime m'lady." Conner replied before closing the door and walking to the driver's side.

He started up the car and turned on the radio to some modern pop song. It wasn't a song Ash knew but she found herself getting lost in the beat as Conner drove.

"We're almost there, you ready Ash?" he asked her.

"Ready as I'll ever be." she said smiling.

They pulled up to a small clinic and stepped out of the car. Conner grabbed her hand and walked her up to the door, unsurprisingly opening it for her. The walls were baby blue and very few people were seated in the waiting area. Conner stepped up to the counter and told the receptionist Ash's name. She gave Ash a paper to sign and then took the pair through a hallway into a small room with a few seats, an exam bed, and some devices. The woman left with a quick mention that the doctor would be in soon.

"This seems like an actual doctors visit... doesn't it?" Ash commented nervously. She hadn't been very fond of doctors or hospitals ever since Nigil had fallen into a coma. 

"Don't worry Ash, it's just a formality. No one believes in the game so opening a clinic as a forefront is more acceptable than advertising that you're spirit testing." Conner responded.

A man walked into the room with a clipboard tucked under his arm. "Hello Ashley, what is it that you're here for today?"

"I um... I...?" Ash turned to Conner, forgetting exactly what it was.

"She's here for a spirit test." he answered for her.

"Yeah- that." she said turning back to the man.

"Alright, I'm Dr. Richard Anderson and I'll be your administrator today. This can be a pretty uncomfortable process if this is your first time, so you if you feel the need, tell me to stop whenever you'd like." he explained as he sat down in a chair in front of the table. "If you would, please sit there."

Ash pulled herself up onto the table, resting the urge to kick her legs the way she did when she was younger. She watched as Conner walked over to a chair by the wall and sat down.

Dr. Anderson took a strange helmet and walked over to her. "This is probably the hardest part. This device is going to stimulate your memories and reactions to them. The goal is to work you into a state where your spirit feels the need to manifest which won't hurt a bit, don't worry. Again, if it's too much, tell me."

He placed the helmet on her, obscuring her eyes. "3... 2... 1" he mumbled as the device activated. 

Ash watched herself opening the front door when she turned six to see the mailman, not her father. She saw her mother's body lying still on the ground. She saw the man in his rusty red car swerve into her brother and felt herself falling back onto the concrete. She saw Nigil lying still in his hospital bed and he... opened his eyes?

She heard a gasp from Conner as Dr. Anderson removed the headset. In front of her was a small glowing phoenix perched in the doctor's hand.

~~~~~~

We're finally getting into the fantasy element! A phoenix huh? Where has she seen that before.... Well, stay safe readers! <3