Outlast the Night

Little Baby Blue Bird

After talking with Waylon, Star felt a little bit better being around the other doctors and staff. She worked with Denis more and soon began to unlock more of his sacred past. Denis was improving with his social skills talking with the other patients and his personalities are opening up to her. Thankfully, they had a slow progression in speaking to her. They screamed, cried, and even spoke a few choice words to her but she never called the security guards to take them away. She believe he would not be violent with against her, she can handle the yelling but as long as he never raised hand to her, she would not do the same.

 In her research on other people with DID, her office/room phone ranged. It scared her to hear it go off believing it was prop or something. She picked phone up pushing the core to the side. 

"Dr. Swan speaking." 

 "Hey buddy!" Trager dragging his words. He almost sounded drunk. 

"Hi Dr. Trager. Is there something you need?" She flipped through her papers taking a look over Denis's notes with his other personalities: the brothers are not as argumentative in public and the father and grandfather speak more calmly and not as harsh on Denis and the other personalities. They all seem to be improving in their own way. 

"I heard through the grape vine that you will be getting a new patient: one Chris Walker." 

"That sounds exciting. Do you have any information on his mental or medical records that I can look at?" She balanced the phone on her right side as she organized her paper work. 

"Nothing yet but I would be very careful when you speak to him." His voice sending a wave of uneasiness through her stomach. 

"Could could you elaborate on that?" She picked the skin under fingernails biting down on her nail. Trager's laughed a little as if she told a joke. 

"Maybe I shouldn't" A humming noise bounced in her right ear "but I could for a favor. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours type deal?" 

"For information on my patient?" Star couldn't tell if she wanted to rip him a new one or just hang up. 

"I mean I can tell my good buddy Jer that you are wanting access to a patient that is not yours." 

Star accidentally banged her hand on the desk feeling her skin crawl. She twisted in her chair rolling back and forth. The frustration in her head was bubbling up in her mouth. 

"I think I'll pass. It will be better to have a fresh and open mind when meeting him." She slammed the phone down and pushed her fingers through her hair. All she wanted to do was sleep and wait for the next day to come around when again she had another call. This one from outside her door. 

She had set her glasses down on the table and pulled the covers back to rest on the twin mattress. 

"Oh doctor Swan. Are you in there?"  It was Jeremy Blaire sounding drunk as a skunk. She kept her light off pulling the blanket over her body and up to her chin. She also held in her breath waiting for him to go away. 

"Doctor Swan are you awake in there?" He tired to pull the door handle open but thankfully she locked it once she came inside. The door handle rocked up and down moving faster and faster with every angry buster. 

"OPEN THE DOOR NOW BITCH!" Jeremy screamed through the three inch thick door banging loudly enough to alert couple of guards. She watched from the bed as the shadows danced around to remove the drunk from her room. She shut her eyes squeezed tightly shaking in her skin. The voices were yelling at each other back and forth until they all left the door. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath in until she could calm down. She rolled over to the other side willing herself to sleep.

The next morning her head felt heavy and face wet. She must have been crying in her sleep after her encounter with Jer and Trager. She dressed herself modestly in all black with flats. Her hair  twisted in a ponytail ready for her new patient.  She read as much as she could about him understanding that he was a war veteran in Afghanistan and had a psychotic break killing three patients. He is high risk patient and she might not be able to speak to him if he has a break or flash back before they talked. In the file, it list his last doctor: Dr. Claymore and his information. Star quickly threw away her breakfast and found the nearest phone. She dialed his office number and listening to the ringing of her fate. 

The sun stayed hidden behind the clouds creating a cool afternoon. She had changed into a blue sweater and white pants sitting on a bench waiting for Mr. Walker. It took close to an hour for permission but she wanted to talk to Chris outside and not in a concert room. Of course she would have to have restraints on him but hopefully he won't need them in a later time. She could hear the door swing open and rough stomping with medal chains dragging down the steps. She turned around to see the hulking 6 foot 9 inch bald giant coming to her. 

She stood up wiping the sweat from her hands.

"Thank you gentlemen. We can begin our session now." They set him down on the bench she previously used and moved to the side. Star kept standing moving to be in front of him. 

"Hello Chris. My name is Dr. Star Swan. I'm hoping you and I can get to know each other today." She saw the chains around his hands and neck. A plastic clear mask over his lips. His face has scares old and new covering what could be brown or blue eyes. She couldn't tell because he refused to look at her. 

"I figured sense it's a warm day we would be outside watching the clouds together." She looked up to see the same grey color look down at her. 

"I hate the outdoors. Exposed to unknown threats. Enemies can be everywhere" He grunted and huffed at the restraints. He glared down at the group of guards watching them. Some shifted at his stare and others shot their own look at him.   

"I guess but we are surrounded by stones walls, barbwire and electrical fences I think we are safe as we can be right now." She sat down giving space for Walker. The guards move closer unsure of what the female doctor as in store.  

"Chris what's your favorite color?" Now they were lost. Even the solider had a moment of confusion. 

"I don't know?" 

"What about you favorite animal? I like pit-bulls, there big lovable and so badly misunderstood in our society." That was her plan. She wanted to know Chris as a person; not a solider or patient but as a human being. She wanted him know that their is one person in this prison wanting him to be the person before his wars. She was careful to place a hand over his arm. A little touch to show him that she is true to her word. 

Chris had to look away from her feeling something weird in his body. His face flushed a bright shade of red and his body froze against her cool small hand. His own hands relaxed a little to his knees as he looked up into the trees. He could see a small nest with a Blue-jay picking around the exposed twigs and leaves. It must have been a male because the other bird in the nest moved to reveal a set of blue eggs. The two birds chirped and danced happily around each other before settling down tucking the other one in resting on top of each other. The sun had finally shined through the clouds creating a halo effect on the happy family. 

He looked back down and saw Star kept her hand on him. She didn't want to hurt him, she wanted to help him. He saw that now. 

"I like the color blue. And Blue-jay birds too." He cleared his throat feeling the collar against his neck. He could feel her bounce up and down on his arm and saw a smile on her face. 

"Those are wonderful Chris. I like the color red myself." She formed a real smile at him shifting around in her spot to face him better. 

No more bad men to talk to only a beautiful and kind woman who wants to actually help him get better. 

No more pigs that hurt and torture him; only a blue bird to keep him happy and safe. In return, he will do the same for her.