Chapter 4.12 – The lie becomes the truth

Teen (13+)

Wayne Jones – Toy Piano / Nox Arcana – Distant Memories (Legion of Shadows)

- 1991 -

Next morning at the hospital.. the elevator wasn't working, so Natalie had to use the stairs...




Sara: Good morning, Natalie! Nice to see you!

Sara: Now lets get to business, how is it going with you Natalie? Have you noticed any changes since you started on the medication?
Natalie sits down, the doctor looks at Natalie, still with her kind and empathetic eyes.




Natalie: I, uh...uhh... I don't know yet...




Sara: What I mean is if you have seen a reduction in your, well, hallucinations?

Sara was always little reluctant to use the word 'hallucination', as she didn't want to put any stigma on her patients, but sometimes you have to call things by their proper name..

Natalie: Well, uhmm.. I... uhh...




Natalie was clearly getting distressed.

Sara: Did something happen, Natalie?

Natalie: I.. uhh.. I took the medicine.. just like I was told and... and I went to.. and..




Natalie: ...and suddenly there was a man there..




Sara: Where was this man, Natalie?

Natalie: He sat in my... rocking chair.. and he said nothing.. just stared at me..




Natalie:Then I must have.. blacked out.. all of a sudden Isaac was home from school and...

Sara: Did something happen then Natalie?

Natalie: I got a... I got a phone call...




Sara: Who phoned you, Natalie?

Natalie: It was... uhh.. it was... Elisa phoned me... she said she was.. having a party..

Sara: Did you go, Natalie?

Natalie starts talking faster and with enthusiasm.




Natalie: Yes, of course! I love Elisa, she is my best friend! She loves me too!

Sara: Did anything happen at the party?

Natalie: Umm.. not really. Well, she was talking to someone.. but there was nobody there! And when I tried to talk to her, she ignored me!

Sara: How did that make you feel, Natalie?




Natalie: Confused.. and scared.. I could not understand why she would invite me up and then ignore me!




Natalie: So I got angry and told her that her party sucked, but she still says she loves me!

Sara: So there wasn't anyone else at the party?

Natalie: No.. it was just me, Elisa and Alfred.




Sara: Alfred? Who is Alfred?

Natalie gets up from her chair and walks over to Sara, being very enthustiastic about anything that has to do with Elisa and the cabin.

Natalie: Oh, Alfred... that's her butler! Yes, she has her own butler, how cool is that!?




Sara: I.. wow, that is really something.. what does she do for a living to afford a butler?

Sara couldn't help but to think this sounded like something from a movie scene... but of course, she kept that thought to herself...

Natalie: Ummm.. I don't know.... she is just a magician... maybe she sells potions somewhere? She knows how to make them, she has made a lot of them! I am sure they are expensive!

Natalie: She even made me a potion that made Billy become real!

Sara: Billy, that's your son, right?

Natalie got a little worked up by this question...




Natalie: No, no, Billy is not my son! He's just a kid that... lives with us! He was a plush toy, but she made him real!




Sara: Natalie.. listen to me... Billy is not a plush toy.. he has never been a plush toy.. Billy... is your son, Natalie...!

Sara knows about Billy from reading the file from Dr. Spagliori.




Natalie: Wha...? No, he is not my son!! The kid is not my son!!

Natalie was upset. How could she say that!? Wouldn't it be obvious that Billy wasn't her son!??




Sara: Natalie.. if he is not your son, then whose son is he? Did you adopt him?




Natalie: No, or well.. kind of.. he came in the mailbox as a plush toy..

Natalie: I didn't know he was a boy at first, so I just kept him in Isaac and Aaron's room..




Natalie: But as he got older, he started to move around, but he was still a plush toy... and then we got a letter in the mail from the Philosophical Centre about some gemstones needed to make a potion, but Elisa could also make that potion. She did, and that's when he came to life...

Sara became a little speechless and didn't know how to respond at first. Natalie was just as deluded as Dr. Spagliori had written.. After seeing this for herself, Sara became concerned for the kids well being and concluded that it was necessary to do an inspection of the home situation...




Sara: Natalie.. ok, here's the deal. Our time for today is now up I'm afraid, but I suggest until next time you continue to take your medication as prescribed.
It is very important to not skip any days, and I will see you again same time next week. I will also make an appointment to have one of our nurses stop by your home once every other day to check up on you and your family. Is that ok by you, Natalie?




Natalie: Ummm.. ummm, sure... I guess..




Sara: Splendid, Natalie! I'll see you again same time next week. Take care of yourself and your family, please, Natalie..

Out in the hallway Natalie already suffered some kind of panic attack as if she saw something..


Sara witnessed it through the glass door of her office, and rushed out to calm her down..


Sara: Natalie.. I am sorry you have to go through something like this... You will get a visit from one of our nurses tomorrow already, I'll make sure of it! And please continue to take your medication, I insist, things will get better if you do!


Sara: I'm going to have to let you go now, Natalie, but I will see you again same time next week.. in the meantime, take care, Natalie...


After the session was over, Natalie had to go to her shift at the restaurant. The kids were at home doing.. kind of alright. They have done their homework, except for Isaac which seems to be slacking a little. They also, of course, react to their filthy surroundings. I hope Natalie will have some sense to clean up a little before the nurse comes tomorrow to check up on her, and of course, that she remembers to take her medicine..


Well, this evening Natalie remembered what the doctor had said, and took her pill...

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Chapter 4.11 – Cabin Fever

Teen (13+)




This house is not my home..
 

Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110: V. Largo
(You probably know the drill by now. Another song that can't be embedded on blogspot.)




Natalie had done what the doctor said, and picked up the medicine from the pharmacy as well as investing in a new medicine cabinet. The medicine was a little expensive for Natalie, at 350 simoleons per bottle, but she was hoping it was worth it. That it would make the nun-demon and the feeling of dread and of being watched and followed go away. But she was hoping that Elisa wouldn't go away, so she was also a little afraid to try the medicine...




The next morning Natalies phone rang just as she had finished her pumpkin pie breakfast.




The caller wasn't Elisa this time either, it was Idun Skullerud-Morales, one of Natalies old long time friends. For some reason which probably makes sense to Natalie, she decided to answer the phone by turning on its speaker and putting it on the plate.

Idun had of course heard about the incident with the fire extinguisher and how Natalie was temporarily laid off from her job, and was concerned about her friends well being.




Natalie stood still in front of the medicine cabinet for a long while. She remembered the instructions from the pharmacist, one pill in the morning after breakfast, and another one in the evening before going to bed. But Natalie was afraid to take the step, she didn't want to lose Elisa that had become her best friend and almost like a mother figure to her.

But she also didn't want to die, so if the medicine could help with that.... she eventually summoned enough courage and decided to go for it.




"Ok, this is it.. this is the moment", she thought before taking the pill...




"Ok, now I have done it... now there is no turning back.. but I feel no different at all.. I should give it some time, maybe..."




Natalie: Yellow tank brigade.. attack!! Wrrr, wrrrr, wrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

I see you're no different at all.. yet, of course... I wonder if the medicine will cure the childishness too?




Natalie: .....

Uh, what's going on now?
....
Some hours later, Isaac comes home to find his mom passed out on the floor.




She woke up to the sound of a phone call..




Elisa: Hi, Natalie... how are you? Did you read my message earlier? Please come to my party, it starts within an hour!

Natalie: Oh... oh, Elisa... I'll... I'll be right up!

Natalie wasn't really expecting to hear from Elisa, because of the medication and what the doctor said...

Surely, someone that isn't real couldn't be hosting a party.. this should be interesting...




Isaac does his best to focus on his homework, while Natalie immediately heads out the door.




And so, back up into the woods we go again..




Natalie: Hi, Elisa.. I came as fast as I could!

Elisa: Hi, Natalie. Thank you for coming!




Natalie then goes up to talk to Elisa, but Elisa all of a sudden seems busy talking to someone else..




Natalie: Don't turn your back on me, Elisa! I'm talking to you!




Natalie: What is happening? Why doesn't she notice me all of a sudden?




Natalie: Aahh!! It must be the medication, it is already working!

But then Elisa finally turns to talk to Natalie..




Elisa: I think there's to many people here..




Natalie (thinking to herself):To many people? I understand nothing of this.. first she invites me to a party.. then she talks to someone invisible, and now there's to many people here..?




Natalie: This is a ridiculous party, Elisa! Where are the guests? There is nobody here but you and me, and all you did was go inside and make food for yourself!




Elisa: How dare you, Natalie!? After everything I have done for you, and how I have sworn to protect you!




Natalie: Oh, I am sorry Elisa, I got a little carried away.. did you really mean what you said the other day? When you called me and said you loved me?




Elisa: Oh, yes, of course I meant that Natalie. That's why I invited you over...




Natalie: And you will still protect me from dying?

Elisa: Of course I will, as far as my powers go.. come on in..

Once inside..




Natalie: Oh, I remember all the times I used to spend in this rocking chair..




Amazing, Elisa even has her own TV-set.. didn't know this cabin had electricity.. but shouldn't you be home by now to take your evening medicine, Natalie?




Natalie: Nah, I don't want to go home... I want to sit in this rocking chair. It feels safe to me.

And home isn't safe..?




Natalie: No, home isn't safe. I don't want to go home. I want to stay here.

But your kids are home, Natalie..?

Natalie..?




You're not going home.. and now you're skipping both your evening and your morning medicine.. Natalie, this is probably not going to make anything any better... why are you so drawn to this cabin?




Natalie: Morning, Elisa.




Natalie: *sob* *sob* ... I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry...

Elisa: Its alright, Natalie.. you are safe here..




Natalie: I really like staying with you, Elisa.. this cabin feels like home to me!




Natalie: Oh.. shoot, I have to go to work!

Oh.. well, atleast she remembers her job... but yes, it is true, she has to go back to work. Ramona didn't give her time off forever.. luckily. And of course, now that she is on medication.. or so everyone thinks.. things should be getting better...
Well, hopefully going back to work will be good for you Natalie.. maybe that will help you keep some structure to your life...

Elisa follows her on the way out.




Elisa: Bye for now, Natalie.. come back soon!




And the trees reveal that it is no longer summer, and autumn is already here. This also means that tomorrow is your next appointment with Dr. Lovensteen.. what are you going to tell her now, Natalie? That you didn't take your medicine and went to the cabin again? Or what?




And surely, with a mom like Natalie, the kids would probably have to grow very independent.. she hadn't been home for some days now.. again...




After finishing her shift, Natalie didn't immediately go home, but went to dance for a while in the restaurants backyard, before she had a nervous reaction to something.




And when she came home, she was being grumpy again, taking it out on Isaac.

After which she went to bed without taking her medicine..

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