Of Demons And Men Ch. 02-03

She wasn't spoken to immediately, and an uncomfortable air creeped in slowly where she felt out of place. Everyone besides her seemed to know what both themselves and what she was doing here. No one was telling her anything though. No they ignored her actually. She contemplated the merits of asking for a moment but dropped the notion just as quickly. The last thing she wanted to seem like was a whiny little child with no understanding of the concept of patience. She opted to entertain herself with the sight of this room instead.

Few items populated it. Apart from the hard wood table and velvet cushioned chairs, there was a miniature table that lay host to a telephone by the far end of the room. The french doors there opened up to an outside garden populated by trimmed bushes and hedges but her view was limited. Curtains were in place on either side but were never closed, much like the rest of this house. What was the point of mounting them then?

She looked ahead and for the second time was taken aback by dark eyes staring back her way.

"That's weird," she admonished.

"What is it this time, Theopatra?" she was asked in a crisp tone, completely ignoring her comment. "What excuse have you got for me?"

"What?" She was genuinely confused already. Who was she? And could they start anywhere with more common ground?

Cathy took off her glasses and regarded her sternly. "I think we're above playing dumb at this point girl. No one would believe whatever report I'd write up at this point anyways so let's just be honest with each other."

'Just what the fuck had this lady been told?'

"Cathy, if this..."

"Mrs. Walters or just Walters," Cathy corrected, "quite frankly I have not the slightest clue what makes your mother think we're on a first name basis in the first place but I won't tolerate it from you too."

Theo nodded in understanding, doing her best to keep her sober face on. "Walters then. If this is about the ecstasy or any other narcotic for that matter, I had absolutely no involvement in..."

"No kidding you had nothing to do with the drugs." She just couldn't finish a sentence with this woman "How I'd jump for joy if you did though. At least for a change I'd walk out holding a notebook that didn't look like its contents plagiarized the latest occult article in a parapsychology magazine." She sat back in her chair and let out a rasp sigh of her own. "But that's not going to happen today is it?"

Theo sat stunned, wondering if any correct words existed that she could use at this point to appease this woman. "I... I'm sorry but just remind me; What's... What was the question again?"

Cathy leaned forward and reached for the water jug and a glass. "Police are going to chalk this up to adolescents arriving intoxicated at a party with pills to reload on later, and a group "lovemaking" session kicked off as a result." She tilted the jug over and filled the glass with its contents, "And true enough, a number of you were found with the narcotic but let's be honest, what person your age isn't without it at least once a month. There's even more reason to bring it along to a party actually. Who in their right mind finishes one sober in this day and age?"

"Sounds believable to me," Theo replied shrugging her shoulders. "From the looks of things, they could nerf it down to beer and it would still be just as believable," she finished. She was speaking from experience more than anything else. Everything looks sexier after knocking back a few.

"Exactly," Cathy agreed. "Yet you never seem to feel content to go with those excuses, even if it makes your life that - much - easier." she said tapping a nail on the surface for each last word. "But no. No, instead you insist that these..." she tore off the current page off of her note pad and slid it across the table, "... are recognised as your official comments on the matters."

Theo picked it up and quickly skimmed through the terrible, haphazard handwriting. After a few lines her eyes opened in wonder and her hands placed the paper flat on the table and she started reading it afresh. She silently mouthed the words then quickly looked up at Cathy.

"Walters, did I... Was this really..?" she looked at her open mouthed, intending for her to finish the sentence.

Cathy sat opposite her with a bland expression. "Child, do you mock me?"

"But it says here that I..."

"I know what it says Theo." Cathy leaned back in her chair and massaged her eyes with her forefinger and thumb. "I'll be honest with you. You make me look like Charlie Chaplin of the psychological community. A mask I'm still trying to rid myself of today."

Well there's a term she'd never heard before. "And what's a Charlie Chaplin?"

Cathy smiled half out of spite, half genuinely at her lack of general knowledge with her hand now shading her eyes. "A fool, imbecile, simpleton. A clown. Take your pick, as many as you like."

"Why? I don't mean the definition but rather why-..."

"Because I'm still here talking to you," she let out exasperated, expressing herself through her hands. "Because despite all that's hit the fan Theo, I'm still sitting here trying to figure you out. I still bother taking notes," she said absentmindedly flipping the pad over as if it meant nothing to her anymore, "and burning the midnight lamp in libraries trying to find something that relates with them."

There was a silence that followed. Unlike the last it wasn't uncomfortable as such and didn't really need any filling. She leaned her elbows on the wood and observed Cathy in reserved curiosity. Despite her strict nature and apparent vexation with how difficult she'd made for her it up till now, she actually seemed to care and didn't hold any resent towards her.

Cathy shot Theo a long look from the back of her chair. "I don't expect you to appreciate my efforts. The money your father pays me suffices in that regard really. Still there are times where I get so terribly tempted to write this entire case off as another social anxiety manifestation or even degenerative schizophrenia. Lord knows that's what the review board expects." That last part came out under her breath, more to herself. Her right hand twirled a pen in mid-air and her left rested underneath her right elbow.

She observed Cathy's gaze fall on the reflective wood where her glasses lay next to the discarded notepad. She was contemplating just that at this very moment. There was no question it'd gotten that far and she'd jumped into the game holding the shorter end of the stick.

This mishap was probably the last nail on the coffin and this lady couldn't afford to put off her decision much longer with whoever her higher ups were.

"Then why don't you?" Theo asked concerned. "Why stall?"

She didn't look up as she answered, keeping her gaze fixed where it was. "Ever seen what a chemically castrated or lobotomised person is like Theopatra? They're all but shells of their former selves, simply going through the motions. And with every day that passes, they wake up short of a piece of themselves. A piece that made them uniquely who they are." her eyes looked up, but it was like she was looking through her rather than directly at. "Imagine the fear; to know you're losing your individuality and you're helpless to do anything but sit by and watch it vanish. It's a sorrowful day after day cycle that only ends when there's nothing left.

'There are worse things.' she thought but could still appreciate where she was coming from. Before you die, Hell is still subjective and this must have been her take.

"Look at me," Cathy chided herself sitting up and getting her things in order, "busy answering your questions like you're the shrink." She started flipping pages again, trying to regain her business demeanour. "This is the most interactive you've ever been by a long shot so that's definitely a plus. Not to mention the lack of spite-..."

"I wouldn't blame you just so you know." It was Theo's turn to cut in.

Cathy stopped just shy of putting on her glasses. "What?"

"I wouldn't blame you," she repeated, a soft smile lingering on her lips, "You're clearly in a tight corner thanks to your superiors - and me if we're not being hypocritical. From the little you've told me, I definitely sound like a conceited and rather selfish character so I've probably had it a long time coming anyways." she finished with a shrug of her shoulders.

The suspicion on Cathy was as clear as broad day light. "Miss Summers, what in god's name has gotten into you?"

"I'm not sure I'm in the position to answer that honestly."

"We're talking about the permanent condition of your mental state for life. This here is not a good time to bluff."

"I know," the demon merely replied.

The psychiatrist nodded her head up and down slowly, an edge of her glasses dancing along the edge of her creased bottom lip. "Correct me if I'm wrong but the way you conveyed that, it insinuates that you don't quite see those characteristics of yourself, as obvious as they may have been to everyone else around you."

Theo sucked in her bottom lip and looked upwards in concentration. "It's not so much that I'm oblivious to my behaviour but rather I'm having difficulty calling it to mind."

Cathy put down her glasses with a clatter. "I won't lie, you're losing me completely dear."

"That's okay, lately I've been having a difficult time making sense of myself as well," she said pushing back the chair and standing up.

Morris instantly pushed off the wall to get her back on her seat but a hand held up by Cathy stopped him. She motioned at the girl to continue, showing interest at what she had to say.

"I don't really know how... how to put it in a way you'll understand," she began, leaning her rear on the short edge of the table adjacent to Cathy. She looked up, long and hard with a thoughtful expression plastered on her face before finally speaking, "This will probably be a doozy to relate to but ever had moments where you look in the mirror to see a completely different person? They look like you, sound like you but they just aren't."

Cathy wasn't taking notes. She just had her hands clasped together, fingers intertwined in front of her, listening attentively. "And what invokes that feeling?"

"Well..." She looked down at her friend's sandals and nervously rubbed a tip against the wooden tiles, bringing out light squeaks in the process. "These things you say I did, the words I spoke. I don't really have a clear recollection of any of them. It's like I wake up one day to find out I have a whole new history that I don't quite remember." She turned her head to directly regard the aging woman. "Even now, I just don't see it in me to actively have any desire to lay carnage to someone's home or torch their belongings. Not out of fear of the law or anything, just sheer..."

"Humanity?" Cathy finished when Theo seemed to be out of words.

Theo simply nodded looking back down and fidgeting with her feet again. "But the damage's already run its course so whatever I have to say now's inconsequential. That's partially why Morris is here isn't it? To protect you from me." She cast him a glance where he stood. He never said a word but he did lock her gaze though.

A weak smile crossed Cathy's lips as she brushed a hand through her fading hair and casting the cop a glance of her own, "Ridiculous isn't it? Nobody here truly believes you have superpowers of your own that you could hurt anyone with yet they bother with these extremities," her hand motioned in his general direction.

"I guess the factual problem here is people did get hurt and you did claim responsibility," she resumed sombrely. "It's sufficient reason to consider you a danger to the general public. Even if the apparent cause for shattering a public aquarium glass wall was - and I quote you on this - 'excessive bad luck.'"

Cathy put on her glasses again and picked up her pen. "But you're wrong. This does change things, I'll tell you that much. This changes a lot."

"How so?"

"For starters, as of immediately..." the last word dragged on as she was distracted by what she was jotting down, "You're completely off the medication I previously prescribed to you. All along it very well may have been doing more damage than good."

Theo circled the table to stand beside her. Her hand leaned on the table, curious to try and get a better look at what she was writing. All she saw however was scribbling of what could be called hieroglyphics all across the paper and every word she read needed to be decoded to make sense.

Theo squinted her eyes trying to ensure she read correctly. "Walters... I don't understand."

Cathy didn't look up as she spoke. "I thought something was off with you today, even before you stepped into this room." She dropped the pen and one smooth motion tore off the two sheets she wrote on, folding them neatly. "Your reserved nature, the polite temperament, the lack of pride and narcissism, it all should have spoken for itself but I dismissed it as a regressive response you'd have credit to all the negative past memories associated with this day.

"Then we step in here and have an actual conversation. That's never happened before. Not once. You never really say anything and always search for the quickest way to end a session. Be it through rude disposition or complete silence."

Theo couldn't help but internally lay out a string of colourful curses directed at the old her, wherever she was. What she'd done, many times over already, was the situational equivalent to using a toilet and leaving it thoroughly soiled, only for the next person to run clean-up on both their behalves. It wasn't appreciated.

"But this entire time I've been talking to a completely different individual it would seem." The psychologist continued, rising to her feet and packing her handbag.

Theo couldn't do much to disguise the shock in her eyes. Had she seen through her already? She was aware she was daring in being so explanative, even as the words came out of her mouth, but she the last thing she expected was for Cathy to take her so literally.

With all her belongings packed, they stood nearly eye level to each other whereas the lady was slightly taller due to the heels she wore. "Dear, I hold no certainty that you're not duping me over, but if what you just told me is indeed the honest truth, then you're in more dire need of help than I thought."

"Like what? I'm... possessed or something?" she ventured, desperate to know, or at least get an idea of what this woman had perceived of her before she left.

Cathy shook her head with a light chuckle. "I never would have pegged you for the religious or superstitious kind," she stepped around the girl, heading for the door. "Did you know, a hundred years ago, they either would have called in an exorcist or a priest on you and drowned you in holy water and incantations? If all else failed they would have beaten the so called 'demon' right out of you and for the most part they were on point. People just tend to be nuisances at will and pain's an effective tool in bringing one's sanity back to order.

"Albeit if the individual was sincerely ill then they'd inadvertently beat the poor thing to death. Luckily for you it's the twenty first century and I'm an atheist." she finished, Morris twisting the doorknob for her.

"Wait! So what's going to happen to me?"

Cathy looked back smiling a bemused smile. "I have to say. It's a pity, and it's not politically correct for someone in my position to say this but I do prefer this instance of you over the last. Unfortunately the fact that it exists independently is part of the problem and I'm not sure I'm qualified enough to help you. Since this wasn't a scheduled sitting, I won't record anything more than required for the statement. Now if you'll kindly excuse me I'll have to find your parents. Probably having a cow wherever they are."

Morris followed her, giving her a curt nod, tipping his cap on the way out. The door was left open and she noted a significant lack of the angry mob she'd left there on her way in. She exhaled in relief and backpedalled, eyes closed, to the dining table which she sat on it fully when she felt block her way. It swayed mildly, showing its age but she couldn't be less bothered to get down.

'Guess they are adults.' she thought running a hand through her new hair.

She was still to get a clue on how what she said changed anything or what was going to happen to her for that matter. All she intended for was to give off the subtle impression that just maybe there was a slight variance change that took place so she wasn't constantly subjected to her former self's expectations.

'The irony.'

But then it backfired completely and now the psychiatrist believes she's beyond medicine and her own intervention. Her parents were going to think she was even more of a nut case provided they were already past denial and this was all before she was considered an arsonist, vandal and general neighbourhood terrorist.

'It never rains but it pours...'

From what she gathered though, one thing was clarified. The original host definitely had access to her abilities and knew how to use them. However the system humans utilised in this age was limited to science and basic logic so supernatural events were unaccounted for. It left a huge loophole that could be taken advantage of by anyone enlightened with the means.

A small shadow cast over the light coming from the foyer area cut through her thoughts, notifying her of an intruder. Looking up she saw a head sticking out from the other side of the door, hands gripping the edge as if to check if it was empty first.

She instinctively frowned and leaned her elbows on her knees, her hair rolling down to cover her face.

"Is it safe?" She heard her ask.

"For me or you?" she shot back.

The shadow then covered more of the light and started getting closer. "So... she told you did she?"

Theo jerked her head up, flinging her locks over her shoulder. "You mean about the little accident at the gas station on the road trip? Or maybe you mean unleashing one and a half million litres of water on school kids having a tour? There's also the elevator shaft incident by the Span construction site. This could go on a while longer so do tell me when to stop."

Leslie raised a hand to her forehead, already weary with what was about to come. "Great. Another demon with a bleeding heart," she said just loud enough for the Theo to hear.

The demon cast her an incredulous look, "Well. I'm sorry. You'll have to forgive me... if I give a shit... when people die!" Her knuckles were going white from the death grip she had on the edge of the table. "Fuck Leslie. What in any deity's name would you need all that blood for anyways?"

"Gosh Theo you're blowing things out of proportion. No one died okay?" she crossed her fingers in front of her in an attempt to signify honesty. "Sure some got hurt, some more than others but it was all an accident, not some blood fundraiser." She started pacing up and down as she spoke, "You... I mean she didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."

"Bull. Once is an accident. Twice even," she signalled with her fingers, "but her... She was on a freaking roll."

"It wasn't. Her fault," she persisted, her voice escalating a little in anger. "You should know better than anyone else that trouble comes whether or not you're looking for it and she just happened to be in an unfortunate position that accommodated for a lot of it."

Theo had a stern expression on as her next words came out. "See that's the thing. I'm not necessarily blaming her for much."

Feet stopped in their tracks and turned with a squeak to face the girl still sitting on the table. "Of course not." she sarcastically laughed, "Can't believe I missed that." Leslie looked up to display hurt and disappointment written on her features. "Naturally you'd think I'm the center of it all wouldn't you? Doesn't everybody these days."