Writer's note: I have been wanting to write a story about both Lisa and Murphy for a long time and decided why not make a story about them together? Suggestions, reviews, feedback welcome. I hope you enjoy!
(Boston, Massachusetts, Group Therapy Hall, 2013)
A group of eight, including a therapist, sit in a circle of chairs facing one another. Everyone is very quiet and nervous, unsure of how the first session is going to kick off. The therapist is dressed casually, which most of them were not expecting, and he is not carrying anything with him. Not a book, nor clipboard, just sitting among them like he is any one of them.
He finally breaks the tension, "Okay, I first would like to say, Thank you to each of you for showing up today. It already shows great promise for the group that you were all willing to take the first step out of isolation to be here. My name is Dr. Rickmon. I will be leading you through these therapy sessions over the next few months but more importantly I am hoping that we can all work together on finding solutions to your feelings of isolation. Welcome." He claps and each member soon joins in. After a moment the clapping dies down. "Okay, so first things first. I we are going to go around the room and continue to introduce ourselves." He presents a hand to the gentleman sitting next to him.
The man sits anxiously upright in his chair. He has medium length, brown hair, and brown eyes. His stature is tall and of average build. His already white skin seems pail and his eyes tired. He wears a dark blue hoodie and faded skinny jeans.
"Hello, my name is Murphy Pendleton. I am an auto mechanic. I am recently divorced and a shidu."
Some of the other members react saddened by his introduction.
"Thank you very much for sharing that with us Mr. Pendelton. I'm sure it wasn't easy," responds Rickmon. "Okay, next." He gestures to the person sitting beside Murphy.
The room around Murphy goes silent when he notices a woman, about his age, sitting across from him. He finds her breathtaking. Her hair is long and auburn blond, flowing against her shoulders. She has dark green eyes and light pink skin. She is wearing a white evening dress with a red cardigan. She sits with her legs properly to one side that make her legs look even longer than they already are, all the way down to her matching red heals.
She notices Murphy staring at her and gives him a quick smile. He snaps back into the group as Rickmon asks her to introduce herself.
"Oh it's my turn?" Her voice is sweet yet nervous. "Hello everyone. My name is Lisa Garland. I was a nurse for many, many years before perusing my true passion, which is acting. I have never been married, never had any children but I do have the American dream so I look forward to that someday." She lets out a soft giggle. "To be honest one of the reasons I am here is because I use to be addicted to hallucinogenic drugs and I am still having some trouble deciphering what is reality and what isn't despite being sober for almost ten years now. I find that surrounding myself by other people helps me to keep things in check."
"Thank you Lisa. It's wonderful that you can admit that not only to us but to yourself. Welcome to the group," says Rickmon.
"Thank you," she replies then immediately turns back to Murphy, who looks away from her but is unable to hide the blush that has spread over his face. She smiles at how cute he looks to her.
The group finishes introducing themselves and Rickmon calls an intermission. "There are snacks and coffee over on the table. Feel free to enjoy them. I hope that you will all take this time to talk among each other, after all that is the goal of this group. Don't feel pressured about getting to know everyone right away but if you can at-least make small talk with one other person, that would be a great start."
Both Lisa and Murphy immediately make their way over to the coffee pot. Murphy pores himself a cup then Lisa's as she walks up beside him holding out her mug.
"Do you want any cream or sugar?" Murphy asks her.
"No, black is fine. I don't drink coffee for the taste anyway," she laughs softly.
"Same here. Just something to keep me going," he responds.
Lisa taps on her glass wondering if she should ask him the question she eagerly wants an answer to. "So... I... uh thought is was really brave what you did. Admitting the loss of a child. I mean, when I was working as a nurse I experienced the deaths of children on occasion but I can't imagine how it must be when that child is your own. I'm sorry for your lose."
"Thank you. If you can believe it, losing my child was something I came to terms with about two years ago. Not that I have moved past it or don't feel awful at times about it but it's not the reason I'm here. The reason I am doing this therapy group is more about the rejection I received from my former wife."
"Oh, sorry if this is too personal but did she leave you because of what happened to your son?"
"Yeah, she... blamed me... for what happened to him, which lead me into a spiral of depression. It got so bad I actually ended up spending some time in prison which I am sure you can imagine only made things a lot worse. But I got out and made peace that it wasn't my fault what happened to my son and now I am just hoping to move on to the next step."
"That is very brave of you. I admire that."
"Well don't sell yourself short. Admitting to once having a drug problem is pretty brave on its own. May I ask if you are still struggling with wanting to use?"
"No, no it's not like that. I never want to pick up anything like that again. Like I said before it is more just the after effects of using. The fall without the high. It makes me question my sanity sometimes. I wonder if maybe somehow I am still using and just don't remember doing it. If that is the case I guess I am more messed up than I already think I am."
"If you want I can be like your mentor. Watch your progress and let you know if I see you doing anything questionable."
She nods in agreement with a big smile spread across her face. "I would like that. Thank you."
(The Next Week)
Lisa and Murphy decide to take sets next to one another at the meeting. It's the first time in a long time that either of them has felt a kind of closeness with another human being. They smile at one another until Rickmon starts the session.
"Okay folks. Today I think we should begin by talking about our progress through the week and then I will have a new topic to discuss for the upcoming week. So as before we will just take turns going around the room." He holds his hand out to the person sitting next to him.
As the others tell their stories on what they have done through the week, Lisa taps her fingers nervously against her leg. Murphy notices her discomfort and decides to try to calm her down.
"Lisa, are you feeling okay?" He whispers.
"Yeah it's just... I had another episode and I am nervous to share any details," she replies.
"Don't worry. I wont judge you. Just share at your own pace." He gives her a quick pat on the hand to keep her from shaking.
She just gives him a quick smile then they go back to listening to the others. It becomes Murphy's turn.
He clears his throat, "So I am not sure if this counts as progress but I have managed to get out of my house more to take walks through the city. I use to love going for walks when I lived up in Brahms, Maine but umm..." He pauses for a long moment thinking to himself while looking down at the floor. He closes his eyes then shakes his head to clear it. He looks back up at the group, "...after I got incarcerated for a few years I kind of got use to staying inside." He falls silent not sure what words to follow up with.
Rickmon steps in, "Thank you, Murphy. That was very brave of you to share with us. Would you like to continue or should we move on?"
"Yeah, umm I guess I'm done for now."
Murphy looks to Lisa who gives him a smile. He is happy to find that she at least has not become frightened by him.
Rickmon turns the group attention to Lisa, "So Lisa, any new hobbies you would like to share with us or perhaps you have any questions on your progress?"
Lisa speaks nervously, " Well... I... uh don't really feel like I have been making much progress lately. Over the last few years I have been working on a flower garden because, going off what Murphy shared, I too was kept in a small space against my will for... a long period of time." She looks around at the group and shakes her hands out in front of her. "Not that I ever did anything illegal mind you. I... don't really want to get into the details but... ever since I have been trying to surround myself with living, beautiful, flowers because for a long time all I could see was rust... and blood."
Members of the group gasp and tell her they are sorry.
"So you don't feel like working on this garden of yours has helped you open up at all?" Rickmon asks.
"It's not that, it's just... I had another one of my... episodes."
"Do you mind sharing with us what you mean, Lisa?"
"Well I was in my garden when it happened. I was just standing their admiring all the batches of flowers I have been able to keep up with. They were all so beautiful and healthy. It made me feel accomplished. But then in a blink of an eye they all started to die around me. All my hard work just withering away before me then the flower pots began to over flow with blood. As the blood spread, everything it touched turned to rust and suddenly I was back in that small room." Lisa lowers her head no longer able to keep telling the story.
Murphy becomes shocked by her description. His memories of The Otherworld flood his mind as he visions the water that use to spread over him, and as she described, it would turn everything to rust.
Rickmon takes over the group once again, "Okay, that's good. Just take a moment. Remember we are all here for you. Do you need anything? Some water maybe?"
"Yeah I think a drink would be good right now."
"Okay, I think this is a good time for an intermission anyway. So everyone take ten and when we come back if Lisa feels like continuing to share she may, if not we will move on."
Lisa heads strait for the coffee maker again. Murphy follows. As they drink from their cups they are very quiet at first. Murphy decides to step in close to her.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
"Yeah, I just don't like thinking about my episodes, but I know if I don't confront them they will never get better."
"I just want to let you know, I know how you feel." Murphy tries to look into her eyes but she looks away from him.
"Not to be rude but I sincerely doubt it. I wouldn't wish for anyone to know how I feel."
Murphy sets his cup down on the table next to him then moves to face her. "I'm serious Lisa. The way you described your 'episode' is exactly how I feel sometimes. The only difference being that instead of seeing blood, I see water."
"Water? Why would you be afraid of water?"
"Because my son... drowned."
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I feel so stupid. I never should have asked..." She tries to turn away from him again but he places his hands on her lower arms to keep her looking at him.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it. Like I told you before, I have moved past my sons death. But back before when I was hurting from it I use to see things too. Things just like you described." Lisa takes a big mouthful of coffee, trying not to break out in tears. "It gets better though. You can trust me. I understand."
Lisa wants to believe him but her fear of The Otherworld is still so strong in her heart. As she looks away from him she notices on of the other group members being stalked by a dark disembodied figure. She shuts her eyes trying to wish away the vision but as she opens them the figure remains.
"Oh god, not now," she whimpers.
"What's wrong?" Murphy asks. Lisa gives him no answer so he looks to where she was staring. He too notices the figure walking haggardly behind the group member. "What the fuck is that?" He says softly.
Lisa turns to him and finds him looking in the same direction she was. "Do you mean... you can see it too?" She asks worried.
"I can, but I don't understand. I haven't seen any thing like this for years."
"So it's not just me? I'm not just seeing things? Oh god, I am not sure if that makes me relieved or even more terrified."
"I don't feel like we are the ones in danger here. If you look at the figure its attention is fixed on that one guy. I'm not even sure if he is aware that it's there. It's like it is just lingering over him."
"Is there anything we can do?"
"I don't think so."
Lisa closes her eyes tightly and whispers to herself, "Please don't notice us. Please just go away." She opens her eyes to what looks like black oil spreading from the figure's feet across the floor. In a panic she drops her mug of coffee and it shatters as it hits the floor. She wraps her arms around Murphy who holds her close against his chest to comfort her.
"We're okay Lisa. It's just a vision. None of this is really here."
"Please just make it go away. Please make it stop," she cries into his chest.
After a long moment they both open their eyes and the vision has vanished. Lisa looks around the room in disbelief. Murphy removes his hands and she takes a step back from him.
"You see, I told you."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have grabbed you like that."
"It's alright. I am just glad I was around to help you this time."
"Thank you. It's kind of nice to know I'm not the only one who can see these things but at the same time I don't understand. Why could you see it too?"
"The Sight," he answers bluntly.
"I'm sorry?" Lisa asks confused.
"You hear stories about it all the time. People who have a kind of sixths sense. I believe that because we could once see things that others couldn't we sometimes can still see those things."
"But I have never heard of two people seeing something at the same time and so vividly. It's just like back in..."
"Silent Hill?" Murphy finishes Lisa's thought for her.
She looks at him concerned. "You were there? Like actually 'there'?"
"I was. I did some unspeakable things I shouldn't have. For revenge over the death of my son. I was being punished for my sins and during that time, I saw horrible things but eventually I forgave myself and that world faded from me."
"I never did anything wrong to anybody and yet... I was left in that room, alone. The only time I was let out was to keep someone else from escaping that world. The man who put me there. I couldn't let him get away with it. Once I pulled him back he disappeared and I was left alone once again."
"How did you escape?"
"I don't really know. I just remember one day the room stopped being so dark. The rust and blood that surrounded me turned to rotted wood and mold. I checked the door to the room, that before then had always been inaccessible, no matter how many times or how many ways I tried to open it. But I put my hand on the nob that day and it just turned with ease. I found myself back in the real world with people just going about their lives. I didn't stop to ask any questions. I just knew I had to get out of that town as quick as possible. I hitched a ride on the bus and never looked back."
"So you have no reelection of why it happened? You just walked away?"
"I have a feeling of who it might have been who let me out. I heard a familiar voice call to me as the dark room faded away. I just calk it up to god giving me a second chance. I don't question why I was allowed to leave my purgatory I just never understood why I could still see it from time to time. Like I'm being punished for something even though I was allowed to go free."
"I'm sorry. I really wish I could give you some kind of answer. The best I can do is promise I will stay by your side and try to help you get through the hard times."
"I would like that."
Rickmon calls out to the members from the group circle, "Alright everyone time to resume." The group makes their way back to the chairs. "So Murphy, Lisa, I saw you two were sharing a moment over by the snake table. Anything you would like to share with the group?"
They both answer abruptly and worried, "No!" Not wanting to have to explain what they have witnessed. They realize they just made their actions more suspicious.
Murphy speaks up, "We just discovered we come from the same town and I guess the feeling of common ground got the best of us."
"Oh you both grew up in Brahms?" Rickmon asks.
"No." Murphy answers.
"But I thought that is where..."
Murphy cuts him off. "We would rather not talk about it."
Rickmon is put off by his reaction, "Okay you don't have to tell us anything you don't want to. I would just like to say to the two of you that while making friends is a good thing, moving things along too quickly can have adverse effects."
"Thanks for the advice Doc," Murphy responds sarcastically.
Rickmon rubs his hands together to help move the group along, "Okay so since Lisa no longer feels up to talking we can move on to our next volunteer."
(Meeting passes)
Rickmon closes the meeting, "Okay so now on to what I want us to talk about next week. I would like those of you who don't have one already, to go out and adopt a pet. I don't are what kind of pet it might be how big or how small but just something to bring into your home to love a nurture. If there are some of you who think that might be too big of a step I would still like you to go to a local shelter and at least volunteer to take care of the pets there for the week. We will rejoin here again same time same place and I hope to see you all soon."
Lisa and Murphy stand outside the meeting hall together. Lisa still looks worried about what they saw.
"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Murphy asks.
"I don't know. I don't really want to go home tonight. Maybe I'll stay at a hotel or something. I just really don't want to be alone right now."
"You don't have anyone you can stay with?" Lisa looks up at him with sad eyes. "Of course not." He sighs. "That's why we come to these meetings in the first place." He doesn't want her to be alone with the way she is feeling either but he also doesn't want her to stay somewhere where he doesn't know if she will be okay. "This may seem sudden but you can come stay with me for the night if it will help you. I have a pull out couch. It is not much but it has to be better than those disease ridden hotel beds."
Lisa laughs at his statement. "If you don't mind."
"Not at all. Do you want to follow me or should we take one car?"
"Oh I don't have a car. I don't have a license. I just ride the bus."
"Alright then. I guess that means we are taking my car."
