Story Of My Life? None Of Your Damn Business.
"Please, Mike!" Pleaded Ryan, "I can't..."
"Yes," Replied Mike, gently pushing Ryan into the quiet room, "You can!"
Ryan reluctantly sat down on the sofa, pulling a moody face on.
"Protest, or at least do something!" Demanded his demon of fear.
"There's nothing he can do," Muttered his negative spirit, "We'll just have to sit through this."
"You'll be fine." Reassured Mike.
This sparked the demon of negativity's attention, and he spoke through Ryan, "You won't be saying that when we have another panic attack."
Mike furrowed his eyebrows, "We?"
Ryan seemed surprised and yet not surprised at the same time, "That was my stupid demon."
Mike nodded, speaking with sarcasm, "Of course it was."
The demon growled, using Ryan again, making the boy stand up, "You don't believe we exist!?"
Mike seemed startled for a moment, before regaining his senses, "Ryan, sit down."
The demon of negativity, left Ryan, who did as Mike told him.
"Demons...demons in your head, that isn't possible."
"It is if you're a psycho!" Argued Ryan.
"You're not a psycho," Stated Mike, "And they're just your thoughts. Your mind makes you believe they're horrible creatures, but they're really not."
"They're just what you think about yourself, but your mind refuses to believe that it thinks like that. So, it's made bad little monsters come into your head, saying bad things, making you do bad things. Right?"
It wasn't Mike that spoke, nor Ryan.
It was the therapist.
He stood at the door, along with May-Li. He looked a bit like a lab scientist, which was odd.
Ryan was taken back by the sudden words of a stranger, directed to him.
"U-Umm..." He stammered, "What?"
The man walked in, "My name is Dr Bonurne, nice to meet you, Ryan."
The child got up and shook his hand, and they both sat down.
"Well, what's the thing about these demons, then? What's your story?" He asked, as Mike and May-Li left the room, closing the door behind them.
"Story of my life? None of your damn business," Ryan spoke, stubbornly, "Besides, hasn't Mike told you?"
"Well, he has," Answered the man, "But, I'd much rather hear it from you."
Ryan sighed, "They're...they're just th-these annoying voices...in my head."
Intrigued, the therapist asked again, "What are they like?"
Ryan looked up slowly, "Wait, do you think they're real, or not? You just told me that they're my own thoughts, and now you're asking me what my demons are like?"
Dr Bonurne smiled, as if Ryan was a five year old with the intelligence of a fish, "Do you think that they're voices, or do you think they're real?"
Ryan was utterly confused, "I-I guess...logically-"
"Forget about logic, Ryan!" Ordered the therapist, who made Ryan jump.
Ryan felt as if the man was slightly out of his mind, just like him.
Ryan stuttered, "I-I mean... I guess they-they could be...real?"
"Demons don't exist, but it may feel like it to you," Noted the therapist, "They're just your inner thoughts...thoughts that you wish you didn't think."
"Yeah, I know," Agreed Ryan, "They've even told me that themselves, but that doesn't stop them from tormenting me."
"Of course not!" Said the eccentric man, "You have to beat them, show them who's in charge!"
Ryan lifted his eyebrows in perplexity, "How am I supposed to do that?"
"Beat each one of your demons, one by one," Explained the man, "Beat those demons at their own game."
Puzzled, Ryan asked, "Beat them at their own game? Are you kidding me?"
"No!" The therapist stood up in a hurry, "Describe your demons to me."
"Uh… W-Well..." Ryan stuttered, "One of them makes me feel guilt, the other makes me feel negative, or sarcastic. The last one makes me scared of things. Petrified, even."
The doctor nodded, taking this in, "You simply have to get rid of these things."
"Get rid of them? That's impossible," Stated Ryan, "They're all a part of me."
The doctor crouched down to Ryan's height, "Well, you can make peace with them."
Ryan nodded, "Okay, I guess."
"Who's the strongest?" Asked Dr Bonurne, standing straight, again.
"Umm, well, I-I guess my demon of...of...negativity?"
"If that demon's the strongest, you take care of it last."
"Shouldn't I make peace with that one first?" Questioned Ryan.
"Trust me, I know from experience." Smiled the doctor.
"Ex-Experience? You mean, you've gone through this, too?" Ryan asked, hopefully.
He joined the man, standing up. Ryan stared at the man, in the eyes. He was blatantly searching for a hint of dishonesty.
None.
The doctor was being completely truthful.
The therapist chuckled, "You're not the only one who's had to deal with demons. Everyone has demons, some just have stronger ones than others."
"And...me and you, we're part of that some?" Ryan asked, "You're like me?"
"Was," Corrected the doctor, "They're hidden inside of me, I made peace with mine. Gaining control of them, made me think that I could help other people with their own demons. So, I became a therapist."
This filled Ryan with determination, knowing that Dr Bonurne got through this, and that maybe he could, too.
"First things, first," Said his therapist, "No self harming, and no starving yourself."
Ryan groaned, "But that really helps..."
"You don't fight demons by slowly killing yourself!" Argued the man, "And you certainly won't win that way."
Ryan sighed, irritated that Dr Bonurne was in fact, correct.
"Wait, how did you know that I did that?"
"I used to do it, too," He replied, before going shy, "...And, Mike told me."
Ryan rolled his eyes, this man was quite amusing.
The man pulled something out of his lab coat, which Ryan still had absolutely no idea why he wore.
He threw the item at Ryan, and the boy caught it. Taking a look, he realised that it was a pills bottle.
A xanax pills bottle.
"Don't tell anyone!" He whispered to Ryan, covering his own mouth with a finger to signal to keep quiet.
Ryan smiled with glee, he was grateful for the medicine.
"I've never had a therapist quite like you," Ryan giggled, shoving the pills bottle into his pocket, "Thanks for the anxiety medication."
"Now, let's deal with your demon of fear, first," Decided Dr Bonurne, "What are you scared of?"
Ryan shivered, mumbling, "I got over my fear of people talking about me, finding out about my issues, when I made friends with my foes."
"So, it's just dogs, now." He muttered with spite.
"Okay, that's a good start," Stated his doctor, "Do you have a house pet? A dog?"
"Mhmm," Ryan hummed, to say yes.
"You're trying to get rid of us..." Growled his demon of negativity, "You'll fail! You'll never get over your stupid fears."
Ryan stared blankly at the floor, biting his lip as doubt filled his mind.
"Don't listen to them." Ordered his therapist, knowing that one of the demons had spoken to Ryan.
Ryan pushed the thoughts out of his mind, and continued listening to Dr Bonurne.
"Try and make friends with the dog," He suggested, "I'm sure it already likes you. You just need to-"
"Bond with it, I got it." Finished Ryan.
"How was it?" Asked Mike, as Ryan and Dr Bornurne stepped out of the quiet room.
"It was fine." Ryan answered, dully.
"I'll see you in our next session, alright, Ryan?" Grinned the doctor, "Try and do what I said, yeah?"
Ryan nodded sincerely, before running up to his room.
This was going to take a lot of guts.
Ryan walked out of his room, a few minutes later, and walked to the bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror.
"Okay, freak of fear," He spoke, "I need you to get over yourself, literally. I need to get over you."
"I-I can't get rid of myself, or what I'm scared of." It replied.
"No, but you can at least tone it down, even if it's just a little bit," Reasoned Ryan, "You've already gotten over the fact that our secret's out, and that the others know about my issues."
"I...I'll try." It promised.
"Don't help him!" Yelled the demon of negativity, causing a piercing headache for Ryan.
The boy winced, and asked himself, "What the heck am I doing with my life!?"
He was talking to himself in the mirror.
"Failing it, by the looks of things." Explained his monster of sarcasm.
Ryan rolled his eyes at the response, and left the bathroom.