My Salvation
By: Angelus Erreare
A/N: Disclaimer: I own nothing. Serph, Argilla and Cielo all belong to SMT:DDS, ATLUS USA. I only own Ezekiel, Ben, Reika and Hiro.
WARNING: OOC, SEMI-AU, CRUDE LANGUAGE
Chapter 1: Serendipity
Serph and his team had been assigned for a routine patrol of the perimeter around Muladhara. Serph didn't complain though; it may be grunt's work, but, someone had to do it. Besides, he liked what he did; to him, it beat hanging around the base just doing training push-ups and whatnot.
The sun had all but set, and they were to relieve the other guards from their posts. Their shift would last until midnight. Oh well. He walked soundlessly, hearing the occasional muffled complaints and groans from his teammates. He sighed; new recruits were always hard to deal with.
The world around them was desolate. It had been desolate since the cataclysm a thousand years prior. Some say that it was what the Christians called the Rapture or the Day of Judgment. Serph shrugged; it was none of his concern anyway. Sure, it would be nice to know of history and culture, but now, the first priority was survival.
That was why they had formed tribes; to unite families and form communities. Resources were scarce but, with all hard work and luck they had managed to pull through. They managed to form their tribes and establish law and order. That was a hundred years ago. Their tribe was called Embryon; not that it sounded funny to him, but Serph couldn't help but wonder as to who thought of the name…well, obviously it was the founding father. But he was curious as to how the name came to mind.
He sighed; he was getting sidetracked again. The sun's rays were now dying and the air was getting chilly; the temperature was dropping. Being in this terrain; the days were hot and humid but the nights were chilly and cold.
Serph stopped and the rest of the team did too, "Okay, you all know your drills. Go and take your pre-assigned partners and patrol the area. I want a report every ten minutes. Is that understood?"
"Affirmative." they mechanically responded. Serph nodded, "Good."
He dismissed them and again walked towards the Southern part of Muladhara. His sergeant was trailing him. Serph had been their team leader for a year now. Many would say that he was too young to lead; being in the age of seventeen. The people he led were older than he by three to five years but some of them were younger as well; as they were new recruits.
He laughed inwardly; it was a tricky situation really, how they recruit new members. The tribe's protocols insisted and enforced the conversion and enlistment of all who had been found by the tribe's men; noncombatants, POWs or nomads alike. It just depended on the tribe and the commander in charge how this was to be done. Without new blood, the tribe would perish as they would not be able to achieve the appropriate manpower they needed to sustain their position in the Junkland. Other tribes would overpower them and forcibly convert them.
That was the story there in the Junkland; it was all about power. Serph had been born in the tribe; his parents both had died when he was seven years old. That was ten years before.
The other tribes had wanted a ceasefire and demanded a meeting. It turned out to be an ambush and his parents were killed. But, luckily, because of his parents' efforts, their leader had not been killed. It was a law in the Junkland that when a leader of a tribe is defeated by the leader of the other tribe, that defeated tribe must convert to the victorious tribe's color and adhere to their values.
Serph's silver eyes hardened; he would never see Muladhara converted. Ever.
He scanned the area around him, wearing his eyepiece, looking for any signs of life; enemy or otherwise. He didn't expect to find anything though. It had been like that day in and day out. But still, for the sake of community security, he had to do his job effectively and efficiently, not slipping up even for the most trivial of reasons such as "It's boring." No. They couldn't afford to be complacent; not now, not ever.
He stopped in his tracks as he picked up a faint life signature. He motioned for his sergeant to follow him. He walked, his handgun ready, towards the mysterious life form. It could be an enemy scout. Or a squad.
Suddenly, he heard a low moan. It was human; no doubt about that. His nerves stiffened and his muscles tightened with anticipation.
"This is Alpha 1. Located life form on these coordinates. Gone to investigate. Over." he whispered into his com link.
"Roger that Alpha 1. Bravo 1 will assist. Over."
"Negative. Just stay put. If this is an enemy scout, there would be many. Keep a sharp eye. Out."
"Roger that. Out."
'Strange', thought Serph. He only detected one life form. His breathing became ragged as the distance between him and the life form lessened.
"100 meters."
"75 meters"
"50 meters."
"10 meters…"
Serph blinked as he beheld the life form before him. He took his eyepiece off his face and blinked in surprise. He didn't know what came over him…he just suddenly felt…lightheaded. It was as if the world had faded in the background. He looked the figure on the ground before him. He looked at it with compassionate eyes. It was a girl. It was a girl no more than two years his junior.
She was on her back, leaning on a rock. Her long pink hair was tangled and messy, full of sand and dirt. He looked at her clothes and looked for any identifying colors. None. She belonged to no tribe. Her eyes were closed; she was asleep. From where Serph stood, he could see that the girl was thin…and pale. 'She probably hasn't eaten for days…' he thought sadly. Her apparel was torn and dirty and showed off more skin that was considered decent at Muladhara. He felt hot blood rush to his head as he saw her exposed thighs and a hint of her cleavage. He shook his head; it was unbecoming of a warrior to think of such obscene thoughts. Most especially if the person he was directing the thoughts at was a war victim.
He took a deep breath to rid himself of such thoughts.
He looked back and saw his sergeant whom he absentmindedly left behind as he jogged to see the girl. 'Hm…that's why he should exercise a bit more…' he thought. He snapped back to attend to the girl as he heard her moan.
She was moaning in her sleep. 'The poor thing…'
'Where did she come from?' he thought, very curious. His silver eyes continued to glaze over her pale white skin. He leaned down on her and in that instant, the girl's eyes opened. She squealed at seeing his face and scooted away from him.
"Whoah there sir, it looks like you found a live one." said his sergeant, grinning.
Serph grunted in annoyance. His bungling officer had frightened the girl as she hugged herself like a fetus. And it would seem with good reason. His sergeant was eyeing the girl carefully as if he wanted to eat her. The nerve of this idiot.
Serph ignored him and turned to look at the girl again. He held out his hand and smiled, "It's…alright. I'm not…going to hurt you…Do you…understand?"
The girl seemed hesitant but…her eyes softened as she peered into his silver pools. Something in them told her that he wasn't lying. She meekly nodded.
"Good…" he murmured and crawled over closer to her.
Not daring to make a move, the girl trembled as she watched him came close to her. She squealed as his hand made contact with her shoulder. She slapped his hand away.
"You stupid bitch!" Serph's sergeant cried as he had enough of watching the soap opera before him. His leader had given her his word and still she attacked him. Serph grabbed his arm just as he was to strike the girl, "Stand down sergeant!" he yelled. "You are to wait for me at HQ. Got that?"
The girl covered her ears as she heard him yell.
'No more…no more yelling…' she thought.
The scary man in front of her did what the gentle one told him and left. She felt relieved as all had gone quiet once more. The one with the silver eyes looked at her again, a smile on his lips, "I'm not going to hurt you…My name…is Serph…"
"S-serph…" she repeated.
He nodded, "What about you? What's your name?" he asked her gently.
He reached out again and she screamed as his hand grasped her arms. "G-get away!!"
"I won't hurt you…!"
"N-no…s-stop…! Stop touching me!!" she screamed, slapping his hands away and then proceeding to shove the unsuspecting young man before her.
"I'm…sorry…I didn't mean to…"
"Don't…don't touch me…" she murmured, repeating her mantra as she slowly closed her eyes. Serph watched the girl before him and sighed. His eyes softened as she continued to sob, "Just…don't…don't…eat me…please…"
'Eat her?!' Serph thought, shocked, 'Had she met cannibals?'
A cold shiver ran down his spine as he visualized people being devoured. He looked at the girl again, feeling for her. He could understand now why she acted the way she did; seeing people getting beaten, killed, possibly tortured and then eaten would prove to be a nasty memory to have.
"I…won't eat you…" he had a vague idea how silly he must've sounded but it couldn't be helped; he really wouldn't eat her.
"Please…I won't…I won't hurt you…" he repeated. She said nothing. Serph continued to gaze at the girl, still wondering about her name. He wanted so much to put his arms around her and tell her over and over again that it would be alright. Her eyes, the pink dull eyes that she now looked at him with were filled with fear and anguish. This girl…
'She…she needs me…'
He saw it in her eyes. He saw the need in her eyes. She was but a child in the world; alone and vulnerable.
"I won't hurt you…What's your name?" he asked again, after giving her minutes of silent contemplation. She was still unresponsive but he gave her time and space.
After a few moments, "My name…" she spoke offhandedly, "I'm…Argilla…"
"Argilla…what a nice name."
She smiled, "Thank you…"
"What are you doing here?" he asked. She still refused to meet his eyes fully, darting them at his silver ones shyly only to redirect them elsewhere.
"Argilla…" he breathed out, pulling himself a bit closer to her, smiling at her. "Argilla," he said again, "where have you come from?"
The smile from her lips faded and she cried, "I don't know…where…I just…I…ran…I just…ran…and then everyone…was…everyone was gone…" she mumbled, more to herself than anyone.
Serph looked at her with sympathy. 'She's been through such trauma…'
Serph closed the distance between them and enveloped her in an embrace. She resisted but he held on tighter, whispering in her ear, "It's alright. No one will hurt you again. I'm taking you with me…"
"With you?" she asked timidly.
"Yes…" he began; his arms slipped around her back and under her legs, "Come on. We're going home."
"Home…" she repeated. Argilla nuzzled her face in his chest. It was warm…and he smelled…different. It wasn't like the smell that she smelled in her home before. He smelled like the rain…She breathed in again, taking in his masculine scent as he carried her.
"Serph…" she breathed out.
Serph stopped in his tracks as she said his name. He didn't know why, after all, he had just met her…but…there was something else that was pulling him to her. It was as if, he suddenly felt as if he should protect this girl in his arms. He looked at her and noticed that she had fallen asleep in his arms. His heart almost melted as he gazed at her.
'She must have been through a lot…' he thought sadly.
He smiled weakly and resumed his walk; she'd be fine now. She'd find a home at Muladhara.
xxxxx
Argilla opened her eyes slowly. As soon as she opened them, she quickly closed them. The light in the room was unbearable.
"Are you alright?" a voice spoke to her.
Argilla shut her eyes tighter and did not respond. The voice sounded like a man's…but it was different from the voice that she had heard before…Yes…the one with the kind silver eyes. The voice spoke again, "Can you hear me?"
The man's voice felt like it was a blow horn to the ear. Argilla shook her head and tried to open her eyes again; little by little, trying to get adjusted to the light.
"W-who…are you?" she asked timidly.
"My name is Dr. Ezekiel. I am your attending physician."
The girl before him did not respond; nor did she look at him. She seemed to be very preoccupied with the white sheets before her.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"…" She sat there, with her mouth parted slightly, staring at the white sheets. It was as if, the hospital bed…the doctor…what was his name again? Everything…around her…had disappeared. Her eyes widened as she continued to stare at the space before her. It was horrible…
Bodies everywhere…a monster…blood splattering…screams…
"Dad…mom!!"
The piercing scream of the girl had startled Dr. Ezekiel, "Quick! Assistance is needed!" Two orderlies came in, and Dr. Ezekiel yelled, "Restrain her!"
xxxxx
Serph trudged through Muladhara. He was scheduled for another briefing at the academy. He sighed; this was the path of warriors in the Junkland. Though he may not see much point in all this training…he knew that it was standard procedure and whatever the point was, he'll understand in the future.
He had graduated from the academy a year before, but his graduation was still in probation. It meant that if he did not perform up to military standards, the higher ups had the right to demote him back and put him back at the academy. It had been a year since his graduation…well…it had been eleven months since his graduation. One month. He needed another month until he was clear of his probation period.
'I hope that the next mission would be interesting…' he thought.
As he continued to walk; he thought he saw a pink petal blowing in the air. His world stopped; pink…'Just like her…' he thought.
The girl. He wondered what had happened to her.
After he had brought her through the gates of Muladhara, he sped for the infirmary and filed for a non-combatant needing immediate medical attention. The doctors and nurses immediately took his pink-haired beauty and asked him to give all other details to the authorities.
He didn't see her afterwards.
That was yesterday. He felt lousy; to say the least. He had promised her that he would be there for her…but…he wasn't.
'I did my job…that's it. She wouldn't need me anymore.' A wrenching feeling at his gut told him to reconsider his thoughts. He just didn't understand it; he had just met the girl…and already, he couldn't stop thinking of her. He wanted to see her again; even if it was just a glance…or a chance to say goodbye.
He stopped in his tracks.
"I should see her…" he looked at his watch; it was another two hours until his meeting at the academy. There was still plenty of time.
xxxxx
"Come on missy…you know how to beg better than that…" a man with greasy hair and a pot-belly drawled.
Argilla looked at him from the slits of the tent with disgust. There were many of them…
'Twenty…maybe thirty men…' she recalled.
"Suck it! Suck it! Harder!" another yelled.
Argilla's heart was caught up in her throat. She couldn't breathe; she couldn't speak. She dared not look further out through the slits…what she saw…frightened her. They had the women gathered…the women begged for mercy…but they showed none…
The children…
Argilla closed her eyes, clamping both her palms on her mouth to prevent herself from screaming out. They all thought that there was no one there. They didn't know she was there.
The children…
'What have they done to deserve that…? Father…mother…' she thought sadly, tears cascading down her face.
"You like that don't you? You little skank! Hahaha…"
The voices outside were mixed with thunderous laughter and agonized screams and moans. Argilla closed her eyes tight, 'No more…'
A scream of a child pierced through the air and Argilla's eyes shot open; she knew that voice. Upon her reflex action, her eyes darted for the slits again, her eyes went wide.
The men…had the little boy and girl by the throat…and without hesitation, their throats were slit. Argilla let out a ragged breath. And beside them, her friend, Reika…was being violated by three men. Argilla began to hyperventilate.
Her focus went back to the children…
The men…they were laughing…they were…tearing the flesh from its joints…like it was from some animal. They relished on their blood…They relished on their victims' agonies.
"Aaaaahhh!!!!!" she screamed.
"What's going on?"
"Restrain her!"
Argilla, seeing the unfamiliar people, women and men, dashing for her, thrashed her bed as she attempted to get off it. She cursed; they had her skin attached on some wires that limited her movements. Her hands flew to the aforesaid wires to yank them off, but before she could, strong hands pinned her on her shoulders, thighs, arms, and waist.
"No!! No!! Let me go!! Unhand me!!" she screamed.
Her head went from side to side violently as she attempted to free herself. She summoned all of her energy from within her body to snatch her hands away but found herself lacking as the strong arms now attached her ankles and wrists on solid straps.
"No!! Please!! Don't!!" she screamed, still thrashing about in the bed.
Her eyes widened as she noted that the man in white at the back had a sharp object in his hands. The color form her face drained; he was going to use it on her.
"Aaaahhh!!"
"Hold her down damn it!" the man in white screamed.
Again, the strong arms that pinned her to the bed were now back in full force, steadying her as the man in white got closer. Her breathing became even more labored as panic began to set in.
"Easy now…This won't hurt a bit…this is just something to help you sleep." the doctor stated, trying to ease Argilla's anxiety.
"No…! You're lying! Don't…don't eat me…!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from screaming.
As soon as she said those words, she felt a stinging sensation on her arm. Gritting her teeth, she turned her head to see that the syringe had penetrated her skin. The world around her began to spin.
"Serph…" she breathed out.
The doctor looked at his patient with outmost intrigue, "Did she say Surf? Who or what is that?"
His nurses and his orderlies looked at him, not having the slightest clue.
xxxxx
Serph watched from the window as she thrashed about. He couldn't believe it. She was having another episode. He had told the doctors of her problem but they didn't listen to him and just took her from him.
He looked at her pitifully; he wanted to help her but he couldn't do anything. He wanted to do something…anything to help her…but he had neither the rank nor the authorization to do that.
His heart ached as he witnessed her suffering. He couldn't bear to look at it any longer…but at the same time, he couldn't look away. It was as if he were abandoning her if he did; and if he did that then…he was not worthy to be called a warrior…or a friend.
That girl…he remembered how she looked at him; how pleading and innocent her eyes were. She needed him. His eyes hardened; he was going to help her.
As they finally restrained her, his heart stopped for but a moment as he thought he saw her lips mouth out his name.
His suspicions were verified as the doctor spoke his name; erm, rather, another version of his name, but it was his name nonetheless. He was the person whom she trusted. He would not betray that trust.
xxxxx
Argilla had been there for a month now. She still refused to eat. And for good reason. She was so hungry…but…she just couldn't bring herself to eat. To her, it was wrong.
'How can I eat when my family suffers? I don't deserve it…' she told herself.
xxxxx
Doctors and psychiatrists had come to see her…but she did not want to see them. They got nothing out of her. They started to force feed her as well when she wouldn't eat. Soon after, they gave her the small pills. She had not asked what they were for, for she did not take them. But she was found out soon and then, those pills too were forcibly fed to her.
The doctors were astounded…the drugs should have had her talking to them. But she said nothing. She just continued to cry and moan the sessions away. But…soon…they had a breakthrough. She was beginning to give them a picture, no matter how vague, of her past.
But, like her personality, it was fragmented.
The psychologists suspected that she was schizophrenic. There were many a time when she'd wake up in the middle of the night, screaming for people to stop touching her…and to not eat her. The psychologists were thrilled albeit a bit disturbed. This girl had probably gone through sexual abuse and torture…
But, her physical exam indicated that she had not been touched. Her vaginal tissue was untouched; her maidenhead in tact. No, she wasn't abused.
So, the most logical explanation was that…she saw something that traumatized her.
She had been there the whole month but there was no substantial breakthrough. She was unresponsive. And when she would respond, she would beg them not to hurt her or eat her. But, something else piqued the shrink's interest.
Argilla had mentioned the name 'Surf' on more than three occasions. Acting on a hunch, the shrink had searched through the girl's file once more. He knew that he had heard that name before.
Ah yes, he was the young man who had found her.
xxxxx
"Serph…" she murmured, "I want Serph…"
The nurse did not know what to do. She had been calling for him for the last fortnight but never this insistent. Before, she would only cast her head down and sob when she was told that there was no one coming, but now, she didn't seem to buy that anymore.
Argilla banged her fists on the bed, "I want Serph! Please…Serph!"
The nurse hurried out of the room. Argilla couldn't care less what she did. She just wanted to see him again. She had had dreams about him. She didn't know when she had started doing it but…ever since they had given her those pills, she was able to sleep better.
But, like all the other nights before that, she had dreaded sleep. Sleep would always bring her back to that time…on that day…on that night. She would relive her family's suffering and their death. She used to close her eyes, clamping her ears shut with her palms, kneeling in defeat as she heard their voices, piercing the cool damp air.
But strangely, after those pills…she had been able to sleep better. She had less bad dreams too. Granted they still plagued her mind…but in the midst of it all, she would see him, holding out his hand to her, as if to deliver her from that hell. She'd take his hand and he would have her in his arms, carrying her away.
And then, like always in her dreams, she would feel peace.
But then…the bad dreams started to come back…and he appeared to her less and less. She panicked. Was this a sign that he too was leaving her? She had to know; that was why she had asked for him. And every time that she would, they would tell her that he wasn't coming or that they didn't know who he was.
She began to lose hope after that. She began to eat less and became most especially difficult to handle. She had reverted back into her shell and shut out the world becoming completely detached. She wanted to imagine her problems away…and she was successful. But, she had to be careful, otherwise, she'd find herself back in that hell hole.
'Oh Serph…you said…that…I'd have a home…' she thought sadly.
xxxxx
Serph cursed. He felt so damn useless. It had been a month since his last visit. He had hoped that he would get the chance to see her more often but fate had other chores for him to do. The academy board had reviewed his performance over the past year and commended him for his rigid discipline and success. He was a good soldier, to put it bluntly. That was why he had been sent on a mission.
It had been a long mission.
'It's been a month now…' he thought, 'I wonder if she got any better…'
He was now officially assigned as a squad leader. But, even as his responsibilities grew, his thoughts never failed to think of the young girl he found. Her face, her eyes pleaded with him. He could never forget such a face. As he slept on his makeshift bed in his tent during that mission, he dreamt of her. He dreamt of seeing her smile…seeing her laugh. He dreamt of seeing her happy.
He could only wonder as to how she was doing now.
'Would she still remember me?' he thought worriedly. He hadn't forgotten about her and somewhere within, he hoped that she hadn't forgotten about him. His heart constricted as he thought otherwise.
The mission was a success though. Their shift was over and they were to head back at Muladhara. He hated this mission. But nonetheless orders were orders; he had no choice but to comply with them. A small smile appeared through his features, 'At least…I'll get to see her again when I get back.'
"Are you alright sir?"
Serph turned to see his ever chubby sergeant, "I'm fine Ben. Are the men ready?"
Ben grinned, "Every damn day sir."
Serph laughed at that; his men had been itching to get out of this stronghold for days now. Well, now, their wish was granted.
"Very well. Have them finish up all preparations as we leave in an hour. Dismissed."
"Sir!" he saluted.
xxxxx
Serph had just dismissed his team. He felt somewhat fatigued from the ride back to Muladhara and from the fact that he hadn't eaten anything aside breakfast; that was more than six hours past. He glanced at his watch; it was 13:15. He made his way towards the hospital when he received a call.
"This is Serph."
"You are Surf?"
"…I believe I already said that. Who is this?" Serph asked, his eyebrow raised; curious.
"Yes…My name is Dr. Ezekiel. I work for Muladhara Hospital. Please, I need to speak to you."
His heart skipped a beat; a man from the hospital wanted to see him? It had to be…
"It's about our patient. Her name is Argilla. She insists on speaking with you."
Serph's concentrated face broke into a warm smile; so she hadn't forgotten about him. He resumed his strides towards the hospital, "What about her? Has something happened?"
Serph pressed the earpiece closer into his ear as he walked; something happened to her and he wanted to know what.
"No nothing. Please, when will you arrive?"
"ETA in 6 minutes."
"Alright. We'll be expecting you. Please give word to the reception."
"Roger that. Out."
Serph strode through the streets, his eyes focused on what laid ahead. After the said minutes, he reached the hospital. He walked in calmly, his facial expression and eyes betraying nothing of his feelings; worry and anxiety.
He reached the front desk in less than a minute, "My name is Serph. I had been sent by a Dr. Ezekiel."
The woman nodded, "Right; we've been expecting you. Please take the elevator to the 25th floor. It's room 254-A."
"Thank you." Serph replied curtly, not sparing the woman another glance as he made for the elevator.
He reached the aforesaid floor within a minute and looked, left to right, for room 254-A. His heart raced and his chest tightened as he saw it. He walked briskly towards it. As he opened the door and stepped in, he was met with the same doctor whom he had seen with Argilla the month before.
Ezekiel was a tall and pale man; making him look almost ghastly. Serph mentally cringed as he evaluated the man before him. He was tall and lanky, his grey eyes, exhausted, his back hunched quite a bit. His hair was cut short-crew cut, but was sloppy. 'It looks like this guy could use a comb…' Serph thought, focusing on Ezekiel's unkempt, unruly dirty blond hair. The man was obviously in his mid thirties, but he looked and acted as if he were in his fifties. Serph cringed again; he silently vowed to enjoy his youth.
"Dr. Ezekiel I presume?" he said nonchalantly.
"Yes. That's me. You are Surf?" he asked, his grey eyes twinkling.
"Yes. About Argilla…" he trailed off.
"Yes…her. She has insisted to see you. You see, we have come to a conclusion that she is quite schizophrenic. That means that she is detached from this world; physically and mentally speaking. She does not remain within this world and seem to live in another within her own mind. She is socially withdrawn as she does not socialize even when put amongst other people near her age. She does not respond to human contact as well. She's emotionally cold. But…the real symptom of schizophrenia is delusions. I believe that Argilla is delusional, waking up in the middle of the night…or anytime in the daytime, screaming and thrashing about. She believes that she is being eaten or devoured."
Serph furrowed his brows, "Argilla…but…she's dreaming isn't she?"
"Yes and no. If she was dreaming, then it could be classified to a para-somnia or a sleep disorder called night terrors. The victim or patient does not recognize reality from the dream and even when physically awake, still seems to think that she is in the dream itself. She may not recognize people as people but merely as monsters within her dreams. Argilla…had had these dreams before but thankfully, she has outlived those times. We have administered valium in her medication. It's something to help her sleep. The drug was working fine. She no longer had bad dreams and slept fine. But…her delusions were still plaguing her. During the daytime, she would stare off into space for hours and suddenly scream. Her face exhibited nothing but fright. When she was calm, she would still be unresponsive. She doesn't seem trust anyone here…except you."
Serph's heart sank as he heard what had happened to Argilla. He had been right. She did need him. He was here now. "Me?"
"Yes…as I've already told you…she insisted that you come see her. She had been asking for you for almost a fortnight now…but I dismissed it thinking that this Surf was another flight of fancy in her mind. I reread her file and saw your name. That is why I contacted you as soon as I could."
Something in Serph snapped as he suddenly wanted to blow this guy's brains out. She had been asking for him for almost two weeks now and he did nothing? Why didn't he read her file sooner? Lousy son-of-a-
"We have given her anti-anxiety drugs so that her mood may be elevated enough for her to talk to us…to me…but…all she ever talks about is you. She wanted to see you badly. Now, you were the one who found her? Correct?"
"Yes." Serph replied calmly. This guy was beginning to get on his nerves; when the hell was he going to stop with the stupid questions and let him see her?
"You were the first one to have contact with her?"
"Yes."
"You brought her in."
"Yes."
"…That would explain why she trusts you."
Annoyance reached a new high within Serph's system. No, for him, it was different. This person was trying to insinuate that because he had been the first person she saw, she developed instant rapport with him that would have otherwise been impossible should he not been the first person she met. No; Serph didn't agree with that. He shook his head inwardly; he felt it. It was as if fate wanted him to be there at that place, at that time. He felt that electrifying feeling as he looked at her vulnerable form. He felt it when her dull pink eyes looked at him. He felt it when their bodies touched. No; it wasn't like what Ezekiel said.
"…" Serph chose not to respond to that and Ezekiel continued, "Throughout our sessions with her…we have been able to deduce that she was a member of a small community that was probably attacked by marauders. Her family was killed and probably tortured to which she bore witness to. She was probably the only survivor too. Should that be the case, that would explain as to why she was traumatized."
Serph's expression hardened once more, "Where is she now? Is she alright?"
Ezekiel shrugged his shoulders, "She's asleep right now. She had just had another of her episodes…screaming that someone was…violating and…eating her."
Serph frowned, 'She's going to be alright very soon…I'll be here.'
"Was she ever…?" Serph trailed off.
"No." Ezekiel stated, "No she wasn't. When we performed a routine physical exam, we found no signs of physical trauma at all on her body. Everything was as it should be for a virgin fifteen year old." Ezekiel sighed, "I want to help her…but she doesn't want to be helped. There isn't much I could do with her being this way…that is why friends and family are very important to a patient of this kind. That is why you are important. She trusts you and only you. Now…you are here to get where we could not."
Serph raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"We are going to use you as the conduit to us; you would be a catalyst to her medical and cognitive therapy. Since she doesn't trust us, you would administer the drugs and facilitate her mental therapy."
Serph opened his mouth to protest when Ezekiel cut him off, "We won't do anything without your knowledge. I know your concern for this girl…I see it in your eyes. Please believe me when I say that I have no other intention except to see her well again. We would keep you informed of every, and all steps that we are to make. Do you accept?"
Serph knew that he wanted to anyway. He would do anything to see her well again. It was something unfathomable to him really. He had just met her…but he couldn't stop thinking of her. He nodded; his heart and mind were made up.
"Alright. Tell me what I need to know."
Ezekiel let out a small smile, "Good. Alright, now, we administer an anti-psychotic drug for her schizophrenia. That way, she wouldn't shut herself in her mentally made up world. Now, the only problem is to get her to talk to other people. That's where you come in; you would get her to talk to you. That's all."
"…I see."
"Where is she? May I see her?"
Ezekiel nodded, "Of course, come this way."
He led Serph through another door within the room and pointed to the white bed. Serph, feeling the world dissolve around him, walked unsteadily towards the bed, admiring the sleeping girl within its folds. She had a peaceful look about her that he had imagined her having in one of his dreams. Yes…her lips were tugged to a small smile; her eyebrows relaxed and not knitted together, her eyelids steady. He let his eyes travel to her chest; allowing himself to be drawn to the rhythmic motions of her breathing. Her skin was now of a healthy color; pearly white…instead of ghastly white. She was no longer the thin girl he knew. He was glad that she had gained weight. Any lesser in what in found her in would mean that she was a living and breathing corpse. Her pink locks were bright and vibrant, not dull and dirty.
He could only wonder as to how her eyes would look like now. He frowned though as he saw that her wrists and ankles were bound on the bed via strong and secured straps. He touched it lightly and suddenly he was thrown back into reality as he heard Ezekiel speak, "It's for her protection."
Serph turned his back to look at him intently. Ezekiel nodded and pointed to the girl again, his voice no louder than a gentle whisper, "If you would notice her arms, there are slight bruising on it."
Serph did so, following the doctor's gaze and found the purple marks on her arms; he frowned. Who did this to her? Did she do this to herself?
"At first, we thought that she was doing this to herself…but…as I monitored her, she was not violent toward herself. So…I theorized that this might a somatoform disorder."
Serph nodded, "A psychological disorder wherein a mental problem manifests itself on the physical body; such as bruises."
Ezekiel smiled, "It seems that you are familiar with the disorder."
Serph smiled sheepishly, "No. Just what they taught at the academy."
"Right. Then, I thought, if that was the case, then we need Argilla to alleviate herself of this trauma. When she gets over the traumatic experience, the delusion will most likely stop and the somatoform disorder vanish."
Serph looked at Ezekiel again, his eyes filled with determination and conviction, "I will save her."
xxxxx
A/N:
POW: Prisoner of War.
Schizophrenia: A dissociative disorder characterized by delusions, emotional coldness and social withdrawal.
Para-Somnia: Sleeping Disorders
Delusions: Imaginary stimulus; different from false stimulus. Stimulus that isn't misinterpreted (false stimulus i.e. thinking a loop of cord as a snake) but is imaginary (seeing things that aren't there.) Includes both visual hallucinations (seeing things) and auditory hallucinations (hearing voices).
Valium: A trademark used for diazepam.
Diazepam: A drug that is anti-convulsing; a tranquilizer that is used for anxiety treatment. Also used in treatment of para-somnias.