PSYCHOPATHY; criminal minds [S. Reid]

Chapter one//Daniel Butcher

THE ALARM THAT WAS SET TO GO OFF AT 5 AM BLARED THROUGHOUT MY APARTMENT. Lazily, I heaved my body over to the other side of my double bed to switch the alarm off, slamming the palm of my hand on the button that flashed on top.

Due to lack of motivation to lift myself from my slumber entirely, I stayed laying in bed for a little while longer, putting off my journey to work. Eventually, I built up the motivation I previously missed and I clambered my way out of bed before heading to the kitchen for some breakfast.

It was the same routine everyday. Wake up, cereal for breakfast with some strawberries and a yogurt, get washed and dressed and get to work for 6 am, staying there until late at night. Today was no different.

After scoffing down my food, I stripped in the bathroom. First removing my shirt and then shorts and then stepping under the hot water that was given time beforehand to warm up. My hair was tied up in a quick bun so as not to get wet.

The water slightly burned my skin but not to the point where it was unbearable. It was a nice change from the cold I had felt from the morning dew of my apartment that never seemed to warm up.

I worked at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington in Washington, Maryland. I worked specifically with some of the patients that had been admitted there but my main job was a man called Daniel Butcher.

He was diagnosed a psychopathic schizophrenic and suspected narcissist but that last one wasn't yet confirmed but we were working on it. Many of my colleagues claimed I knew Daniel better than any of his family or friends but that's something I would never admit. I didn't know him, I just studied him. There's no real bond between us and that's an important thing to recognise.

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The corridors of the institute were colder than my home. I pulled my blazer tighter around my torso, keeping my arms crossed over my chest to keep any warmth I had.

I pushed open the door to the locker room before walking in and greeting the other couple colleagues in there who were also just arriving. Various waves and hello's got passed around as I headed for my locker to switch out my blazer for my white doctors jacket.

Once changed, I buttoned up the jacket with only two buttons and I left the room. My heels clicked against the tiled floor of the hospital as I walked down the corridors towards the room where mine and Daniel's sessions were held most days.

I didn't see the man everyday, but most. It was important I had days where I could study him further with other resources and conduct diagnoses' on his symptoms for a better understanding- things I couldn't do during our sessions.

Sessions varies depending on the patient. With Daniel Butcher they usually lasted a few hours but some sessions went on all day.

In the room stood multiple guards, two by the door and one by the table where Daniel Butcher and I would sit.

The table was metal to match the chairs and the room was plain and empty. Handcuffs were attached to the table as a safety precaution and the chairs and table were bolted to the floor. The room was completely safe and free of anything patients could use to harm themselves or any Doctors or guards that were present.

I took a seat, brushing down my doctors coat as I did and I crossed one leg over the other. Daniel Butcher gets escorted down by another Doctor, who will deliver his files to me, and two guards to keep him in check. Daniel, as far as we knew, was not a man you wanted to be left alone with.

About five or ten minutes after I arrived, the door opened again and in walked one of the other Doctors, Claire Miller, and Daniel Butcher followed behind her with a guard on either side of him.

Claire, who had become a good friend of mine over the last few years of working here, silently walked over to me as Daniel took a seat and was handcuffed to the table. She handed the files she carried to me and I briefly flicked through them to make sure I had everything I needed. I gave her a quiet thanks before she left again.

"Your hair looks nice today, Doctor." Daniel spoke first, his eyes peering at me as I read one of the files.

"Thank you, Daniel." I replied before placing the files on the table in front of me, open. "How have you been this weekend?" I asked him, placing my attention fully on Daniel now.

He shrugged, "as good as I can be in a place like this."

"I hear you've been making some progress. That's good." I said.

"Well, I try. Anything for you."

"Daniel, you and I both know you can't form an emotional attachment."

He shrugged again. "I want your approval though. You're the only person who has ever truly cared for me." Daniel leaned forward on the table which made the handcuffs rattle as they met the metal table.

For two hours or so, I went over different topics with Daniel. I jotted down anything I felt I needed to and I thought carefully about what to ask him. Daniel replied to every question, but would add on the end about wanting my approval.

This was odd as usually narcissists need for approval from others was kept on the inside, being more something they thought about than said out loud. I made sure to write that down in my notes too.

As our session came to a gradual end, I had only one or two more things to say.

"Okay, so, Daniel, we're going to start you on these meds." I took a small orange bottle of lithium meds from my jacket pocket. "This is lithium and it should help with your aggression and impulsive behaviour. You'll start taking them for a couple weeks, we'll run a test to compare the difference from now and decide if this is something that is working for you. Is that okay?"

Daniel nodded, eyeing the bottle. "Okay."

"Good. I will hand these to your other doctor and I'll see you tomorrow."

A faint smile appeared on Daniel's face, which made my eyes really sink into his appearance. It was odd for Daniel to smile but something about this one was sinister and threatening. However, his eyes didn't match his mouth. His eyes held no emotion or thought, they were just simply there.

"Yes." He spoke, "I'll see you tomorrow."

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