Noumena: Sophie and Oliver

Chapter Four: Psychotic Scenes

Chapter Four

Nothingness was becoming a familiar sensation to me. I didn’t mind as long as there were no white flashes in the thick black -- the white flashes that had become a sign that something bad or terrifying was going to happen. The feel of warm skin on mine made me aware that I wasn’t alone. A glow broke through the darkness, it illuminated tiny red veins that I could see on the inside of my eyelids. Maybe I was in hospital. I put my hand up to swat away the light. Muffled voices were speaking somewhere around me, they became clearer as I focused my attention.

“She seems okay.” I heard a deep voice say; it was warm and pleasant. Slowly I parted my eyes; the familiar chandelier hanging from the ceiling in my room told me I was home.

“Sophie hold still while I shine this light in your eyes okay?” came the deep male voice again. Large thick fingers poked around my eye socket as the brightness of a small torch created a sharp pain that travelled from front to back.

“Ouch,” I groaned as a throbbing replaced the sharp stab of pain.

“Sorry.”

The man’s face came in view. There were four people standing around me in the room. I recognised the man; Dr Livingstone. He smiled at me passing me some headache tablets and water. I put the tablets on my tongue -- they tasted dry and bitter – and I swallowed them down with water. They all looked at me expectantly, like they were waiting for something.

“Can you tell me what’s been happening to you Sophie?” Dr Livingstone asked. The question had a hint of habit to it.

“Um…” I paused carefully, not knowing what to say. If I told them about the hallucinations, colours and voices would they think I was insane? I decided that lying would be better. “…just lots of light flashing when I close my eyes and colours have been a bit muddled.”

“When did this start?”

“Today.” If I were to be very honest, my imagination had been becoming overactive for the past six months. I’d had trouble controlling my thoughts and daydreams. And sometimes I felt agitated, like I couldn’t focus my energy. Up until now I didn’t think it was anything serious.

“Did you notice anything strange today? Your mum said you hit your head.”

Good old mum, I could rely on her to give every facet of information to the doctor, even the things that were probably nothing at all. No matter how old I got, my parents never stopped being parents.

“Yes, but the headache and bump went away pretty quick,” I tried downplaying the seriousness of my fainting.  

“Show me where you hit your head Sophie?”

“On the back.” I leaned forward and separated my hair to show him.

He inspected it with large fingertips. “You’re right there’s no lump now. Did you experience any grogginess or dizziness?”

“A bit, afterwards. But I was fine all afternoon. Like I said it healed quickly”

He turned to face my parents. “She may just have a concussion or a delayed response to the bump as I expected.” He turned to face me “Your mum is going to wake you up every two hours tonight and I will have my mobile phone next to my nightstand just in case. If the symptoms keep happening either ring me yourself or tell your mum.” I nodded.

“I want you to take it easy tomorrow, no ice hocky, rugby or cliff diving okay?” I laughed.

 “I would prefer it if you stayed home from school, but I know you’ll go anyway.” His dark wise eyes showed the certainty that came with having treated me for every illness I’d had since I was born. I felt a dab of affection for him and couldn’t help smiling back.