Claire sat down on the bed in her room unsure what to do. She needed to work out what had happened and how to escape. The nurse told her that all was fine. She hoped that it meant that Gabriel was alive. He was still conscious and fighting while she was dying. She hoped that he persevered and that he managed to recover as well as she did.
Then, she remembered the woman's voice beside her. She wondered if it was Rosa who helped her out and put her away so far from home so that she could recover so well. She couldn't tell if it was a good thing yet or not. Maybe she should have taken the medication. Maybe they anticipated that she will have PTSD from what she experienced and started treating her already. Maybe.
Thankfully it wasn't long before a nurse came and asked Claire to follow her to Dr Wagner's office.
Claire obediently did just that.
The office was round the corner behind a card swipe door. Obviously someone in the past must've tried to break in to get to Dr Wagner.
The nurse opened the door for Claire and let her into the fairly large and modern office. She closed the door behind Claire leaving her alone with the woman behind her desk. The woman stood up and looked up at Claire with a welcoming smile.
"Miss Cooper." The woman smiled. "My name is Anna Wagner and I am your doctor, here at Leysin Sanatorium." Anna pointed Claire towards the chair on the opposite side of her desk. Claire hesitated again but then she slowly sat down, studying woman's middle aged face with her perfect bob haircut and an amazingly straight fringe. She we done of the few that Claire could imagine to be able to pull off the bob haircut with bangs without looking like a Karen. "I have been told that today you have been asking quite a lot of questions and that you seem quite aware. How are you feeling?"
"Confused."
"Unfortunately that tends to be the case." Anna nodded. She was paying the full attention to Claire, actively listening and maintaining the eye contact. It made Claire very uncomfortable. "I will try to answer any questions you have."
"Where am I?"
"Leysin Sanatorium, in the province of Leysin, in Switzerland."
"How did I get here?"
"You were brought here by authorities in your country."
"What day is it?"
"15th of July 2023."
"Why am I here?" Claire asked directly.
"You were very unwell."
"In what way?"
"You were wounded."
"I doubt I need to be here if it were just because I was shot."
"That's true." The woman nodded.
"So, what is it?"
"Your mental health wasn't very good for a while. You were send here because of the concern that you could be dangerous to yourself and those around you."
"Bullshit." Claire uttered with irritation.
"Tell me, Elise, how did you get shot?"
"I was shot. Obviously." Claire sneered.
"By whom?"
"By Michael Moore."
"Elise, that is not true. I cannot tell if you truly believe that or not." Anna sighed. "You shot yourself, Elise."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you were hurting." Anna pretended to be sympathetic.
"So, you think I shot myself because I was depressed?" Claire asked in utter disbelief.
"You were struggling with depression for so long time now…." Anna sighed. "Psychotic depression is a depression with symptoms of psychosis. Traumatic experiences can trigger it. People with severe depression are at a particular risk."
"Psychotic depression?" Claire repeated. "Traumatic events? You mean, like being shot by my father-in-law?"
"I mean things like having someone so close to you assault you."
"What?" Claire still tried to compute woman's words. "You mean Harry? From university?"
"Indeed."
"But that was years ago."
"Well… you've been struggling for a while now. You've been at Great River Hospital for so many years."
"What? That is not true. I worked at Diamond Corporate for years now and I haven't been at the GRH since I've started my job."
"Elise… that is not true. You have had a breakdown after your graduation. You never worked at Diamond Corporate."
Claire closed her eyes as rage was building up. She placed her hands on her head.
"What happened to Gabriel?" Claire asked sternly, biting her tongue.
"Who is Gabriel?"
"My husband, Gabriel Moore."
"I highly doubt that. You have never married. And as far as I am aware, neither has Gabriel Moore." Anna smiled again. "Maybe you saw him on the news in the lounge? He must've caught your eye and your brain miscomputed what has happened on the tv to being a part of real life? Brains are interesting and fickle things."
"Where is Gabriel?"
"I don't know. Probably in one of his fancy villas." Anna shrugged. It was fruitless to continue this conversation.
Claire looked out of the window. She needed to get out of this place as soon as. She needed to get away from this hideous illusion.
"How long do I have to stay here?"
"Until your symptoms of psychosis ease and that we are certain that the treatment is working."
"What is the treatment?"
"A combination of Setraline and Olanzapine."
"I was given two more tablets this morning."
"Yes. One was for nausea and one was a temporary sedative to mellow your mood out."
"How long do I need to take them for?"
"Initially for five weeks."
"Any other methods?"
"One-to-one therapy and group therapy. If symptoms of your depression persevere, potentially an electroconvulsive therapy."
Claire thought about what she was told. Her only escape was likely by pretending that she was fine on their terms.
"Okay." Claire nodded. "I am struggling to recognise what has truly happened. Can you give me an account of the events?"
"I do not wish to upset you."
"I must know to know what I am facing."
"Elise, during university you have been assaulted by your boyfriend, Harry Peyn. Following that event you started to struggle with symptoms of PTSD and depression. You have attempted a suicide and you ended up in Great River Hospital. You were released a few months ago but within the first day you shot yourself whilst having a psychotic breakdown. It is unclear how you have obtained the gun but it was clear that your breakdown was due to not well managed transition between the hospital and the rest of the world. Looking at the police reports, you were wandering near the campus for a while and then…." Anna let out an overly dramatic sigh. "Following this, it was thought that a change in environment will be beneficial. I am a world-leasing specialist in treating psychosis. You're in good hands."
"I see." Claire nodded. For some awful reason they've removed years of her life with a pretext of her mental breakdown and her being locked in a hospital. Convenient - she thought. "And I wasn't anywhere else during that time?"
"Well, no."
"What about my family?"
"Ehhh…" Anna paused in surprise. "Elise, your parents have both passed away in a car crash while you were hospitalised."
Claire nodded at that information. Against her will there were tears in her eyes. They might've looked like tears of new grief but truly they were tears of frustration. She knew for sure that she didn't have a mental breakdown and she wasn't crazy.
She wasn't crazy.