Chapter 6: Therapy
Squad Leader Solemn's piercing gaze swept across his team, his rugged features etched with a stern intensity. "Open your hands."
As they complied, he scrutinized their battered palms, the map of bruises and scrapes testament to their unyielding efforts.
"Now you're strong," he declared, his voice low and commanding. "You worked hard today, but tomorrow demands more. Every moment wasted is a disservice to God and yourselves. Tomorrow isn't promised. You must seize today."
His eyes locked onto each cadet, searching for resolve.
Anita's jaw set in determination.
Jester's grin faltered, replaced by a resolute nod.
Grim's eyes burned with unyielding intensity.
Malevolence's gaze seemed to hold a hidden agenda.
Leech's expression remained inscrutable.
Solemn's voice dropped to a growl. "Do you understand me, cadets?"
"Yes, Squad Leader!" they chorused, conviction echoing through their voices.
Squadron Leader Solemn walked up to the group, his eyes scanning the room.
"Yes, physical training is crucial," he said, pacing back and forth. "But the most critical component is your mindset. Mental strength is your backbone. It's what keeps you standing when the world around you collapses."
He halted, his gaze piercing.
"That's why today, you'll be having therapy sessions. Dr. Nova will guide you through the process."
The squad exchanged uneasy glances, some brows furrowed in skepticism.
"Therapy isn't a sign of weakness," Solemn emphasized. "It's a sign of strength. Acknowledging your vulnerabilities and confronting them head-on."
"Squad, listen up!" Squadron Leader Solemn called out, his voice clear and authoritative. "We're heading to Dr. Nova's facility. ETA is 30 minutes. Gear up and stay alert."
The squad nodded, their expressions focused.
Leroy felt a mix of emotions: anticipation, anxiety, and curiosity. What would Dr. Nova uncover about his visions?
"Let's move out!" Solemn ordered, leading the squad to the waiting vehicle.
As they boarded, Leroy took a deep breath, preparing himself for what lay ahead.
Leroy's head leaned against the window, his eyes closing as he drifted off to sleep. But his slumber was short-lived, as he soon found himself in a dream world unlike any he had ever known.
The scenery was a deep, foreboding black, like an abyss that seemed to swallow everything in its path. Yet, amidst the darkness, a chair sat bathed in a soft, purple light. The chair seemed to be waiting for him, and as he drew closer, Leroy noticed a figure sitting on the floor beside it.
The figure slowly raised its head, revealing a face with an enigmatic smile. "Welcome, Leroy," it said, its voice low and mysterious. "My name is Clairvoyant. I'm here to guide you through this realm."
Leroy's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean? What is this place?"
Clairvoyant's smile grew wider. "This is the world of the subconscious, where the boundaries of reality are tested. And you, Leroy, are a curious soul, seeking answers to questions you haven't yet asked."
As Clairvoyant spoke, the air around them began to shift and swirl, like a kaleidoscope of emotions. Faces appeared and disappeared, their eyes and smiles reflecting a range of emotions - sadness, anger, and sinister intent. Leroy felt like he was drowning in a sea of conflicting emotions.
"This world is beautiful, if I may say so," Clairvoyant continued, "but it's also treacherous. You must be cautious, Leroy, for the lines between reality and illusion are easily blurred here."
Leroy's mind raced with questions, but before he could ask any, Clairvoyant spoke again. "Come, let us sit, and I will reveal to you the secrets of this realm."
With that, Clairvoyant gestured to the chair, and Leroy felt an inexplicable pull to sit down, as if his fate depended on it.
Clairvoyant's eyes seemed to bore into Leroy's soul. "Sit on the chair, and you shall see what you have long forgotten."
Leroy hesitated for a moment, but his curiosity got the better of him. He sat down, and as soon as he did, dark purple ink began to rise from the black abyss below. It slowly crept up his leg, like a gentle embrace, and soon the abyss itself began to stir. The faces with various emotions - sadness, anger, and sinister intent - drew closer, their eyes fixed on Leroy.
As the ink enveloped him, Leroy felt a strange sense of calm wash over him. It was as if the ink was inviting him to surrender to his memories. And then, his mind began to fade away, like sand slipping through his fingers.
When his vision cleared, Leroy found himself in a familiar yet forgotten place. He was standing in a grand estate, surrounded by lush greenery and vibrant flowers. A figure approached him, her long, flowing hair blowing in the wind.
"Leroy, my dear boy," she said, her voice like music. "I've missed you so."
Leroy's heart raced as he realized who it was - his mother, Lady Elizabeth. He had forgotten so much about her, but now, it was all coming back.
"Why are you outside in the rain by yourself?" Lady Elizabeth asked, concern etched on her face.
"I don't have anywhere else to go," Leroy replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
"What's your name, child?" she asked, her eyes filled with kindness.
"I...I don't have one," Leroy said, his eyes cast downward.
Lady Elizabeth's face softened. "Your name, for now, is Leroy Dark. And you shall call me...Mom."
Leroy nodded, his heart stirring with a sense of belonging.
The lady, now his adopted mother, led him to the house where she stayed. They entered, and she guided him upstairs to the bath. As they bathed together, she hummed softly, washing his body and rubbing his head with gentle fingers. Leroy's eyes grew heavy, and he fell asleep in her embrace.
Later, his mother woke him, "Leroy, time to wake up and come eat!" He nodded, and they went downstairs to the dining table. As they ate, Leroy glanced at his mother, and she smiled. He smiled back, a small, tentative smile, but it was enough to make her heart swell with joy. She had never seen him express emotions before.
Overcome with happiness, she hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "I'm so proud of you, Leroy. You're finally opening up."
"Time for bed, Leroy," his mother said, her voice soft and gentle.
Leroy nodded and climbed into bed beside her. She began to hum a soothing melody, holding him tightly as he drifted off to sleep.
Just as they were settling in, a knock at the door broke the peace. "Who is it?" she called out, her voice firm but wary.
"It's the townspeople," a voice replied. "We've come for the boy."
Leroy's mother's grip on him tightened. "What do you mean? He's my son!"
"The boy doesn't belong here," the voice insisted. "Hand him over to the Head of the Town."
Leroy's mother refused, her voice steadfast. "I won't give him up!"
The townspeople didn't take kindly to her defiance. They broke down the door, storming into the house. Leroy's mother rushed upstairs, holding him close as he clung to her in fear.
"What's going on?" he whispered, his eyes wide with terror.
"Everything will be okay, Leroy," she promised, her voice trembling. "Just hold on to me."
Leroy's mind raced with memories of his real mother, who had said the same words before she disappeared. He held on to his adopted mother, praying that this time, everything would indeed be okay.
The townspeople burst into the room, their cruelty unleashed. They beat Leroy mercilessly, leaving him broken and helpless. His mother tried to shield him, but they were too strong. They subjected her to unspeakable horrors, and Leroy was forced to watch, his eyes frozen in terror.
As they prepared to burn her alive, his mother locked eyes with him, her gaze filled with love and desperation. "Leroy, look at me," she whispered. "Remember, I always love you. Never forget that, and don't forget about me."
Leroy's mind was shattered as he watched his mother's body engulfed in flames. Her screams still echoed in his mind as he stumbled towards her lifeless corpse. "Why, mom? Wake up! Wake up? I said wake up?" he pleaded, his voice cracking with despair.
Overwhelmed by grief and anger, Leroy's mind went blank. He stared at his mother's charred remains, his thoughts consumed by a burning rage and a deep sense of loss. "You will pay for this," he whispered to the townspeople, his voice cold and menacing. "I swear it."
Leroy's vow to his mother hung in the air as a faint whispering echoed in his ear. "Look at her! LOOK AT HER! LOOK AT HER!" The voice was soft, yet piercing, and seemed to come from all around him. Leroy spun around, but there was no one in sight.
The whispering continued, its tone taunting. "What do you want? Do you yearn for fear? Do you want anger? Or do you seek death?"
Leroy's response was barely audible, yet resolute. "I seek death."
As soon as the words left his lips, everything went black.
When Leroy came to, he was hallucinating. His mother stood before him, radiant and warm, her eyes shining with love. She embraced him, humming a gentle melody, and stroked his hair with soothing fingers.
Leroy's mind was a jumble of emotions, but in this moment, he felt a sense of peace wash over him. His mother's presence was his light, his solace.
But, like all good things, it was fleeting. She vanished, leaving Leroy alone once more, his heart heavy with grief and his mind consumed by the darkness that had taken over.
As the darkness closed in, Leroy's thoughts grew cloudy, and his vision began to blur. He stumbled through the desolate landscape, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The whispering in his ear had stopped, but he knew it would return, tempting him with its sinister promises. Leroy's heart raced with anticipation, his mind torn between his desire for revenge and the fear of succumbing to the darkness that lurked within. He knew he had to keep moving, to find a way out of this bleak world, but his legs felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot. And then, everything went black once more, leaving Leroy to face the unknown, alone and adrift in a sea of shadows.
When Leroy's eyes opened again, he found himself back in the car, Clairvoyant's enigmatic smile greeting him like a harbinger of fate. The dream, or nightmare, was over, but its impact lingered. Leroy's gaze drifted to the rearview mirror, where his own eyes stared back, now tempered with a hint of darkness. He knew that he had been forever changed, that the shadows within him had grown stronger. And as the car drove on, Leroy wondered what lay ahead, his heart heavy with the knowledge that his journey was far from over. The darkness would return, and next time, it might not be just a dream.