The 'Psycho' In Psychology

5 - Dementium

“Sybil, please calm down.”

Seth kneaded the crinkled line of worry in-between his eyes, frustrated and tired. I wouldn’t sit; not until he gave me some answers. I wanted to know how he knew about me and I wanted to know right now.

“I will not!” I shouted, clamping my hands to my hips. I narrowed my gaze and returned his glare with one of my own. Finally, he gave up and reclined back into his leather chair. I hadn’t been taking my pills recently, so Riley still wandered the room.

Seth waved me off. “Suit yourself. But only if you tell him to leave.” He said sternly, prompting Riley to gasp and look hurt.

I turned to Riley, an apology in my eyes. “Sorry…Riley, leave.”

Riley humphed and stormed – more like violently floated – though the door.

It still made me shiver.

Seth smiled as best he could without showing too much annoyance with me. “I’m guessing you want answers.”

“Please.”

Seth leant forward and clasped his hands together. “OK…so I’ll start with how you get this ability.” I raised an eyebrow, but he carried on. “Most children can actually see ghosts, but only up until they are about four or five years old. After that, the ability sort of…evaporates. Poof. But you still have it, yes?”

I nodded.

“And so do I…Sybil, have you ever had a near death experience?”

I paused. An NDE? I tried to think back, but couldn’t really remember having a near death experience. I guess there was one time, but…

“I did get hit by a car when I was little. But it only knocked me unconscious.”

Seth nodded and scratched his chin thoughtfully. He looked to ancient, so wise when he did that. Each individual hair that lined his jaw shone a gold colour in the sun. “That could be it. A brief contact with the afterlife, enabling you to see the deceased.”

“Woo-hoo for me.”

The sarcasm was so out of my shy nature that we both laughed…real, eye watering laughs, the kind of laughing I haven’t indulged in since coming here. Eventually we both calmed down to chuckles. I couldn’t help but notice how boyish he looked when he did so.

“So you had an NDE too?” I asked. Seth nodded, but it looked forced and slightly pained so I didn’t ask anymore. I had a feeling it was a subject neither of us wanted to go into. I took a seat on the black recliner.

I played with my fingers during the awkward silence, until finally, Seth spoke. “Does it hurt, Sybil?”

“What?” I said, head snapping up. Seth eyes filled with something that looked like concern.

“Do the ghosts hurt you, with their voices? Give you headaches or anything?”

I shrugged casually, because yes, they did give me headaches. “Sometimes.”

Seth gazed at me for a long couple of seconds, so long I began to squirm. I felt like his eyes were searching me inside out, or maybe eating me alive. He tilted his head slightly, and I noticed his fingers snaking up to his throat. A silver chain hung against his pale skin, something I had never noticed before. He hesitated before taking it off.

It was a dice. A very old dice.

Seth flinched and gazed around at the room in wonder. I coughed and suddenly he was back in the room. He smiled apologetically, the skin creasing as the corners of his green eyes. He dropped the dice necklace into my hand.