Outpatient - A Story of Horror and Madness by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 5

The move went flawlessly and with Nancy"s help, Catherine was able to remain focused and organized. It was June, and Nancy decided to spend the week with Catherine at her new home. She felt that suddenly leaving Catherine in such isolation might cause her to slip into a relapse. Then, around the middle of the week, Nancy stepped out for a few hours, leaving Catherine a note on her coffee table that read simply, „Be back later, Nancy." A few hours later, she returned with a small animal carrier.

“I'm back!” Nancy called out. “And I brought a friend!”

Catherine was cleaning the bathroom when she heard Nancy's voice. She got up and walked into the living room, her curiosity aroused by Nancy's words.

“What do you mean, a friend?”

Catherine asked. Nancy quickly opened the carrier and gently took out a nine-month-old kitten.

“See, I brought a friend!” she said.

“Oh, my God!” Catherine said excitedly.

“She's so cute!”

“Actually,” replied Nancy. “She's a he. I

thought you might like having a man around the house.”

She handed Catherine the small gray bundle of fur, who gently held the kitten to her chest. Nancy

had also purchased all the things that were needed for the raising of the kitten – food, bowls, cat toys, and of course, a box of litter.

“Look at his eyes. They are so beautiful!” Catherine exclaimed.

She walked over to her couch and, after sitting down, began cradling the kitten as if it were an infant. Her eyes welled up with joy as she started speaking to it in baby talk. And with that single interaction, a deep bond had been created – one that could never be broken.

“So, what do we call you?” Catherine asked as the kitten began a series of high-pitched cries.

Nancy sat down on the couch, just far enough away to be able to take in the entire maternal picture.

“He's a Russian Blue,” Nancy said. Catherine held the kitten a few inches away from herself and looked into its deep, golden eyes. It looked back at her with its rounded face and a faint mew.

“Ivan,” she declared. “I'm going to call you, Ivan.”

She turned toward Nancy and, bringing Ivan to her chest, again smiled broadly. This was something Catherine had not done in months and for Nancy, it meant far more than any words could express.

“Thank you so much!” Catherine said joyfully.

She hugged Nancy around the neck, further expressing her gratitude and excitement.

Nancy thought how good it was to see her being excited, even elated over something – anything. But, she had another reason for giving Catherine the kitten. Nancy knew that she would not always be able to rush to her house at a moment"s notice, especially after the fall semester started. Now, she'd know that Catherine would never be truly alone and that caring for another life, no matter how small, might give her a reason to get up every morning. But there was something going on that Nancy was unaware of, something Catherine had not told her about. Catherine had kept herself so involved in the process of purchasing her new home that she had become distracted from her growing fear of going back to AMHI. But now, that fear had begun to manifest itself in a way she found very disturbing – nightmares. Catherine experienced them every night – sometimes twice a night. It was always the same, down to the last detail.