The Outlier

“Louise,” Vincent started, standing in the room with Anita. “How’re we looking?”

He turned around to look at the observation window. Standing behind the glass was a small-set woman with copper skin and black hair that frizzed out in springy curls.

She adjusted her glasses, then gave Vincent a thumbs up and a bright smile.

Vincent smiled back before turning once again to Anita. “Alright, let’s get started.”

Anita nodded. “So how’s this gonna work?”

“I just want to you to try and focus your energy on that part of your brain. Try and make sense of the whispers, okay?”

She nodded again, adjusting in her seat.

“Nervous?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess. Is it gonna hurt?”

“I’m gonna be honest with you,” Dr. Walsh replied, leaning down to be on Anita’s level. “I don’t know if it will. But if it does at any point, tell me, and we can stop.”

Anita sighed, nodding slowly. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Vincent nodded too, taking one last look at Louise.

“We’re gonna get started, okay?”

Louise pushed a couple buttons before giving one last thumbs up to Vincent.

“We’re good to go, Anita. I’m going to think some specific things, and I want you to tell me what you hear.”

“Okay.”

Vincent stood a little straighter, still making eye-contact with Anita.

”...become...worlds…”

“Something about becoming...and worlds?”

“Try a little harder, Anita. I know you can do it.”

Anita nodded, focusing as hard as she could.

”...destroyer…”

“Destroyer…?”

“You’re getting there, Anita, come on.”

The teen scrunched up her face, staring directing in Dr. Walsh’s eyes. She wasn’t hearing much of anything.

”...death…”

Suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain entered her head, causing the teen to double over.

“Anita?!” Vincent exclaimed, running to his patient.

“Something...about...death?”

“Don’t worry about it, Anita. Just relax for a moment. We can be done today.”

“No, no, I got it.”

Vincent, still kneeling next to Anita, looked up at the observation window. “Cut it, Louise. We’re wrapping up for the day.”

Louise nodded and started pushing buttons.

“And I’ll probably need a wheelchair to get her back to her room.”

Anita’s shoulders slumped. This was the fifth time that this had happened since she moved onto the premises of AFMA. She and Dr. Walsh had been working on exercises to expand her potential for a while now with no results.

“You’re getting there, Anita,” Vincent had kept reassuring her yesterday. “We’ve just gotta keep working at it.” For her, it was hard to believe she was making any progress when she had to be brought back to her room each night in a wheelchair.

“I think I can walk,” she muttered, trying to stand on her own. “I don’t need the chair.”

“Come on, Anita, don’t be stubborn. I don’t want you to fall and crack your skull.”

“And I don’t want to look like an idiot.”

Louise walked in, chart under one arm and pushing a wheelchair.

“You’re not gonna look like an idiot,” Dr. Walsh assured her. “Nobody here thinks that. Right, Louise?”

“Are you saying people are gonna make fun of you ‘cause you’re in a wheelchair?” she asked.

Anita nodded, blushing a little bit from being put on the spot.

“Honey, you have nothing to worry about. You’re at a medical facility. People would judge you if you were healthy and here for fun.”

The teen chuckled a little. “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right,” Louise corrected, patting the seat of the chair. “Now hop in, kid.”

With help from Dr. Walsh, Anita got into the wheelchair and tried to make herself comfortable.

“When do you want to try this exercise again?”

“Tomorrow?” Anita replied.

“Let’s wait at least a few days. How does the day after tomorrow sound?”

She sighed, but reluctantly nodded.

“Excellent. Louise, after you’re done bringing Anita anything she needs when she gets back to the room, meet me in my office. I want to go over what happened today with you.”

“You got it, Walsh.”

With that, Louise pushed the chair out of the room and down the hall.

“So do you work for AFMA or for Dr. Walsh?”

Louise chuckled. “I work mostly for Vincent, but I consult with a couple other doctors, too.”

“He seems to like you a lot.”

This time, the woman burst out into full blown laughter, causing some odd gazes from some old, greying doctors in the hall. “I would hope so! We’ve only been working together for close to five years now!”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Anita continued as the two of them pulled into the small room that she lived in. “I mean, he really likes you.”

“Mm,” she hummed, face scrunched to so how unamused she was. “You’re not the first to say that.”

“Really?”

“Mmhm.”

“You didn’t sound too thrilled when I brought it up, though. Did you guys like, try to date or something?”

“Nah,” Louise replied with a sigh as she helped the teen out of the wheelchair. “I don’t think he’s as into my as you think.”

“Why not?!” Anita asked in surprise.

“I don’t think he digs black chicks.”

“What? Have you even asked him if that’s true?”

“Don’t need to,” she replied matter-of-factly. “All he’s ever dated have been pasty white girls. And he’s been flirting with this lab tech in Infectious Diseases. Tall, blonde, and pretty. That’s his type. And why am I telling you all this?”

Anita shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just a really good listener?”

“I’m sorry,” she said with a sigh. “You don’t wanna hear me complain about my lack of a love life.”

“Honestly, Louise, I’m okay with that. I makes me feel a little less like I’m sick and a little more like I’m among friends.”

“You consider us friends?”

Anita shrugged. “Yes…?” she replied hesitantly.

“Well, I do too, kid,” she said with a smile. “You’re a cool gal.”

“You’re pretty cool, too.”

“Alright, is there anything you need before I head out?”

“No, I don’t think so. Have a good day, Louise.”

Louise gave a small smile. “You too, Anita. Feel better.”

Anita nodded. “Thanks.”