Prologue
Denver, Colorado: 6 years ago
The curtains had been pulled slightly closed as she sat quietly without speaking to him. His desk was covered with papers, his computer, and over-sized files. She sat in the farthest chair from him to put some distance from him. He had been seeing her for a while as she had been recommended by one of his private clients. The room was eerily silent, a lavender smell relaxed her features as he began the session. He would always start first and she would follow.
He looked at his folder as he flipped to the last session where they had last left off.
“What do you fear most?” He continued as he asked her while he crossed his legs. She was silent as the psychiatrist jotted a few things down on the notepad in his lap.
“I’m not sure.” She replied sincerely, he nodded.
“What about death?” he tested and looked for a reaction, but she was mostly quiet. “Not really, I know one day, any day we can die.” She replied as she lightly bit her nails and he watched her intently, her eyes looked down as she was deeply thinking.
“Have you thought of something?” Her head shot up as his words caught her off guard, and her hand came to rest on her throat, as she played with a necklace and slowly gave him a nod.
“There is one thing,” she lowly mumbled for him to hear and she looked at him. He penciled her quietness as part of her upbringing perhaps she was always silent she never had a chance to voice her thoughts. “the truth.”
At her statement, he stopped writing and looked at her. He held her eye contact and nodded, “That is interesting, how come truth is something you’re afraid of?” he asked.
The green-eyed creature turned and slightly pulled on her brown hair as to cover her face, her shy nature was creeping in, she closed herself off. “When I think about it, it seems so trivial, but to be honest, I think people are afraid. That’s why we lie to make it more convenient or comfortable.”
He nodded agreeing with her. “That is true, but how come you’re afraid of the truth? Do you have any secrets?” His joke automatically made her tense up and she began to scratch at her scars. Her arms that had once been healed were now decorated with pink lines-scars.
“Everyone does.” Her words came out as a whisper. He looked as she bowed her head and her shoulders slouched. He looked at her and nodded.
“Yes, even I do, don’t look frightened. I won’t pry.” And she nodded.
“I feel like I’m unaware to many truths and the frightening thing is not knowing,” She lifted her hand to her mouth and chewed on her nails nervously.
“Esmeralda, you only have to share what you want.” She nodded and took a deep breath and she unconsciously scratched her face. He was already able to read her micro-expressions. “Now, let’s move on to something else. How has your day been going?”
Her face lit up and she smiled for once throughout the hourly session, she had smiled only this time. “Well, I had a good day.” He nodded smiling with her.
“Really? How come?”
Her hands crossed and she giggled. “Well, I got to see my sister today. She’s my older twin by three minutes,” She rambled slightly excited by the topic. He nodded and jotted more notes on his paper. Sister, good relationship, support.
“What did you do today?”
“We went to a bakery outside of town, she usually sets up the meetings herself. She’s too paranoid.” She smiled at him.
“What’s her name?” She leaned back relaxing as the haunting name rolled off her mouth.
He looked up at her as his pen stopped moving. “Her name is Sapphire Tyler.”
