Diana's Torment

Flag McAndrew's wife Diana has the 'second sight' and is also becoming increasingly schitzophrenic. Several times she has tried to kill Flag, and is now a voluntary patient in a mental home.

 

 

She was afraid - terrified of what was happening to her. She didn't mean to do the things they said she did. How could anyone think that she alone, without evil influence, could try and kill the man she truly loved?  She couldn't even remember being involved in most of the incidents, because it wasn't her at all. What she could remember was when the change started to happen. Each time she was more aware of Mary invading her body and mind; and every time she tried in vain to resist and rebuff the invader. But little Diana McAndrew was no match for Mary of Argyll, and she lost the fight each time, even as she felt the darkness spreading and taking over. She couldn't fight Mary on her own, she needed help. But nobody knew how to help her.

 

The psychiatrist was achieving nothing, she knew it without having to be told. With every week that passed, Mary was becoming more powerful, and invading more often. In a few more months, or a year, there would be no more Diana, only wicked Mary. She couldn't bear the thought, and made up her mind on what she had to do, before it was too late. According to the books, she was still voluntary, and could therefore sign herself out at any time. But she knew this would not last much longer.

 

Next afternoon, as soon as the psychiatrist had gone to his professional rooms in town, she went to the duty male nurse, and said she would like to go out for a walk in the fresh air. The nurse checked her tag against the book, and shrugged. Legally he could not stop her, so he merely entered the time in the register, got her to sign, and let her go, making sure she had a little money with her.

 

The bridge was much higher above the water than she had thought, and it was scary to look down from her perch outside the catwalk. Now that the time had come, she wasn't sure she could go through with it. Maybe they could cure her after all? That's right said the voice, and she felt Mary creeping up on her, casting a dark shadow ahead of her evil presence.

 

"No!" cried Diana out loud, "Never again!"

 

She looked down once more at the dark water, and her earlier resolve returned and redoubled. This time she would win. This last time Mary would not gain control of her. Before Mary had a chance to take over, Diana leaned outwards above the dark water.

 

"Forgive me Flag, my one and only true love."

 

There was a scream from her throat; but it was Mary of Argyll screaming, not Diana McAndrew. Diana began reciting the Lord's Prayer, the water coming up to meet her as if in slow motion.

 

"Our Father, Who art in heaven" - closer now - "Hallowed be Thy name" - it would soon be over - "Thy Kingdom come"- she hit the water, and began to sink - "on earth as it is in Heaven" she continued reciting in her mind, as the darkness began to enfold her being. Her last conscious thought before eternity, was Flag, remember me as I was, not as I have become, please my darling, and she was finally at peace with her tormented soul.

 

 

Reviews

[richard hurndall]

I enjoyed this short excerpt. I always think it is quite difficult to interpret mental illness in a story, especially from the character's perspective(like you have done), but this piece packs punches and works well.

In fact this would be a great opening to a book; it kind of launches the reader into the story and sets up a lot of conflict for Flag already.

So is this a series of books? Published?

[G Garcia]

This is an interesting, if unexpected (to me, a new reader) piece to Flag's story. I appreciate that you've got a novel with a lot of elements that I'm not yet privy to, and so I'll look at this as more of a stand-alone piece

Reading the chapter, I felt as though I wanted more. Specifically, a scene or scenes that demonstrate the manifestation of "Mary" to give a true sense of the gravity of her (Mary's) potential to wreck havoc through Diana. Also, more insight into Mary's thought processes, perhaps during such an episode, would go a long way towards giving me something tangible to relate to as the reader. I refer to a "tipping-point" moment, wherein the opportunity arises for Mary to do something evil, and the ensuing struggle by Diana to prevent it. In short, if you to show me Mary's control, I would understand it and thus the true nature of Diana's struggle. Then Diana's sacrifice would feel truly authentic.

I shall keep reading!