Knock, knock

The door creaked open.

"Detective?"

"Greetings, Doctor. May I come in?"

"Under normal circumstances I would say "yes," but this doesn't feel like a normal circumstance," she said with a glance over his shoulder at two guards flanking him.

"Right you are, Doctor. We believe we've identified a potential witness. But she seems to be in an incredibly agitated state and refuses to speak like a sensible and stable person. We were hoping you'd come with us to help calm her down so we can get some information out of her."

... The woman... I didn't see or hear her give consent... I went to help... Echoed in her mind on loop.

"Very well, Detective."

She stepped outside, closed and locked the door, and followed the three men through the streets until they reached a local inn just down the road. Walking inside to an empty inn was more than a little unusual. Even the innkeeper was gone.

"Might I ask why nobody's here, Detective?"

"The innkeep was kind enough to step out and close the building to the general public for as long as we need to question the witness. Makes our jobs, and her life, easier that way."

"If you say so."

"You disagree?"

"She's a woman in an unstable mental state and surrounded by armed and intimidating men in an empty building. Anyone, stable or otherwise, would be stressed about that situation."

"Do you have a suggestion?"

"May I speak with her alone first?"

"I was afraid you'd say that. But very well, Doctor. We'll give you a few minutes to try and calm her down and get her stabilized before we enter and continue with questioning."

"What've you asked so far?"

"We tried asking her name, where exactly she was that night, what she saw, if anything. And we got nothing. She just stammered or looked away from us muttering incoherently and shaking like a leaf."

"Mm." She said as her lips tightened. Well done, gentlemen, she thought with the most subtle shake of her head.

"Whenever you're ready, Doctor. She's in the first room upstairs."

"Thank you."

Walking up the stairs in the back of the building and turning the 90 degree corner before reaching the second story and coming to the first door. And even before she reached for the doorknob she heard the mumbling inside. She took a deep breath, opened the door, and was instantly met with screaming and a woman in rags dashing about the room knocking things over trying to escape from her.

Lorraine stood very still with her hands folded in front of her stomach and waited patiently for almost five minutes until the woman calmed down and simply sat down, backing herself into the coerner of the room, staring at her like a rodent staring down a wolf.

Lorraine gave a light bow and spoke softly.

"Greetings, madam. I’m Doctor Almna."

“Did they call you to examine me?! They think I’m crazy! They said I was crazy! Do I look crazy to you?!”

"No, madam. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, and maybe ask-"

“I’m NOT okay! Those two attacked me and then were torn apart by a fucking Demon! How am I supposed to be ‘okay’?”

"You were attacked?"

“Yes!!”

"By who?"

“How should I know?! They were two men who chased me down, grabbed me, groped me, slapped me, and were starting to pull at my clothes before their blood was thrown all over the damn square!”

"I see. I’m sorry, madam."

“Why? It’s not like they attacked you! What do you have to be sorry for? Is this that stupid sense of self righteousness I’m always hearing about where you try to pretend you’re sympathetic to gain our favor before interrogating us?!”

"What in-… No, madam. Who gave you that idea?"

“Okay, Doctor. You wanna pretend to sympathize with me to make me calm down? Fine. Let’s play the game, shall we?”

She stood up, but continued to huddle in the corner.

“There. See? Calm as can be. Happy?”

"You were attacked, madam. What’s there to be happy about?"

“Oh, cut the bullshit sweetheart. What do you understand about being happy? You probably grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth, didn’t you? Had all your schooling paid for by mommy and daddy and got to be a doctor young by sucking off your school’s top brass after failing out. Right?”

"No, madam."

“Sure, sweetie. You’re probably still a virgin too, right?”

"… I am unmarried, yes."

“Oh! ‘Unmarried.’ Not exactly trying to say ‘no’ there, are you?”

"Unmarried women are not permitted to engage in sex in our culture. You know that, don’t you?"

The woman spat.

“’Culture’. Nobody actually gives a shit about culture. Especially the kinds of ‘men’ who attacked me.”

"That’s not true, madam."

“Not to your sheltered mind, maybe. But I’ll tell you sweetie, if you were to go out at night I’m certain others like the ones who attacked me would be happy to visit the same on you. What with your perfect face and body. Not to mention hair that’s perfect for holding like the reins of a fucking horse!”

"Oh..."

“Yeah. With a face like yours, tits like watermelons, and a pussy that’s probably tighter than a crab’s shell presuming you’re still a virgin, they’d fuck you all night long on any and every surface, and every position they could possibly think of!”

Lorraine fell silent and simply stared calmly at the woman as she slowly stood up, still pressing herself in the corner.

“Still think I’m ‘okay’?”

Silence.

“Didn’t think so. Have you given up already, Doctor?”

"No, madam."

“Still want to help me then? See if I’m ‘okay’?”

"Yes, madam."

“Gods, you’re thick. Take the hint, bitch. Get out of here! And take those assholes with you!!”

"I’m afraid I can’t, madam."

“Why? Are they paying you to badger me until I say something they can use to lock me up and get me off the streets like they do all the others?! Did they promise to help you lose your virginity nicely? Get you nice and wet first so you don’t feel them grating your insides like cheese when dry?”

Silence.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like the visual?”

"No."

“What are you going to do about it, then?”

"It’s happened to you, hasn’t it?"

“What do you think?”

"I think you’re emotionally unstable due to the recent trauma, but otherwise mentally sound."

“The fuck does that mean?”

"It means I think you’re okay. You just need time to settle down."

“… Okay? You think I’m okay?”

"I do. Despite your words and obvious frustration with me, you’ve given me no reason to believe that you’re mentally unsound or in need of physical assistance of any kind."

“Then why are you still here?”

"It’s my job. Even though I’m under the impression that you’re mentally sound and simply experiencing the natural effects of surviving a serious emotional trauma, I feel it’s my duty to receive confirmation from you that you’re okay before I take my leave."

“There you go again, using the word ‘okay’. You really think I’m okay after all this?”

"I do."

“Why?”

"I’ve given my reasons."

“Will you make some fucking sense?”

"Have I not?"

“No!”

"What would you like me to clarify?"

“How about all of it? How am I ‘okay’ to you after all this?!”

Lorraine gave a small bow.

"When I entered the room you ran around looking for an escape and then backed yourself into a corner. This is common behavior for an individual suffering intense emotional distress and whose mind is seeing everyone around them as a serious threat. Given that you encountered two men who sexually assaulted you, followed quickly by the Red-Eyed Demon tearing them apart, I can-"

“-I never mentioned him.”

"You said they were torn apart by a ‘Demon,’ right?"

“Yes, but-… Whatever. Keep explaining.”

"To add to my presumption, I found the wounds on the bodies were also consistent with his past attacks."

“Get on with it!… Please.”

Lorraine gave yet another small bow.

"Given the encounter, I can conclude that your emotional distress was a cumulative result of the assault, bearing witness to the violence that followed, and then being brought into custody in a room with no windows or escape routes. This combination of factors would make anyone frantic for a sense of stability and a semblance of control over their own situation."

“Is this your ‘professional’ analysis of me?”

"It’s my professional opinion, yes."

“What about my words?”

"It’s a regular occurrence for me to receive hateful rebukes to my words by patients suffering from mental or emotional distress. It doesn’t bother me."

“That right?”

"Yes."

“You sure you’re not a nun?”

Lorraine chuckled.

"Admittedly I thought about becoming one as a child for a bit. But medicine was my stronger calling."

“Hmph. So this is your ideal of healing me?”

"I would say we’ve certainly made progress."

“How?”

"You’re standing straight and no longer in the corner of the room."

The woman quickly glanced around and found she’d unconsciously wandered away from the corner and was now, more or less, in the center of the room.

"See?"

“When did I get here?”

"Somewhere between saying nobody cares about culture and letting me know what would happen if I went out at night alone."

“How?”

"I’m not a psychologist. But from talks I’ve had with colleagues in the field the center of the room is a power position, and moving to it is part of an effort to gain power and control over a conversation or situation. And given how aggressive your words were at the time, I’d say it fits the description quite well. Don’t you think?" She asked with a subtle giggle.

“And you just let me take this spot?”

"I’m not here to control you or try and claim power over you. As I’ve said from the start, I just want to make sure you’re all right before I take my leave."

“…”

"Are you?"

“… Yeah. I think so.”

"Excellent!" Lorraine said with a little clap of her hands, followed by a bow. "May Peur’Tia smile upon you, madam."

As Lorraine left the room the woman was left speechless until the door closed. And outside, the Detective was waiting for her.

“Doctor. Did you get anything?”

"Yes. She was sexually assaulted by two men and bore witness to the Red-Eyed Demon slaying them."

“Anything else? Who she is? How she got to the square? Why the Demon killed them but not her? Something?”

"No. Perhaps it’s my ignorance to investigative processes, but I don’t believe such things are important when it comes to a victim who’s clearly homeless and knows only that she suffered a traumatic event, and not why she had to suffer it."

“Hm. Fine. We’ll take it from here. Thanks for your cooperation.”

"Of course."

Lorraine departed the building and made her way back towards the clinic. But as she did so she saw a flash of a shadow cast by the rooftops moving close by. Upon looking up, she saw the Red-Eyed Demon staring at her before turning away and disappearing beyond the roof’s edge.

"Be careful, please." She whispered.