We were all reluctant, but it was just virtual reality so nothing to physically hurt us.
Being a civilian, they wanted me to try it first. I was game and told Hope, my Pit mix to rest. She looked at me and I nodded and followed the technician.
They put me inside a little gazebo-like area and then positioned the device on my head. I saw a field of flowers and relaxed.
The tech spoke. "Your triggers are men yelling at you and threatening you, right?"
I smiled. "Good place to start."
"I am going to lower the lights and I won't leave the room. Give me a safe word and I will stop it immediately, okay?"
I nodded. "Orange is my word."
It began. I was suddenly in a convenience store with a Coke in my hand. I was in the check-out line and there was a large man in front of me.
He turned abruptly and looked down at me. "Lady. You got any extra cash there?" I could hear a dog barking as I looked for money.
"How much do you need?" I asked. I saw two fives in my purse. I pulled out one of the fives and held it out to him.
"That's it?" He yelled and grabbed my purse. He shook it out on the floor, looked up at me and then stood again. He slapped me on the left side of my face and I stumbled. I could taste blood.
"Orange!" I yelled. Barking was intense now and I heard pounding on the door.
I lifted off the device and grew very dizzy. The tech gasped when she saw me.
"Are we recording all of this, control?"
After a pause, a disjointed voice said, "Yes. We got it all."
The tech let in Hope and I sank to the floor with her and held onto her for dear life.
"Get a doctor, control."
"On the way."
I saw my friends in the doorway staring at me. One pushed the tech aside, while another took pics on his phone.
"What's going on?" I asked. Hope nudged closer to me and weighted me down.
A doctor entered and asked my friends to leave. They declined.
He sat on a rolling stool and took my face in his hands. "How ya doin'?"
"That was very realistic! My face even hurts." I touched it and saw the blood. "Did I fall?" Hope was whining and was fully in my lap now.
"I will review the recording now and see what happened, okay?" He helped me up and sat me in a chair with an ice pack, but not before all my friends took phone pics of me.
The tech came out and said we were through for the day, but to wait for the doctor. I nodded, feeling strange. Hope held me down.
Our counselor arrived suddenly and pasted her calming look on her face. She sat next me. Hope looked up at her and whined.
"What's going on, May?"
"There was some kind of accident during the test. They are checking it now."
" Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah and glad we had a safe word, cause that felt real." She nodded.
She led us out, everyone nervous and dogs close to each of us.
"If you don't mind, I withdraw from that program." I said bluntly.
"We all do." Said the ranking officer of the group.
I took a deep breath and Hope looked up at me. "Good dog."
~~
The institute reviewed the footage from every angle and saw my head jerk, blood flow from my mouth and a large handprint appear on my face.
"What the hell happened?" Asked the head of the program.
They all shrugged. "Unknown, but we need student volunteers still and not folks with PTSD. She believes it was some kind of accident, but it happened in VA and manifested in real life.
~~
Back at the warehouse we all sat for a post outing discussion. Our counselor asked me to go to the medic before we began. I left with Hope.
"Okay guys. I know you all have pics, but will it help her to see them?"
"No. These aren't to show her, but to protect her, and us, from stupid experiments." Said the chief.
"Good, good. I think it could destroy her if she saw them." They all nodded.
I stopped in the bathroom and glanced at my face. Wow! It reminded me of a time before...I shrugged and washed my hands, splashing water on my sore face too. I rinsed my mouth and spit out blood. I took Hope to her food and water bowls.
The group was quiet and the dogs were whining.
"Listen. It was an accident and it's all over now." I sat and saw them nod.
"All over now..." One said. "All over."
No comments:
Post a Comment