The Patient

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Number of Words = [3789] Words in Oxford 3000 = [94%]

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Content Chapter One In the Mental Health Center ..................p.2 Chapter Two Beside the Lake.......................................p.8 Chapter Three The Dream ..............................................p.15 Chapter Four The Picture Book....................................p.23 Chapter Five The Boy and His Father .........................p.28 Chapter Six The Truth ................................................p.33

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Chapter One In the Mental Health Center It was a hot autumn day. The sun was beaming strongly over the trees on the hill.

The leaves were beginning to

turn red and were rustling as the soft wind blew through.

Birds were singing here and there.

In the very center of the woods hid a house which was surrounded by a closed, rusted iron gate.

On a signboard

beside the gate wrote, “Allport Mental Health Center.�

The

path and the garden were covered with leaves and grass.

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The weeds grew vividly; the fountain was dry and filled with leaves.

Further in a large mansion stood silently.

The outside wall of the two-floored building was covered with creepers and vines. The windows were enormous, but the curtains blocked the inside view.

There was no wind,

no sound and no movement; even the lake beside the mansion was very still.

The only moving object was a man.

He was walking

through the abandoned garden toward the mansion. was middle-aged with a buzz haircut. high, or in other words, bald.

He

His forehead was

His face was handsome

regardless of the wrinkles around the corners of his eye and

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mouth.

His facial expression was calm and peaceful; it was

perhaps due to his profession as a psychologist that he looked so cool and confident.

He held a briefcase in his hand and opened the door. He stepped inside the dark room.

A long hallway stretched

from both his right and left hand side; a staircase led to the second floor.

He paused for a moment, examined the

empty hallway, and then made his way to the second floor.

The wooden floor squeaked.

On the second floor, he stood

still in the hallway again and listened.

There was a soft

noise coming from his right. He followed the sound to a closed door and turned the door knob.

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A small bedroom

came into view as the door opened.

There was a bed and a

rocking chair in front of a big window. It was the chair which made the sound. He walked toward it and looked down; there was a little boy sitting on it, staring blankly at the enormous window.

He looked about nine years old,

with fair skin and blond hair. He was a lovely, cute boy with an innocent face; but his eyes were hollow.

“You must be Trevor.

I’m John, nice to meet you,”

smiling at the boy, John held out his hand, but his patient gave no reply.

“All right,” John continued and pulled a chair beside Trevor. “Beautiful scenery isn’t it?” he asked and waited,

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but Trevor kept staring out as if John hadn’t existed.

“Okay,” said John after a while, “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk.

But I want you to know from now on, I will

come and visit you from time to time and you are welcome to talk to me whenever you want to, alright?”

He handed Trevor a wooden model car and said, “This is a gift for you. It also represents our friendship. I will come back to you tomorrow.

Take care, Trevor.”

He patted Trevor on the back and left, leaving the boy sitting still and staring out at the window in the dead silence.

That night, John sat at his desk by a lamp and opened his

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notebook. It was his habit to keep a diary. He wrote: Jun. 29th.

Trevor, boy, age 9.

Mental disability due to car accident two years ago.

Eyes are dull; face is sad.

No reaction at the first contact.

There’s still a long way to go‌.

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Chapter Two Beside the Lake The temperature was still very hot but the air was chilly around the mansion. John was crossing the front yard as a cool wind blew; closing his eyes, he enjoyed himself in the coldness against his cheeks.

He loved cold weather. In

fact, he always liked cold better than hot; dark better than bright; indoor better than outdoor; being alone better than being with others.

That was why he wasn’t very pleased

when Trevor asked him to come to the lake, where he would be out without any protection in the sunlight.

He walked

toward Trevor, who was sitting on the grass in the sun, sat

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down beside him and hid himself under the shadow of a tree.

Looking at Trevor, John asked, “So, how are you doing today?

Good?”

The boy was obviously different today. His eyes, which were bright and intelligent today, looked straight into the doctor’s.

The look was so strong as if it would see through

his mind.

“That, is a question that I want to ask you. How are you doing today?” Trevor replied in a calm and smooth voice.

John was stunned by his reply. He paused for a moment and answered, “Oh…well…I’m fine, thanks for asking. It seems you are quite willing to talk today. I’m happy to see

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that,” he smiled and continued, “Alright then, let’s keep it going like that.

Talk your head off.

how about your family?

Let’s start from…

How are your father and mother?”

Trevor kept looking at his doctor and replied, “I’ll tell you if you really want to know, but before that, I’d like to hear your story first.”

John laughed and said, “Wow, you act as if you were a real doctor.”

Trevor didn’t laugh at his joke.

Instead, he wore a

serious and somehow sympathetic look. give in!

“Okay, okay. I

Since you are so curious about me, I will tell you

about my childhood.”

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“I have a very normal family.

My Mom was a housewife

and my Dad was a famous soccer player.

They knew each

other in high school and then got married seven years later.

I am the only child, but I’m not lonely because my parents often spent time with me.

Every weekend, my father

would take us out to the park for a picnic. We would play soccer with Buddy… Oh, I forgot to tell you we had a dog, Buddy. Anyway, we had a great time.

And whenever we

had holidays, my Dad would drive us into the country, bringing Buddy with us, of course.

We would stay in our

little cottage beside the lake and did every kind of activities; rowing, swimming; hiking; fishing; barbecuing, and of

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course playing soccer, too.

That was really fun.

Anyway, I love my parents and I miss them very much.

But I know they are well in heaven, so I’m not too sad.

Alright, this is my story. Are you happy now?

It’s your

turn to tell me yours.”

The boy looked at him with his enormous, extremely blue eyes that were so clear and profound as if they could see your thoughts.

“Are you sure this is the truth?

Have you forgotten any

details?” his voice was low and it echoed in John’s head.

John couldn’t escape from the strong stare, and he couldn’t get rid of the question in his head which was

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repeated again and again.

His head started aching; he bent

down and closed his eyesďź?

He was sitting in a field. There were a man and a woman in front of him. very unclear.

Standing against the sun, their faces were However, he could recognize them.

He

remembered the smell of the grass in the park; the hotness of air; the noise of the children in the playground. remembered.

Of course he knew these two people.

could he forget?

He How

They were so familiar, and so important

to him; they were just the same as what he had dreamed every night.

He ran towards them.

Suddenly, the whole scene melted away.

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The man and

the woman disappeared.

Everything became cold and dark.

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Chapter Three The Dream He was now standing in a room, a living room.

It was

quite dark; the only light came from a little yellow light bulb on a table. old.

Beside the light, there were sofas, stained and

There was little furniture in the room.

was old and broken.

Everything

He had a weird feeling; something

unhappy was creeping toward him. He turned to run away when he heard some noises.

In the dining room behind him, a woman and a man were sitting beside the table; their faces were serious.

The

woman is very young, and pretty, but there was something

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sharp and aggressive in her eyes.

The man was also very

good looking. He had an athletic kind of appearance; his skin was tanned and his body was well-shaped. However, he looked frightened.

“Louisa, I didn’t know if it is the only way,” the man finally said timidly.

“Jack, this is the best way for both you and me,” replied Louisa impatiently.

“But, Lucy, there must be other things we can do! I can’t let you do this,” protested Jack.

“Jack, what are you talking about?

We are poor now!

Yes, we are. It is all because of you that our life is different

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from it used to be,” said Louisa with an angry face.

“I can get a job!

I will make money for you and our son!

I will take the responsibility as a man. There are a lot more things I can do other than…” he paused.

Louisa looked at him coldly and said, “See, you can’t even say that word aloud! want to act like a man?

What a coward.

You said you

Just forget it. It’s impossible for

a loser like you.”

Jack couldn’t reply. He lowered his head and stared at the table.

Louisa therefore continued scolding, “I admit that you are a genius and a super star on the soccer field, but once you

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are out of it, you are nothing but an immature child. You don’t know anything other than soccer!

Your legs couldn’t afford it anymore.

And now what?

You can’t even walk

too fast!”

Jack stared at his legs without replying.

“Please, Jack. We need money. We have to live!

And

why can’t I take the job when now someone offers me one?

If you have any other better idea, I would really like to hear.” Louisa demanded.

“But if you are going to work, then who can take care of the family?” said Jack in a tiny voice.

Louisa straightened herself and cleared her throat.

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Looking straight into Jack’s eyes, she said, “The solution is a most simple one.

While I am working as a clerk in the

shop uptown, you can stay home and take care of Trevor for me,” she concluded happily.

Jack looked up at Louisa with astonishment. said, “Okay, I see.

But then he

You will go to work; I will stay at home

and be a househusband. That is too embarrassing. I will go and find a job myself, too.”

“You?

Want to get a job?

laugh, honey. to work.

Come on, don’t make me

They will laugh at you when they see you go

Now, don’t be a joke.

You will stay home and

look after our son,” she stood up and left the room, leaving

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the man sitting there alone.

John walked to the man.

The man looked helpless and sad.

John wanted to talked to him, but as he opened his mouth, everything became dark again－ ”Are you okay?”

John opened his eyes again when he

felt someone pushing his shoulder. looking at him with great concern.

He saw the boy, Trevor, “What happened?

It

seems that you’ve just had a bad dream.”

John looked around nervously; he felt the sweat all over his face.

“I’m fine.

I am just… daydreaming… yes,

dreaming…it’s all a dream.”

“Excuse me? You mean you fall asleep?”

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“Yeah!

No, I mean… I didn’t fall asleep.

I just…”

John couldn’t find any words to express himself.

“Would you mind telling me what do you see in your dream?” Trevor stared at him again with his clear and enormous blue eyes which John found it difficult to look at.

“Well, I’d like to, really, if I had time. have to go right now. later.

Unfortunately, I

You know, I have an appointment

So see you later, Trevor.

Nice talking to you!”

John hurried up and walked, almost running, away from the lake; away from the boy; and away from the terrible feeling in his mind.

Trevor watched him go.

He shook his head and sighed,

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“Poor boy.”

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Chapter Four The Picture Book That night after John went back home, he lay on the bed and tried to clear his mind.

What he saw stuck to him, like

part of his body which he couldn’t get rid of.

He didn’t

understand where this dream came from, and he couldn’t face the creepy feeling. He shook his head, which he had done a thousand times today, trying to forget the room, the woman, the man and his sad face.

He spoke quietly to

himself, “Tomorrow, everything will be alright.

I will

concentrate on my work and stop thinking about these.”

He closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

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The next day, John was sitting on the bed when suddenly Trevor came in.

He smiled and said, “Hey, Trevor. I’m just wondering where you are.

Come sit next to me.”

He patted the place next to him.

John had completely

forgotten what happened yesterday, looking at Trevor with concern, he asked, “What happened?

You look strange today.”

“Oh, I am fine. How about you?

Are you… feeling

fine?” said the boy carefully.

“What? Why do you look at me that way?

I couldn’t

be any better than now!” answered John cheerfully.

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Trevor opened his mouth as if going to say something, but John interrupted him by saying, “What do you want to do today? Let’s do something fun.

Hide and seek!

How about that?”

John was very excited. cool.

In contrast, Trevor was calm and

He replied, “Yeah, hide and seek is fine, but I’d

rather read this today.”

The boy handed John a small, thin picture book. John took it and asked, “That’s it?

You want to read this book

today?”

The boy nodded seriously, “Yes, I insist you read it.”

“Okay.

Then let’s read this book together.”

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He read aloud the title “The Story of Little Johnie,” and began to read.

“Little Johnie used to be a happy boy. He had a lot of friends…However, since his father lost his job, everything changed…” John read the words above the pictures on the pages.

There was a small, pale boy standing alone in a

crowd of students.

He continued to the next page.

“Now, his friends laughed at him, because they thought his father was a loser.”

The picture showed Johnie

standing in the corner of the stairway, while the other boys circled him, laughing at him.

John felt the heavy, creepy feeling coming back again.

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His vision began to darken, and all he could see was the picture of Little Johnie being circled by the other boys‌

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Chapter Five The Boy and His Father John couldn’t see anything right now except the somehow colorful and lively picture of Little Johnie and the other boys.

Suddenly, the picture began to move.

The boys were

circling Little Johnie. They were laughing at him, teasing him and throwing trash at him. The image became larger and larger; the laughter of the boys clearer and clearer.

John blinked his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again,

he saw himself being circled by a bunch of boys, who were laughing and singing and dancing, while he himself, as Little Johnie, was alone in the middle of the circle.

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He heard himself crying and begging, “Leave me alone!”

The others would not give him a break but continued throwing trash at him.

“Stop it! I am going to tell the teacehr about it!” yelled John.

“Sure.

Go and tell her.

She would rub your hair and

hug you and rock you like your Dear Daddy would do.

That’s what you want, right?

Daddy.

Go home for your loser

He can’t even get a job, because broke his legs,

and no one would want to hire a total loser.”

“It’s not like that!

My Daddy is not a loser! It’s not his

fault that he got hurt. It was an accident.” objected John.

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“Oh, so what? him now.

He can’t even walk properly. Look at

He sits on the balcony all day, knitting a scarf

like a woman.”

“That’s not true!”

The others laughed cruelly, “Face the fact!

He is a loser.

He stays at home all day, doing housework.

He is not a

man.

You should

He is joke! Everyone laughs at him.

be ashamed of being his son.”

“Stop it! Stop it! It’s not true! My father is a hero!

He is an excellent soccer player!” screamed John with desperation.

But the other kids wouldn’t let go, they kept dancing and

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laughing around him.

John covered his ears as tight as he

could, but still couldn’t get rid of the cruel words and teasing echoed in his mind that stabbed like a knife into his heart.

He started wailing uncontrollably.

He was about to lose

it‌ Suddenly everything became dark and quiet again. stood up and looked around.

John

He found himself in his room,

looking out at the window. It was midnight, the street was empty.

He looked down at the road below him. He was

on the sixth floor; the road below seemed far away.

Suddenly, he heard the laughing by the other boys again.

His head ached; the room was spinning.

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He lost his

balance.

Leaning over the window, he was about to fell.

At this moment, the door swung open. in to see whether he was asleep.

His father came

When his father saw him

almost falling out of the window, he rushed to him, holding him tight in his arms.

They fell out together.

He heard a loud “Bang� as they hit the ground.

He closed his eyes and fainted.

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Chapter Six The Truth When he opened his eyes again, he was lying on a bed in Trevor’s dark room.

The door was closed, but he could

hear someone talking outside in the hallway.

Suddenly, the door opened, and a man came in.

“Oh, have you had a good dream?” asked the man.

His

face was indistinct in the dim light of the room, but the voice sounds familiar.

The man sat down beside him and continued, “I am sorry I force you to read that book.

That would probably be too

strong for you, so you fainted. It’s my fault. Are you

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alright, now?”

“It’s okay, it’s my job to follow whatever the patients wish to do. It’s not your fault, Trevor…”

John suddenly realized what was wrong. It was Trevor who gave him the book to read, but now this man claimed that it was him who gave him the book.

“Excuse me, Sir.

Where’s Trevor?

I am wondering where my patient is?

Do you know Trevor, a pale, little boy about nine years old?

I am concerned about him.

I have to be with him.

Could

you take me to him?”

The man sighed.

He sat back in his chair and rubbed his

nose with two of his finger tips.

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He seemed tired, he said,

“So, you still don’t understand…”

“No, I understand completely. It’s just that I need to see whether my patient is alright.

You know, he is a very

sensitive and vulnerable boy.”

“You see,” the man leaned forward, his voice becoming serious.

“You don’t have a patient.

You are the only

patient here.”

“No, you don’t understand.

Trevor.

This is his room.

during the whole week. when you came.

There was a boy called

And I have been with him

He might have hided somewhere

He is afraid of strangers, you know.”

“Listen. You don’t have any patients,” said the man.

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“No… Trevor…”

“Yes, there is a Trevor,” interrupted the man.

“See. I told you, he’s my patient, Trevor!” said John delightedly.

“But you don’t have any patient,” insisted the man.

John was confused.

“What do you mean there is Trevor

but he is not my patient?

If he isn’t my patient, then whose

patient is he, yours?”

“Yes,” the man nodded. “You are right.

Trevor is my

patient.”

“Hey!

You… I don’t know who you are; I don’t care

where you hid Trevor. Just give him to me, now!” John sat

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up angrily.

“I didn’t hide him.

He is right here in this room; on this

bed,” the man said calmly.

“What a lie! On the same bed with me?

This is the

biggest lie I have ever heard,” answered John impatiently.

“I didn’t lie to you,” said the man.

“Then where is he?” demanded John.

“You are Trevor yourself.

Cheever’s, patient.

You are my, John

You lost your memory ever since

your father died when you fell out of the window together.

Your father saved your life, but he died.”

John, or it should be Trevor, was stunned and speechless.

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He tried to reason through everything, tried to find proof to prove he wasn’t Trevor.

“But…I …I have been talking to Trevor all last week.

If

I am Trevor myself, then who was I talking to?” He tried to state calmly and reasonably, although his voice was still shaking.

“It was me of course, who else would be here with you?

During the last week you have been talking to me, acting as if you were the doctor and I were the patient.

Can’t you

see that I didn’t say much when you asked me questions?”

“No…it can’t be so. I…I remembered sending Trevor a gift on the first day we met.

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And also I kept my notes

everyday after seeing him.

How could I send myself a

present?”

“Well, you are wrong again. present.

It was me who sent you the

And the notes, it’s only your imagination because

you thought you were me.”

John laughed uncomfortably, “Ha, you are lying to me again.

I can see that.

You are not good at lying. You

won’t trick me!”

The man sighed again. window.

He stood up and walked to the

“If you still don’t believe me, then look at

yourself.”

He opened the curtain of the window.

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The sun poured

into the room.

Everything cleared suddenly. Trevor saw

the man’s face, John’s face.

He then turned to the window

slowly and carefully.

In the reflection of the window, he saw the boy who he had been looking for, Trevor, staring back at him.

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“Suddenly, the whole scene melted away.

The

man

and

disappeared.

the

woman

Everything

John was a happy man.

He was a psychologist, and he liked his job. On an autumn afternoon he came to an old, empty mansion. Inside the house he met Trevor, a nine year-old boy. John wanted to help the boy.

The story invites you to a mysterious, complex world. Once you start reading it, you can hardly stop until you find out the truth.

Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages Donna Hwang 1091300107 Instructed by Mr. Kenneth Smith

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$ 320