Chapter 20: Chapter 19 Psychopaths have more fun
Once again, Ethan wakes up in the same familiar bed in the mental hospital. The white ceiling above him and the smell of disinfectant around him made him realize that he was back in the real world, full of confusion and mystery. He sat up and looked around, his eyes full of thought.
Over the past few days, Ethan has come to terms with his situation in the real world. Although he experienced many strange things in his dreams, he knew that the patients in front of him and their stories were equally worthy of attention and understanding.
Ethan began to pay attention to the patients around him, trying to understand their world view and the spiritual world they lived in. He found that each patient had their own unique stories and beliefs, which constituted their own unique spiritual world.
The man who first caught Ethan's attention was the man who called himself the ancient Emperor. He always sat in the corner, mumbling as if he were conversing with his subjects. Ethan walked over and listened quietly to him tell his story.
"I am the emperor of Han, and my dynasty was once glorious, but now it has been conquered by the enemy." The man's eyes glint with sadness and anger, "I fled here, waiting for the moment to revive the dynasty." You mortals have no way of understanding my pain."
Ethan felt a jolt, the man's story imbued with a historical heaviness. He knew that the ancient emperor in this mental hospital might in reality be a man Mired in historical fantasies, but in his worldview he was indeed an emperor who had lost his dynasty and was charged with the task of revival.
Then Ethan's eyes fell on a young girl. She always sat by the window, staring out of the window with empty eyes and smiling strangely from time to time. Ethan walked over and tried to understand her story.
"You know, my sister is Superman." The girl said suddenly, with a hint of mystery and pride in her voice, "She has extraordinary strength, can fly, can lift cars. She is the guardian of this world, and I am her only secret."
Ethan was taken aback, the girl's story full of surreal fantasy and mysterious power. In her worldview, her sister is a superhero and she is the guardian of the Guardians. Although the story may sound absurd, in her spiritual world, this is her reality and belief.
Then Ethan noticed a man who looked cold and mysterious. He was always alone, and there was a coolness and wariness in his eyes. Ethan tries to get closer to him and learn his story.
"I am a killer, a mysterious killer." The man whispered, his voice cold and determined, "My mission is to destroy all those who threaten this world. I have no name, no past, only a mission."
Ethan felt a chill, and the man's story was dark and cold. In his worldview, he is a ruthless killer on a mission to eliminate a threat. His every movement and every word was full of determination and coldness, as if he really lived in a world of killing and danger.
Finally, Ethan's eyes fell on a middle-aged man. His figure is huge, his face is covered with the marks of age, but the eyes reveal a kind of perseverance and unyielding spirit. Ethan walked over and listened to him tell his story.
"I am an elite man on the battlefield, having experienced countless battles and life-and-death trials." The man said, with a hint of pride and fatigue in his voice, "I have charged into the line of fire to protect my comrades and defend my country. But now I'm stuck here and I can't fight anymore."
Ethan felt a wave of admiration. The man's story was full of the cruelty of war and the ferocity of heroism. In his worldview, he is a brave warrior with a mission to protect his country and his comrades. Although he is now trapped in a mental hospital, his heart still burns with fighting fire and unyielding spirit.
Ethan listened quietly to the stories of his fellow patients, sensing that each had a unique worldview and belief. These stories may seem absurd and unreal in reality, but in their spiritual world, these stories are real, they are the whole of their life.
Ethan began to realize that these patients' worldviews were not just a reflection of their mental state, but of their deepest desires and beliefs. In this mental hospital, each person has his own story and mission, just like what he himself experienced in his dreams.
"Perhaps each of us has a world of our own, no matter how absurd and improbable that world may seem." Ethan thought silently in his heart, his eyes shining with wisdom and compassion.
Ethan quietly listened to the stories of the patients around him, and felt their unique world view and mental state. While he was lost in thought, a nurse came over and patted him on the shoulder.
"Ethan, the doctor wants to see you." The nurse said softly. "He's going to give you a psychological evaluation."
Ethan nodded and followed the nurse out of the room into a simple but welcoming office. The walls of the office are covered with various psychological testing tools and charts, and in the middle is a large table with a sandbox filled with fine sand and various small toys.
Dr. Stephen, the psychiatrist, sat on the other side of the table, smiling and motioning for Ethan to sit down. "Ethan, today we're going to do a sandbox game, which is a way for us to assess our state of mind. You can arrange the toys and set up the sandbox any way you want."
Ethan nodded and sat down to play with the toys. He first picked up a small castle and placed it in a corner of the sandbox. Then he chose some trees and animals and placed them around the castle. The layout of this part appears peaceful and beautiful, as if it were a peaceful idyllic scene.
As time went on, however, Ethan's movements became somewhat hesitant. His fingers dug in the sand as if searching for something, then he picked up a ruined model of a castle and placed it on the other side of the sandbox. Then he chose some soldiers and monsters and arranged them around the ruins, and the whole scene was full of chaos and conflict.
Dr. Stephen watched Ethan's movements in silence, his eyes shining with thought. When Ethan finally stops placing, the two worlds in the sandbox stand in stark contrast: a peaceful idyll on one side and a chaotic battlefield on the other.
"Ethan, can you tell me why these toys are arranged this way?" Dr. Stephen asked gently.
Ethan looked into the sandbox, frowning slightly. "I... I don't know. I just think they should be."
Dr. Stephen nodded and recorded Ethan's response, "Ethan, I notice that you have created two very different worlds in the sandbox, one peaceful and beautiful, and one chaotic and dangerous. It reminds me of what you mentioned earlier about dreams and real-world problems."
Ethan was silent for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, I often dream of another world, full of strangeness and danger. In reality, I also felt some inexplicable power and change."
Dr. Stephen smiled slightly and continued, "Ethan, this condition may indicate that there is something wrong with your mental state. Two different worlds may reflect conflicts and contradictions within you. In order to better help you, we may need to conduct further evaluation of your case."
Ethan nodded. He knew Dr. Stephen's analysis was correct. "What should I do?"
"First of all, we'll give you medications to suppress the symptoms of schizophrenia. These medications will help stabilize your mood and reduce mental distress." "At the same time, we continue to work with psychotherapy to help you better understand and deal with your inner conflict," explains Dr. Stephens.
Ethan was filled with mixed emotions when he heard Dr. Stephen's words. He knew he needed these treatments, but he also knew that his problems went far beyond his mental state.
"Thank you, Doctor. I will cooperate with the treatment." Ethan said, with a hint of conviction in his voice.
Dr. Stephen nodded and handed Ethan a prescription, "Here's a prescription for the medicine, you can take it on time. If you have any discomfort or questions, feel free to come to me."
Ethan took the prescription and gratefully said, "Thank you, Doctor."
After leaving the office, Ethan went back to his room and began to think about what he should do next. He knew he had to find a solution, not only to find a balance in the mental hospital, but also to find an answer between dream and reality.
Over the next few days, Ethan regularly took the medication prescribed by Dr. Stephen, and his mood gradually stabilized and his mental state improved. However, he still can't get rid of those strange dreams and inner conflicts.
Every time he closed his eyes, images from those dreams would come to him, as if to remind him that the existence of the other world was real. He knew he had to keep searching to find the connection between the two worlds.
Ethan decided to use his time in the psychiatric hospital to communicate with fellow patients and learn their stories and worldviews. Maybe through these different perspectives, he can find some clues to solve his own inner mystery.
One day, he walked up to the man who claimed to be the ancient Emperor and asked, "You say you are the emperor of Han, can you tell me more about yourself?"
The man smiled, his eyes shining with pride. "Of course, my dynasty was once great, but I fled here after the enemy captured it. My ministers remain faithful, and they await the day when I will rise again."
Ethan nodded and listened carefully to the man. He began to realize that his fellow patients' worldviews might not be as absurd as they seemed, and that there might be some real power and meaning hidden in each of their stories.
Over the next few days, Ethan continued to communicate with other patients, learning about their stories and beliefs. He found that the girl who called herself Superman's sister always wore a mysterious smile and told stories about how her sister protected the world. The ruthless killer describes the details of his mission in great detail, every action and decision imbued with calmness and determination. The man of the battlefield elite repeatedly recounted his heroic deeds in battle and the sacrifices of his comrades.
During his time in the mental hospital, Ethan gradually adjusted to life here. His communication with his fellow patients became more and more frequent, and they were all full of curiosity and interest in each other's stories. One day, the patients got together, and they decided to let Ethan tell his story.
"Ethan, you are so quiet every day, but we know you must have a lot of stories to tell." "Said the man who called himself an ancient emperor, with a curious glint in his eyes." Tell us about your dreams and let us learn about your world."
Other patients also chimed in, their eyes full of expectation. Ethan nodded, took a deep breath, and began to recount his dream from the beginning.
"My dream began in a small, peaceful village where I was adopted and spent many wonderful times with my childhood sweetheart Elena." Ethan said slowly, remembering those quiet days with a touch of nostalgia and warmth in his voice.
"Then I started having these weird dreams where I was a werewolf, living in a completely different world. It was a world full of strange creatures and mysterious powers, and I had many adventures and battles in it." Ethan continued, mystery and wonder in his voice.
The patients listened enrapt, as if they had entered Ethan's dreams and experienced those wonderful adventures with him. Ethan tells how he met the she-wolf Leah, how he fought enemies in the Wolf world, and how he constantly shuttled between reality and dreams.
However, when he got to the part about his encounter with the Druid, Ethan suddenly felt confused and vague. He vaguely could not remember the Druid's name, and the image of the wise man became blurred in his memory.
"I remember a wise man who taught me a lot, but I suddenly can't remember his name." Ethan frowned, trying to concentrate on the memory, but the memory remained hazy.
The patients cast concerned eyes, and the girl who called herself Superman's sister said softly: "Maybe it is because of the drugs, the drugs the doctor gave you may have affected your memory."
Ethan took a moment to realize that this was indeed a possible reason. Since he started taking the medication prescribed by his doctor, his mood has certainly stabilized a lot, but he also feels his thinking has become sluggish and his memory has begun to show some gaps.
"Thank you for reminding me." Ethan nodded, secretly determined to take action.
Over the next few days, Ethan began to secretly stop taking the medication his doctor had given him. He knew there might be some risks involved, but he was more worried about losing those important memories and clues. He had to find his own answers instead of relying on drugs to suppress his thoughts.
As time went on, Ethan could feel his thoughts clearing up and those fuzzy memories starting to come back. He remembered the Druid's name again -- Carl. His image gradually brightened in Ethan's mind, like a wiped mirror, reflecting the past.
Ethan's condition caught the doctor's attention, and Dr. Stephen called him in again for a psychological evaluation. Ethan carefully disguised his condition, trying to keep doctors from noticing that he had stopped taking his medication.
"Ethan, there seems to be a change in your state these days." "Dr. Stephens said with a smile and a quizzical look in his eye." How are you feeling?"
"I feel much better." Ethan answered calmly, trying to make his voice sound natural. "The dreams and memories are starting to come back to me."
Dr. Stephen nodded and continued to observe Ethan's reaction, "This is a good phenomenon, but we still need to be careful." Remember, you can come to me any time you have a problem."
Ethan nodded in gratitude, but was already determined to continue his quest. After leaving the doctor's office, he returned to his ward and continued to interact with fellow patients, sharing their stories and worldviews.
Ethan found that there were common elements in every patient's story: faith, mission, strength and sacrifice. He began to realize that these elements might hold the key to unlocking the connection between his dreams and reality.
"Perhaps there are some common truths hidden in the worldview of each of us." Ethan thought silently in his heart, his eyes shining with wisdom and determination.