S.T.I.M

Part One: The Lab And The Patients  "Doctor, I have brought to the lab four new boys. They are three to four years old." "Okay, bring them in." As the boys walked in wearing small hospital gowns, tired eyes, and frail frames. The boys all looked relatively well. The doctor eyes them up and down and take the dirty blonde boy first. "He is three sir. Birthday is May fifth-," "You know I don't care much about their birthday. Tell me his story." "This is Beau," "He will keep his name, Beau zero zero one. File twelve. Continue." "His mother was a teacher and his father was a drunk. His mother however did have a history of mental illness." "Such?" "Schizophrenia and she had depression." The doctor grunted in annoyance and nodded. "Continue." "His father was a consistent drunk and he domestically abused his wife. They found Beau beaten and bruised and his wife.. Brutally murdered." "His diagnosis?" The doctor asked walking behind the young boy. "The father? Schizophrenic as well. He had delusions, hallucinations. He believed that his wife was a spy and was trying to murder him. His statement was- " If you set a trap out first you won't be the first one caught."- but obviously he was sent to a psychiatric prison. The mother dead and Beau was at the orphanage." "Okay, tell me about the boy." "He's quite bland actually. He doesn't speak at all. He has very poor social skills, poor comprehension skills, poor motor skills, and seems to be color blind. He is Caucasian mix. His eyes are green, skin is tan, his birthmark resides on the side of his neck. Beau, hasn't started talking, has a very difficult time walking, and often zones you out." "I would like tests to be run if he walks in his parents shoes. I don't want to have a psychopath in my lab." The doctor said simply. He guided Beau over to one of the nurses who held his hand. Beau didn't do much but look around curiously. However, there was a boy same age as him who very talkative and very obnoxious. "Who is this." "This is Maki, born December Tenth. His story is both his parents left him in a house alone and hit the road. They lived in a foreign country and no one knew them. As far as parents go there wasn't much information. Maki is very smart for being four years old." The young boy babbled and giggled pointing at things trying to walk away. "Maki is case zero zero five, file ten." The doctor said simply without any other reasoning. I was a little worried about the fact that he wasn't really explaining what was the reason behind the case files and such were. After all, us "Caregivers" were given a limited amount of information. We do as we were told and that was that. I did however, trust the doctor and his judgment for the kids. I believe they will be okay. "Mental health?" "Mentally he's pretty okay. Just curious child." "Opposite of Beau. Interesting." "It's recorded he doesn't have a birthmark. His eyes are honey brown, hair is black, skin is light olive, he went to the orphanage about a few months ago. So I'm sure he still has memory of his family. As far as skills, he is advanced compared to Beau, he loves to dance, and he likes to read. Even if his speaking skills are still childish. "Perfect. Next." "The next young boy is Kalihi, he is Hawaiian and his story is very straight to the point. Young parents couldn't take care of him and brought him an orphanage to then he was brought here. His birthday is August twentieth. His skills are working and so is his temper. Hair, dark brown, skin is brown, eyes are brown, his parents left him a necklace so they could always be with him. A tradition or something." "Throw it out or something he won't remember it after treatments." Doctor said. The nurses nodded holding their hand out to the young boy. The last boy was up next. "And who is this?" "This is Xzai, he is a bit more diverse. He was born in Egypt, brought here since the orphanage was closed down for having little to no children. He is three, birthday is January fifteenth. He doesn't speak at all just screams. He's a very motor young boy who has a hands to himself issue. They diagnosed him as bipolar with psychotic tendencies. Such as no remorse for those who are hurt, sad, you already know this. He likes to be able and often is found coloring. His parents left him to die in the river but a young woman found him and brought him to the shelter who brought him back to a healthy state and then the boys and girls were shipped to the states. He's feisty. He is also prone to night terrors, but other than that he's a healthy young boy." The nurse said. The doctor smiled and nodded patting the last boys head who tried to bite him. "Lovely see to it that they get their rooms. Be sure that they each only have one blanket. I don't want them to grow attached to anything." "Yes sir." ... TWO YEARS LATER... "AAHHH." Beau scream. He was screaming bloody murder and trying to hit each nurse. Today was his STIM check and it always went like this." "SIT." A nurse snapped at the boy. He kept growling, yelling, clawing, it was almost like he had no idea what he was doing. We HAD FINALLY gotten the child in the lab seat after twenty minutes. We strapped him down put the muzzle over his mouth. "No sedative today ladies and gentleman." A male nurse said swiftly. "We are so getting better."  Beau has been screaming and crying since they went in his room. Beau was fighting the restraints like he was about to be murdered. Another nurse administrated the STIM liquid the flow a bit faster to his chip. We waited about ten minutes and the change in Beau was polar. "He's sweating sir. His nerve glands have been affected. His frontal lobe has almost gone primal. His instinct to please and be pleased is kicking in." "Thank you." The head nurse said. As Beau sat there, he was sweating, panting, groaning. The head nurse took their notes and then grabbed a small hand held remote. "I will press STIM button in three." Suddenly Beau's body flexed as much as it could for a five year old. He was still screaming and crying so I am assuming it was hard to record any data. The boy looked like he was hyped off of a Red Bull or a monster for ten seconds. After about realistically, twenty minutes Beau has stopped his crazy crying, his growling, even moving all together. He fell asleep from the intensity of the treatment. "Next."  . . . TWO YEARS LATER "RAHHH." The child growled. He was thrashing, clawing, screaming. Again. It's always this behavior with this kid. "He's six or something. He shouldn't be difficult to handle." My nurse said. I sighed and grunted. You haven't tried to make him sit down for two minutes. Beau, doesn't do that. Nor does he listen to anything anyone has to say." I said. I turned to the boy who was crying, snotty nosed, hugging himself standing in the corner of the room. "Okay. Well I'll go this way you go there and I'll grab him." She said. After another twenty minutes we finally got him in the chair. He was screaming and yelling. "Beau! Stop screaming!" The nurse said. He looked at her like she was a literal piece of trash and continued to scream. "Beau, screaming won't make this go by faster." I said calmly. I noticed with Beau, if you're calm and collected he gets upset and tries to get you mad or upset to get a reaction. I stopped that the first day. "You know this." "Ah! Argh!" He said. He couldn't point to what he wanted or what he was trying to say since we had him strapped down from chest to feet. He was the only one that had to be strapped down like him. "What? What do you want?" I asked him calmly. I saw the frustration in his eyes when he looked at something nodding his head over to a small child's book. I laughed and shook my head and put my hand over it. "This?" I smiled. "AH!" He said. I raised a brow and tilted my head. "What do you say?" I asked. He was suddenly quiet and looked very uncomfortable. "Ah.." he said resisting he straps but unable to get out of them. I took the book and walked over to him. He smiled and I could tell he was happy. It wasn't hard to understand their emotions. I looked at the book and put it in the cabinet. "Ah!!" He was panicking and grunting again. This time I saw the tears. "Well, lets administer the treatment and move on. I don't have time for this." I said. "The doctor wants the boys done today." The other nurse nodded and moved to get the needles. "Has the doctor wanted to give this one meds?" "He said that he won't need them. He wants him to just give in or whatever. He doesn't want his mind to be... locked in a denial. As if I know what he means. The kid needs them, he's a f*****g wild child that talks to the air. I think that needs medication." "He could have imaginary friends haha." She said. I rolled my eyes and motioned her along. "Please finish it up." I turned my back and listened to Beau scream and yelling and this time his screams were louder and more painful. I chuckled. Dramatic. . . .  I held Beau by the little rope connected to his handcuffs. His face was covered by a muzzle and his feet were tied together by a loose rope. He was stumbling and struggling to keep his eyes open. "Please walk faster Beau." I said. But I knew he didn't understand that. It wasn't something he recognized. "Mmm.." he hummed. I didn't pay attention. "Ah, Ah!" He said pulling back a little bit sitting down. I turned around just mad enough to snap my eyes to his own. I saw him squat and I stood over him. He looked up and looked utterly terrified. "What are you doing? Do you understand you're being BAD?" I snapped. I yanked the little rope and pulled him closer to my face. "Now get up. And WALK." I said. He just stood there staring at me with wide eyes and then a small puddle appeared by his bare feet. "Now look what you did!" I yelled. I stood up straight and held my temples. Why am I stuck with the stupid one?! "I am over this." I said turning to grab the back of his shirt. He hesitated and flinched. I didn't even care at this point. I pulled him along not caring if he stumbled. "You're going to walk or you're going to be PUNISHED." I emphasized. I saw the fear in his eyes, he knew exactly what I meant. He hated punishments. But he gave them to himself. And for what he's putting people through right now that's enough for a shock treatment. "Walk." He stood on his feet and looked at the ground. "Wa-.." he said suddenly. I turned around on a dime and slapped him. "No!" I snapped. Doctor will kick my ass. "No. Not for you." I grabbed his face and made him look up through his stupid tears. Children. "Not for you. Got it?" I said. He didn't respond except look at me wide eyed. I let go and he walked at my pace and kept quiet. Disappointed that I am stuck with a child that's f*****g annoying.  . . . "MAKI NO!" The little boy had taken his clothes off and slipped past my nurse. I know Beau is a worse child but Jesus this kid doesn't stop moving. "Ahhhh! Haha." He said laughing so hard running past me. I sighed and smiled a bit. I ran after him and snatched him. He yelled and smiled. "Ah!" I nodded and smiled. "Yeah! I caught you! Oh no!" I said twirling us. He giggled to no end and I grabbed his shirt and put him down. "Story?" I said and immediately I had caught his attention. "Maki, story!" I said. I walked my fingers across his belly and poked his tummy to the beat of a small song I learned when I was a child. And he laughed and covered his belly. I walked my fingers to his nose and grabbed his nose. "Uh oh! I got it!" I said pulling back pretending I have his nose. He looked very concerned that I had stolen his nose. He jumped to my hand to grab it. I pulled it away and smiled. "Shirt first." I said. I gave him his shirt and he pouted but did as told. "Pants too." He grunted and followed my orders. I nodded and quickly put my hand back on his face and "gave him his nose" "There! It's back!" I laughed. He touched his nose and nodded. "Bed." I said finally. He sighed and shook his head. "Yes, bed." I said guiding him to his literally empty room. I hated that it had to be empty, I wish he could have at least one toy. But the doctors orders is that they have nothing. He doesn't want them to have connections to anything. I wish we knew what his plans are with these children. The treatments don't seem to be hurting them but.. this is no life for a child. After closing and locking the door I saw Nurse H. I smiled and waved. He looked far from content and much more annoyed than usual. "Hello, was Beau being a pain today?" "Far more than usual. Putting him to bed was not the hard part, EVERYTHING  else was. He wouldn't take his needles, he pissed himself, he wouldn't walk, he wouldn't let me leave his room. He was clinging to me like he was about to be killed." He said almost all in one breath. I looked down and nodded. "I believe he should get looked at and take medications. The cases from before never ended well without medication.." I said softly. "If it will make him behave and listen I'll do anything. I don't want to work with a brute for a child. Especially when he gets older. I can't deal with it." Nurse  H said. I nodded and smiled. "Maki, was really funny today. He never fails to make me smile." "Don't get attached J. You know the rules. Do not treat them like they are yours. Other wise they will have terrible attachment issues." H said. I sighed and turned away from him to my hall. "I know but sometimes do you question why they can't have the attention they seek so badly?" "Experiments. I was told it's so they don't get a sense of belonging or possession while being here. They are to learn they are owned and they do not control anything. They are also to have nothing because if they have something that they love or like dearly it can be used as a bad advantage over them. We want t eliminate that sense of emotion." "Yeah, the book's definition." I looked down and started on my way. "Have a good night H." Suddenly his hand was on my shoulder. "I know you care for Maki, but remember when he gets auctioned or adopted he most likely will never see you again." He said softly. I turned to meet his brown eyes and slicked back hair. "Yes. I care enough to hope for a good future for him. They are not bad kids." "Beau could be labeled as a delinquent." He chuckled. "On a real note. Yes I hope I can convince the doctor in a subtle manor. Beau tried to speak today." He said looking down almost ashamed that beau wanted to speak. "That's news? What did you do? Cause Maki is getting frustrated. He tries all the time." "I slapped him for speaking. I hate it and it may not have been what he deserved but it's my job and I can't get in trouble again." H said concerned. "I have to keep my ground. We are getting a few girls here to experiment. We haven't had girls but doctors not invested in the girls as much. He's got an old perspective and I've got rather young perspectives." "I see, if you ever feel he's too much, I wouldn't mind stepping in for you." "What about Nurse O, he wouldn't put up with such actions." Nurse H said getting a cigarette out of his pocket. I sighed and shook my head. "I wouldn't prefer him. He's … harsh." I said a little too quickly for my own liking. Nurse H looked me up and down and smiled. "You care too much." He said. I nodded and continued on my way. "I'll think about it." He muttered walking to the exit to have his smoke. I wandered back to my section and hurried along. I had to finish filing Maki's papers. We had about ten more years with these kids and I hope they have a good life after this. . . . All four boys were sitting in a room together. They knew this operation very well and did as they were told. "Okay Beau, please stand up and face Maki. Kalihi and Xzai, I want you to face each other as well." They did as told. Maki to Beau, looked a little worried about being so close to him. The last time Beau hit Maki so hard in the nose he made him bleed. And we could tell Beau was struggling to sit still and focus. "Sir, I think you need to reconsider Beau. I think he needs medication. He wouldn't be punished so often. His mental health isn't his fault." I said rubbing my Hands together. The doctor laughed and turned to face me. "If you have fallen off a bike and scrapped your knee. What are you going to do?" "Well, naturally I'm going to go put a band aid on it, probably clean it." I replied. What a stupid question. "So you'd deal with it until you learned to manage the pain or manage how to ride the bike properly?" "I'd probably learn to ride the bike properly. Sir, if I may what does this have to do with Beau's mental health?" "His mind is the bike, he is the rider. He can learn to manage it without the help of drugs." "Doctor You know that schizophrenia isn't something that can't be managed on ones own, especially a child." "This is my final say. He will not be put on drugs for something he can grow to manage." "Sir, I disagree with that." I said simply. "For a child to deal with a mental disorder such as that, is not only extremely hard, but his mind will grow accustomed to the way his mind works and will see nor understand the situation. He won't be able to function as a human as easy as the other boys. He may even become a danger to others. I'm not saying it could get that bad, but you never know." "Nurse H, I truly admire how much you want to push for Beau to get some treatment. Being diagnosed at such a young age with such a disorder is very difficult for anyone. But, to say the least. I will not be changing my mind. We have strict orders. I understand you are a child psychiatrist and have Licenses up the ass in psychology and child development. And there was a reason you were assigned to this team, and a good reason at that. I don't doubt Beau will struggle. But the STIM project can not be interfered by drugs. If the boss had it their way the child would interact with no one. I highly doubt you helping a child who can't even talk nor understand will help him with his disorder when he doesn't even understand what it is. Catching something like that early on and giving him an outlet is amazing and very thoughtful. But again, we have rules and regulations. We are getting paid to do this, and if I may- you chose to be here and agreed to the contract terms and conditions. To go against that right now in the process will get you fired in your actual job and then what? A perfectly great Doctor as yourself down the drain? I prefer you to keep your position. Leave Beau in my hands as far as his mental health, for all his other stuff that's in your hands. You have your guide follow it closely. Do you understand Nurse H?" The doctor said glaring into my eyes. I took a deep shaky breath and nodded. "Yes Sir." "Good, these next couple of years are crucial. Please leave me to my work now. I will announce when you may come get Beau."