PSYCHOPATH

EPISODE 002

In the sterile consultation room, Selene Moretti sat opposite her new patient, Leonardo De Luca. Every second seemed to drag on forever, and the air was heavy with unsaid tension. Selene's professional manner served as a mask for the flurry of emotions inside her, despite the fact that her heart was racing in her chest.

She said, "Good morning, Leonardo," in a steady but kind voice. "Your designated psychiatrist is me, Selene Moretti. For the next three months, I'm available to help."

Leonardo's eyes were intense, penetrating her as though he were trying to discover the core of her. He didn't say anything, just a small nod of recognition.

Selene fought the impulse to twitch under his scrutiny. Although she had previously dealt with difficult patients, Leonardo was particularly unsettling. Despite his notorious criminal past, he now had a calm, almost too-calm demeanour.

She asked, keeping eye contact, "Shall we begin?"

"Proceed," Leonardo said abruptly, in an emotionless tone.

Pen in hand, Selene opened her notebook to record her observations. "I want to learn more about you first. What pastimes or interests do you have?

A subtle, nearly imperceptible grin pulled at Leonardo's mouth corner. "I read."

"That's wonderful," said Selene, taking advantage of this little gap. "What genres do you like?"

"Human behaviour," he said, squinting his eyes. "The complexities of the mind, criminology, and psychology."

With her pen moving quickly across the paper, Selene took note of this. "Interesting. Is there anything else?

After a moment, he added, "Sketching."

In an attempt to establish a rapport, Selene said, "I'd love to see your work sometime."

Leonardo's eyes never left her. "Perhaps."

A thick silence descended upon the room, the weight of unsaid words bearing down on them both. The tension was released when Selene gently cleared her throat.

"Leonardo, we'll be going outside these walls for some of our sessions," she said. "Observing how you interact in various settings is crucial."

There was a flash of defiance in his eyes as his face hardened. "Such outings don't interest me."

"I understand," Selene said coolly. "But it's an important part of your recovery."

Leonardo folded his arms across his chest and reclined in his chair. "And if I refuse?"

Selene gazed at him with equal intensity. "After that, we would have to talk about other strategies, but I urge you to weigh the advantages."

There was a tense silence that was heavy with unspoken difficulties. Finally, with a sort of acquiescence, Leonardo let out a sharp breath through his nose.

"Very well," he whispered. "But I don't promise anything."

"That's all I ask," Selene said, grinning slightly in encouragement.

Each question was a nuanced probe into Leonardo's mental maze, and Selene probed deeper into his psyche as their session went on. She maintained a keen awareness of the delicate balance she had to maintain between professional detachment and empathy.

She gently asked, "Can you tell me about your childhood?"

Leonardo's jaw tightened and his eyes darkened. "There's nothing to tell."

Selene gently pressed, "Everyone's past shapes who they are." "Knowing yours could yield insightful information."

The sterile room echoed with the bitter sound of his scoff. "Remember? Could you please elaborate on the details?

Selene calmly delved into the factors that led you here. "It's about understanding, not judgement."

A storm of emotions swirled beneath the surface as Leonardo's gaze met hers. "Doctor, some things are better left buried."

Selene did not flinch as she looked into his eyes. "The only way to heal sometimes is to dig up the past."

Leonardo's jaw twitched, but he said nothing, his eyes fluttering with a thousand unintelligible emotions.

With a soft yet firm tone, Selene proposed, "Let's revisit this topic when you're ready."

Leonardo acknowledged the brief respite silently as his posture slightly eased.

Selene's mind was racing with the intricacies of her new patient as she collected her notes at the end of the session. Every piece of Leonardo De Luca's puzzle was obscured by darkness. However, Selene was committed to shedding light on the darkness, one session at a time.

She stood up and said, "Thank you for your time today, Leonardo."

His eyes never left hers as he gave a curt nod. "Until next time, Doctor."

With a kind grin, Selene left the room, the door gently shutting behind her. She kept thinking about Leonardo De Luca, the mysterious man she had just met, as she moved down the hallway.

Over the course of the following sessions, Selene and Leonardo probed each other's defences with a delicate dance of words. Guarded revelations gradually replaced Leonardo's initial reticence, each revealing a new aspect of his complicated psyche.

Selene brought up the topic of his artwork during one session. "You said you like to draw. Would you mind showing me some of your work?

After staring at her for a while, Leonardo pulled a leather-bound sketchbook out of a drawer. Without saying anything, he gave it to her.

With caution, Selene took it, her fingers grazing the battered cover. When she turned to the first page, she saw a spooky picture of an anonymous figure with its body contorted in agony.

She said, "Your work is... evocative," with a note of sincere appreciation in her voice. "What inspired this piece?"

Leonardo's expression was unreadable as his eyes strayed to the drawing. "Life," he said plainly.

Sensing the depth of meaning in his blunt reply, Selene nodded. She turned the pages, each picture more eerie than the one before it. The pictures depicted suffering, loss, and a deep sense of loneliness.

"Art can be a powerful outlet for our emotions," Selene noted as she gently closed the sketchbook. "It enables us to communicate in ways that words cannot."

Leonardo's eyes met hers, a flicker of something indefinable passing between them. "Perhaps."

Their discussions frequently delved into philosophical topics, examining morality, the complexity of the mind, and the nature of humanity. Despite his sharp mind and profound insights, Leonardo maintained an impenetrable barrier, a part of himself that he kept hidden.

During a particularly heated debate about determinism and free will one afternoon, Leonardo asked a question that stuck in Selene's head long after their session was over.

"Do you think that people can actually change, Doctor? Or are we all merely creatures of nature?

Selene gave his question careful thought before answering. "I think change is possible, but it takes effort, self-awareness, and frequently, guidance."

A slight sardonic smile curved Leonardo's lips. "Suggestions from someone like you?"

"Perhaps," Selene answered.