The Shattered Mirror

Chapter 1: Awakening

I opened my eyes to the sterile white walls of an unfamiliar room. The pungent scent of disinfectant filled my nostrils, and the steady beep of a heart monitor echoed in my ears. I tried to sit up, but the restraints around my wrists and ankles held me firmly in place.

“Where am I?” I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy.

A nurse appeared at my bedside, her face a mask of professional concern. “You’re in the Clearview Psychiatric Hospital, Mr. Jameson. You were admitted last night.”

Confusion washed over me. “Psychiatric hospital? But why? I don’t remember… I’m not supposed to be here!”

The nurse smiled sympathetically. “It’s okay, Mr. Jameson. The doctor will be here soon to explain everything.”

Chapter 2: Fractured Memories

Dr. Abigail Thornton, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a gentle demeanor, sat across from me in her office. “Tell me, Ethan, what’s the last thing you remember before waking up here?”

I searched my mind, but the memories were hazy, like a half-remembered dream. “I… I was at home, I think. Reading a book. But everything else is a blur.”

Dr. Thornton nodded, jotting down notes on her clipboard. “Ethan, you were brought here after a severe psychotic episode. Your wife, Julia, called the emergency services when she found you in a state of extreme agitation, claiming that someone was trying to kill you.”