The following morning Serenity chose to inhabit a version of her teenage self.
My teenagerhood has been stolen by those demons that the Disembodied Spirit Roaming the World has mentioned to me. Hence, I'm reclaiming back that which has been stolen from me. I no longer wish to be involved with the issue of the ruptured water pipeline and the cut off water supply to the social housing estate. Can't go shower at my parents' today because father is clearly in a bad mood. It's no longer summer. The weather is much cooler with the temperatures in the low double digits Celsius (or in fifties Fahrenheit). But there are people who swim all year round in the Bottomless Forest Lake so I can also try going for a swim over there this morning. Early morning is not the best time of the day for a swim in the Bottomless Forest Lake due to the potential presence of the wild animals. However, I need to sneak outside the building before the Lady Estate Manager has woken up.
Serenity carefully goes down the stairs and into the basement to get her old bicycle. The Bottomless Forest Lake is half an hour ride away. As soon as she gets outside the social housing estate premises onto the street she notices an animal figure lurking on the side of the road.
"The neighbor's red haired cat has seemingly increased in size since last time it was seen," she thought to herself. Upon approaching the said animal figure Serenity noticed that it wasn't a cat at all but a red haired fox wondering in a residential area in the daylight.
"Has the fox ingested something that disoriented it? At this time it should be back in the safety of the wilderness."
She has finally reached the Bottomless Forest Lake. Upon the moment of arrival Serenity's eyes have caught the sight of an alluring male figure standing over there on the tiny floating bridge immersed in the waters of the lake. It was as if one of those antique Greek statues has come to life. The charisma and the mystique of the said male presence were overpowering. Serenity got off her bicycle and held onto the nearest tree trunk; her breath becoming shallower.
What's happening to me? My heart has started melting, my knees are feeling weak, my head is getting intoxicated by the presence of this person on the floating bridge. Covered by his swimwear only. I'm being engulfed by the flames of some otherworldly passion that I must fight with all of my being because it's the frequency of the "demonic flame". It has a soul consuming effect. I have been exposed to something similar once before in the past. The Abyss, the Void, the Darkness that it has left within! It opened the portal to the World of the Dead.
She clearly remembers standing at the entrance of a huge burial crypt at the abandoned cemetery. The crypt was the doorway to the World of the Dead and the manifestation of the Void left within by the "demonic passions from hell". Veiled in thick autumnal mist with its old rusty iron grid door open wide the Dark Bottomless Abyss of the crypt was ready to swallow her. She felt the pull of the supernatural forces from beyond. At the very last moment before crossing the boundary she heard the weak voice urging Serenity to throw her golden necklace into the depth of the crypt. After the golden necklace was thrown into the abyss of the crypt the portal to the World of the Dead closed at the very last minute.
"Good morning, Miss," a melodious male voice has snapped Serenity out of her memory lane.
"Are you here for a swim on this cool autumn morning? It's not too safe for a lady to go to secluded places like this on her own at such an early hour. Luckily, I'm here to guard you."
"Good morning. That's so caring of you. Please, let me go change in the changing cabin over there."
While in the cabin.
There is no way I can escape the power of his charms by physically running away. He's obviously much stronger and faster than me.
She pulls her smartphone out and texts the emergency services: "A person drowning in the Bottomless Forest Lake. Help!" The message has been sent with location coordinates.
The Bottomless Forest Lake Merman has been impatiently waiting right outside the changing cabin door all this time. She has forced herself to change into the most conservative swimsuit that she managed to find on the market.
I need to keep physical distance from him in order to reduce my exposure to his energy burning me with the flames of passion remotely.
"Will you go in first?" the Merman has asked.
"I'd rather you go first. In that manner I would feel safer in the water," Serenity has replied. He has dived in the waters of the lake so elegantly and gracefully as if a true master of the scary forces of nature.
"Your turn now," remarked the Merman upon his reemergence to the water surface.
Her ears have caught the weak sound of the emergency services' sirens in the distance and on their way to the Bottomless Forest Lake. At that moment Serenity has closed her eyes and jumped into the murky and icy cold waters of the lake. The moment she has opened her eyes Serenity was lying covered by a blanket on a stretcher in the ambulance. A team of a couple of paramedics along with a couple of police officers have responded to the emergency text message. There was also the Merman sitting next to her with an expression of the greatest concern on his face.
"Miss, we would like to take you to the University Hospital for a thorough check up," said the Lady Paramedic.
"Thank you very much for your concern but I'm back to my senses and feeling much better now. I would like to go home on my bicycle and save your precious time for other persons in need."
Serenity quickly got her stuff together and rode away on her bicycle.
That was a narrow escape.
Hours later at her social housing flat Serenity kept sitting on the floor when her phone started ringing. Unknown number.
This might be some scammer because who else would be calling me from an unknown number.
She pressed "Answer" on her mobile screen but spoke no words.
"Hello, am I talking to Miss Serenity from flat four-o-four on the Winter Gardenia Street? This is urgent call from the University Hospital. Hello, anybody there?"
Not a scammer then.
"Hello, it's me speaking."
"Miss, I would like to let you know that your attendance is requested at the group therapy meeting on the grounds of the University Hospital. It's free of charge for you. Not a choice. Attendance is mandatory under the given circumstances."
Few days later at the University Hospital.
Here is the meeting room of the psychotherapy group called "Addicted to Love" that I was mandated to attend.
She has opened the door and greeted the group.
"Hello everyone."
There were six other ladies of diverse ages present in the meeting room.
"Violet, Safran, Summer, Autumn, Sunny, Luna please meet our newest group member Serenity," the Psychotherapist has introduced.
"Welcome," the Ladies have replied in chorus.
"Today we will discuss the topic of commitment in romantic relationships. Please, try to share both the good and the ugly aspects of your romantic experiences that have brought you here to this circle of trust."
Everybody shares their stories in turn. It's Serenity's turn now.
"Since it's my first time here I prefer being present and listen in. At the same time, after having listened in to everybody's experiences I started wondering whether sharing some visuals could help us all clarify the problematic romantic relationship matter a little more?"
The Ladies got excited and the Psychotherapist has approved the idea. Everybody grabbed their smartphones and started choosing a picture of their problematic romantic interest. What nobody has anticipated is to see the face of the very same man in each one of their smartphone pictures.
"The Bottomless Forest Lake Merman!" Serenity silently exclaimed in her thoughts after taking a look at the pictures on the Ladies' smartphones. The Psychotherapist couldn't hide their surprise either.
This is the first time where something like that has happened in my long professional career. Six of my patients of diverse age groups have been emotionally swindled by the same man simultaneously.
She needed to consult her colleagues on this case. The psychotherapy group meeting time was over. All the ladies agreed to go to the nearby cafeteria for a more extensive discussion of the problem. They invited Serenity to come along. Everybody has left the meeting room. On her way out Serenity has noticed her patient file on the table. It read: "Cause of Admission; attempted self-harm due to the rejection of patient's romantic advances by the object of her desire."
"I can't believe this! That scheming Merman has even planted a false narrative in people's minds regarding the course of events by the Bottomless Forest Lake."
The Psychotherapist rushed into the room looking for the patient files that she has left on the table because of an urgent private phone call that she had to take five minutes ago.
"See you in our next meeting," she told Serenity.
While looking through the window at the ongoing excavation works on the social estate housing grounds below the Lady Estate Manager kept praising (in her thoughts) Serenity's sacrificial ingenuity that has succeeded in opening the communication channel between a father and daughter.
Serenity's father continued guiding the ruptured pipeline repair team. They had to dig trenches on the South side of the building where the parking lot was. Apparently the true location of the problematic pipeline part was not in the original plans.
"Serenity has such a stubborn personality prone to extremes. She had to force my hand into action by using a moral blackmail technique. I would never have believed that she would attempt drowning herself only because she couldn't take a shower for a day or two," Serenity's father was visibly displeased by the irresponsible behavior of the "mother's daughter".
Serenity's mother finally purchased a freestanding reading lamp yesterday. She has prepared a cup of coffee for herself and reached out to a pile of psychological magazines on the coffee table that her daughter keeps purchasing for her. Serenity's mother feels unexplained aversion towards the psychological content.
Even without delving into the content of the psychological magazines I already know why my daughter has attempted to drown herself in the Bottomless Forest Lake. She felt that life without True Love was not worth living. What's the point of reading those psychological magazines?..