I've come to talk to you again

"Are you seeing or hearing anyone else besides me, Matt?" Kim asked, her voice calm but concerned.

"Yes, Kim," Matt replied, sounding a bit nervous.

"What is this hallucination?" Kim's voice was soft, curiosity evident.

"Lyrillim," Matt said quietly, the name sounding almost like a distant memory.

"Lyrillim...what is it doing?" Kim asked, waiting for his response.

"She's looking right at me...and at you," Matt said, staring off as if he was seeing something she couldn't.

"Matt, remember our discussions about your visions? What steps do you need to follow?" Kim prompted, her tone steady and reassuring.

"Ground myself, use my phone to verify reality, observe shifts in perception that seem to defy reality," Matt recited, almost like he was repeating a familiar routine.

"That's right, Matt. Are you doing these things regularly?" Kim asked gently.

"For the most part. What's interesting is that Lyrillim doesn't bother me anymore," Matt admitted, a hint of wonder in his voice.

"Explain," Kim urged, intrigued by the change.

"She doesn't communicate with me anymore. She mostly has her back turned. But I can sense that she knows I'm there," Matt explained, trying to make sense of his own feelings.

"How do you know?" Kim asked, focused on his words.

"She subtly shifts her gaze when I look at her, and if I keep staring, she looks back with a pleading expression. It's like she wants me to do something. I know it sounds crazy, but she feels so real! Even now, she's here, looking at whoever speaks first, moving her gaze between us," Matt described, a mix of sadness and confusion in his voice.

Kim realized that Matt's hallucinations were consistent and emotionally charged, not just fleeting images.

"How are the medications working, Matt? Given you're experiencing these hallucinations, I presume not well," Kim said, her voice gentle but probing.

"You're right, Kim. They help for about a week, then I start sensing her presence again. She says she's my demon, and I need to confront her. It's like I'm the one trapping her!" Matt confessed, his words heavy with frustration.

"YOU ARE!!!" A loud voice boomed in his mind, shattering the calm.

Matt flinched as a rush of sensations overwhelmed him. Shadows seemed to close in, swallowing his reality.

"You are...Matt...you are..." The voice echoed, haunting and relentless.

A blinding flash, warmth spreading, and then he saw Kim. Panic turned to relief at her presence, a lifeline in the chaos.

"Matt! Wake up! Focus on my voice," Kim urged, her words clear and steady.

Matt struggled to regain his composure, the world spinning. Lyrillim was gone, her presence evaporating like smoke.

"What happened? All I remember is Lyrillim screaming...and then darkness," Matt said, his voice shaky.

"You had a seizure," Kim explained, concern etched on her face. She handed him a glass of water, which he gratefully accepted.

"Thanks, doc... I'm sorry. This hasn't happened before..." Matt whispered, feeling ****.

Kim looked at him with a mix of compassion and determination. She had never seen a case like his, defying easy explanation.

"Matt, we need to stop your medication," Kim said firmly.

"WHAT? WHY?" Matt's voice rose in panic, the thought of facing his hallucinations without medication terrifying him.

"You're at the maximum dosage for the **** you're on right now, and the side effects are too dangerous, including risks like brain hemorrhaging. No more meds," Kim explained, her voice both firm and kind.

"But...how will I cope? I can't live like this anymore! I feel like I'm haunted!" Matt's voice shook, the fear of the unknown gripping him.

"Use grounding techniques. I'll look into other options. There's a professor I know who might have more insight," Kim assured him, offering hope.

Matt felt his world collapsing, the safety of his medication taken away. Yet Kim's next words offered a sliver of hope, a promise of help.

"We'll meet Friday, that's two days from now. This session and the next are on the house. Get some rest. You'll have your answers soon," Kim promised, her words a beacon of support in his dark time.