"Hey you! Yes, you my hurried child, you rush through the street like a cyclone ... Where are you going" A mysterious feminine voice called into my head. I only had one response "I cant be late for the show!" I thought. This was really just the only way to respond to her "A show, a show! So you came to Vieena for the love of stories. That's For sure." She responded. "Then this is just the right place for you. A place where the floors are decorated with gold, where music sings along with the stories ... Even a newcomer could be entranced here." She took a small pause before continuing on her excited ramble "Oh, Listen to me! You must not be a newcomer, but a strue connoissuer! Well, before you leave may I ask a simple question?" "Sure..." "Which act in a show do you prefer?" "I love every part of it!" I declared awaiting her response "Haha, so greedy. It's a tough choice, isn't it? but you can't escape from making decisions." she briefly paused before reacting "Do you know which act I love the most? Not Act One, Nor Three or Five... but Six. Oh! Act Six, my dear, that's the best part.
The part in which the king picks up his fallen head; The knight pulls out the sword in his chest; thebodies stand up, dust their clothes and come to the front of the stage, bow and receive their applause." "But that's not really part of the performance..." I meagerly replied "Yes, it is! My child, that is precisely when the real show begins. I have a good script here. Let me put on my glasses" She grunted before continuing "Hmmm... Let's start from... Act Six. The princess, a nightingale decorated with diamonds, an opera singer taking center stages, steps into a building of gray and white diamond patterns. and the Curtain falls forever. The smile on her face seems too serene. She is still dreaming. Her madness keeps them all alert. But in the court she seems so meek and mentally steady, like a docked boat on calm waters. Nodding elegantly to every gentleman she meets, she makes the shackle on her neck look like a piece of dazzling jewelery. Next page... oh." "In a transparent room, under an unyoelding limelight, her dignity is stomped on, like a silk handkerchief thrown on the ground. They smash her crown, forcing her to pay for her madness" "Is she mad?" "No ...not anymore. Sleep. She said to me, sleep. If that's what she said, then I don't need to wake up. That's when the star falls into an ever-lasting dream. The blinding light becoming a spotlight on the stage; the empty room carrying the best reverberations. She has never been so calm. Everything beautiful in her is there forever, frozen in time." "I guess she went completely insane." "Or Found eternal peace. Her world has become the performance. A show that never ends. I'd say she's a great actress, isn't she?" "But this is not a good story, I think it needs more context" "Hahahha, my dear. You are indeed a great connosissuer. Only one act of a play can't tell a good story by itself. Oh, forgive my ramblings. The golden curtain has risen. Fix your collar, darling, and keep moving forward. End
Chapter 1 Razor in Green
Footsteps clicked on a wooden stage.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome." A charmingly welldressed man better known as Dr.Schwartz said in the large meeting hall filled with applause.
"On behalf of the General Medical Association of Vienna, I would like to thank you all for attending this demonstration conference. It is a great honor! As we can see, dear friends, the era of science has arrived, THE ERA OF MAN HAS ARRIVED! Today we will share the honor of witnessing the advancement of technology, it's contributions to medical science and even the world. Now please allow me to introduce the patient again: Ms. Isolde Von Dittarsdorf, This lady has selflessly volunteered for the experiment, and in return will receive a healthy mind in no time." He finally finished his long winded speech as the crowds attention shifted to the beautiful young lady sitting tied down into a bulky wooden chair covered in fancy wires and gadjets; Her long black hair covering the chair as the bulky & heavy helmet on her head covered her eyes. She let out deep sighs and pants.
"She's been living a miserable life due to hysteria. How terrible is it for a young woman like her. As we all know, mental illness is taking an increasing toll on our country. Even suicide has become more rampant. The tragedies are piling up, and our dear lady is in excruciating pain as we speak! Thanks to the develepoment of medical Science, we can be rescued from the abyss of pain. As I said before, The electroshock therapy uses the most advanced technology avalible. The medical usage of electricity dates back to the 18th century..." The presentation of these obscure theories fails to enthrall the attentions of the guests. Vienna's Citizens possess less a thirst for knowledge than hunger for morbid curiosities. Tales of misfortune are favored over their cures. Suddenly a citizen from the crowd makes a short remark
"Isolde? The youngest daughter of the Dittarsdorfs? Oh, no wonder she volunteered. The treatment should do wonders for her! You know there's something wrong with that family ... I heard her mother stabbed old Dittarsdorf in the temple with a brass needle and killed every maid in the room. That thing's even made it into the curio market. I heard not even the Lourde's water could clean the blood off of it" as he made a short pause another man came with his own anecdote
"The family seems to be cursed. So far, no one's ever lived past the age of 40 in fact, the girl had a sister who died very young. And now her brother--- I heard from the papers that..."
"He killed himself, right?"
"Well, the artist did what an artist would do. He wrote a sad poem and then set fire to his paintings, together with himself."
"You know what, my uncle works for the police, he showed me the autopsy report. The truth is, Theophil shot himself! He was killed by a bullet." Interrupting the man a young woman brought her own thoughts
"Gosh! Good thing he didn't have to suffer all that pain before he died... Poor boy, he was so talent and handsome! But the girl, she's less fortunate! Fainted at her only brother's funeral, didn't even get to see him one last time... I hope the last treatment will alleviate her suffering..."
"Lunatics, the whole family is a bunch of lunatics!"
"Manners, Sir! This is Vienna, Where we call these poor people... "Arcanists"." The woman sighed before making more snide remarks
"I sincerely hope that Isolde can put an end to her miserable nightmare. After all she is one of the most talented opera singer in Vienna, just like her mother.
"You know what they say, Talent and Hysteria go hand in hand. Think about it, they both come from the mind!" The four gossiping citizens laugh in the irony of their whispers . The speaker noting their untimely whispers. Yet a young lady dressed in green sighs in disdain.
"Quiet please. The treatment will now begin." Dr. Schwartz announced "Are you ready Ms.Dittarsdorf?"
"Y-yes." the young lady stuttered aloud before taking deep breaths "I'm ready. Please ..." Suddenly she groaned a violent shock went through her body
"Three, two, one, okay. Calm down, my lady. Just hang in there, OKay? The treatment will work. Perserverance is a virtue. I don't think the electric shock is causing the pain you seem to be experiencing. Don't let the imaginary fear get the better of you." The woman groaned as her aching pains continued.
"Yes... Sir..."
"Good, Now we'll begin stage two, the voltage will be slightly increased. Please get ready, Ms.Dittarsdorf."
"I- I" She screamed before the shock came back. "No, no..."
"Stage Three, an even higher voltage..." The woman let out untimely screams as the electricity coursed through her body forcing her to shake violently. All other sounds soon faded away... as she broke through the restraints and fell to the ground.
" Enough!" The woman dressed in green shouted
"Forgive the interruption, Dr. Schwartz, but I need you to stop the treatment immediately." Chattering, Hushed questions replace the hum of electricity. The audience turns toward the petite woman in green standing in the back row.
"I can't help but to question your methods, as well as the methods of the General Medical Association" She Declared as the young lady on the floor came awake panting heavily
"Your electroshock therapy is a gross violation humanitarian principles. Judging from what I saw, it only brought the patient meaningless pain, and didn't help her condition one bit." She continued her rebukement of his practices "Unless,, of course, you intend to use physical pain to distract the patient from her mental pain" The woman on the ground coming more and more aware of her stituation. The green silhouette of the woman is delicate yet shard, like a razor cutting through the chaos.
"Even though this is a conference meant for conversation, you're being a littlle rude. The new electroshock therapy is not what you know from the last century. Now that man has tamed electricity, there's no doubt that EST is the best choice of treatment! You shouldn't take it at face value, because It's not like the underlying principle are the same as that frog experiment, heh. My treatment is supported by systematic theories and reliable references, and it is approved and sponsored by the General Medical Association, which means it's reasonable and legitimate. While you are, correct me if I'm wrong, a "social activist known for her little arcane tricks. Ms. Kakania, or should I say Ms. Klara. As far as I know, you don't even have a medical degree. Besides your so-called art movement, the "Secession," is it? It confuses me, really. Anyway, in order to have a more professional conversation, I suggest we talk later you know, after you get a medical license" The man retorted in a condescending tone eager to deny her claims of harming the young Dittarsdorf. Murmurs and fragmented laughter swell among the crowd.
"No, Dr. Schwartz. This conversation has nothing to do with my personal identity or experience. I'm only asking you as a citizen of Vienna, and as a "Human being" with empathy! How can you not see she's suffering? Have you been thoroughly brainwashed by the supposed brainwashed by the supposed authority of medical science, or have you too been blinded and deafened by hysteria" Kakania replied worrying over the poor lady being electroshocked.
"You rude little...! Please allow me to reiterate: The EST is an advanced and reliable treatment! Besides, Ms. Dittarsdorf had signed an agreement before we started the experiment. The experiment is conducted under mutual consent. Your objection is of no use, and is even harmful to the patient's interests. But we always welcome debate. Since you question my methods, please. be my guest and indulge us with your thoughts on her condition" The man had retorted
"As I understand it, Mr. Sigmund Frueed published his Studies on Hysteria 1895, He believed that hysteria was a psychological disorder caused by problems in the nervous system. It was not a simple organ disease".
Here's how you can make bold and italic text.
Here's how you can add an image:
Here's how to make a list:
- First thing
- Second thing
- Third thing
To learn more HTML/CSS, check out these tutorials!