Author's Note

This chapter's a bit more science-heavy. I tried to break it down into the simplest terms I could think of.

Examination

Every day after school, Diamond and Sunset studied the workings of the brain. They spent hours constructing a clear picture of its mechanics, often researching well into the evening. They kept notes of critical information regarding the limbic system and the cerebellum. In turn, they were able to update their original transcript to be more precise.

"Take a look at this." Sunset said. She handed Diamond her laptop. "Remember what Anvil said about the massacre in '99?"

"A school shooting?" Diamond questioned.

"Not just any shooting. It was the blueprint for everything that followed."

"Woah..."

"According to a friend of the shooters, the one who was on Luvox stopped taking the medication at some point during his senior year."

"But Anvil said they found it in his system during the autopsy, right? What gives?"

"When he was off the meds, he would flip on the turn of a dime. A week before the shooting, though, his demeanor completely changed. He was calm and relaxed."

"So he started taking it again?"

"She said there were therapeutic quantities. That can only mean..."

"...He took it to stay focused..."

"Look at his journal entries. The killings were planned extensively a year in advance. He needed to keep enough medication around without wasting time on a refill."

"The Luvox aggravated his compromised state, but it kept his behavior stable to avoid suspicion."

"Talk about a worst-case scenario. Jesus Christ..."

The following week, Diamond, Sunset, Filthy, and Spoiled returned to Anvil's office. Diamond and Sunset revealed what they found about the shooting.

"I've been wondering for years how the Luvox actually played into the killings...," Anvil explained, "I guess now I know..."

"I'm sorry," Sunset lamented, "I can't begin to imagine how disappointed you must feel."

"Don't apologize. We weren't there anyway. Even if I'd known about its effects back then, I couldn't have done anything."

"You were what, six at the time?"

"Yeah. I doubt anyone would have believed me."

"Seems like that's a common problem kids face."

"Just makes the times we get through all the more worthwhile."

"That's a good way to look at it."

"Anyway, we should get down to business."

Anvil pulled a diagram of the brain from behind her desk. She placed it on the table.

"Let's recap what we already know," she advised, "If we look at the brain from a lateral point of view, we can divide it into ten regions made up of twenty-seven subsections: the precentral sulcus, the superior frontal sulcus, the middle frontal gyrus, the superior frontal gyrus, the precentral gyrus, the inferior frontal sulcus, the frontal pole, the frontal lobe, the inferior frontal gyrus, the temporal pole, the superior temporal gyrus, the temporal lobe, the middle temporal gyrus, the inferior temporal gyrus, the central sulcus, the postcentral gyrus, the postcentral sulcus, the superior parietal lobule, the intraparietal sulcus, the angular gyrus, the parietal lobe, the inferior parietal lobule, the occipital lobe, the occipital pole, the supramarginal gyrus, the superior temporal sulcus, and the inferior temporal sulcus."

"I don't envy medical students right now." Sunset joked lightheartedly.

"It's a lot to remember, but the general principal is simple. When one or more of these parts malfunctions, it often results in a disorder."

"Specifically the areas that regulate emotion, reason, and stimuli."

"You got it."

"There are a lot of variables that can cause issues, though." Diamond pointed out.

"You're right," Anvil confirmed, "Injury, poor diet, lack of exercise, serotonin deficiencies, deformities, less-than-usual gray matter, low vitamin D, and genetic predispositions all play a role. That leads us to one of many problems in the medical field..."

"Overmedication..." Sunset finished.

Anvil began her explanation.

"Anti-depressants belong to a class of psychotropic drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs. Primarily, their function is to increase serotonin levels in the brain. Trouble is, they can inadvertently alter other neurotransmitters too. It gets really dangerous if serotonin levels aren't among the culprits to begin with."

"Not to mention the withdrawal symptoms." Sunset added.

"A number of experimental treatments have emerged in recent years. Shock therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation are two examples. Their purpose is to activate the regulatory functions of the brain. These treatments are still in their infancy, though, and like with medication, it won't work for everyone. Our ultimate goal is to rectify this issue."

"The question is, how?"

"Genetic engineering is one possibility. If we can isolate the genes that factor into illness, we can potentially root it out early, thus preventing it from surfacing later down the road. Still, we can't ignore the moral and ethical concerns. Many would see it as a gateway to eugenics."

"What about reverse engineering the medications themselves?"

"I don't follow."

"If we examine the chemicals in SSRIs more closely, we might find a way to increase serotonin and gray matter without the side effects."

"The pharmaceutical companies and the FDA already monitor that. I doubt we'll find anything they don't already know."

"Then we'll have to experiment. CBD oil's been getting popular lately. Maybe there's something there."

"I suppose you can try it. It might be safer than your typical pill at least."

"Now that that's out of the way, we should move on to psychotherapy techniques."

"There are seven main types: Psychoanalytic, Psychodynamic, Behavioral, Cognitive, Humanistic, Integrative, and Holistic."

"What's humanistic...?" Diamond questioned.

"I had a feeling that would catch your interest," Anvil replied, "Humanistic therapy focuses on the patient's maximum potential as a human being. It was developed through the work of existentialist philosophers between the early nineteenth and late twentieth centuries."

"So the therapist helps the patient take steps to become who they want to be?"

"To simplify things a bit, yes."

"So that's how she did it..."

"I'm sorry?"

Diamond shook her head.

"Never mind."

"Anyhow, if you're curious which I find the most effective as a general rule, it's integrative. Integrative does exactly what you suggested before. It blends different schools of thought. This allows treatment to be custom-tailored to the patient's needs."

Sunset spoke again.

"So outside more extreme cases, the right combination of treatments could completely turn someone's life around?"

"The potential is there. I recommend you delve deeper into the dialogue aspect. The ability to talk someone down could mean the difference between life and death."

"Before we go, can I ask you one more thing?"

"Of course."

"What are your thoughts on national healthcare?"

"I'm disappointed there's not a system in place already."

"Thought so."

"Putting more strain on those already struggling is just cruel. If I could, I would gladly do my work for free, but that's not how the world works at the moment..."

"Don't worry," Diamond interjected, "If we make a breakthrough, the profits are yours."

Everyone stared in unanimous shock.

"Before all this, I lived a life motivated by greed. I don't intend to make that mistake a second time."

Sunset's expression formed into a proud smirk.

"Damn, sis. That's deep."