They had been through something so immensely horrific they stopped talking altogether. Except, they would speak to animals. They barely looked up, often freezing and curling up into a ball of terror at even the slightest noise over a soft spoken voice. The therapist was broken-hearted, this was going to take a lot of work. -- Anon Guest
Humans were not meant to shut down like this. In and of itself, the spectacle was terrifying. Human Teal was nonresponsive to all but the most nominal indicators of consciousness and understanding. Otherwise, he was a solid ball of terror.
They gave him the most soothing of spaces, the most comforting of foods. The widest array of choices. And, naturally, a therapist trying their best.
Therapist Edima could not talk with Human Teal. Even the softest speaking voice made him flinch and clench in terror. Even sitting near him caused upset. The local Skitties[1] did not, which gave them an idea.
They had to watch from a distance, but perhaps it would be a start.
Teal startled at the sound of the door. That was normal. They looked at what entered, shied away, and then looked again.
It is impossible to be frightened of a capybara. They are friend-shaped and come with their own aura of meditative calm. This one was named Ted, and he ambled over to Teal for a good sniffing.
Teal uncurled, and scritched the creature between the ears. "Where did you come from?"
"Do you mean specifically or generally?" asked Ted the capybara.
A brief moment of boggling, but in the twenty-fifth century, just about anything is possible. "I-- I should have guessed they'd come up with a therapy Augment. May I hug you?"
Ted half-flopped into Teal's lap. "I am here to calm and comfort you, so of course haptic interaction is warranted. Indeed, it is very welcome."
It didn't take long for Teal to begin expressing his emotions in a healthy manner. The healing had begun.
One day, he would be able to talk to people again.
[1] Skitty: Ship's or Station's Kitty. A gengineered form of pest control that are often elevated to mascot in some communities. Citizens of stations are allowed to feed the Skitties, pet them, and even boop their little snoots.
[Image by Karen Lau on Unsplash]
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