A Sparrow Mends "R" (completed)

[hfce]

More please.... :

[Kit Merlot]

WARNING: This chapter deals with the abuse, and death of children. I am not going into gory detail, but it is a disturbing part of the story. I’m sorry if this upsets anyone. I know it was very difficult and upsetting to write.


Chapter 10


Chloe looked up at the clock, and could hardly believe how much time had passed. They had been searching the warehouse for the past three hours. Clark had been the one to find the file room, leaving Chloe stunned that he had been able to see the door at all. The door had been fashioned to look like a part of the wall. Yet, Clark had noticed it.

Chloe shook her head, and decided to chalk it up to “the mystery that is Clark Kent.” There was a time and place to grill Clark, but this was not it.

Instead, she turned her attention to the file room itself. It was the only place that actually held any type of furniture; the rest of the area was empty space. The file cabinets had been arranged in rows, and in what seemed to be a random order.

Their only option was to go through each cabinet, one by one. They each took a row, and began the search.

After an hour, Clark again saved the day when he found the file on Chloe’s mom. Chloe eagerly paged through it, confident that all of her questions would be answered. After reading through it, she was left just as baffled. Dr. Flint’s diagnosis had been depression that could be controlled through anti-depressants. His notes did not contain a mention of any psychotic behavior.

Indeed, Flint had appeared to believe that all Mrs. Sullivan needed was to balance the chemicals in her brain, and her mental illness would be under control.

Contrast that to Dr. Baxter’s diagnosis, which had Claire Sullivan being one step removed from a deranged psychopath. Baxter’s notes recommended that Mrs. Sullivan was a danger to herself, and she needed to be properly medicated.

But, with that medication, she would not harm anyone else. There was not a mention as to why she killed Flint, what prompted the violence in her actions, and why Baxter was now convinced that Claire wasn’t a threat to anyone’s safety.

There was not a judge in any court who would have signed off on releasing any person with this as a recommendation. Chloe looked closer at the judge’s signature, but the handwriting was so blurred, she could hardly read it. Baxter wanted her mother released, but the question was why.

She looked up to see if she could get Lex’s attention, but he was absorbed in the file in front of him. She walked over to show him her mother’s file, but was stopped short by the horrified look on Lex’s face.

Chloe could feel her heart beginning to pound in her chest. She stepped closer to Lex, and tried to read what had him so sickened. He saw her coming, and quickly flipped the folder closed. A look of disbelief crossed his features, and mingled with disgust. He began to mutter to himself, and Chloe had to lean in to catch what he said. “My God, how many were there?”

Chloe’s stomach clenched in fear, and she reached out her hand to grasp his. “Lex, please tell me what is in that file!”

Lex snapped out of whatever trance he had been in when he felt her touch his hand. He hesitated about showing Chloe what he had found, knowing that it would upset her. He paused, and then showed her what had him so preoccupied. He didn’t offer her an explanation, just handed her a sheaf of papers.

The papers appeared to be court documents, similar to her mother’s, of various diagnoses from ten separate patients’ files. Chloe looked back at him, sat down on the concrete floor and began to read.


‘The patient, Anna Cummiskey, suffers from severe postpartum depression. After extensive drug therapy, the patient became violent and drowned her three-month-old child. Mrs. Cummiskey is a danger to herself and others, and it is with great regret that I must recommend that she should be confined to a mental hospital for the remainder of her life.’

‘The patient, Jane-Martine Butler, had severe depression, brought on by the birth of her son. She was treated with a regime of drug therapy. Unfortunately, Mrs. Butler shook her two-month-old son with such force, that it resulted in the baby suffering a massive head trauma, which left him brain dead. At my last visit, Mrs. Butler was catatonic, responding to little stimuli. She is currently in Metropolis University Hospital’s Psychiatric Ward.’

‘The patient, Margaret Banister, became increasingly violent during her pregnancy, but her rage disappeared after the birth of her twins, one boy and one girl. The patient seemed to be adjusting well, but she still had crying jags. She was given drug therapy to help stabilize her mood swings. However, Mrs. Banister broke the arm of her three-year-old daughter after the little girl ate a cookie before supper. The police were called when Mrs. Banister jumped off of the roof of her apartment building, after slitting the throats of her twin babies.’


Chloe closed her eyes, when the words on the page began to swim in front of her. There were many more accounts of women who were diagnosed with some form of postpartum induced depression.

In every case, Dr. Flint prescribed his own brand of anti-depressives, and in every case, the patient killed their child. No wonder Dr. Flint’s supposed miracle drug couldn’t get FDA approval. The women taking the drugs were becoming increasingly violent. Yet, Flint continued to prescribe them.

Lex stood silently by as Chloe read each case study, and he watched her face become pale as each new horror was revealed. Finally, Chloe stopped reading and looked up, her eyes round with fear.

Before she could even begin to formulate a question, Lex answered her. “Apparently, Flint’s anti-depressives increased his patients’ violent tendencies. According to these files, he was aware of the side effects and tried to find the right dosage through trial and error.”

Chloe’s mind could hardly absorb what she was hearing, and Lex’s seeming detachment unnerved her. His facial expression was calm, but Chloe could see that his jaw was clenched, and the white-knuckled grip on the folders were two signs that Lex was nowhere near as calm as he would have her believe. It was a small comfort that he was as enraged as she was.

Flint’s trial and error led to the abuse and deaths of countless children. Their mothers hardly faired any better, with them either committing suicide or ending up in jail. To think that her and Lex’s mom were at this evil doctor’s mercy made her skin crawl.

She glanced at Lex, and wondered how much of this information Lionel Luthor had before he signed his wife up as a guinea pig. Again, Lex answered her unasked question. “Chloe, I’m going to have to talk to my father. He’s the only one left who can tell us about Flint.”

He glanced around the warehouse uneasily, suddenly wanting nothing more than for the three of them to vacate the premises and breathe fresh air. “I’m calling the FBI as soon as we’re outside. The files stay where we found them. I want all evidence to remain in this room.”

Lex took one more look around the room, and nodded his head. It had taken him more than ten years, but he was finally finding justice for his mother and brother. He turned to Chloe and said, “I’m going to bring the car around front. Go grab Clark. We’re leaving.”

Chloe immediately put down the file in her hand, and she started to walk towards the row Clark was in. She was startled by the sound of Clark’s voice reverberating against the walls. “Guys?!"

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: fantastic chappy! but OMG!! That bastard of a doctor! DIE DIE DIE!!

[AlabamaWorley]

Just a second, let me get my tummy under control...

Okay! Wow, that was really intense. I'm sure it was hard to write, you did an excellent job with it. I can't wait to find out what Clark's discovered!

[hfce]

That was intense and scary poor Chloe and Lex. I can't wait to find out what Clark found out.


Hope :

[autumngold]

I can't even begin to understand how hard this chapter must have been to write!! I'm so glad that Lex and Chloe have found out the truth about their mothers!! I can't wait to find out what Clark has found!! Please update again soon!! I can't wait to read more!! :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[carebear72884]

ahh :huh: that is just so awful :crygreen: :crygreen: all those poor children. Chloe and Lex better solve this mystery and stop it from happing in the future..more soon please.

[newbatgirl]

:crygreen: Still in awe of/disturbed by this chapter. You did a great job here and I can see why you were blocked for a little while.

I do however think you were evil to leave it where you did!

More soon.

[sylvia]

Yikes, it amazes me how you manage to keep the suspense up with every chapter. Can't wait for the confrontation with Lionel either, if there's going to be one.

I agree with NBG, though. Cliffhangers are evil. So update soon!

[Queen Of Tact]

ok all up to date with this fic and i so want more..... This last ch was just wow.... It's no wonder that Dr ended up dead.... If I was one of the mom'd on his med i would have killed him too... All thoughs poor babies.... This is really a great fic.. I can't wait to read more....

i just love the Chlex friendship


CC