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The Alter Prey
The Alter Prey “Sometimes the appropriate response to reality is to go insane.” — Philip K. Dick STUART RYDER is at the peak of his career. Having achieved rapid success in growing his clinical psychology practice, Stuart has established himself as a successful and credible hypnotist. However, when a client consents to Stuart conducting an age regression under hypnosis, it is at this junction that Stuart, through transference, unexpectedly receives a mental flash of his own, triggering an apparent personality disorder in the form of another—PAOLO. Unsure of his condition, Stuart turns to ZOLTAN KOVACS, a fellow psychologist and master hypnotist for help. Stuart understands that personality disorders typically stem from Sexually Abused Child Syndrome, wherein one represses an unendurable trauma from the conscious mind, and in extreme cases, allows another personality to take over. Therefore, Stuart feels apprehensive about what Zoltan might uncover in his assessment; even so, he concedes to regression therapy under Zoltan’s supervision. To his surprise, Zoltan establishes that Stuart is suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) as a result of childhood sexual abuse. Stuart is now forced to shut down his practice and focus on getting treated, but when Paolo reemerges, havoc ensues, and Stuart realizes he has no control over Paolo, and things quickly turn from bad to worse. Stuart and Paolo engage in a clash of personalities, confusing everyone around ‘them’. Unable to control Paolo, Stuart begins to ‘act out of character’, and turns to the dark side, and becomes entangled in all sorts of horrific trouble. One day, in a state of rage, Paolo rapes and murders JENNIFER, a client of Stuart’s, and hides the body to cover up the crime. When the police get involved, Stuart confesses to the murder, and his court proceedings ensue, leading to his incarceration at a detention centre. To prove his innocence based on mental incapacity, Stuart’s legal team and his psychologist, need Paolo to reemerge to prove his disorder. However, despite Zoltan’s psychological assessments and therapies, Paolo stays silent, making Stuart’s innocence harder to prove. While incarcerated, Stuart befriends a female correctional officer, CC. COLEMAN and they develop an intimate relationship. Knowing Paolo’s weakness is women, Stuart and Officer Coleman scheme to lure Paolo into existence, and prove Stuart’s innocence once and for all. But, can Stuart manage Paolo under such dangerous circumstances if Paolo were to succumb to his temptations? Can Zoltan unite Paolo and Stuart under his psychological guise so they can live in harmony? Or will Paolo take over Stuart’s life once and for all and ruin ‘both’ their lives forever? Only time will tell.
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