The New York Trilogy: Character Deposit

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Character Deposit

• This is the character deposit thread for The New York Trilogy. Only approved characters may be posted in this thread.
• All significant characters should have an exclusive reply in this thread, where that character -and only that character- has all its information present.

Links
In-Character Thread
Out of Character Thread

[AuntFlavia]

Delores Brennan
Delores Brennan
Delores is a thirty year old woman with thin light brown shoulder length hair, flat in both style and color. Most of her old clothes are now too big for her frame, making her look frumpy and baggy. The colors she wears are usually either brown or dark gray. Her dull blue eyes match her average face, which is lightly speckled with acne scars from her youth. She also carries herself badly, having terrible posture. More often than not, she will have dark circles and bags under her eyes from lack of sleep. The diamond in the rough of her appearance is her smile, which isn't easily seen anymore.

Personality
Inside of the group, Delores is often too quick to put her two cents in, and tries to get her opinion in no matter the subject. In her mind she is trying to help, though this can come across as annoying. Outside of the group she isn't talkative and doesn't have very many friends outside of the workplace. She is rigid in her beliefs and a bit of a skeptic, and unlike many depressed women her age she is not diminutive or shy. After two years, the group knows most of her secrets already. Delores is a self described movie-lover but hates the thought of violence in real life, which is why she usually tries to find non-violent solutions to her problems. Partly because of her work as a registered nurse, she values life and avoiding injury above all else. Also because of her work and her education, she is rational in panicked situations. Sometimes when she speaks however, she will ramble off topic, trail off at the end of a sentence or talk about nothing in particular. Once in a while, you might find her staring at nothing as if deep in thought, or 'shutting off' in the middle of a conversation.

Condition
Delores suffers from insomnia and a general fear of sleeping; this fear of sleeping is so pervasive that even entering a bedroom frightens her. Because of this, she never goes into the bedroom in her apartment, and instead spends her nights on the couch. When she does manage to sleep, Delores will often experience terrible nightmares so vivid and frightening that she wakes up immediately in a cold sweat. At times she will get small amounts of sleep, other times she could be awake for days before managing a few hours of restful sleep. Alongside with her insomnia, Delores is stuck within a state of deep depression, both as a result of her sleeplessness, her recent mental trauma and the guilt associated with it. She didn't always live like this; it started three years ago after her husband of six months committed suicide in their bed. Moving on has been a difficult and slow process, and not just because of her insomnia.

Biography: What Others Know
As far as the group knows, Delores was raised like any other child; in school she was awkward, in grades she was average, in love she was hopeless. She met Alan in middle school, but he moved away without warning. When she saw him again in 1988, they were married about a year after that. Delores has kept secret the circumstances of their whirlwind romance from the group, both because she doesn't think it's that important and she doesn't want them to judge her decisions. Less than a year later, she woke up to find her husband lying dead next to her, suicide by overdose. Because of combined stress and her inability to sleep regularly after the incident, Delores quit her job upstate and moved into a cheaper apartment in the city. To Delores, the support group has been a blessing for her, as it's the only thing that can give her enough comfort to keep going, and during some nights, it is easier for her to get some sleep after a meeting.

Biography
Delores was born October 1st 1962. She grew up much like anyone else, got braces when she was young, had embarrassing acne all of her teenage life, got decent grades but never made the honor roll. It was during science class during middle school when Delores first met Alan Brennan. When they were young they were good friends; they made their science project together, sat together during lunch, and both had a secret crush on the other. Even back in these early years, Delores noticed that Alan was oddly quiet and eccentric for a boy his age, but thought nothing of it. To her, that's what made him special. One day, Alan simply didn't come to school, and he never came back. Delores asked around, and was met with the same answer; that he had moved away. Even Delores knew that if Alan had moved, he would have told her first. There was no way you could spend weeks planning to move and not at least mention it once to a good friend. As Delores trudged on through high school, she eventually forgot about it.

As for her family, just before she graduated high school, Delores' parents revealed to her that she was adopted. Of course it was a shock to learn that her parent's weren't really her parents and her sister wasn't really her sister, but she wasn't as upset or angry as a teenager would be. With her mother and father's help, she was able to track down her biological mother's name and phone number. When she called however, she refused to even speak to Delores once she learned who she was. To this day Delores wonders why she was rejected, but she has tried to put the entire issue behind her, though she thinks about it often during her falls into depression.

Despite this, Delores' adopted family was good to her. Her parents, Joel and Karen Douglas, gave her the best life they could offer her. Even though they gave their best effort to the contrary, Delores still found that they treated her differently when compared to her little sister Sarah. Sarah was Joel and Karen's biological daughter, whom they had not long after Delores was adopted. There was always a twinge of jealousy in Delores when Sarah got more attention than she did, but it was hardly an issue in the house. At best, it was a minor thing that Delores rarely thinks about anymore.

The year was 1988 when she saw Alan again. Delores had just officially became an RN and immediately started work at a nearby nursing home, caring for the elderly. While she was getting acquainted with the job and the facility, she happened to notice that one of the residents there had a familiar last name; Brennan. The patient was an older woman, the victim of several strokes during the course of her life. The staff had told Delores that it was certain that the poor old woman wasn't going to be staying in the home for much longer, but she was lucky person to have such a devoted grandson visiting her every day. Alan apparently had no one else in his life, and his grandmother was the last of his closest family. The two reconnected in the unlikeliest of circumstances, despite Alan's worry about his grandmother. Even after his grandmother passed on, Alan would come back to the home and visit Delores during work.

They were married barely a year later, in what most would consider an unhealthy partnering. Delores knew that Alan was hurt by the death of his grandmother, and a good amount of their time together was spent consoling him. As for Delores, Alan was kind and devoted man to her, showing her the attention and love she never thought that she could have. Delores' parents didn't approve of the marriage, knowing that their relationship wasn't a normal and happy one. Despite that, they still came to the wedding though Delores noticed that they couldn't stop talking about her sister's new boyfriend. She was still happy that they came though, and she knew it must have been difficult for them to attend a wedding they didn't approve of. Even though the wedding was a happy time, during the time before and after they were married, Delores had begun to notice that Alan would say strange things from time to time. He often spoke of not deserving her, and about how she was a much better person than he was. Odd behaviors would crop up as well; more than once she caught him staring off into the distance, and as he neared the tragic end of his life, his sleeping and eating habits were schizophrenic. There were times he would sleep for days or stay awake for days at a time. These were all signs that Delores would later regret not paying closer attention to, as on the morning of December 3rd 1989 she woke up laying next to a stiff corpse. Full examinations revealed that Alan had overdosed on sleeping pills that night, in such great numbers that it was obviously deliberate.

After the incident, her parents stopped by to make sure Delores was alright, and though their intentions were good, she was sure that there was an underlying message of 'told you so' in their conversation. This may have been the case, or Delores might have been simply being childish and only perceiving it that way. In either case, Delores stopped speaking to them after she moved into the city.

Delores tried to return to her normal life after the funeral, but her insomnia since the event was a huge impact on her work and her routine. Her hands would shake, and she would easily lose concentration. Even entering the patients' would become too much for her on the more difficult days. It became so stressful to her that she quit her job at the nursing home. Due to lack of regular income and lingering memories, Delores moved out of the house she and Alan bought together and into a dingy, cheap apartment deeper inside the city. Not long after that, she joined the support group, and since then, it is only after these meetings that she is likely to get sleep at all, as they are immeasurably important to her. Currently, she is living off of her saved money, money from selling her house and whatever Alan had left her. Delores hopes to start working again and move on with her life, or at least find a way to cope with her grief.

[corneredbliss]

Cynthia "Cici" Campbell

Cynthia (also known as "Cici") is a twenty year old female who enjoys dolling herself up. She never leaves the house unless her big blue eyes are satisfactorily framed by false lashes and her cheeks are rosy with a fake blush. Her figure is long and slender, and though she naturally stands at a height of 5'7", she wears nothing but heels and platform shoes. The contents of her wardrobe are a mixture of bright colors, quirky patterns, and plenty of bows. Her waist-length blonde hair is never in the same style two days in a row, a rule that she also follows when it comes to choosing lipstick shades. There is, however, one accessory that she keeps with her at all times: A worn-out backpack shaped like a teddy bear, with tan fur, pink straps, and a kind smile. It is covered in colorful glitter and has been sewn up more than a few times. Besides this treasured possession, one only needs to glance at her clothing to know that she comes from wealth. Cynthia could be summed up as a Barbie doll come to life.

Personality

Contrary to her flashy fashion sense, Cynthia is quite the introvert. She is shy, soft-spoken, and has all the manners a young lady like herself should. More a follower than she is a leader, Cynthia might be the most passive within the group. She can be a push-over, and is usually unwilling or unable to pipe up for herself. Her low level of confidence prevents her from being gregarious. During sessions, she enjoys listening more than she does talking, and has come to both respect and very much like her fellow group members. It should also be noted that Cynthia doesn't much like being touched.

Cici, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Being the alter personality, Cici's characteristics are a sharp one-eighty from Cynthia's normal ones. She is the manifestation of Cynthia's secret desire for control. She is the manifestation of Cynthia's inner brat. She is the manifestation of Cynthia's past abuse. Cici demands what she wants and has an ego that could fill a stadium. Known for her raunchy gestures and witty remarks, Cici usually has no filter and is quick to let someone know if she is displeased. She is New York loud, shameless, and aggressive, and very much enjoys physical interactions. Cici is also quite the bullshitter.

Condition

Cynthia was officially diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder when she was fifteen.

When she switches, Cynthia is completely gone and replaced by Cici. The personalities are two completely different people, neither having anything to do with the other. Cici has her own past, her own family, her own story. Cynthia is familiar with her alter, and is able to hear Cici's voice speaking in her head at times. She is sometimes even able to see what Cici is doing while she is doing it. The alter is aware that she is occupying another person's body, and is sometimes rather self-destructive because of that knowledge. Worried by this fact, Cynthia's therapist has asked both people to write in a journal as a means of communication. It has been five years since Cynthia was made aware of her illness, but her switches continue to persist. So far there have been no signs of any other emerging personalities. Her doctors signed her up for the group therapy sessions in the hopes that she would be able to figure out what triggered the switches so that she could prevent future outbreaks; though Cynthia doesn't seem to be making any progress - or any major attempts - to solve her problem.

Biography: What Others Know

Being the child of a major city player meant that privacy is nearly nonexistent. Even before Cynthia stepped foot into a session, the group would have known, or at least heard, some basic facts about her from the ever-curious media. After having spent two years with her, the group is more than familiar with both Cynthia and Cici. They know almost everything about Cynthia, except for her childhood abuse. She claims that her shifts were caused by depression from her parents' divorce, but her lack of conviction makes the lie very transparent. It also doesn't help that Cici enjoys dropping hints as per the real cause of her switches. The alter has introduced herself as a twenty-eight year old woman, and is the only person other than her therapist and Nanny that knows of Cynthia's past. By now, the group can usually tell just by how Cynthia walks into the session whether she is in her normal state or not. They are also familiar with Nanny, because she sometimes sends Cynthia with freshly baked cookies to share with everyone.

Biography

Cynthia was the result of a whirlwind marriage between renowned city accountant Richard Campbell and local bartender Denise Springer. She was born on May 17th, 1974 - four months after her parents' decision to get married. Because of her father's wealth, she grew up without want for anything - except maybe more of his attention. Cynthia spent most of her childhood in the company of either her Nanny or her mother, since Mr. Campbell was often too busy with calculations and whatnot. He did, however, compensate for his absence by showering her with gifts, which were usually either dolls and stuffed animals or makeup kits. Surrounded by plenty of estrogen and encouraged by her father's presents, she quickly became a girly-girl; though her mother was proud to say that she did not assume the role of a spoiled brat. Thus was the start of Cynthia's enormous collection of plush toys and elementary eyeshadows, compliments of the father who only seemed to acknowledge her when she was brought along for publicity outings.

As the years passed, Mrs. Campbell's frustration with her husband's lack of familial interest became more and more apparent. Soon, she began building up her own absences, often leaving Cynthia in the care of Nanny, who would keep the child busy by playing dress-up in the hopes that she would not notice. But the inevitable came, and shortly before Cynthia's ninth birthday, Denise Campbell called for a speedy divorce from her husband to run away with a sensitive artist who couldn't rub two dimes together but had a tenderness that soothed her beyond relief. After the realization that her mother wasn't coming back, Cynthia seemed to retreat into herself, becoming the introvert that she is today with everyone except her Nanny. Mr. Campbell, who unfortunately suffered more from a hurting pride than anything else, bowed under the pressure of the public's eye and reluctantly took a long break from his office to return home with open arms. Much to Cynthia's dismay, he fired her Nanny, claiming (for his image's sake) that he wanted to be able to take care of her himself. Before she left, Nanny gave Cynthia a present, which, to the child, meant more than all of her father's gifts combined; The backpack named Benny, which has been glued to the girl's side ever since.

With all the free time he had, Mr. Campbell simply did not know what to do. He attempted to reconnect with Cynthia, but she was so unresponsive to his attempts that he gave up after only a few days. Perhaps it was this rejection, coupled with the divorce, that finally somehow cracked Richard's efficient exterior. Eventually, he turned to the power of alcohol to numb his loneliness, like he'd done when he was younger, which was how he met Denise. By the time he returned to his job, the alcoholic within had re-emerged with a vengeance. It wasn't long before Richard was fired for entering the workplace incredibly hungover and unkempt. The unemployment and the unflattering publicity urged him to continue drinking his troubles away. At this point, Cynthia had become a self-sufficient pre-teen, able to take care of herself while her father went out on his sprees.

Then came the night when Mr. Campbell burst into Cynthia's room, quite obviously drunk and seeking affection from his long-lost daughter, just like she had when she was younger. He stumbled to her bed and did not offer her a kiss on the forehead, but forced one onto her lips instead. When she protested, he responded with angry slaps before forcing her to succumb to his needs. Cynthia was so frightened and in so much pain that she only remembered giving into the dark spots that seemed to be creeping across her vision before she eventually passed out underneath her panting father. The morning after, Richard made her swear not to reveal the events of the night to anyone, and Cynthia didn't have to think twice about agreeing. This routine continued for the next few months, and each night the girl would merely allow the darkness to take her because she did not want to experience it again.

After some time, Cynthia began to notice many changes. There seemed to be an increasing number of gaps in her memory, and though she was used to not being able to recall nights, she couldn't seem to remember parts of her days as well. She would leave the house to go grocery shopping and somehow end up in the alley with a cigarette between her lips. Her father began to act differently towards her - even more so than before. Mr. Campbell had gotten bold enough to let his hands roam her body even in the daylight, insisting that she had told him the night prior how much she enjoyed his touch. And stranger still, everyone had begun to call her Cici. At first, Cynthia thought it was just a nickname comprised of her first and last initials. But after having random city-dwellers call and wave to her like old friends on the street, she finally figured that her blackouts should be medically investigated.

During the beginning her freshman year of high school, she had the mind to seek out help before her episodes could get her into more trouble. Cynthia arranged an appointment with a doctor, who checked her into the psychiatric ward at the hospital for further monitoring. It was at a meeting with her psychiatrist that she finally admitted to what her father had done to her. Consequently, he was taken into custody and charged with child rape and abuse. Soon after, Cynthia was officially diagnosed with MPD, and was introduced to her alter personality through a video recording her therapist had taken at a session. She remained in the ward for a few years to ensure her familiarity with her illness, and was released at the age of eighteen on the condition that she attend this group therapy session every week.

She currently lives in an apartment in the same building as Nanny, and is enrolled in college as a fashion major. At the moment, she survives off her inheritance from her father. Cynthia has not heard from her mother, nor has she gone to visit her father in prison.

[februari]

Stefani Giachetta Boccone

With her short stature and petite frame, Stefani carries herself with a youthful bounce that often persists to a lesser degree when stationary as a springy, shifting stance. When seated, she could be described as fidgety. Her features are light and soft, a sharp contrast to her style, which is a brash and often irreverent hodgepodge that sometimes flirts with being risque. Her eyes are usually mistaken for either brown or green but are, in truth, a mottled hazel that vacillates between the two depending on her mood, dress, and the lighting. She tends to play their changes to full effect by liberal application of eyeliner and shadow. Her trademark feature is a silky cascade of thick straight hair dyed in a sunset pattern, transitioning from a burnt orange at the roots to a platinum blond at the tips, which fall a couple inches below her shoulders.


Personality

Stefani speaks in quick, lively bursts in an unmistakably New York accent that can, given her tempo, be difficult for non-natives to follow. Though she's been working on it in group, she frequently interrupts others to offer her contribution. Her opinions are blunt and given freely, and though her directness seldom carries harmful intent, feelings are sometimes hurt regardless. That causes her visible distress when it's someone she respects or cares for, and she'll go to great lengths to repair the damage. While open about most aspects of herself, she tends to be more evasive where romantic relationships or family are concerned, though it's clear that neither play a prominent role in her life. Being outgoing and vivacious, friendships have come with relative ease though it's apparent that, despite that fact, she values them above virtually everything else and speaks of her closest friends often. She's quick-witted and carries herself confidently, even when she's clearly beyond her depth. Rarely, she appears agitated and aggressive, though by obvious effort channels her thoughts into increased fidgeting and squirming instead of words.


Condition

While her ground state is along the higher range of hypomanic, Stefani has experienced a chronic episode involving substance abuse and a significantly deteriorated mental state, which caused her short-term involuntary committal and subsequent placement in group therapy once stabilized. Her treatment initially included lithium, when her condition was thought to be more severe, but she resisted the dull, disconnected feelings and persistent headaches associated with its use to the point where she simply stopped taking it. After it was discontinued by her primary therapist, she became more receptive to alternatives and now abstains from most stimulants, including those as mundane as regular coffee, and keeps a sleep journal. Acknowledging that her state is not entirely stable, and that some sequences of events can exacerbate her condition, the goal of her therapy has been to identify signs of deterioration so they can be dealt with proactively, starting in her group sessions. Among the less tangible markers, and those Stefani's been more reluctant to discuss in group, are her transient physical relationships and tendency to place herself in unsafe situations, the latter resulting from an overestimate of what she's capable of handling. Both are considered substantial threats to her sustained recovery, but have lessened significantly through the self-monitoring regimen.



Biography: What Others Know

Stefani is a professional singer in a band bearing her name, Boccone Dolce, and frequently mentions her band mates, for whom she obviously cares a great deal. They've been extremely successful, having been approached by more than one label, but her condition, or more correctly her committal, have prevented the group from getting any firm offers. In fact, that's been one of her greatest motivators to continue treatment and keep up with her journal. Of her family, she speaks considerably less, though she's mentioned having two sisters and a brother, with her being the youngest. There's evidently a great deal of friction between her and the others, though she's never mentioned why or how the rest of her family gets along with one another. She has alluded to a particular event that caused her to move out and she hasn't been back since, only having spoken with her mother once in at least a couple years. Currently, she lives in a converted section of dressing rooms in a theater rented by an off-Broadway group, whom she frequently mentions as well. She hates her middle name, which was from "some great-great-grandmother, or something" and "is retarded, because we're about as Italian as Pizza Hut".


Biography

Stefani was born on December 18, 1969 in Manhattan, New York. Her parents, barely old enough to drive when they had their first child, were already stretched to make ends meet when she, their fourth, came along. Between low-paying day jobs to make rent on a shabby loft-style apartment upstairs from a deli, and nights devoted to their dreams of rock stardom with their band, Izzy and the MeatBeats, there was virtually nothing left for Stefani and her siblings, who were more or less left to fend for themselves. School proved difficult for the Boccone children, as parties tended to follow their parents home after shows and there was little to no support from them in the way of school clothes or supplies. Nearly everything the children had were hand-me-downs from neighbors or charities, which often led to teasing in class. For Stefani, there was also a more serious attentional aspect that made it difficult to concentrate, much less sit still, through even a single class. While the others toughed it out long enough to graduate high school, Stefani was hit or miss with her attendance after elementary school and finally decided she'd had enough while barely into high school. By then, her incessant talking, fidgeting, and general attentional difficulties were insurmountable and, more often that not, led to disciplinary action.

Not surprisingly, days spent running around the streets of New York with other truants led to several run-ins with law enforcement. On one such occasion, while fleeing the police after a graffiti tagging excursion, Stefani darted through a litter-lined alley and through a door she found ajar midway along its passage. Slamming and locking it behind her, she waited just inside panting furiously, the rush of her heart pounding in her ears. As the throbbing of her pulse subsided, a whimsical melody playing behind lively voices became audible from somewhere beyond the darkness of the storeroom that surrounded her. Following its source carefully among dusty odds and ends, and finally through a dense wall of drapery, she emerged just behind a broad stage, brilliantly illuminated by dozens of colored lights. The floor tremored as lines of performers darted about, singing in unison. Instantly captivated, Stefani slipped around to a shadowed corner at side stage and watched the duration of the rehearsal, which concluded with an emotion-filled solo delivered by an attractive brunette a few years older than her. For those few brief moments, Stefani sat completely motionless. Afterwards she stuck up a conversation with the young soloist and, finding her to be similarly lively, the pair enjoyed a quick-tempoed back and forth that continued well into the evening. She learned that the group was a standing cast of off-Broadway performers who'd been together for a couple of years and seen moderate success, at least enough to manage to rent their own rehearsal space and a full time rehearsal schedule.

Stefani became a regular at the rehearsals, helping out when she could and, as she became more familiar with the songs and choreography, stood in for absent cast members on a few occasions. With encouragement and assistance from various members of the cast, she made an admirable attempt at learning a couple of the lesser parts with the hope that she might swing a spot in one of the off-night shows. However, while she proved adept at dance and vocals, the concentration and study required to learn the scripts was beyond her attentional capacity and, at times, a stretch for her relatively low reading level. Vocally, she was as lively and animated as in regular speech and that, with some training and practice, imbued her singing with uncommon expressiveness and character.

Toward the end of 1986, The Carnalvores, a popular indy-punk foursome and regulars at the Bowery Ballroom lost their vocalist to "artistic differences" and were on the hunt for a replacement. Through mutual acquaintances they connected with Stefani and they hit it off immediately. Within a few months, they were carrying a full schedule and their new front-woman became known for belting out powerful leads and energizing rooms with an explosive presence. Within a year, they stood poised for breakthrough success, being courted by scouts from several minor labels looking for a powerful act to anchor their portfolios. Following one particularly electrified performance at the Bowery, easily one of their best, the band mates celebrated well into the night. On returning to the family's apartment in the early morning hours, Stefani found her brother in the living room, clearly intoxicated and wanting to talk. Though exhausted from that night's performance and feeling the effects of a few drinks of her own, she obliged and took a seat beside him on the couch. The conversation started off benign but soon turned toward her appearance, to the point where it became obvious that he was coming on to her. She started up from the sofa, but was caught midway and slung back down, prevented from a second attempt by his weight on top of her. With a hand over her mouth he attempted to force himself on the girl, easily overpowering the much smaller Stefani. Desperate to break free, she managed to lock her teeth around his pinky with enough force to make him release his grip. In that instant, she let out a scream, waking her oldest sister. By the time she'd made it to the living room and flipped on the lights, Stefani's brother had backed off and feigned shock. She explained what happened only a moment before but, given Stefani's dress, lifestyle, and her brother's insistence to the contrary, her sister was unconvinced and sided with the brother. Within days, the whole house had turned against her. Over the following months, Stefani's behavior became increasingly erratic and her sleep patterns shifted to a mere four hours per night. While some of that time was occupied with producing additional material for the band, the vast majority was less focused. Aside from frequenting after-parties until near dawn, from which she often went home with strangers merely to avoid having to return to her parents' apartment, she also began using milder drugs recreationally. Shortly before her twentieth birthday, Stefani began experimenting with psychoactives, including ecstasy and mescalin, and the effects were devastating.

On November 10th, 1989, Stefani was admitted to the Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan for psychotic behavior marked by visual and auditory hallucinations. With no background as to what preceded her episode, she was subjected to drug screening and a prolonged period of observation. As her body processed and released the chemicals, it became increasingly clear that hers was a temporary state, later attributed to her use of ecstasy and confirmed by the toxicology results. Following an extended period of evaluation and numerous interviews with the her, it was determined that Stefani had experienced a prolonged manic episode, amplified by ecstasy into an acute psychosis. She was initially prescribed lithium to manage her lingering heightened mania but, once her behavior had stabilized, the medication was dropped in favor of behavioral alternatives. In her absence, the Carnalvores had moved on, and she found her reputation had gone from "talented with great potential", to "talented but unstable". The relationship with her family was shattered, with them believing her to be a neurotic, toxic mess and Stefani blaming her brother for providing the catalyst that led to her ultimate committal. She's deeply embarrassed by the event and, since that night, has spoken of it only once to her primary therapist at Bellevue.

Devastated and unwilling to return home she crashed at the theater and, with the support of her theatrical "family" began to reconstruct her former life. Since then, she's managed to form a new band, made up mostly of musicians new to the scene, called Boccone Dolce. They've met with nothing but positive critical reviews in the local press and frequently perform at The Mercury Lounge. Though they've outgrown the relatively low-capacity venue, as indicated by their routinely sold out shows, Stefani prefers it for the closeness of the audience, which gives it a more intimate feel. Again, her group stands on the verge of success and, though her history has posed an additional challenge, she's determined to make it happen.

[Brand]

When I try to use spoilers or hiders it screws the text all up.


Drake Burnett

Drake stands at 6'2" and weighs approximately one hundred and eighty-seven pounds. He has curly brown hair which tend to be kept cut close to the scalp, and brown eyes. He has a Café au lait spot the size of a quarter below his left eye, and has fair skin due to his disposition to staying indoors. Drake's overall body tone is that of a runner, slender and lacking considerable bulk, whether it be muscle of fat. His preferred choice of fashion is simple casual wear.

Personality

Drake has long questioned what it is that defines him as a man. While it is inevitable that his disorder would have an influence over his nature, there are certain traits and quirks which are solely his, and not defined by his disorder. Naturally, as one might suspect of a patient with Schizoid Personality Disorder, Drake is an introvert, preferring isolation over companionship. The long hours he has spent alone has given him a love of literature, as by far his favorite hobby is reading. He particularly enjoys books concerning the human condition, books about perseverance or personal growth. Frankly, Drake loves reading about man's capacity for both great good and evil, likely due to his fondness of introspection. Whilst reading is Drakes favorite pastime, it is far from his only hobby. Drake is an avid admirer of the artistic culture, ranging from the performing arts such as theater and dance, to music and painting. While Drake can not dance, nor sing, nor play any instrument, he takes some pride in his skills as an amateur painter.

Expanding on his personality beyond his hobbies, Drake has a stern love for intelligence and independence. While he is far from possessing the knowledgeably found in the highest ranks of academia, he nevertheless appreciates brilliance found in others. Moreover, he enjoys sarcasm as a source of humor, and values individuality in the forms of creativity or passion. However, his personality and sarcasm lead him to appear cynical more often than not. He also invests very little, if any, interest in interpersonal relationships or communication with others. Not to imply he is opposed to all relationships or communications, as he will gladly talk about something he is interested about, and has no problem forming relationships with others based purely off shared interests.

It is not uncommon for Drake to walk away from a conversation mid sentence if he should find it dull, and it is not rare for him to openly dismiss others he finds uninteresting. Because he is unafraid to voice his opinions, whether good or bad, he often comes across as self-centered and belligerent. In part due to his disorder, Drake also refrains from emotional stimuli, causing him to appear robotic and emotionless, even cold at times.

Condition

As previously mentioned, Drakes personality greatly intertwines with his disorder, due largely in part because Schizoid Personality Disorder is, well, a personality disorder. Drake's desire to avoid emotional investment in others is not a trait common alone to him, but to all patients with SPD, giving them a robotic nature in which they appear to lack empathy. It is not meant to imply that Drake and others with SPD are incapable of emotions, but rather they rarely portray their feelings. In fact, Drake even becomes stressed and discomforted when emotional responses of others are directed to him. Naturally, the inability and lack of desire for him to connect with others results in a very reclusive life.

As stated earlier, however, Drake is capable of forming friendship and bonds with others, however such relationships are almost always formed solely because the two parties share an interest. While Drake has a very minimal desire for relationships, and therefor has few friends, it would not be completely true to state that he does not desire some form of a relationship, usually expressed through the desire for a friend or two. After all, he is still very much human, and the desire to be part of society, and connect with others, is only in human nature.

Another characteristic of SPD is lack of affection, or in other words Drake will appear apathetic towards most things more often than not. This will result in indifference to praise or criticism and a general lack of interest for the opinions or thoughts of others. While the odds might seemed stacked against a patient with SPD, they do express at some point in their lives the desire for love and companionship, and such a relationship is possible in the event that the partner places minimal emotional demands on the individual with SPD. This case is most certainly true in Drake, and is often made apparent by his feelings of loneliness and depersonalization.

In a disorder such as this, loneliness is almost inevitable. To combat the feelings of alienation or lack of self-worth, Drake will retreat to a rich and vivid fantasies fabricated by his imagination. Meaning his safeguard and response to over stimulation brought by the emotional demands of others, and even his safeguard against loneliness, is to 'day dream' except on a much grander scale. There can be moments in which Drake will simply lay for hours on end in his bed, lost in the inner workings of his imagination. This method of shutting the outside world out and letting his imagination run rampant is a very effective means of recovery and safety for Drake.


Biography: What Others Know

Drake was born in Chicago Illinois, is thirty-two years of age, and currently has a desk job as a lab assistant for a small time research company within the city of New York. He graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelors in Biology, and often spends his leisure time reading or painting. Within the group, Drake is fairly open about his past, and the group is aware of his indifference with his remaining family. Drake decided to seek therapy, and was diagnosed, only when his disorder had affected him so greatly and caused him to be so lonely that he was rendered severely dysfunctional. Ten Years ago, under the advice from a prior therapist, he adopted a young German Shepperd whom he named Zeus. Currently, Zeus is a very old dog at the age of 11, and has been Drake's outlet in which he has confided in for the past ten years. While Drake doesn't look at the group in a negative light, for him to say he has any kind of camaraderie with any of the members would be a lie.

Biography

Outside, the sun had long set, and a field of stars hung overhead like holes punched in the floors of heaven, radiating with a brilliant white allure which contrasted the black skies. Indeed the sky and the heavens hung above the City of New York, and in the lonesome window of an apartment, a subtle light shone. Inside of the apartment a man sat alone in the dark, the only light being that of a computer screen which illuminated his face as he sat before it.

The apartment was his, and was as run down as the streets outside. It was situated in a portion of the city respectable men avoided, on the verge of an area in which criminals and whores could wander the streets freely. The world outside was dark, and the man took some solace in the safety and confinement of his home.

A small flame was born as the man struck a match, and brought it to a cigarette resting in his lips. He inhaled deeply as his eyes remained set on the computer screen before him, and with the click of a button a small web camera mounted onto the monitor began to record; he exhaled the smoke.

"My name is Drake Burnett," the man began. "Recently I have undergone a psychological evaluation, in which I have been diagnosed with Schizoid Personality Disorder. Upon a recommendation by the diagnosing psychologist, I have decided to create a private video log to serve as a means of introspection."

Drake smoked his cigarette in silence for some time before continuing, " While I was only recently diagnosed with the disorder, it has been something present throughout my entire life. I was born in Chicago, Illinois to Linda and Sheridan Burnett, and along with two sisters, I was raised modestly."

Drake was silent as he extinguished the cigarette; the rain outside pounded on his tin roof, and the sound reverberated off his walls like the noise of a thunderous stampede, "It's important to understand my disorder is one characterized by severe emotional distance, meaning relatively little to strangers, but it placed a tremendous strain on my family."

There was a pause in Drake's speech, as if taking a moment to articulate his thoughts, "Imagine if your own siblings, even your parents, were no closer to your heart than a passing stranger. I suppose it may be hard for most to comprehend, but I feel no connection with those around me, even my own family. Growing up I placed the greatest burden on my mother, who as the woman who gave birth to me, loved me more affectionately then I could ever comprehend or reciprocate. She wanted a relationship with her son similar to every other family; she wanted nothing more than an emotional connection, but such a thing is something I could not provide. She was a stranger who had given birth to me, and raised me."

"When I was twelve, she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, and as she laid in the hospital beds, brittle and stricken by illness, I wanted nothing more than than to care for her, than to be human, but I felt nothing. I didn't cry when she was buried in an obscure cemetery in Illinois, and that fact disgusted myself as much as it horrified my father and sisters. I feel remorse because I did not feel remorse."

"My father and siblings came to understand my nature, and so they grew distant. By my family distancing themselves from me, I grew more comfortable, and so when I turned eighteen and was legally allowed to separate myself from my family, the decision to do so came easy. There was no longer a need to play the part of a brother or son because they no longer wanted anything to do with me, and I no longer had to pretend I cared for them."

"With that, I attended Columbia University to pursue my interests in Biology, and upon graduation I decided to call New York home. I still find it funny, how there can be an entire city sprawling at my feet, and yet I'm as alone now as I ever was."

Drake sighed and stood to his feet. The sound of rain beating against the window started subtly at first, but quickly grew to a roar as a torrent of water poured from the heavens. The window flashed a brilliant white for a moment as a streak of lightning tore loose, and for a moment the city outside was illuminated, but as the flash subsided the city returned to darkness.

Drake stood alone before the window, watching the rainfall. He continued, " I always wanted to move to some reclusive part of the United States. Perhaps the forests of Washington, where there wouldn't be another human close to me for hundreds of miles in any direction. A life of solitude is what I thought I wanted."

"I've always thought myself superior to others, a kind of latent narcissism. Not because I was necessarily better than them, but because I was more independent. I didn't need anyone else in my life, therefore everyone else was useless. Time has proven that false, for as I grow older I begin to realize what little impact I have on this world. I've formed no bonds, no strong ties, and so when I die the entire legacy of my existence will die with me. What I build will decay, what I say will be forgotten, and I will leave no trace when I perish. I don't feel alive; I don't feel real."

Drake turned away from the window, which was still under a barrage of heavy ran, and returned to the seat in front of his computer. There, the video could recapture his face. In a moment of solemn reflection, he locked eyes with his image on the screen, and a thought crossed his mind. He wasn't living, nor was he experiencing it. He was simply there, and there was nothing else to it. With that his hand turned off the web camera, and the video log was finished.

Drake began to watch the recordings for a moment, to hear every word he had just spoken, but a few minutes into the footage he deleted the files and simply stated, "I'm not trying to be a fucking piety case."

Once again a flash of light broke loose from the heavens, and the nearby window shinned brilliantly for a moment. The rainfall wouldn't relent, and the downpour continued. Drake laid back in his chair, and turned his head to look at the rain beating his window; the world was weeping.

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Jessica Tudor

Jessica is a thirty-two year old woman with heterochromia (different colored eyes), extremely inflated lips, prominent teeth, dark hair, and symmetric facial features with a slender nose. She stands at 5’6” and looks as if though she could be swept away by a gust of air with the paltry weight of 117 lbs. Jessica is fashionably inept and had insignificant knowledge of how to look acceptable until she began working at the fashion magazine. Her coworkers use Jessica as their personal “doll” to dress with the threads they like. This experience has granted her some insight into clothing and make-up, enough for her to know what to wear and how to look by herself when she leaves home in the morning.

Personality

On any given day Jessica is a darling bud of May ¬–sympathetic, amorous, and benign. She believes that nobody should be alone in this world; consequently, she imposes vigorous friendship upon those who strive. Her tendencies lead to excessive emotional attachment, which is seldom a healthy custom; however, she is well aware of how most people shun the notion of alien courtesy, and therefore she has developed a natural resistance to desolation. People are just alone, afraid, and cold, and most of the time they appreciate a stranger who stops to offer them aid. However, this behavior is the origin to Jessica’s state of hysteria when a friend is not well. During this time she can become immoderately dramatic, emotional, and weak. In normal circumstances, her mind is a fortress reinforced by logic, reason, and wisdom, but when her friends suffer she becomes a vessel susceptible to madness and irrationality. Jessica’s perpetual love for people is a consequence of her innate “goodness”. The realization that people are not equal, and never will be, has rewarded her transcendence in understanding and kindness. Whether it be to escort an old lady across the street, stop to comfort a man in despair whose car has broken down in the middle of the road, or toss in a few coins to help a mother of three who is short on currency at the grocery store, Jessica has an inherit ability to radiate unselfishness and generosity.

Condition

Jessica suffers from Nyctophobia, which is a morbid fear of darkness. This condition is the byproduct of her separation anxiety, which in turn is the result of her excessive emotional nature. However, at an adult age the primary concern is her fear of the dark. Her “darkness therapy” has helped, but she still carries –at all times– plenty of flashlights, batteries, chemical lights, and flares around with her. It is a common misconception that Nyctophobics are afraid of the dark itself, this is not true; they fear the possible dangers that might lurk in the dark. They do not fear “monsters” as a child would; they fear the unknown, the occult, and the cosmic powers beyond their comprehension that might be watching. As for her separation anxiety, it is not much of a problem these days as she has learned to cope with people’s rather cold and unemotional customs. However, she can still feel rather shocked when people do not acknowledge her help or sympathy. In those cases she is unsure of how she should act; the standard reaction is that Jessica breaks down in tears for no particular reason other than the person in question did not say “thank you”.

Biography: What Others Know

As Jessica is an open-minded and emotional being she has pretty much told the group everything there is to know. The only thing that she rarely mentions is in fact her condition. The group knows that she is morbidly afraid of the dark, enough to carry flashlights and flares around with her. However, Jessica has never told them that she isn’t afraid of the dark itself, but rather the possible dangers that might lurk there. Jessica has always had this feeling that there is something unfathomable in this world, slumbering beneath oceans, which we cannot fathom; cults, fanatics, and creatures of unknowable posture. If she ever told anyone this, they would certainly lock her up in the “loony bin” as they say in England.

Biography

Jessica was born to Helen and Charles Tudor on May 20th, 1960. Her father was a historical fanatic due to his surname, convinced that he was related to the House of Tudor which ruled England between 1485 and 1603. He took matters as far as traveling across the great Pacific Ocean to delve deeper into these matters in London. Charles managed to trace his “bloodline” back to one of the six wives of Henry VIII of the Tudor Dynasty. However, this discovery is quite insignificant in this day and age, but Jessica’s father had no trouble with flaunting it. Charles passed away a few years later, after returning to America, in 1967. When Jessica mentions her surname, or when people see it in writing, they rarely notice it; people might take notion of its rarity, but seldom connect it to its historical significance. However, those who do realize its historical “value” usually mentions that it’s “cool” or if Jessica actually is somehow related to any of those who ruled England back then –Jessica always say “no”.

Jessica was primarily raised by her mother, as her father died when she was only seven years of age. Helen was a fair mother to Jessica and raised her to the best of her ability considering Jessica’s initial “condition” which began with Charles’ death. As Jessica was –and still is– an excessively emotional being she grew extremely attached to her parents early on, and when her father passed away it triggered her Separation Anxiety Disorder. Matters became even worse in regards to Jessica’s mother; Jessica became fanatically attached to her and could not leave her vicinity for more than a few seconds. This was particularly troublesome in regards to Jessica’s education and the fact that Helen had to work in order to provide for them both. A specialist recommended Helen to split Jessica’s attachment problems between herself and someone that could be with Jessica at all times. Helen contacted her own mother, Jessica’s grandmother, who had since long retired from work, to assist her in these matters. The result was that Jessica’s grandmother had to be near her at all times, even in school.

In Jessica’s late teenage years her separation anxiety gradually faded, which was a tremendous relief for Helen and Jessica’s grandmother. But, when Jessica’s grandmother finally passed away, in 1979, it triggered Jessica’s Nyctophobia. This morbid fear of darkness was an irrational and illogical progression from separation anxiety according to Jessica’s therapist, but nonetheless it happened and had to be dealt with. The early years were the worst, especially during the winter when there were only a few hours of light at her disposal. She attended “darkness therapy” four times a week, and wherever she went she had plenty of light with her. Due to Jessica’s emotional nature she always had an easy time with the social part of life. At this point she had accumulated quite a few friends who were more than willing to support her, and Jessica’s mother was eternally grateful for this fact. Her friends would walk Jessica home at night, pick her up in the morning if it was too dark outside, and make sure to calm her down if she had an “episode”.

When Jessica moved away from home she ended up in the city that never sleeps, where there is always light available at every corner (almost). She started out as an intern for a fashion magazine which later blossomed to a full time job; an interesting development as Jessica hasn’t got a clue about fashion. As always, Jessica was able to make a lot of friends, although this time around they were quite shallow and pompous, but she didn’t mind, at times they were even more supportive than her old friends due to this very fact. For a few years, Jessica returned home once a week to see her mother and her therapist. When Jessica’s mother passed away, in 1990, she stopped going back home as there wasn’t much left for her there; all her old friends had moved away. Jessica’s therapist referred her to the group sessions in New York, saying that Jessica was ready to ease down on her therapy as she had shown significant progress in her recovery. Although, she still carries plenty of light with her, just in case.

Jessica has attended the support group for two years, and it has been a tremendous help for her. Delores, Cynthia, Stefani, and Drake are some of the most wonderful people she has ever known and Jessica cares for them greatly. Jessica’s goal is to rid herself of her fears by somehow prove to herself that there is nothing lurking in the dark, that there are no shadowy evils underneath the surface of society. However, she has never thought about the possibility of being proven right; she cannot even fathom how she would react if her fears were actually real.