She closes her eyes and almost gets knocked over by the sheer volume of that damn noise. 1234. 1234. Over and over and over and she is sick of it. If she’s going to get her mind in order, it needs to know who’s in charge.
She speaks within her mind.
“Ow fuck that- that’s really loud he wasn’t kidding okay SHUT THE FUCK UP. SHUT UP. THIS IS MY HEAD, MY MIND, I DECIDE HOW THINGS WORK IN HERE. YOU DON’T. MY THOUGHTS DO NOT GET TO BE BROADCASTED TO THE ENTIRE INTERNET. NOT UNLESS I ALLOW IT. THIS IS MY MIND AND MY MIND WILL COOPERATE WITH ME. MY MIND WILL LISTEN TO ME.”
The noise doesn’t get any quieter. It still hurts like hell.
“…Fine, then. Barriers. Lots and lots of barriers. I’m not letting anyone see this. No one gets to see into my head. It’s for their own good. I’ll make… walls, several walls surrounding my thoughts, and they’ll only be allowed out if I SAY THEY CAN GET OUT.”
She imagines a fortress of concrete and metal building itself around her thoughts. Trapping them inside. Keeping them under control. They are her thoughts, they will not escape her. She won’t allow it.
Once she is satisfied with the fortress she’s generated, she focuses on her breathing. Deep breaths. Focusing on her breath. Breathe. Breathe. What was it he said again? Temper her emotions? She might have to try doing that… She clearly has to be much more strict with regulating her mind.
“This is my mind, and what I say goes. This is my mind, and what I say goes. This is my mind…”
She repeats this mantra to herself for several minutes. She feels secure. As close to secure as she can feel, at least. Better than before.
She opens her eyes and exhales, then checks her phone.