Gerald Vincent Harper: Pineal Dysregulation Syndrome
ETA EXPEDITION-1987: Gerald, a respected hydrologist, was part of a team commissioned to study the puzzling Thompson Extension. While colleagues probed its architectural anomalies, Gerald’s task was clear: assess the water quality within the Extension.
During his exploration within the maze-like Thompson Extension, Gerald came across, “The Lustrate Chambers,” 2.4 TDK (Thompson Den Kilometres)
This series of interconnected rooms is characterised by their unusually shaped bathtubs, humidity and perpetually soggy, purple carpets.
Even though Gerald had bathed just earlier that day, the sight of the tubs inexplicably kindled a burning desire within him to bathe again. His normally analytical mind was overwhelmed with fatigue and a sudden muscle ache that seemed to have no precedent.
Relenting to the uncontrollable urge, Gerald filled a tub. with haste, he undressed and sank into the inviting warmth only to be struck by a momentary rush of dread- a weight pressing down on his chest, squeezing the breath out of him, and then suddenly, a sensation of something tearing open within his mind. The sensation lasted less than a second and was proceeded by a deep calm.
Emerging from the bath later, he felt altered but could not pinpoint how. His initial alarm had been replaced by a sense of deep relaxation and euphoria, so he proceeded with his assignment and collected water samples.
Post-departure, laboratory analysis of the water samples revealed an unfamiliar compound, “O-17X” Scientific speculation suggests that when heated, this compound accelerated the release of Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) from the pineal gland- a compound linked to hallucinations and deep meditative states.
Over the next few days, Gerald began experiencing hallucinations that grew more intense and horrific with each passing hour. The world around him seemed to be slipping, melting, and reforming. The dread was constant, lurking at the edges of his perception. Then the headaches began.
Gerald’s preliminary medical examinations revealed his Pineal Gland , a small endocrine structure deep within the brain, had undergone unprecedented enlargement.
Beyond the Pineal Gland’s physiological functions, many ancient cultures have ascribed a far more mystical role to it. Dubbed the “Third Eye,” it is believed to be a seat of spiritual insight and a gateway to higher Staes of consciousness.
Experts believe the extreme release of DMT catalysed by his exposure to the O-17X compound had caused Gerald’s Pineal Gland to work in overdrive, and become extremely encored.
The medical community struggled to understand and categorise Gerald’s condition. It was beyond any previously documented case, making treatment options limited and experimental.
Gripped by this revelation, Gerald grew increasingly paranoid. he believed that during his fateful immersion in the bath, his mind’s eye had been irreversibly opened.
In a fit of delirium, driven by the hope of ending his torment, Gerald believed that by extracting of “blinding” his engorged Third Eye, he could return to a semblance of normalcy. Grasping a manual drill, he attempted the unthinkable. But in his frantic state, he missed the intended mark.
The drill plunged deeper, causing extensive brain damaged and leaving him with a divesting contain similar to Locked-In Syndrome.
Gerald is now trapped in his body, fully concise but paralysed, doomed to endlessly witness the horrors his mind’s eye unveils.
Gerald Vincent Harper
1963-