Chapter 196

CHAPTER 196 CONFLUENCE The document took three days to write. Not because I didn't know what to say—the framework had given me unprecedented clarity about my experience. But because every word felt weighted with responsibility. This wasn't just my story anymore. It was becoming a map for others to follow, and maps needed to be accurate. Chen had given me access to a private workspace in the medical wing, away from the constant traffic of the residential areas. The room was small, sterile, equipped with the kind of medical-grade recording equipment used for detailed case documentation. "Take your time," she'd said when showing me the space. "This isn't about speed. It's about accuracy and honesty." So I took my time. I started with the basics—what cascade felt like from the inside, how the fragmentation progressed, the specific cognitive patterns that signaled advancing instability. The Council helped with precision here, organizing symptoms into clear categories while the Collective pr