Alyssum

Victoria Martin, a single biracial psychologist in her late 20s, had her mind made up regarding her choice to be childless due to her traumatic upbringing and subconscious beliefs ingrained from her mother. Born in Tacoma, WA, she was conceived by a one-night stand between her white teen mom, Alice, and her African American father, Ray. Victoria has had to suffer the pain of hate and rejection represented by the unknown paternal side of her genealogy. Due to an abusive relationship, Alice moves her daughters to San Francisco, California, following her father’s migration. Victoria gets accepted to Western Oregon University, where her high school crush will also attend. After a few heartbreaking experiences, she decides to focus on her studies and her mental health. She began counseling sessions with the campus psychologist. After graduating with her doctorate in Psychology, she decided to stay in Oregon and join her college therapist and mentor at her new family therapy practice in Portland. During one of her counseling sessions with a client, Victoria has a change of heart and decides she wants to have a child of her own. Despite the scars of her traumatic childhood, Victoria is determined to provide her child with the nurturing upbringing she never had. When she learns of a controversial research study offering a procedure to conceive a genetically related child, she hesitates but ultimately decides to participate. The experimental procedure involves extracting Victoria's DNA and implanting it into an enucleated egg cell, which is then implanted into a surrogate. The pregnancy is successful, and Alyssa is born. From the outset, Alyssa exhibits severe behavioral issues, displaying traits starkly different from Victoria's demeanor. As Alyssa reaches 15, she begins to experience premature aging, a known risk of the procedure, causing her to become a physical replica of Victoria. Strangely, Alyssa also possesses intimate knowledge of Victoria's life, including details she couldn't have learned. Desperate for answers, Victoria discovers that the Genetic Testing Lab responsible for the procedure has vanished without a trace. She turns to Dr. Ann Streeter, her therapist, colleague, and longtime friend, who offers to help. Through Ann's assistance, Victoria locates Dr. Fredricks, the scientist who performed the procedure. To her shock, Dr. Fredricks reveals that Ann has been privy to Victoria's case for over two decades, having accessed her research on Carl Jung's theory of repression therapy without permission. Ann misappropriated Victoria's work, presenting it to the Genetic Testing Lab under the guise of a procedure for a genetically matched child. However, the procedure's failure stemmed from Ann's deviation from Victoria's original methodology. With Dr. Fredricks and Ann's help, Victoria undergoes a procedure to remove the implanted device affecting her memories of what transpired from the time Alyssa was born. This intervention allows Victoria to see that Alyssa is her repressed self. Now, Victoria must navigate the complexities of her relationship with Ann, reconcile with her mother Alice, father Ray, and embark on a journey of self-discovery to heal the wounds of her past and understand her true identity. Themes: Identity and Self-Discovery: Explores the quest for personal identity amidst marginalization, manipulation and deceit. Motherhood and Reproduction Ethics: Raises questions about the lengths one might go to achieve biological parenthood and the ethical boundaries of scientific intervention. Psychological Shadows: Delves into Carl Jung's concept of the "shadow self," representing the unconscious aspects of one's personality that are repressed or denied. Trust and Betrayal: Examines the impact of betrayal by close friends and the challenges of rebuilding trust. Alyssum is a gripping psychological thriller that intertwines elements of science fiction and Jungian psychology, offering a profound commentary on the complexities of human nature, the pursuit of perfection, and the shadows that shape our lives.