Making the Rounds

[Nevaneva]

The brilliant young scientist (field not yet decided) slumped resignedly in her chair. Her eyes danced back and forth as if reading the unwritten formulae she was thinking through, not for the first time. It was perfect, the math all checked out. She knew something about this world, a sort of secret that no other did, or even could, for the simplest of reasons.
In the corridor outside, a large man in white turned away from the small window.
“I have to feel badly for this one,” he whispered. “Sometimes it's as if she almost knows where she actually is.”

[Chairman Goodchild]

That's a pretty good one.

An issue: (field not yet decided) is a distraction from the flow of the story. It's a bit jarring, and when nothing comes of it, that becomes a shaggy-dog phrase. I'd recommend you use those four words to flesh out another part of the story.

[unseentangerine]

This one is good. I wish I had written it.

[Nevaneva]

An issue: (field not yet decided) is a distraction from the flow of the story. It's a bit jarring, and when nothing comes of it, that becomes a shaggy-dog phrase.

I'd actually hoped that bit would convey something, but apparently it fell flat. Thanks for the critique, I'm going to rethink how I can handle what I wanted to say there.

[unseentangerine]

I disagree. when I read, A young scientist (field not yet decided), I saw clearly in my mind a bright-eyed, hopeful, idealistic young person headed off to college or from college looking forward like the whole world was before them. And then when you said there was a formula in her head and it was something no one else saw it made me think like she's a genius or prodigy. So when the last line comes and she's a loony at the happy hotel, then it was just richer because it was all in her head, so yea, she was so brilliant in her own mind she couldn't be contained by on speciality. That's what I thought.

[Nevaneva]

she was so brilliant in her own mind she couldn't be contained by on speciality. That's what I thought.

Well now I'm torn! This and a lack of actual formal education were exactly what I wanted to convey! Thanks for letting me know that it does come through.

[pondspider]

I agree with unseentangerine. The "(field not yet decided)" indicates a novice / student scientist. When we learn she's not where she imagines herself to be, it clicks.

I'm probably being dense, but I can't get my head around the intent behind the following...

She knew something about this world, a sort of secret that no other did, or even could, for the simplest of reasons.

I sort of get it, but feel like there's something more, just out of sight.

[unseentangerine]

I agree with unseentangerine. The "(field not yet decided)" indicates a novice / student scientist. When we learn she's not where she imagines herself to be, it clicks.

I'm probably being dense, but I can't get my head around the intent behind the following...

She knew something about this world, a sort of secret that no other did, or even could, for the simplest of reasons.

I sort of get it, but feel like there's something more, just out of sight.

I will go on yet further still. Not only is she in her own little world, but it's actually a really big world. Her mind has disconnected from reality but she at the same time considers her ideas as being more than anyone else could know or even understand. If she is indeed aware of her actual situation, then she cannot accept that what she thinks in not really reality despite obvious evidence to the contrary.
As I hold my cigar, I note:
visual hallucinations, grandiose sense of self importance, delusions, racing thoughts, and dissociation.
I got back to an earlier post when I say, What if you, right now, were so crazy that everything you know in "this world" is considered severely mentally handicapped by everyone else around you but you had know idea you were limited or of anything beyond what's in your head?

[strawman]

In other words, like MSNBC?

[pondspider]

In other words, like MSNBC?

Hmmmmm..... ponders the significance

[strawman]

As I hold my cigar, I note:
visual hallucinations, grandiose sense of self importance, delusions, racing thoughts, and dissociation.
I got back to an earlier post when I say, What if you, right now, were so crazy that everything you know in "this world" is considered severely mentally handicapped by everyone else around you but you had know idea you were limited or of anything beyond what's in your head?

A U.S. television network that fits the description. You don't know what you don't know. Count your blessings.