AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Help me,” he groaned.
“What are you seeing, Doug? Let me guide you through it.”
At that moment, Doug equated Will’s voice with that of an omnipotent being, and he managed a strangled chuckle.
“You sound like how I picture God,” he managed.
Will’s answering laugh gave Doug a warm feeling that spread throughout his body, dispelling his fear.
“I’m not God, but I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
Doug took that as gospel, and let himself drift away again. This time he was a little more detached, the pretty geometric designs taking a more prominent place in his vision.
“She threw me in the basement. It’s dark. It’s so dark…” Panic seemed to fill him again as he remembered all the times he’d been shut in.Andwhat always happened, after. “When I get out, she’ll…she’ll…”
“Doug. Doug,” Will spoke more forcibly this time. “You have control. That door that you think is holding you in? It’s open. Climb the stairs and let yourself out.”
Doug blinked and he was free. Sunlight filled the kitchen as he gulped in fresh air. “Damn, I hate this house,” he said.
“You’re not really there, Doug. You’re safe in my office,” Will reminded him.
Right.He wasn’t back in his childhood hell. Which means he could do anything he wanted to the place of all his horrific memories. He could…burn it down.
“You’re smiling, Doug,” Will pointed out. “Can you tell me why?”
“I’m going to burn down the house,” Doug told him. “Is that okay?”
“How about we do a little housekeeping first, then you can burn it to the ground. Okay?”
Doug liked the sound of that.
With a modicum of power seeping back into his bones, in his dream, he glanced at the sink. It was piled high with dirty dishes. Nothing strange there. None of the slovenly women in the house went out of their way to clean. But Will had told him he should feel free to execute some housekeeping, so…
He walked to the faucet and turned it on, but nothing came out.Of course.Will hadn’t meantthatkind of housekeeping. He was pointing out that Doug needed to sweep out the monsters that lived inside him. A thumping music started in his head.Oh,oh.It was the tune in the Jaws movie when the shark was on the move. His dream self spun on his heels and—
“She’s here again,” Doug whimpered, fear rising in his chest as he scrambled for his sanity. “And she smells bad. So bad.” He actually gagged at the patchouli odor that seemed to waft from the imaginary Lotus. It traveled up his nostrils like acrid smoke.
Doug clutched harder at Will’s hand, knowing he’d probably leave the man bruised.
“Who is, Doug. Lotus?”
“Yes. Lotus,” he cried. “I’m going to throw up.”
“If you have to, go ahead.” Will gave him permission. “But Doug, what if we replace her odor with a better smell.”
“Like what?” Doug said, trying to control his gorge.
“Like Pixie, Doug. What does Pixie smell like? Try to focus.”
Chalkboards and pencil erasers, and…
“Play-Doh.” Doug breathed deeply and Pixie was there again. Just out of reach, but her smile, her laugh, and her aura touched him. He heard Will talking, but he couldn’t answer. He wanted to keep ahold of the tranquil feeling that Pixie brought to the previously ugly picture. Tendrils of green and blue joined the myriad of shapes still spinning by, twining around Pixie. He eagerly reached for them. They encapsulated him, too, and he’d never felt more alive; more in tune with himself.
“I feel like I’m flying,” he said to no one in particular, although part of him knew it was only Will who would hear him. “With Pixie.”
“That’s good.” Will’s voice intruded on his fantasy, and Doug pouted, but Will continued. “How does that make you feel?”
“Free,” Doug marveled.
