Page 71 of The Paradox Club

“Do they even have boxing tournaments for teenage girls?” asked Montag 5.

“Sexist,” said Tess.

“It was the first time I had been in front of a crowd of people since that awful day I broke my arm,” continued Vivian.

“You said it was your leg,” said Tess.

“Right, my leg. Anyway, as soon as I stepped in the ring, everything went dark.”

“What do you mean everything went dark?” said Tess. “Like the lights went out?”

“My lights went out,” said Vivian. “I became blind.”

“You never,” said Montag 5.

“I did. When I heard the crowd it took me right back to that awful day, that trauma in front of a stadium full of people and it triggered a conversion disorder.”

“A what?” said Tess.

“Hysterical blindness,” said Montag 5.

“That’s what they used to call it,” said Vivian, not bothering to look at her captor. “It turns out I had a disorder that made me lose my vision in moments of great psychological stress, and the roar of the crowd had connected to my previous trauma and quite literally struck me blind. And I was in the boxing ring with a girl who had a mean right hook.”

“She must’ve made mincemeat of you,” said Montag 5.

“At first, yes,” said Vivian. “But then I discovered that without my sight, I could focus more on my other senses—particularly my hearing. I noticed that she took a tiny breath in just before throwing that right hook. I never would have heard that sound with my eyes open, but without my sight, I knew when the punch was coming. She grunted ever so slightly before her jabs. And I could hear how her feet shuffled differently when she started to change direction. By the end of the first round, I was starting to fight back. In the second round she didn’t lay a glove on me. In the third, I could smell her fear right before I knocked her out.”

“Did your sight come back?” asked Tess, now caught up in the story and no longer concerned about its veracity.

“As soon as I left the arena,” said Vivian. “But from that day, I never boxed with my eyes open. Even when my therapist helped me conquer my conversion disorder, I remained a blind boxer. And I never lost.”

“That’s utter bullshit,” said Montag 5.

Vivian ignored Montag 5 and smiled slyly at Tess. “Do you understand the story?” she said.

“You used a psychological condition to exploit your opponent’s weakness and achieve victory,” said Tess.

“Bullshit,” said Montag 5. “You got lucky.”

“I thought you didn’t believe the story,” said Vivian.

“I don’t,” said Montag 5.

“Still,” said Vivian, “you know what Harry used to say.”

“Every story is true, somewhere,” said Tess.

THERAPIST N + 1

“You look tired, Tess.”

“Good morning to you, too.”

“I’m just observing. Your eyes are bloodshot, your shoulders are slumping, and you’ve yawned twice since you walked in here thirty seconds ago.”

“I am tired.”

“You haven’t been drinking?”