My Butterfly | Paul X Bolton

Chapter Four

Dr. Redfield's office - Day

Bolton lies on a couch with Dr. Redfield looming over him "with every breath you exhale, you can feel all of the tension draining from your body like water through a faucet. Nine, ten, and your completely asleep" Bolton breathes slowly. Deeply. Candice watches nervously from the far side of the room. "now I want you to go back to the time you were in the woods with Philip. Think of it like a movie. you can pause, rewind, or slow down any details you wish. Understand?"

"yes"

"where are you now"

"I'm standing next to Paul, my hands are over her ears"

"are you hurting him?"

"no protecting him"

Candice suppresses the tiniest of smiles 

"okay. Then go a little forward in time. What do you see"

"I see a car"

Boltons eyes suddenly roll back in his head 

"yes, tell me about the car" Bolton moans and begins shaking "go on nothing can hurt you remember this is only a movie your completely safe

"I can't... the car vanishes and all of a sudden I'm on the ground in the woods"

"the car doesn't vanish Bolton. The movie in your head has broken, that's all. But now I've re-spliced it and I want you to tell me about the car"

"It's coming... argh! I can't!" Bolton moans and shakes on the couch 

"Fight it Bolton. Hurry. It's coming!"

Blood begins to trickle from Boltons nose as a guttural sound sound is uttered from deep within him. Dr. Redfield bolts upright in his chair and redirects the session.

"Okay, Bolton. Listen to my voice! On the count of ten, you're going to wake up. Feeling refreshed and remembering everything we talked about"

Bolton moans in agony. Candice darting into the room "what's happening to him?? make it stop!"

Dr. Redfield waves her off and concentrates on Bolton "One you're feeling more awake now. Two your eyes no longer feel heavy" Candice moves to stop the blood flowing from Boltons nose she lifts Boltons eyelids and sees only the whites of his eyes. "Five. Six. Refreshed and awake! Seven, eight come on Bolton wake up damnit!"

Bolton is completely non-responsive

"Bolton wake up, oh please wake up!"

"Nine, ten and your awake! Open your eyes dammit"

Nothing but moans and blood. Dr. Redfield frantically opens some desk drawers until he finds smelling salts. He breaks a capsule under Boltons mouth, pinches his bleeding nose closed and lets Bolton inhale the vapor through his mouth.

Bolton lurches forward on the couch and falls off holding his bloody nose.

"what happened? Did it work?"

Bolton deducts the answer from everyone's horrified faces.

Multiplex theater - parking lot - dusk

Candice drops off Bolton Paul and Tommy outside the complex. Paul, looking morose, shuts the car door and Candice drives off, as they walk through the parking lot Tommy hits Paul in the shoulder grumbling "Wipe that sad-asses look off your face before you get us all busted. You see the way Boltons mom was looking at you?"