I Don't Like Talking To Strangers
"Why are you here today?" The hypnotist asked me.
"I want to get over my fear of talking to strangers," I told him.
"Tell me more," he asked.
I explained to him that I felt like crying whenever I had to make a phone call and how I nearly had panic attacks when I had to ask for directions. He nodded, and instructed me to lie down. I did as I was told and was soon in a deep slumber.
"Think of the first time you were afraid to talk to a stranger," the hypnotist's voice said.
I imagined six year old me walking down the street to my house. My house was just down the street of the school, but I came out late and all the people had left. I kicked a rock with my foot when I heard a voice say, "Hey, boy."
I looked up and saw a man in a van. He smiled at me and waved me over. His eyes never left me as I walked over.
"It's awful hot out here, huh?" The man asked.
"Sure is," I replied.
"Would you like a ride home?"
"Yes, please!" I couldn't believe my luck. I hopped into his van and let him drive me to my house.
He parked right outside of my house. I thanked him, and was about to leave the van. His hand gripped my knee. I felt uneasy.
"Wait a second, you can't leave yet," the man said. "You need to pay me."
"I don't have any money," I told him.
"You still have to pay me."
"Come inside. I can ask Mama for money and she'll pay you."
"No! Don't tell Mama!"
I flinched at his sudden outburst. "Why not?"
"Mama will get mad if you tell her you talked to a stranger," he explained.
My eyes widened in realization. "You're right."
"You can pay me in another way."
"How?"
He lead me to the back of his van. He took off my school uniform. I felt his hands drag across my skin as he positioned me in different ways. I felt the horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. That horrible feeling I feel when I talk to a cashier or random person in line. I remember focusing on the man's face as he took photographs.
I remembered his dark blue eyes, the mole right over his left nostril, and his blonde hair.
"Now, don't tell Mama, okay?" The man told me as he let me off the van. I kept my eyes on the floor. I shivered when I tried to talk to the strange man. "She'll get mad if she knew you talked to strangers."
I jolted awake and looked at my surroundings. I felt someone looking at me. A man with blonde hair and blue eyes stared at me. It took a moment for me to remember he was the hypnotist. My heart stopped when I noticed the mole right over his left nostril.
