Throwaway People

Confronting the Wanagi

Green Acres, Camp: 7:30 AM

Kids know when parents are about to go all serious on them. It's just an instinct. Key felt the 'uh-oh the shit is hitting the fan' in the air when she walked in the room. Key didn't know what she did wrong. As she looked at Jim's black eye she wondered if this was about her.

"What happened? Did Patty smack you?" Key said as she sat at the table.

"No, you did Honey." Patty said.

"I did not!" Key replied. Indignant at being unfairly accused of something she knew she didn't do.

"Last night, sweetie." Patty reached over and put her hand on Key's. "You had a bad nightmare."

"You don't remember any of it." Jim said. "Do you, Key?"

Key was confused. She didn't remember any dreams. She certainly didn't remember hitting Jim. Why would a dream cause her to hit Jim? Key wondered if they weren't both crazy after all. It seemed stupid to accuse her of having a nightmare and hitting Jim.

"I know I have nightmares. I had them before. I just wake up, cry a little, and go back to sleep. I don't even remember the dreams. It's scary to think that I had one where I end up hitting people." Key was scared. Was it possible she was the one that was crazy?

"I'd like to use some meditative techniques that might help you remember your dreams. They might help you manage your emotions so that they don't make you cry afterwards." Jim said. "Would you like that?"

"No, I'd rather have them fucking drive me batshit crazy." Key replied.

"Language." Both Jim and Patty said together.

Key couldn't help but giggle. It was contagious.

Green Acres, Camp: 8:10 PM l0l21

Keyote lay on the couch on the main room. They had moved the coffee table out of the way. Patty sat in one of the kitchen chairs where Keyote could see her. She held Keyote's hand. Jim sat close to Keyote's head in another chair.

"I want you to breath in slow and even. Relax. I want you to clear your mind of any anxiety. Just listen to the sound of my voice. Concentrate on my voice." Jim said. "I want you to try to picture your sister in your mind."

"Okay." Keyote said. She sounded sleepy.

It was a little like looking in a mirror. Winnie's skin was darker. Her mouth wider. Her eyes were a lighter brown. She was prettier than Keyote. Winnie seemed to be Keyote's age. Possibly taller than Keyote. Or it could have been because Winnie was older.

"Once you picture Winnie in your mind, I want you to try to concentrate on trying to remember the dream you saw her in a few days ago." Jim said.

"We were laying on the floor. In front of the TV. Mommy was in the kitchen cooking. Mommy called Winnie Winchinchala. That is why I called her Winnie." Keyote didn't see the big dog this time.

"We were living in an apartment in Rapid City. Mommy promised that the yelling would stop, that we didn't have to be afraid anymore." Keyote began to speak more quickly. "Mi Poppi dano Mommi. Mommi dejar e reservacion."

"Could you repeat that in English, Keyote." Jim asked.

"Poppi hurt Mommy. Mommy had to leave. She went to Rapid City."

"Do you remember what state you were in."

"South Dakota." Key was sounding sleepy again.

"Do you remember your Mommy's full name."

"It was Mommy, silly." There was condescending sound to Key's voice.

"Do you remember you're last name?"

"Rouvreblanc."

To Jim and Patty it sounded similar to Ropa Blanc.

"Your last name was Ropa Blanca." Jim asked.

"Si."

"Key, I'd like you to try and picture your Mother. Can you see her face in your mind."

Key simply shook her head. To Patty Key seemed to be in a hypnotic state at this point. Jim had said this was a simple meditation to determine what Key could remember. Key seemed to be only half awake. Patty wanted to mention it to Jim, but was afraid to disturb the session.

"Do you remember the last time you saw your Mother." Jim asked.

"Winnie wasn't there." Said Key in her sleepy voice.

"What happened to Winnie."

"Winnie hacer irse Tia Cuervas casa."

"Yo hacer oir Mommi e Poppi."

"Only it wasn't Poppi. It was the Wanagi. Mommy!"

As Key screamed Patty shook her out of whatever nightmare she was in. Key reached out embraced Patty tightly. She began to cry.

"Mommy, don't let the Wanagi have me. Mommy. NO! I want my Mommy. Make him stop Mommy. Mommy help me."

"It's alright, baby. I have you. You are safe. It's okay, it's all over." Patty told her.

After Key had cried herself to sleep Patty turned on Jim.

"What the hell was that shit." Patty demanded in a harsh whisper. "I thought you knew what the fuck you were doing."

Jim put his finger to his lips and motioned to the stairs. Patty was still fuming as she walked down the stairs with Jim. They passed out of the storeroom into the office. Jim pulled out the bourbon and poured a couple of fingers full into each glass.

"Despite how emotionally draining that session was, it did a lot of good." Jim said. With that he downed his bourbon. He was shaking. "I think Key pulled up a suppressed memory of the first time she was raped."

"How the hell was that good?" Patty said. She needed a hit. Something to soothe her. This bourbon wasn't going to cut it. "The worst thing that could have happen to her and you bring that hell back to the surface."

"This must be what she had been dreaming about. Her mind suppressed this memory to protect her when she was eight years old. She is fourteen. She was raped a week ago. She knows what rape is. Her mind is telling her it is time to remember."

As Jim talked he visibly seem to calm down. "I admit that I am way out of my league. I've never dealt with a PTSD. If you don't want me to use this kind of meditation again, I won't, but I think we made progress."