Him & I

- CHAPTER 29 -

- FIRE -
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Olivia
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I've been getting really bad nightmares lately. They're even worse than all the ones I've had before.

I'm running towards an old abandoned house in the middle of an expensive-looking street. There are trees lining the road sprouting bright purple flowers. The beautiful marbled houses almost act as mirrors as they reflect the sunlight, beating down from above. I only feel cold. I'm in my own ball of misery as the dark building looms over me. It's sharply contrasted against the white stone houses either side of it.

The door swings open and I'm suddenly falling like Alice down the rabbit hole. I never land. I just appear back in the attic with Bobby. I'm tied to a chair and Bobby is standing in front of me laughing. There's something on his shoulders. They're what I make out to be hands - that evil man's hands. They're both laughing now. The rope seems to be getting tighter around me and...and...

"We can stop there for now, Olivia. If that would be more comfortable for you?"

Hannah spoke with a voice that poured out like a soft calming wave. I've been seeing her for the past month...since the incident. Hamish thought it would be good that I saw a therapist who could talk to me about stuff. I really like Hannah. She understands me.

I nodded gently in response and then tilted my head to one side in question as Hannah slid me a piece of paper and a pen.

"I want you to draw something for me. It can be anything. Just think about your nightmare and try to draw something to reflect your feelings, or maybe what you see in your mind." She prompted, watching me intently and smiling in encouragement.

I picked up the paper and pen, twiddling the latter in my hand for a second as I thought. Bringing the nib down to the page, I sent it right across the paper, drawing a long black line. I scribbled some more lines and a few sharp and angled shapes. By the time I'd finished it was one massive mess but it somehow made sense to me.

Hannah held out her hand, silently asking to see what I had drawn and then, after seeing the mess, she asked me to explain the picture.

"Well, um, I'm not sure how to put it into words. It all makes sense - I'm just not sure how to use the right words." I explained, faltering a little.

"That's okay." Hannah smiled, "What if I asked you about why you scribbled these dark shapes around the edge?" She prompted.

"Shadows. There were so many vivid shadows around me. It almost felt as if they were moving or coming to get me. I could have drowned in the darkness." I said

Hannah nodded in understanding before handing the paper back to me.

"You get to destroy it now." She smiled, her eyes glistening.

I almost jumped out of my seat.

"Really?" I exclaimed

Hannah nodded.

"You can burn it, cut it up, turn it into something else, shred it or rip it." She listed off. I could tell she enjoyed this part of her job a lot.

"Burn!" I almost screamed, excitement bubbling up within me.

"Alright then."

Hannah reached into her draw and took out what I thought to be a box of matches and then led me outside her office. We passed Hamish, sitting on the seats in the hall and I waved as we went towards the stairs. He waved back and went back to looking at his phone.

When we were outside, Hannah took me over to a small metal waste paper basket just to the side of the building. There was quite a bit of ash sitting at the bottom.