Someone next to Emily stifled a giggle. Emily kicked out hard with her foot and connected with soft flesh.
“Ouch!” a girl wailed.
Emily reached around and caught a handful of hair. She pulled as hard as she could.
The girl screamed.
“You’re going to rip out my hair!” Emily pulled harder. “Okay! I’ll turn on the light!”
The room flooded with light and Emily collapsed, sucking in huge gulps of air, tears streaming down her face, her body shaking uncontrollably.
Victoria, Alicia’s right-hand girl, stood glowering above Emily.
“You little psycho,” she spat. “It’s just the janitor’s closet. What are you afraid of? You really are crazy, aren’t you?”
She walked out of the room, rubbing her shin where Emily had kicked it.
After a few minutes, Emily slowly got up. She was still shaking and a little disoriented. That had been much, much too close. She touched her throat where the icy hands had squeezed. Her skin still felt cold.
Rob noticed that Emily was unusually quiet at dinner. His parent radar went up as he observed his daughter pushing her food around her plate, not really eating anything. Any questions he asked received short, one-word responses, and she kept her eyes lowered on her plate.
He had planned on telling her about the meeting he booked with the child psychologist, but now he couldn’t find the courage to bring it up. His little girl just seemed so fragile. She seemed like one of those porcelain dolls, beautiful and delicate, so easily breakable.
Karen spoke up for him. “Emily, honey?”
Emily remained silent, but gave a small nod.
Karen looked nervously at Rob and cleared her throat.
“Your father and I love you very much, and we are concerned about your fear of the dark.”
She saw her daughter wince, but she went on.
“We set up a meeting for you with someone we think might be able to help. Her name is Caroline Greenfield, and she works with children who have phobias. Your dad is going to pick you up from school on Friday and bring you to your first appointment. I think you’ll like her. She’s very nice.”
Emily sighed. “I don’t have a phobia,” she muttered. “You never listen to me.”
“Being afraid of the dark to the point where it affects your life is a phobia, Emily,” Rob said matter-of-factly. “It even has a name: nyctophobia.”
“Can I be excused?” Emily asked.
“No,” said Rob. “Eat your supper.”
“But I’m not hungry.”
“If I tell you to eat your supper, then you eat your supper. Do as I say,” Rob’s face flushed red as he felt his anger rising. “Do you always have to be so difficult?”
“Fine,” Emily said through clenched teeth.
Karen sat back in her chair, her heart aching as she watched the scene unfold between her husband and daughter. They used to be so close. For years, Emily was the perfect cliché of “daddy’s little girl.” She could climb onto his lap, bat her little eyelashes, and get anything she wanted. Rob had never even raised his voice at her, but Emily’s growing fear of the dark and erratic behavior had changed all of that.
Karen just wanted things to go back to the way they used to be. She really hoped that Caroline Greenfield could work some magic.
The car ride to Caroline’s office was excruciatingly quiet. Rob had tried to engage Emily in conversation, but she only stared out the window and sulked.
The office was in one of those buildings that housed all sorts of different companies and services. The sign by the elevator had a list for each of its five floors. Services included dental, chiropractic, massage, homeopathy, and so forth. It made Rob feel a little uncomfortable to know that behind each door, there was someone naked on a table or in a chair with their mouth open or having their back cracked. It all seemed a little too intimate and the walls a little too thin.
At least Caroline’s office was bright and comfortable. It made the experience feel less clinical and more personal. Although, Rob was unsure whether that made him feel more or less at ease.
Emily seemed to perk up at the sight of the place, though. She almost sighed as she looked around at the bright yellow walls, the comfy-looking orange sofa, and the colorful lamps that were in every corner.
After shaking Rob’s hand and going over the initial paperwork, Caroline instructed him to sit in the waiting room while she had a one-on-one session with Emily. Rob felt relieved to have the burden lifted out of his hands for once and, after giving Emily a hug, gladly left the room.
Emily quickly knew she would easily like Caroline. The friendly demeanor of the 50-something woman seemed grandmotherly, even though Caroline was several years younger than her own grandmother. Caroline wore a black skirt with a red blouse, and red heels that made Emily think of the ruby slippers Dorothy wore in “The Wizard of Oz.”
The brightness of the room also pleased Emily. There were no darkened corners or looming shadows to be found. The oranges, reds, and yellows that colored the room and its various objects were like sunshine.
“Have a seat, please,” Caroline said and motioned her to the orange couch.
Emily happily sunk down into the plush cushions. She wished her own bedroom looked like Caroline’s office. Instead, her room was drab with grey walls that were supposed to have been purple. Rather than repaint, her parents had simply color-coordinated everything to match the grey. That meant her bedspread was a boring white, and her area rug was a dull blue. Maybe Dad and Mom would change the colors for her if she asked. She made a mental note to pose the question when she got home.
Caroline sat in a plush, red chair across from the couch. She crossed her legs and opened a notebook that was in her lap.
“So, Emily, do you understand why you are visiting with me?”
Emily nodded.
“Yes, Mrs. Greenfield.”
Caroline waved her hand. “Oh, please call me Caroline. The word ‘Mrs.’ makes me sound so old,” she said, as she winked at Emily. “Can you tell me about yourself? What is your favorite color, your favorite subject at school?”
Emily thought for a moment. “My favorite color is yellow, and I like art.”
“Oh, yes,” Caroline nodded. “Your parents showed me some of your artwork. You draw beautiful pictures of flowers, and I love the big suns that you draw. All of your pictures are very cheerful.”
“Thanks.”
“You seem like a good kid. Cheerful pictures, good grades, and nice friends. At least, according to your parents, of course.” Caroline leaned forward. “Can you tell me about your friends?”
Emily had received so many insults from classmates and frustration from her parents that Caroline’s kind words made her instantly like the woman. Maybe this was someone who would understand? Emily kept so much bottled up inside her, and she desperately wanted to let it all out.
“Well, my best friend is Sherrie. We’ve been friends since kindergarten. We both love ice-cream, and Justin Bieber,” Emily said, and she lowered her eyes and grew quiet. “And, she doesn’t mind if I leave the light on when I sleep over.”
Emily watched for Caroline’s reaction, but the expression on her face remained warm and kind.
“Can you tell me why you want the light left on?”
After some hesitation, Emily explained, “I can’t be in the darkness.”
Caroline thought for a moment before responding.
“Now, you say can’t, and that seems interesting to me. Did you mean to use that word, or do you mean that you don’t like the dark or are afraid of it?”
“I’m not afraid of the dark,” Emily said, somewhat defiantly. “No one listens to me.”
Caroline suddenly looked very serious. “Emily,” she said with sincerity, “I promise you that I will listen to you and that I will believe what you tell me. Grownups often have a hard time trusting kids, but I’ve been working with children for a long time, and I understand what you ha
ve to say is important.”
Emily didn’t say anything for a little while. Could she really trust this woman? Caroline was awfully nice, and the chance to confide in someone was tempting. In fact, Emily yearned to have someone believe her, to protect her from the soul snatchers. The experience in the janitor’s room flashed through her mind. What if next time the soul snatchers succeeded?
In a bit of a panic, Emily began to spill out her fears. “There are creatures that live in the darkness. They are evil, horrible creatures. Most people can’t see them, but I can. And they hate me for it! They hate that I can see them! My eyes hurt them, but I can’t stop myself from looking at them. When I turn my back, I know they are still there. I can feel them watching me.”
Emily shuddered and sank further back in the couch. Her hands were starting to shake a bit, and she tucked them under her legs.
Caroline wrote a few things in her notebook.
“Do these creatures have a name?”
“Yes. They are called ‘soul snatchers.’ They eat people’s souls! But, only after they die. But not with me. They want to kill me and get my soul so that I can’t look at them ever again.”
By now, Emily was shaking all over. She wanted Caroline to believe her, to protect her. She didn’t want to die.
“How do you know these things about the soul snatchers? Have you seen them do any of the things you described?”
“I can hear them. Their voices get into my head. They tell me how they are going to kill me. They send me pictures of how they are going to eat my soul!”
Emily covered her face with her hands and began sobbing.
“You’re safe here, Emily,” Caroline said soothingly. “Nothing can harm you. It’s okay.”
She wrote a few things down in her notebook and tried another tactic.
“Emily, have you lost anyone close to you? A family member, or even a pet?”
“No,” Emily sobbed.
“Has anything bad ever happened to you while you were in a dark place? Did you ever read a story or see a movie that had something scary to do with the dark?”
Emily shook her head and continued crying.
“Okay, sweetie. We don’t have to talk about this anymore. Would you like a teddy bear to hold? I have some really great ones. I always liked teddy bears when I was a kid and found they made me feel better.”
Caroline got up and pulled a large, plush, brown teddy bear from a toy box and handed it to Emily.
The bear felt so soft and comforting. Emily hugged it to her chest. After a little while, her sobs subsided, and she looked up.
“Do you believe me?” she whispered.
“Yes, Emily, I believe you,” Caroline paused. “Do you have any ideas of how to get rid of the soul snatchers, or how to protect yourself from them?”
“They can only exist in darkness. As long as there is light, they can’t get me.”
Caroline frowned.
“Emily,” she said tenderly, “I’m not sure if you can avoid being in the dark for the rest of your life. I’m sure it must make it hard for you to do things and be places if you are always avoiding the dark. Don’t you want to lie under the stars or watch a movie in the theatre?”
“Yes, but I can’t. I don’t have any choice.”
“Well, I hope you know that you can talk to me about anything, and hopefully we can come up with some ideas that will help you. Thank you for talking with me today.”
After years of feeling isolated and hopeless, a slight feeling of relief came over Emily. She finally had someone who believed her.
Rob and Karen sat at the kitchen table after Emily had gone to sleep. Karen was anxious to hear what the therapist had said. Rob avoided Karen’s gaze and sipped on a glass of bourbon. A lump was in his throat, and no matter how many sips he took of the burning alcohol, he just couldn’t seem to find the words. He was still getting over the shock of what Caroline had told him.
Finally, Rob managed to muster up his courage.
“Do you know if anyone in your family has a history of schizophrenia?”
Both color and expression instantly drained from Karen’s face, giving her the appearance of a corpse. Her mouth hung open slightly, and she stared blankly at her husband.
“Sweetheart?” Rob asked, his eyebrows knitting together with concern. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you.”
He sighed, exasperated, and ran a hand through his hair. “Caroline said she’ll need several more sessions with Emily before she’s sure and a write up of our families’ medical history.”
“My grandfather was schizophrenic,” Karen whispered.
“How do you know for sure? He passed away when you were a child.”
“I actually heard my parents talking about it a few times. I think maybe they worried about my brother and me. Also, my cousin, Lorraine, had problems, but she committed suicide before she was diagnosed with anything.”
Tears welled up in Karen’s eyes.
Rob reached across the table and held her hand.
“Hey, we’ll get through this. Caroline said that there are medications that Emily can take, and she should be able to lead a normal life.”
“I don’t want my 10 year old daughter to be on medication,” Karen said firmly. “Do we have another option?”
“I don’t know. We’re not even sure if she has schizophrenia. Let’s give it a few more sessions with Caroline, and then we can see what our options are.”
Karen nodded, numb from the feeling of being so powerless.
Several weeks of hour-long sessions with Caroline Greenfield led to little improvement in Emily’s behavior. She still slept with the light on and a lit candle, as well. She refused to talk to her parents about what she said to Caroline during their sessions. When asked, she simply retorted, “I’ve already told you everything, and you didn’t believe me.”
However, Karen and Rob knew from Caroline what was being discussed between her and their daughter. It didn’t seem like Emily was making any progress in getting over her phobia, and both parents were dreading that schizophrenia was a viable diagnosis.
The one thing that had changed, though, was Emily’s mood. A new spark was in her eye. She seemed like someone who had stumbled upon a newfound faith. The dark cloud that had hung above her head for years was now interspersed with rays of sunlight.
Rob asked Caroline about the improvement in Emily’s mood.
“She smiles now. She eats her dinner without complaining. She even had Sherrie sleep over last weekend, and the two of them spent the whole time giggling and laughing. She still left the light on when they went to bed, but she didn’t seem as embarrassed about it as she usually is.”
“Well,” Caroline said, “I think it may be because Emily thinks that I believe her stories about the soul snatchers. I think she has found an ally in me, and that gives her courage and a sense of empowerment. I don’t doubt that Emily believes these creatures to be real, and that is what concerns me.”
“So, she’s not starting to come around? Has she said anything that indicates she’s becoming less afraid of the dark?”
Caroline sighed.
“You have a very sweet little girl. She is bright and intelligent and kind. But she is very troubled. Mr. Young, I’ve worked with many children who have had severe phobias – it’s part of my expertise – and it saddens me to say this, but I think we are dealing with a much bigger problem here. I’d like to try putting her on a medication. Not a very strong one, just something mild to see if that helps her.”
“No,” Rob said. “Not yet. There must be something else we can try.”
“Well, there is a tactic that has been used for curing phobias, but if Emily doesn’t have a phobia, then I am afraid it could have a very negative result.”
“What is it?” Rob’s heart beat a bit faster in anticipation.
“In many cases, a phobia can be overcome if a person faces the thing they are afraid of. It usually takes repeated exposure to the pho
bia, but eventually the person gains power over their fear as they receive concrete evidence that they are safe and in control. Now, this doesn’t always work, depending on the reason behind the phobia, but in many cases it does.”
“And do you think it could work with Emily?”
“I don’t know. If she does have a phobia of the dark, then exposing her to darkness and showing her that nothing bad will actually happen – proving to her that she will be okay – might make her realize that she doesn’t have to be afraid.”
“Really? That seems like a great idea! Why didn’t you bring this up earlier?”
“Because I don’t believe that Emily has a phobia. I think that she has a psychological condition, and that she truly believes the creatures called soul snatchers exist. If you expose her to her fear, her mind may conjure up any number of conclusions as to why she remains physically okay, and the problem will not go away.”
Rob could barely contain his excitement as he explained to Karen what Caroline had said. He felt like an explorer who had stumbled upon buried treasure. He just had to keep digging, and soon he’d reach his goal.
Karen was less than enthusiastic.
“I don’t know, Rob. Every time she’s accidentally been in the dark in the past, she’s gone into hysterics. She’s already been exposed to her fear, and it has never helped.”
“But she was only exposed for a short period of time. What if she had to be in the dark and couldn’t leave? Eventually she’d realize that nothing was hurting her and that she was fine.”
“I just can’t picture doing that to her. Can you imagine how terrified she would be? My poor girl. I can’t do it.”
“It’s either we try this as a last resort or we put her on medication.”
Karen frowned. She felt like a torture victim who was being pulled apart in one of those medieval contraptions that tugged from both ends of the body until it was ripped in half.
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