I gazed up at an extended hand from a dark silhouette.

“You passed out Claire. Here, let me help you.”

Where is Charles? As I frantically scanned the room looking for him, I noticed that his office looked different. It was darker but seemed familiar. Adrenaline gave me the surge that I needed to rise to my feet and push past the shadowy figure to tend to something stranger. My bed.

“No, what is happening?” I asked.

The shadowy figure stepped closer into Charles’ desk light, which revealed a handsome face with a devilish grin. He was wearing a black peacoat and had an unsettling presence, despite his good looks. I have never seen this man before in my life, but he knew my name and he was also holding Jessica’s teddy bear.

“Who are you?” I asked.

 “You know, not many people care enough to ask me that? I’m just a man in black,” he said.

 I snatched the teddy bear from his hands. “Is this a sick joke?”

“Claire, you’re in therapy right now. How about I be the one to ask the questions?”

 I ran toward the door, but to my dismay it was locked. After banging on the door, hoping the receptionist would hear, I realized that I was just wasting my energy.

“You have to face your fears Claire. Therapy will end once you do. Until then, you’ll remain here … just you, me, and your daughter,” said the man.

I felt rage boil in my soul. “Where is she?” I rushed to check under the bed, but didn’t see anything.

“You’re not ready to see her, Claire.”

 I went to hit the man, but he grabbed my wrist and twisted it. He overpowered me with his strength until he was towering over me and I was once again on the floor.

“This has always been the problem with you, Claire. There’s nothing wrong with being a fighter, but the problem is when you fight the wrong things.” He eased up his grip and sat at Charles’ desk, which was right next to my bed. The man continued speaking. “Nobody knows the difference between right and wrong anymore, so justice is subjective.” He leaned back in the chair while staring at me and playing with Charles’ glasses.

 “Why don’t you lay down on the bed? Let’s resume the session, shall we? The faster you figure this out, the faster I can get out of here. I have other appointments to make.”

Did I really have a choice? What can possibly be worse than this? Being held prisoner until my fears are faced.

“What is it that you fear exactly?” He asked.

Did he just hear my thoughts? The man continued to gaze at me; this time almost as expressionless as Charles was.

“Lay down now!” he shouted.

 Maybe he was right, maybe I’ve spent half of my life fighting, trying to gain control only to realize that I don’t have any. I laid down. The light flickered and uneasiness started suffocating me. I grabbed a pillow and hugged it closer.

 I heard the man speak. “Just wait, Claire.” It felt like there was a shift in the room as my vision began to be impeded by the dim lighting and my blurriness.

Then, I heard it … “Mommy? Are you awake?” I began to scream, but nothing came out of my mouth. “I’m sorry mommy, but he said you will hurt me.”

 After regaining my vision, I saw Jessica. She was wearing red lipstick, and her hair was in pigtails.

Why is my ten-year-old wearing lipstick?

 The man shouted. “That’s it right there! When are you going to realize that she is not yours to control?”

Jessica walked over to the man. He smiled at my little girl and stood up from the chair. The man pulled the chair out for her. “I believe this is yours, miss.” Jessica sat in the chair and stared across the desk at me.

“I’m going to just fade in the black while you two work this out. This seems to be a family matter,” he said.

“Where’s daddy, mom?” Jesica asked.

I couldn’t believe what she was asking me. I attempted to sit up, but I felt as if I kept sinking into the mattress.

“He – He’s …” I was interrupted by my daughter.

“Gone. Because of you,” she said. I couldn’t respond. I felt like it didn’t matter anyway. Jessica continued, “You lost control over your own relationship, and you had to take it out on me? The only one that ever stuck up for me was her.”

 I didn’t know what she was talking about. “Who?” I asked. The man intervened. “I got it from here.” He pulled out a camera phone video of an attractive girl who was puckering her lips at the screen. I didn’t recognize her. She was smiling and waving at the camera. “Hey, this is Lily Ladyson here and today I just turned twenty-four, and how else would I spend my birthday then with twenty-four of my friends?”

 “Do you remember her?” The man asked.

Then suddenly, realization set in. That’s the drugged-out girl that tried to choke my daughter in the park! “What does she have to do with this?”

Jessica stared at me. “She’s my friend mommy. When you went to sleep, she came in my room and said she was sorry for scaring me. Then, she gave me a hug.”

 The man gently grabbed my daughter by her hand and although I wanted to yank Jessica away from him, I couldn’t. I lay there paralyzed, unable to move.

“Tell your mommy bye,” he said.

Jessica walked over to me and kissed my forehead. “Bye mommy.”

 “Lily will take care of your daughter. You’re just not the right influence that Jessica needs in her life,” the man said. I saw him hand Jessica the Teddy bear. “I believe this is yours.” She raised the bear toward me and then suddenly, I entered darkness. I couldn’t see anything around me, but I heard the sound of footsteps trampling through the room. A multitude of inaudible voices blended together. In the midst of the noise I heard someone clearly say, “Take the little girl away, now.” Then I heard Jessica speak, “Mommy? Mommy? Where am I going?”

 I tried to shout back. “Jessica. It’s okay honey. Mommy forgives you.” But again, nothing came out. I couldn’t see anything or feel anything, but my sense of hearing continued to get stronger. Now, I heard somebody say, “Be careful with the stretcher. Make sure the sheet stays on.”

No! It can’t be. I couldn’t accept this was the end. I am a fighter. This is not the end. But it was no use. I couldn’t fight against this. If this was it, then I had to do the right thing. I attempted to speak, “Jessica, mommy loves you no matter what you do.” Then I heard the man in black’s voice. “She can’t hear you. She listens to Lily now. Session is over, Claire.”

                     THE END