Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 31
After Chloe had fallen asleep, Brady joined the others downstairs, who were seated around the kitchen table drinking tea to calm their frazzled nerves. Marlena had a tape recorder and notebook out in front of her.
"As you know, I've agreed to begin counseling Chloe. Normally, I would not talk about my patients' cases, but tonight's events have necessitated a different approach. It is obvious Chloe is suffering from some severe emotional trauma. I need to get to the root of it, quickly, before she is irreparably damaged, beyond help.
Time is of the essence here. From what I gathered from Craig and my own observations, her night terrors are getting progressively worse, and everday she withdraws further into herself. I need you to tell me everything that has been happening to Chloe."
One by one they laid it all out for her. The attack and attempted rape, the black out episodes, the phone calls, the flowers, and the locker. Brady recounted for them Chloe's breakdown the night of Phillip's attack. Marlena made special note of the incident and had him describe it several times. She was also interested in the attempted rape, and kept coming back to it.
"And you are sure that nothing happened?" she asked.
"Well, not 100%, but yeah. She was fully clothed, no marks on her - she seemed fine. Shaken up, but fine. They were just dragging her into their van when I pulled up." he explained.
"We've been thinking that all of this was happening because of the attack, like some kind of post traumatic stress. That and Phillip's stalking." Belle said.
"Let's put aside the stalking for the moment. It appears to be incidental at this time. Yes, Chloe has been affected by it, but I don't think it has anything to do with her nightmares. That's kind of an external cause, we're looking for an internal root. Similarly with Saturday night's attack. This is certainly is important, because we know that her first dreams and episode occurred right afterward. But it isn't the cause."
Marlena drifted off into thought. "'Losing time, dark hidden memories taking me back.' Those had been her exact words, Belle?" she asked.
Belle nodded.
"I need to do more research before I can be certain, but it appears to me we are dealing with a case of repressed memories. This is similar to other cases I've dealt with in the past. Something happened to Chloe at some point in her life that was so traumatic that she blocked it out, leaving behind no memories of it. Until Saturday night's attack, which was the trigger, unleashing the memories into her subconscious. She is trying to remember, but at the same time her mind won't let her. So instead, she dreams, only now the dreams are spilling over when she's awake. Causing the black out episodes, which, Belle, you said she described as being like a waking dream."
Marlena paused, thinking of Chloe's rambling words and recalled all her research on repressed memories. She felt certain she knew what the hidden trauma was, but couldn't say until she was sure. She knew the truth would be devastating. She looked at the people around her and focused on her children. She looked at them seriously and slowly spoke.
"If this is indeed the case, and we are dealing with repressed memories, I need you to be prepared. It takes a severe trauma for the mind to block it out. When we find out what happened to her, it may be more than we can bear. But we will have to. We will have to be strong for Chloe, to help her through this.
Tomorrow, I'm going to contact the orphanage and get her file sent to me. I've already set up our first session for tomorrow afternoon. I guess we'll just move from there." she yawned. "We should try to get some sleep." she stood up.
"Marlena, would it be all right if I stayed with Chloe tonight? I want to be there in case she needs me." Brady said. Marlena agreed, realizing that he was the best thing for her right now.
He carefully got in bed beside Chloe. She instinctively rolled into his arms and put her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and soon fell asleep.
They slept peacefully the rest of the night.
Chapter 31
After Chloe had fallen asleep, Brady joined the others downstairs, who were seated around the kitchen table drinking tea to calm their frazzled nerves. Marlena had a tape recorder and notebook out in front of her.
"As you know, I've agreed to begin counseling Chloe. Normally, I would not talk about my patients' cases, but tonight's events have necessitated a different approach. It is obvious Chloe is suffering from some severe emotional trauma. I need to get to the root of it, quickly, before she is irreparably damaged, beyond help.
Time is of the essence here. From what I gathered from Craig and my own observations, her night terrors are getting progressively worse, and everday she withdraws further into herself. I need you to tell me everything that has been happening to Chloe."
One by one they laid it all out for her. The attack and attempted rape, the black out episodes, the phone calls, the flowers, and the locker. Brady recounted for them Chloe's breakdown the night of Phillip's attack. Marlena made special note of the incident and had him describe it several times. She was also interested in the attempted rape, and kept coming back to it.
"And you are sure that nothing happened?" she asked.
"Well, not 100%, but yeah. She was fully clothed, no marks on her - she seemed fine. Shaken up, but fine. They were just dragging her into their van when I pulled up." he explained.
"We've been thinking that all of this was happening because of the attack, like some kind of post traumatic stress. That and Phillip's stalking." Belle said.
"Let's put aside the stalking for the moment. It appears to be incidental at this time. Yes, Chloe has been affected by it, but I don't think it has anything to do with her nightmares. That's kind of an external cause, we're looking for an internal root. Similarly with Saturday night's attack. This is certainly is important, because we know that her first dreams and episode occurred right afterward. But it isn't the cause."
Marlena drifted off into thought. "'Losing time, dark hidden memories taking me back.' Those had been her exact words, Belle?" she asked.
Belle nodded.
"I need to do more research before I can be certain, but it appears to me we are dealing with a case of repressed memories. This is similar to other cases I've dealt with in the past. Something happened to Chloe at some point in her life that was so traumatic that she blocked it out, leaving behind no memories of it. Until Saturday night's attack, which was the trigger, unleashing the memories into her subconscious. She is trying to remember, but at the same time her mind won't let her. So instead, she dreams, only now the dreams are spilling over when she's awake. Causing the black out episodes, which, Belle, you said she described as being like a waking dream."
Marlena paused, thinking of Chloe's rambling words and recalled all her research on repressed memories. She felt certain she knew what the hidden trauma was, but couldn't say until she was sure. She knew the truth would be devastating. She looked at the people around her and focused on her children. She looked at them seriously and slowly spoke.
"If this is indeed the case, and we are dealing with repressed memories, I need you to be prepared. It takes a severe trauma for the mind to block it out. When we find out what happened to her, it may be more than we can bear. But we will have to. We will have to be strong for Chloe, to help her through this.
Tomorrow, I'm going to contact the orphanage and get her file sent to me. I've already set up our first session for tomorrow afternoon. I guess we'll just move from there." she yawned. "We should try to get some sleep." she stood up.
"Marlena, would it be all right if I stayed with Chloe tonight? I want to be there in case she needs me." Brady said. Marlena agreed, realizing that he was the best thing for her right now.
He carefully got in bed beside Chloe. She instinctively rolled into his arms and put her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and soon fell asleep.
They slept peacefully the rest of the night.