"Richie, hand me the can opener," Tessa said as she got a can of soup out
of the cupboard, not realizing it was an 'order' until after she had said
it. She and Duncan had never noticed how much they used to 'order' Richie
around until they were consciously trying not to.
"Yes, ma'am," Richie answered, moving to get it out of the drawer.
Tessa sighed at his response. It had been a week and there had been only one change. He was no longer a sulky, quiet recluse. He was now an obedient, quiet servant. They had been making it a point to address him by his name and phrase their requests as questions and not demands. But he wasn't responding to it they way they had hoped. Since they weren't making any real progress, Sean was on his way. Duncan had gone to the airport to pick him up. Conner had stayed behind in case an immortal on the hunt came by and sensed Richie's presence, but since Tessa was angry at him for supporting the idea of killing Richie, he was staying out of the way.
After lunch was done and the dishes put away Tessa sat down with Richie for a 'reading lesson'. The boy had been convinced he couldn't read, so Sean suggested they get him reading by using his favorite books. Tessa was pushing Richie through Lord of the Rings. He stumbled over the easy words and slowly fumbled his way through, even though it was obvious he knew what he was doing. Half an hour and two pages later Conner came out of hiding when he felt a buzz that Richie didn't react to at all.
"They're here."
A minute later, Duncan and Sean came up the back stairs. Duncan looked at Tessa who shook her head. A silent conversation; there was no change. A conversation that Sean did not miss.
"Shall we get started?" he asked.
"Don't you want to get settled?" Tessa offered.
"A glass of water would be lovely, but he is what I am here for." He moved to sit next to Richie on the couch. Tessa went for the water.
"We really do appreciate this, Sean. We don't know how to get through to him," Duncan said.
"It's not a problem. Why don't we go over the situation and make sure I've got this right."
Tessa came back with drinks for everyone and they sat to talk.
"This is where you were living when he was kidnapped and he is in his own room?"
"Yes."
"Have you changed anything?"
"We don't have his things," Tessa said. "We buried it all when we didn't have a body."
"Okay. Do you remember his favorite music groups or movies?"
"Yes."
"We may need them. Now," he paused and looked at the boy next to him. "He has no idea?"
"He's totally oblivious. He has started answering to his name," Duncan answered. "But I think it's more because he knows that's what we call him, than that he thinks it's his name."
Sean nodded. "Alright. What are his habits?"
"Habits?"
"What does he do? How does he act?"
"He just does whatever you tell him to. He doesn't listen to conversations, unless you address him directly," Tessa said, looking at the boy who was concentrating on something in the air. "He can go to sleep on demand, and then sleeps until you wake him up; he still doesn't understand why we want him to sit at the table."
"His body is the only thing here," Conner cut in. "His mind is gone."
"Oh, yes, let's all listen to what Dr. Conner has to say," Tessa mumbled.
"His mind is not gone," Sean said. "It sounds like he has simply detached himself from his reality. It's actually a common happening. Many times people will retreat to an imaginary world to get away from their reality. Usually it is only on a temporary basis, during a traumatizing moment, but they get completely immersed in it. It is my guess that Richie has done this. And because of the extreme situation he may have settled into an alternate, more comfortable, reality he has created for himself."
"So you can bring him back?" Tessa asked anxiously.
"He'll never be the same," Sean warned them. "But, I believe I can at least coax him back into this reality."
"How do you do that?" Duncan asked.
"I was going to try just talking to him, but if this is as bad as you say it is, hypnosis."
"Swinging a pocket watch will fix this?" Conner asked.
Sean smiled. "Those methods are a bit outdated. I could still try, but it's easier to just give the patient a shot."
"You can just drug him?" Tessa asked.
"It's not a permanent fix. He's not going to have pills that he can take daily. It's just an injection to relax him and put him into a light sleep. I won't keep him under for long today. Just enough to get him to admit to who he is and get him to where he trusts me. Tomorrow, I'll keep him under longer, use repetition and simple questions to make him aware of his situation. And in a few days he may be back, or it may take a few weeks. It depends on how much he trusts me and how receptive he is."
"What if it doesn't work?" Conner asked.
"If I can just get him to tell me his name, it's worked. I can probably get that out of him in less than twenty minutes. After that it's up to him. All I can do is talk to him."
"When can you start?" Tessa asked.
"I can talk to him now. But if I hypnotize him, it's easier to do it at night, because he'll sleep afterward."
"If you'd like to talk to him, you can use his room for some privacy," Duncan offered.
"Alright." Sean stood up. "Richie, will you please come with me?" Richie obediently stood and followed as Duncan showed them to his room.
"Would you like to sit?" Sean offered once Duncan left.
"I can't take it off," Richie said, sitting cross-legged on his bed.
"Excuse me?"
"I don't know how do work these." He tugged at the straps of the overalls they had started to put him in a few days ago. Richie knew how to take off shirts and jeans and did so anytime someone wasn't watching. So Tessa had modified the clasps on a pair of overalls she had bought for him so they were nearly impossible for him to take off himself, so he had to get someone else to do it for him.
"Why do you want to take them off?"
"I can't play like this."
"Do you want to play?" Sean took up his pad of paper and began writing.
"That's what you want me to do, isn't it?"
"I just wanted to talk to you."
"No one likes to play here," Richie mumbled. "I want to go back to my master."
"Why?"
Richie paused. "Because."
"Why?"
"A child belongs with his master."
"Who told you that?"
"Mamma."
"Who's Mamma?"
"She takes care of me."
"You mean Tessa, then."
"No, Mamma. She works with Master. She takes care of all his children. She takes care of me."
"What is your name?"
"Master's children don't have names."
"Why not?"
"There's too many to name. But he knows us all; we have numbers. I could show you, but they took mine."
"You seem upset by that."
"It was mine. Master said nobody could take it. But they did."
"Do you know where it is?"
"No. Do you? Can you get it for me?"
"I don't know where it is, but I can ask."
"Thank you, sir."
"Will you answer some more questions for me?"
"If you wish me to."
"How old are you?"
"I'm still a baby."
"Why do you say that?"
"Master tells me. He says I'm still a baby and that's why I can't go outside or sleep with the big kids."
"Did your master keep you separated from the other children?"
"Yes."
"Because he said you were too young?"
"Yes."
"I see. Now, a few minutes ago you said you wanted to play. What do you mean by that?"
"Play."
"Play can mean many different things. How do you play?"
"With grown ups, in their beds."
"You mean sex?"
Richie frowned. "What's sex?"
"How do you play?"
"There are lots of ways. Some I like, but some I have to because the guest wants me to."
"What makes you not like certain ways?"
"When it hurts. Or when it's really dark. Or too many people."
"I see. Do you like to play?"
"Yes, sir." Sean made a note on his paper. "What are you doing?" Richie asked.
"I'm writing down what you're saying."
"Are you going to show my master?" he asked quietly.
"No. This is private. No one else will see."
"Please don't show my master. He tells me I talk too much. I try to be good."
There was a knock on the door. At Sean's invitation, Duncan opened the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but dinner is nearly ready. Do you want to come or should we save you some?"
Sean looked at Richie, who had his head bowed shamefully. "I think we're ready to eat."
The meal was short and quiet. Everyone wanted to ask how the brief session went, but didn't feel right asking in front of Richie, even though it was obvious he wasn't paying attention to the conversation. After the meal was finished, Duncan couldn't wait any longer and asked, "Did you get anything out of him?"
"Enough to know that hypnosis is probably the best way to go."
"So do it. We'll put him to bed now."
"If that's the way you want to do it. But there is no rushing this. There is no way Richie will be back tonight. All I want to do is get him to admit that his name is Richie then I'll leave him alone."
"What good will that do, why not get more out of him?"
"Because forcing this on him will make him uncomfortable and he'll probably retreat further from this reality. We have to give him all the time he wants."
"Whatever way is best," Duncan agreed.
The two took Richie back into the room and helped him out of the overalls. After he had gone to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, he was ready for the shot. He squirmed a bit, but held still to receive the injection. Duncan helped him into bed and tucked him in.
"Good night, Richie."
"Good night, sir."
Sean sat by his bed and waited for his eyes to start to droop. "What is your name?" he asked.
"Master's children don't have names."
"How old are you?"
"I'm a baby."
Sean waited a few minutes. "What is your name?"
"Master's children. don't have names," he answered a bit more slowly this time.
"How old are you?"
"A baby."
"What is your name?"
"Master's. children don't."
"How old are you?"
"Baby."
"What is your name?"
"Master."
"How old are you?"
No response.
"What is your name?"
"Richie."
"How old are you?"
"Don't know.."
"Yes, ma'am," Richie answered, moving to get it out of the drawer.
Tessa sighed at his response. It had been a week and there had been only one change. He was no longer a sulky, quiet recluse. He was now an obedient, quiet servant. They had been making it a point to address him by his name and phrase their requests as questions and not demands. But he wasn't responding to it they way they had hoped. Since they weren't making any real progress, Sean was on his way. Duncan had gone to the airport to pick him up. Conner had stayed behind in case an immortal on the hunt came by and sensed Richie's presence, but since Tessa was angry at him for supporting the idea of killing Richie, he was staying out of the way.
After lunch was done and the dishes put away Tessa sat down with Richie for a 'reading lesson'. The boy had been convinced he couldn't read, so Sean suggested they get him reading by using his favorite books. Tessa was pushing Richie through Lord of the Rings. He stumbled over the easy words and slowly fumbled his way through, even though it was obvious he knew what he was doing. Half an hour and two pages later Conner came out of hiding when he felt a buzz that Richie didn't react to at all.
"They're here."
A minute later, Duncan and Sean came up the back stairs. Duncan looked at Tessa who shook her head. A silent conversation; there was no change. A conversation that Sean did not miss.
"Shall we get started?" he asked.
"Don't you want to get settled?" Tessa offered.
"A glass of water would be lovely, but he is what I am here for." He moved to sit next to Richie on the couch. Tessa went for the water.
"We really do appreciate this, Sean. We don't know how to get through to him," Duncan said.
"It's not a problem. Why don't we go over the situation and make sure I've got this right."
Tessa came back with drinks for everyone and they sat to talk.
"This is where you were living when he was kidnapped and he is in his own room?"
"Yes."
"Have you changed anything?"
"We don't have his things," Tessa said. "We buried it all when we didn't have a body."
"Okay. Do you remember his favorite music groups or movies?"
"Yes."
"We may need them. Now," he paused and looked at the boy next to him. "He has no idea?"
"He's totally oblivious. He has started answering to his name," Duncan answered. "But I think it's more because he knows that's what we call him, than that he thinks it's his name."
Sean nodded. "Alright. What are his habits?"
"Habits?"
"What does he do? How does he act?"
"He just does whatever you tell him to. He doesn't listen to conversations, unless you address him directly," Tessa said, looking at the boy who was concentrating on something in the air. "He can go to sleep on demand, and then sleeps until you wake him up; he still doesn't understand why we want him to sit at the table."
"His body is the only thing here," Conner cut in. "His mind is gone."
"Oh, yes, let's all listen to what Dr. Conner has to say," Tessa mumbled.
"His mind is not gone," Sean said. "It sounds like he has simply detached himself from his reality. It's actually a common happening. Many times people will retreat to an imaginary world to get away from their reality. Usually it is only on a temporary basis, during a traumatizing moment, but they get completely immersed in it. It is my guess that Richie has done this. And because of the extreme situation he may have settled into an alternate, more comfortable, reality he has created for himself."
"So you can bring him back?" Tessa asked anxiously.
"He'll never be the same," Sean warned them. "But, I believe I can at least coax him back into this reality."
"How do you do that?" Duncan asked.
"I was going to try just talking to him, but if this is as bad as you say it is, hypnosis."
"Swinging a pocket watch will fix this?" Conner asked.
Sean smiled. "Those methods are a bit outdated. I could still try, but it's easier to just give the patient a shot."
"You can just drug him?" Tessa asked.
"It's not a permanent fix. He's not going to have pills that he can take daily. It's just an injection to relax him and put him into a light sleep. I won't keep him under for long today. Just enough to get him to admit to who he is and get him to where he trusts me. Tomorrow, I'll keep him under longer, use repetition and simple questions to make him aware of his situation. And in a few days he may be back, or it may take a few weeks. It depends on how much he trusts me and how receptive he is."
"What if it doesn't work?" Conner asked.
"If I can just get him to tell me his name, it's worked. I can probably get that out of him in less than twenty minutes. After that it's up to him. All I can do is talk to him."
"When can you start?" Tessa asked.
"I can talk to him now. But if I hypnotize him, it's easier to do it at night, because he'll sleep afterward."
"If you'd like to talk to him, you can use his room for some privacy," Duncan offered.
"Alright." Sean stood up. "Richie, will you please come with me?" Richie obediently stood and followed as Duncan showed them to his room.
"Would you like to sit?" Sean offered once Duncan left.
"I can't take it off," Richie said, sitting cross-legged on his bed.
"Excuse me?"
"I don't know how do work these." He tugged at the straps of the overalls they had started to put him in a few days ago. Richie knew how to take off shirts and jeans and did so anytime someone wasn't watching. So Tessa had modified the clasps on a pair of overalls she had bought for him so they were nearly impossible for him to take off himself, so he had to get someone else to do it for him.
"Why do you want to take them off?"
"I can't play like this."
"Do you want to play?" Sean took up his pad of paper and began writing.
"That's what you want me to do, isn't it?"
"I just wanted to talk to you."
"No one likes to play here," Richie mumbled. "I want to go back to my master."
"Why?"
Richie paused. "Because."
"Why?"
"A child belongs with his master."
"Who told you that?"
"Mamma."
"Who's Mamma?"
"She takes care of me."
"You mean Tessa, then."
"No, Mamma. She works with Master. She takes care of all his children. She takes care of me."
"What is your name?"
"Master's children don't have names."
"Why not?"
"There's too many to name. But he knows us all; we have numbers. I could show you, but they took mine."
"You seem upset by that."
"It was mine. Master said nobody could take it. But they did."
"Do you know where it is?"
"No. Do you? Can you get it for me?"
"I don't know where it is, but I can ask."
"Thank you, sir."
"Will you answer some more questions for me?"
"If you wish me to."
"How old are you?"
"I'm still a baby."
"Why do you say that?"
"Master tells me. He says I'm still a baby and that's why I can't go outside or sleep with the big kids."
"Did your master keep you separated from the other children?"
"Yes."
"Because he said you were too young?"
"Yes."
"I see. Now, a few minutes ago you said you wanted to play. What do you mean by that?"
"Play."
"Play can mean many different things. How do you play?"
"With grown ups, in their beds."
"You mean sex?"
Richie frowned. "What's sex?"
"How do you play?"
"There are lots of ways. Some I like, but some I have to because the guest wants me to."
"What makes you not like certain ways?"
"When it hurts. Or when it's really dark. Or too many people."
"I see. Do you like to play?"
"Yes, sir." Sean made a note on his paper. "What are you doing?" Richie asked.
"I'm writing down what you're saying."
"Are you going to show my master?" he asked quietly.
"No. This is private. No one else will see."
"Please don't show my master. He tells me I talk too much. I try to be good."
There was a knock on the door. At Sean's invitation, Duncan opened the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but dinner is nearly ready. Do you want to come or should we save you some?"
Sean looked at Richie, who had his head bowed shamefully. "I think we're ready to eat."
The meal was short and quiet. Everyone wanted to ask how the brief session went, but didn't feel right asking in front of Richie, even though it was obvious he wasn't paying attention to the conversation. After the meal was finished, Duncan couldn't wait any longer and asked, "Did you get anything out of him?"
"Enough to know that hypnosis is probably the best way to go."
"So do it. We'll put him to bed now."
"If that's the way you want to do it. But there is no rushing this. There is no way Richie will be back tonight. All I want to do is get him to admit that his name is Richie then I'll leave him alone."
"What good will that do, why not get more out of him?"
"Because forcing this on him will make him uncomfortable and he'll probably retreat further from this reality. We have to give him all the time he wants."
"Whatever way is best," Duncan agreed.
The two took Richie back into the room and helped him out of the overalls. After he had gone to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, he was ready for the shot. He squirmed a bit, but held still to receive the injection. Duncan helped him into bed and tucked him in.
"Good night, Richie."
"Good night, sir."
Sean sat by his bed and waited for his eyes to start to droop. "What is your name?" he asked.
"Master's children don't have names."
"How old are you?"
"I'm a baby."
Sean waited a few minutes. "What is your name?"
"Master's children. don't have names," he answered a bit more slowly this time.
"How old are you?"
"A baby."
"What is your name?"
"Master's. children don't."
"How old are you?"
"Baby."
"What is your name?"
"Master."
"How old are you?"
No response.
"What is your name?"
"Richie."
"How old are you?"
"Don't know.."