Confessions from the heart
Jack stared blankly back at Carly, his mind still reeling from her astonishing confession. Her pale cheeks were stained with her tears and the anguish in her face and eyes was plain to see. Could she really have attacked him on that terrible night? He certainly had not recognised her, but really, it could have been any girl's head enveloped in that grotesque mask and how else would she know about it all, unless it really had been her? Carly a rapist? Previously he had always thought of rapists as being unsavoury older men and had assumed that to avoid being raped, he just had to avoid being sent to prison. Carly defied all his preconceived notions. This was a girl he had actually liked, although he hadn't quite known how to tell her… and that churned him up inside ever more. What was he supposed to feel now? Last night his dreams and been haunted by masked and disfigured faces and the nightmarish sensations of losing control of his body. The idea of Carly giving him night terrors was certainly more jarring than the idea of Kendra doing it. Carly was gazing at him now, her blue eyes bloodshot through her tears, but he found he couldn't bring himself to look at her and instead addressed the table surface: "I certainly can't face Kendra ever again!" he said decisively. "There is nothing I can do. I thought that I knew her…"
"I understand," said Carly in a small voice. There was an awkward silence. Jack wished this conversation would end and he could be alone, but Carly broke the silence again. "You need to be able to talk about it," she said. "You might be able to find a counsellor who will want to help you."
"I can't talk about it," said Jack quickly.
"No, come on, you need help," said Carly, her voice quivering slightly again.
Jack wanted to ask why she and Kendra had done this to him. And how did they show inhuman strength and agility? So many questions that made the situation even more mindboggling and unbelievable. The question caught in his throat and he said hoarsely. "How…? Why?"
"I really can't explain it," said Carly in a voice of forced calm. "But the masks are magic. They looked like ordinary wooden masks, but really, they were alive." Jack didn't answer that. The masks certainly had not looked wooden. They had looked uncomfortably tight, but their material had been vivid green… "When we wore the masks, it was as though our darkest desires were brought to life," Carly continued. "I think… I know that I have fantasised about sex with you and a threesome with you as well. With that mask on I could do anything. I saw no reason not to act out the fantasy. Kendra was goading me as well…" she took a deep breath. "These are not excuses, just reasons. When the mask came off the next morning, I realised how horrifying my behaviour was. The masks must only work at night." Really, Jack thought, he should have expected an incredible explanation. Just remembering Kendra's dreadful, gripping strength that night as she overpowered him, made him think that there had been something unnatural going on.
There was another awkward pause. "I can help," said Carly, pushing her blond hair away from her tearstained face. "I can help you start counselling. The counsellors should both take it seriously if I confess to them first. Then they start their counselling. They should know what to do from that point on. You don't have to be the one to break the ice."
Jack's first thought was to protest and tell her that she need not risk getting into trouble on his account. Then he inwardly grimaced and wondered why he should care about that when she had done this to him? After all, whoever believed their story would not be able to report it to the police or the headmaster or anything like that. Girls could not legally assault anyone.
He followed Carly down the corridor to the office of Ida Billings, one of the school counsellors. Ida was an attractive and vivacious woman of around thirty, always dressed stylishly. By great good fortune, she was at her desk as they entered and she greeted them cheerily. "We have something serious to tell you," said Carly, her voice very sombre.
Ida frowned. "That's alright," she replied, "are you saying you both need counselling?"
"No," said Carly quickly. Jack wondered how she was going to wangle this. She hesitated. "Something happened to Jack, something really bad," said Carly with a half-glance at him. She swallowed.
"What happened, dear?" asked Ida of Jack.
"Jack was attacked – raped the night before last, by t- two girls," stuttered Carly.
Ida's brow turned dark as a thundercloud. "How dare you kids muck about, wasting my time?" she stormed. "Counselling is a serious business, get out, both of you!"
Jack's insides seemed to shrivel up. So his case was not serious and just a waste of time? Carly quickly took him by the hand and led him down the corridor again and he followed mechanically.
"She's useless, but Stephanie should be better," said Carly a slight quiver in her voice. It just so happened that Stephanie Wainwright, the other counsellor happened to be in her office too. She was a large middle aged woman. Today, she was dressed in a flowery dress that just about fit her very ample figure.
"Hello there, my pets," said Stephanie. "I was just about to go to lunch, but if it's urgent…"
Jack wondered if he ought to run now and save himself the ridicule of not being taken seriously a second time. "Please don't be angry," said Carly, shifting in her agitation from foot to foot. "Jack has a real problem. It's really serious. Something bad happened."
Stephanie gazed at Jack, a grave look in her soft brown eyes. "I won't be angry, pets," she said softly. "Can you tell me what happened?"
Jack was certain he never could, but Carly broke in before he could say a word. "He was raped! Two nights ago, by two girls," Carly blurted out, then she flushed a dull, beet red and stared at the floor.
Stephanie sat very still. "I know about it and have to help him," said Carly, wringing her hands. Fresh tears were shining in her blue eyes. "He's having trouble talking about it. He needs professional help."
Jack nodded. Stephanie turned her gaze to him. "It's alright Jack, I am here to help you," she said, very gently. She turned to Carly again. "How did you find this out Carly?" she asked.
"Because I was one of them. I raped Jack," wailed Carly, tears coursing down her face.
"Seriously, Carly?" said Stephanie, giving her a searching look. "Yes and he'll never forgive me," said Carly, her voice rising hysterically. "I should never have let Kendra lead me into it…" she clapped her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.
Stephanie turned to Jack. "Jack, did Carly and Kendra rape you?" she asked him, her voice still soft.
Jack hesitated and then nodded.
"Alright," said Stephanie. She took a deep breath. "I know what's to be done."