A sigh escaped Henry's lips. "Look," he said, gripping onto her hands even harder, looking at her like he actually needed her, "I get that it's hard for you to believe in a happy ending right now, so I'm not gonna ask you to, but... can you believe...
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chapter 6. only fools
warnings: it's the therapy chapter, guys. there will be talk/themes of trauma, ptsd, anxiety attacks, nightmares etc. also mostly unedited.
♥
"SO, tell me about these nightmares you're having."
"Well, they're usually pretty much the same," Max said. Her hand was tracing the spot on her thigh where her dagger had been strapped to the night before. She had to admit that one advantage skirts had over pants was that it was significantly easier to hide a dagger underneath them. She had to keep it in her bag now, which wasn't nearly as easy to access. "I'm always in this dark forest, and I... have this feeling that I'm in danger. Like there's something, or... someone, hiding behind the trees."
"But you don't know what?" asked Archie.
Max shook her head. "No, I have no idea. And whatever it is, it never shows itself."
"And what's the other recurring imagery?"
"Well... water. I see a really big ocean, and sometimes I feel water streaming around me. My hands start... shaking a lot. And then," Max swallowed, "there's the sound of a little boy screaming."
"A little boy screaming? Is it Henry?" Archie asked.
Max decidedly shook her head. "No, it's not Henry. But I have this feeling that I know who it is, but I just can't," Max took a deep breath, and the slightest chuckle escaped her, "remember. Every time I feel like I get closer to discovering his identity... but it never happens."
"And what does his scream sound like?"
Max swallowed. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I mean, is it a scream of joy? Pain? Or horror?"
Her hands were shaking again, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. "His scream sounds like..." she took a deep breath once more, trying her best to calm herself. "He sounds like he's dying."
