Page 77 of Truth

For the first hour, I sat staring at the blank page in front of me. Not one thing had come to my mind that I could write down.

At eleven, he came downstairs. He walked into the kitchen, got two glasses out of the cabinet, and filled them both with water. Without saying a word, he strolled over to where I was sitting, set one of the glasses down in front of me, and then went back upstairs. I didn’t know what to make of it. Why hadn’t he said anything?

I took a drink of my water and then picked up my pen. One thing. I had to be able to come up with one thing. What did I like about myself?

As soon as I opened my mind, the flood of negative began to fill my head.

“You stupid cunt. This is all you’re good for, isn’t it?”

No. No!

I shook my head furiously, trying to block the voice from my head.

“What happened?” Stephan’s voice beside me made me jump.

When I realized he was really there, I threw my arms around his neck.

“Shh. Tell me what’s wrong?”

“I heard them again.”

He didn’t answer right away. “The voices?”

I nodded.

Stephan sighed. He glanced down at my empty page. “You haven’t written anything.”

“I know. I was trying. Honestly I was.”

“Brianna, I want you to look at me.” He waited until I was looking. “Tell me one thing you like about yourself.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Right now. Tell me something.”

“Um.” He brushed a loose piece of hair out of my face, and I remembered how my mom used to tell me how pretty my hair was. It wasn’t something I thought about, but... “My hair?”

“What about your hair?”

“I... like it?”

“What do you like about it?”

I scrunched up my nose and thought about it. “I like... I like how it’s wavy. And... and I like the color.”

He smiled. “Good girl. See? You can do this.”

I wasn’t so sure, but I nodded.

“I’ll be upstairs,” he announced, leaving me to my writing.

I picked my pen back up.

1. I like my wavy hair.

The next few came easier.

2. I’m a good cook.

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