Page 100 of Bloom: Part 2

His words blurred, slipping into the edges of my mind like smoke. Images surfaced, disjointed and unclear. “I don’t know.”

“Can you describe it for me? What do you see?”

“It’s dark. And cold. I’m scared. Please, I don’t like it here.”

“You’re not alone. I’m right here with you. What can you smell?”

“Shit. Urine. It smells really horrible.”

“What can you hear?”

“Nothing. It’s silent and so dark.”

“Are you sure it’s silent? Listen again.”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. Take a deep breath.”

“But it smells so horribly.”

“You’re not alone, are you? Someone else is in that room with you perhaps. Is it a man or woman?”

“I don’t know. A man?”

“What is he doing?”

“I can’t see.”

“But you can feel, can’t you? Is he touching you?”

Images flashed faster and brighter, a sensation of coarse hands on my skin. I shook my head, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. “Please don’t.”

“What is he doing?”

“Touching me.”

“Where?”

I shook my head, afraid to say. My throat constricted, a scream trapped inside as more salty tears flooded my cheeks. A sob ripped from me, and I clawed at the body hovering over me.

“Oh my god, it hurts.”

“What does?”

“What he’s doing to me. Please, please make it stop! Make it stop!”

“Bloom, you’re safe here. Please try to remember… this memory is fixed in time. It cannot harm you anymore,” Dr. Simms said softly.

Sobs rattled through me, and I curled tighter into myself. The pain was real, as if it was happening all over again.

“He won’t stop!” I screamed, scratching at my skin. Somewhere in the distance, someone shouted. That voice. I knew that voice.

“Logan? Logan, please help me. Don’t let him hurt me anymore.”

“Bloom, you’re safe,” Dr. Simms’s voice echoed in my head. “Logan’s right here with you. I want you to open your eyes at the sound of a click.”

A distinct clicking pierced my consciousness. A shudder ran through me, and I collapsed against the person holding me up.

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