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"Yesfloating" she said, her voice thick
"The kite is gliding far above, but you are slowly, slowlyup to join it
She went on like that for a minute, then returned to her own chair and sat down
Jane was slu chair, head tilted to one side, eyes closed, face soft and slack, breathing softly
"You are in a very deep sleep," Carol told her "A very relaxed, very deep, deep sleep Do you understand?"
"Yes," the girl murmured
"You will answer a few questions for me"
"Okay"
"You will remain in your deep sleep, and you will answer my questions until I tell you it’s tiood Now tell irl was silent
"What is your name, honey?"
"Jane"
"Is that your real name?"
"No’’
"What is your real name?"
Jane frowned "Idon’t remember"
"Where did you come from?"
"The hospital"
"Before that""
"Nowhere"
A bead of saliva glistened at the corner of the girl’s
uorously, she licked it away before it could drool down her chin
Carol said, "Honey, do you reo?"
"Yes"
"Well, I’ve taken that watch froh she hadn’tthe hands on it backwards, around and around the dial, always backwards Can you see the handsbackwards on that Mickey Mouse watch?"
"Yes"
"Now so As I turn those hands backwards and backwards, tiins to flow in reverse It isn’t a quarter past eleven any overns the flow of tinine o’clockeight o’clock Look around you Where are you now?"
The girl opened her eyes They were fixed on a distant point She said, "Ummmthe kitchen Yeah The breakfast nook Boy, the bacon’s nice and crisp"
Gradually, Carol h the days she had spent in the hospital, finally regressing to the accident last Thursday irl winced as she relived the moment of impact, and cried out, and Carol soothed her, and then they went back a fewon the sidewalk," Carol said
"You’re dressed only in a blouse and jeans It’s raining Chilly"
The girl closed her eyes again She shivered
"What’s your name?" Carol asked Silence
"What’s your name, honey?"
"I don’t know"
"Where have you just come from?"
"Nowhere"
"You mean you have amnesia?" "Yes"
"Even before the accident?’
"Yes"
Although she was still very concerned about the girl, Carol was relieved to hear that she wasn’t responsible for Jane’s condition For aup and away
Then she said, "Okay You’re about to step into the street Do you just want to cross it, or do you intend to walk in front of a car?’
"Idon’tknow"
"How do you feel? Happy? Depressed? Indifferent?"
"Scared," the girl said in a small, shaky voice
"What are you scared of?" Silence
"What are you scared of?" "It’s co?" "Behind ain She was still staring at a distant point, but now there was stark terror in her eyes
"What’s behind you?" Carol asked again
"Oh God," the girl said miserably
"What is it?"
"No, no" She shook her head Her face was bloodless
Carol leaned forward in her chair "Relax, honey"
You will relax and be calm Close your eyes
Calwarht," Carol said "Staying calm, always relaxed and calirl said nothing
"Honey, what are you scared of? What’s behind you?"
"So"
Patiently, Carol said, "Be specific"
"Idon’t knohat it isbut it’s coo back a bit further" Using the i hands on the Mickey Mouse atch, she regressed the girl another full day into the past "Now look around Where are you?"
"Nowhere"
"What do you see?"
"Nothing"
"You , honey"
"Darkness"
"Are you in a dark room?"
"No"
"Are there walls in the darkness?"
"No"
"Are you outdoors at night?"
"No"
She regressed the girl another day "Nohat do you see?"
"Just the darkness"