Journalstone's 2010 Warped Words for Twisted Minds by Compiled by Christopher C. Payne Read Free Book Online

if you are always avoiding the dark. Don’t you want to lie under the stars or watch a movie in the theatre?”
    “Yes, but I can’t. I don’t have any choice.”
    “Well, I hope you know that you can talk to me about anything, and hopefully we can come up with some ideas that will help you. Thank you for talking with me today.”
    After years of feeling isolated and hopeless, a slight feeling of relief came over Emily. She finally had someone who believed her.
    Rob and Karen sat at the kitchen table after Emily had gone to sleep. Karen was anxious to hear what the therapist had said. Rob avoided Karen’s gaze and sipped on a glass of bourbon. A lump was in his throat, and no matter how many sips he took of the burning alcohol, he just couldn’t seem to find the words. He was still getting over the shock of what Caroline had told him.
    Finally, Rob managed to muster up his courage.
    “Do you know if anyone in your family has a history of schizophrenia?”
    Both color and expression instantly drained from Karen’s face, giving her the appearance of a corpse. Her mouth hung open slightly, and she stared blankly at her husband.
    “Sweetheart?” Rob asked, his eyebrows knitting together with concern. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you.”
    He sighed, exasperated, and ran a hand through his hair. “Caroline said she’ll need several more sessions with Emily before she’s sure and a write up of our families’ medical history.”
    “My grandfather was schizophrenic,” Karen whispered.
    “How do you know for sure? He passed away when you were a child.”
    “I actually heard my parents talking about it a few times. I think maybe they worried about my brother and me. Also, my cousin, Lorraine, had problems, but she committed suicide before she was diagnosed with anything.”
    Tears welled up in Karen’s eyes.
    Rob reached across the table and held her hand.
    “Hey, we’ll get through this. Caroline said that there are medications that Emily can take, and she should be able to lead a normal life.”
    “I don’t want my 10 year old daughter to be on medication,” Karen said firmly. “Do we have another option?”
    “I don’t know. We’re not even sure if she has schizophrenia. Let’s give it a few more sessions with Caroline, and then we can see what our options are.”
    Karen nodded, numb from the feeling of being so powerless.
    Several weeks of hour-long sessions with Caroline Greenfield led to little improvement in Emily’s behavior. She still slept with the light on and a lit candle, as well. She refused to talk to her parents about what she said to Caroline during their sessions. When asked, she simply retorted, “I’ve already told you everything, and you didn’t believe me.”
    However, Karen and Rob knew from Caroline what was being discussed between her and their daughter. It didn’t seem like Emily was making any progress in getting over her phobia, and both parents were dreading that schizophrenia was a viable diagnosis.
    The one thing that had changed, though, was Emily’s mood. A new spark was in her eye. She seemed like someone who had stumbled upon a newfound faith. The dark cloud that had hung above her head for years was now interspersed with rays of sunlight.
    Rob asked Caroline about the improvement in Emily’s mood.
    “She smiles now. She eats her dinner without complaining. She even had Sherrie sleep over last weekend, and the two of them spent the whole time giggling and laughing. She still left the light on when they went to bed, but she didn’t seem as embarrassed about it as she usually is.”
    “Well,” Caroline said, “I think it may be because Emily thinks that I believe her stories about the soul snatchers. I think she has found an ally in me, and that gives her courage and a sense of empowerment. I don’t doubt that Emily believes these creatures to be real, and that is what concerns me.”
    “So, she’s not starting to come around? Has she said