Page 72 of Killing Me Softly

A pause. Then, “Your bed.”

Kenny’s heart gave a dull, painful ache, but he kept his voice steady. “Okay. Hold on to that feeling for a moment.”

Aaron’s breathing deepened. The tension in his body slackened. Kenny let the silence stretch. No rushing. No pulling him further yet.

Then, when he felt Aaron settle, he said, “Describe it to me.”

“It’s warm.” Aaron’s lips curved into a soft smile and he sank into the cushions as if it was Kenny’s sheets. “Soft. Feels like… I belong there.”

Kenny swallowed past the lump in his throat. Not now.

“Stay in that warmth,” he said. “Hold on to it. Feel it around you.” Another pause, another deepening of breath. “Now, from there, I want you to go back. To your childhood home. Don’tforce it. Just let it come to you. Wherever your mind takes you first.”

Aaron tensed, flexed his hand in Kenny’s.

“It’s dark,” he whispered. “It’s always dark.”

“That’s okay. You’re just observing. Nothing can hurt you. Just tell me what you see.”

“Curtains drawn. Smells like… damp wood. Old stuff. Mothballs. Cigarettes. Stale lavender.”

“You’re there, but you’re safe,” Kenny reassured him, his grip firm but gentle. “Focus on where you feel safe in the house. Is there a place?”

Aaron’s body jerked, but he exhaled. “Yeah. My den.”

“Good. Can you go there now? And tell me what it looks like?”

“It’s a cupboard. A closet. Coats and shoes are in there. There’s a duvet on the floor, a pillow. And my teddy. He kept me safe.”

Kenny exhaled, rubbing his thumb over the back of Aaron’s hand.Ease him in. Don’t rush.

“Safe from what?”

Aaron shifted. “The noises.”

“What kind of noises?”

Aaron’s fingers twitched in his palm. “The ones I hear when I wake up too early.”

Kenny swallowed. His grip remained steady. “What do they sound like?”

“Loud. Bangs. Crying.” A beat. Then a whisper. “Screams.”

Kenny closed his eyes, his pulse thrumming in his ears.Don’t react. Don’t let him feel it.

“You’re doing so well, Aaron. Just observing. Nothing more. Can you let your mind drift? Let it move toward a time when you heard those sounds?”

Aaron’s breath caught. His jaw clenched. Fingers curled into Kenny’s.

Then, softly, “Yeah.”

Kenny let the silence stretch, didn’t push him further.

“You’re just an observer,” he reminded gently. “Nothing can touch you. You’re safe.”

Aaron’s chest rose in an uneven breath. “I… I woke up.”

Kenny stayed still, waiting.

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