Page 65 of Stay Away from Him

Amelia:You asked. I’m just telling you what my research surfaced.

Thomas:But you went out of your way to saydoctors.

Amelia:I didn’t go out of my way. I could’ve saidpsychiatriststoo. You’ve heard of Hannibal Lecter?

Thomas:He’s not real.

Amelia:No, but the trope exists for a reason. The powerful, respected psychopath, hidden by the veil of respectability afforded by his profession.

Thomas:Hmm. And the respected pediatrician who killed his wife, right?

[pause]

Amelia:Why would you say that?

Thomas:It’s what you were thinking.

Amelia:It wasn’t.

Thomas:You think I don’t know what you’re doing?

[pause]

Amelia:Thomas. You’re scaring me.

Thomas:Scaring you? I’m sorry, I guess I’m just feeling a little defensive to hear my best friend in the whole world call me a psychopath.

Amelia:You’re projecting. I’m only answering your questions. You’re the one who sets the agenda in this room. I go where you lead. Maybe the question you should be asking yourself is, why did you want to talk about this in the first place? Just idle curiosity? Or is it because you’re afraid you might—

[loud crash]

Amelia:[screams]

Thomas:I don’t need to be asking myself a fucking thing.

Amelia:Go back to your chair, Thomas. Get your hand off my neck and go back to your—

[croaking sound]

Thomas:No, you listen tomenow. You think I’m such a goddamn psychopath? A remorseless manipulator, prone to violence? Well, then you need to ask yourself something. You need to ask yourself why it is that you feel so free to speak disrespectfully to someone you should be afraid of. You need to start asking yourself how you’re going to get out of this alive. How you’re going to avoid being next. You got that?

[gasping, heavy breaths]

[footsteps]

Thomas:This session is over.

[door opens, closes]

[pause]

[sobbing]

Amelia:I can’t do this.

Rose

It’s time for me to be honest about exactly what’s been going on. I’ve been holding back, not telling the whole truth—even here, in this journal, where it’s supposed to be safe.

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