Straightjacket Read Online Free

meeting. First I’d like to introduce a new member to the group. Everyone, this is Anna. Let’s welcome her.”
    Every face in the room shot toward her, and she slouched deeper in her chair. This wasn’t what she had had in mind.
    “Hello, Anna,” the group said glumly, in unison.
    Her lips stayed glued together as she tried to smile, only the corners of her mouth rising slightly. Her cheeks burned.
    “Thank you, everyone,” the doctor said. “Today I want to get us started with an exercise.” He paused, surveyed all the faces, and crossed his legs, resting his hand on his ankle. “Please tell the group something that you know is true. Let’s begin with George.”
    Everyone set their sights on the thin, older man dressed in striped silk pajamas and slippers. His lips moved silently as he returned everyone’s gaze, from one face to the next. What was he muttering? His voice was too soft.
    “George, tell us something that you know is true.”
    He mumbled for thirty seconds more while the doctor waited patiently.
    “I know there isn’t an even number of people in here,” George said in a quick panic. “That’s not right.” His face was wild. He started muttering again, but this time he was counting. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,” he said over and over again in a whisper. He slapped his hands rapidly on the tops of his thighs four times. He paused and did it again. And again. Anna couldn’t watch. It was too much. The sickness in her stomach spread.
    Dr. Blackwell leaned forward and placed his hand carefully on George’s knee. “It’s all right.” He spoke slowly and deliberately, watching George’s face. “You’re right. There are seven people in the room and that’s not an even number. But nothing bad is going to happen because of it, even if you stop slapping yourself.”
    George stared at the doctor but kept slapping his thighs.
    “Please try to stop. Nothing bad will happen if you stop.”
    It was clear George was terrified, but even so, his slapping slowed and then stopped. He folded his hands on his lap, one hand tightly gripping the other. There were beads of sweat on his forehead.
    “Excellent, George,” Dr. Blackwell said with a smile. “Excellent progress.” He took his hand off of George’s knee and settled back into his chair, satisfied.
    Anna surveyed the others’ faces, trying to see if even in their deranged states they were as affected by George as she was. When she got to Caleb, he was staring at her. She quickly looked away and then after a few moments looked back. He hadn’t stopped staring. His gaze was so intense that she felt like she was naked and hadn’t noticed it until now. She cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ears. While he was making her feel uncomfortable, part of her didn’t want him to stop.
    “Let’s turn to Gertrude,” Dr. Blackwell announced. “What do you know is true?”
    Gertrude sat erect with her ankles crossed. She wore a turquoise skirt and matching suit jacket, nude panty hose, and half-inch heels. A turquoise purse sat on her lap, both of her hands grasping the straps together. Her only piece of jewelry was a gold wedding band. She looked like she was about to go out to lunch with the ladies.
    Gertrude thought for a few moments. “I know that it isn’t raining today.”
    “Yes. That is certainly true.”
    Gertrude’s lips formed a slight smile. She straightened her back even more and leaned forward. “Yes, it isn’t raining today, and that means my unicorn can finally make the trip to come and see me,” she said with confidence.
    George let out a high-pitched, nervous cackle, but everyone else was quiet.
    “George, this is a safe place,” Dr. Blackwell cut in. “We need to respond to one another with support. What would have been a better way to respond to Gertrude?”
    George cut off his laughter and stared at Dr. Blackwell blankly.
    “Uh…uh…I don’t…”
    “It’s okay, George. Let’s just