Matt held the door for Jenna and her overly large stuffed bear. He laughed to himself how she was so excited about the bear. He watched Jenna carefully set the bear on the corner of her couch. "There you go Ted."
"Ted?"
She straightened and looked at him. "Ted is the bear's name."
"Isn't that a bit boring? What about Beary Potter or something?"
Jenna flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "His name is Ted."
Matt held his hands in surrender, "Okay, Ted it is." The doorbell rang and Matt went to answer it, choosing to ignore the fact that it made Jenna jump. A tall delivery woman held a box of pizza.
"Delivery for Jenna Gilmore? It'll be eight dollars."
Matt fished a ten out of his pocket. "Keep the change."
The woman smiled and took the money in trade for the pizza. "Have a nice evening."
"You too." Matt closed the door and brought the pizza to the kitchen where Jenna was. "Pizza's here. Want to eat in the living room?"
"Sure. Want anything to drink?"
"Water is fine." Matt went to the living room and put the pizza on the table. He needed a way to start this conversation. Jump right in or slowly go into it? It was getting dark outside already and he couldn't be here all night.
He took his place on a chair across from the couch and Jenna came in and sat on the couch. They ate their pizza in a comfortable silence, but when Jenna finished her second piece she put her plate on the table and looked at him. "I'm ready."
Matt had just finished his pizza, so he grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands on it. "Okay. You said you are scared of the dark, being alone at night, screams, nightmares, and loud noises, correct?"
Jenna nodded. "Yeah."
"Why don't you tell me what makes them scary?"
He watched her take a deep breath. "Not knowing what is going on around me in the dark and not being able to see my surroundings is scary. Not knowing if someone is there. When I'm alone it's worse because any noise or sudden thing makes me worry that someone is there. My nightmares bring me right back into the memories and I hate the memories. Loud noises are unexpected and make me jump. Just like..."
Matt wanted to go over to the couch, wrap her in his arms and cradle her. He gripped the edge of the chair to keep him from doing it. "Just like what?"
"When the gunshots or screams came unexpectedly." She whispered.
Matt hadn't heard this part of the story. He also realized she had skipped telling him why screams scared her. "What do you mean screams and gunshots?"
"When Blake and I were in the room where we were held captive, every hour there were these screams that would play for five minutes. Earsplitting screams, loud, womanlike. Then, randomly there would be loud gunshots that scared me half to death."
"That's why you don't like screams or loud noises."
She gave a small nod.
"Does being alone in this house scare you?"
"No, because Snickers is here and I am familiar with the place.
Matt juggled his next question. "In the room, when you were held captive, did any man...hurt you?"
"Blake stepped on my toes once but that was all. We never left the room."
"And no one came in?"
"The governor did."
"Did he ever hurt you?"
She stopped. "There were..."
Matt's breath hitched. If someone laid one finger on her, he was going to personally see to it that they would rot in jail for the rest of their life.
"There were threats."
"But he never hurt you."
"No."
He let out a whoosh of air. "What goes on inside you when you are faced with one of those fears?"
"My body starts to shut down. I can't move, can barely breathe, sometimes can't even talk. Fear paralyzes me." Jenna wrapped her arms around her midsection.
"So what would happen if the lights would accidentally turn off and you were alone here?"
"I never turn all the lights off."
"Has it ever happened, where the lights all go off?" He asked.
"No." She answered.
"Do you think that maybe trying to face those fears and conquer them would help you become braver?"
"Maybe. Getting used to random noises and sounds without the memories coming back could be difficult."
"What about getting over your fear of the dark?"
He watched Jenna think. "What would I do to get over the fear?"
"Turn off the lights and try to function."
Her eyes widened. "I can't do that!"
"I would be right here. I would turn off the lights and all you would have to do would be to walk to me."
"But what if I step on something? Or you move? Or I fall?"
Matt understood now. It was a fear of the unknown in the dark more than anything. "I won't move."
"How do I know that?" Jenna snapped.
"You have my word."
She took a long pause. "Okay."
Matt stood and helped her up. He led her to the kitchen and placed her against the counter. He took three steps backwards. "I'm going to turn off the lights. Tell me when you're ready."
Matt watched as she closed her eyes then opened them back up slowly. "Ready."
He flipped off the lights. Darkness covered the room like a blanket. Instantly he could hear Jenna's breath catch and felt her stillness. He held out his arms. "Okay Jenna. Both my arms are extended. Four or five steps to me. Straight ahead. You can do this. I believe in you."
Jenna's breathing was ragged. "I-I..."
"You've got this. Picture the room like it was before it was dark."
"Matt? Where are you?" Her voice was small.
"I'm right here-"
"Matt!"
He flipped on the lights instantly and caught her as she started to faint. It was almost as if she didn't register anything in her fear. Her hands were in a vice-like grip around his biceps. She dropped her head onto his chest.
"I'm such a wuss."
"Are not."
"I bet you don't do what I do when you're scared." She opposed.
"Everyone has a different reaction. Maybe try thinking of the room as it is when it's light."
She nodded at his advice. Matt believed she could face her fears. "Think of the zipline."
"Okay. I got this."
"You've got this."
Jenna stepped back against the counter and Matt resumed his position a few steps away from her.
"I'm ready."
God help her to overcome her fear. "Alright, lights going off in three, two, one." Matt switched the lights off.
It was amazing how fast she switched from calm to freaking out. "Dark." He heard her whisper.
"Come on Jenna. Only a few steps. Put your arms in front of you like I am doing." As his eyes adjusted to the dark he saw her arms slowly go out in front of her. Okay, that's a step forward. She's listening to me, God.
"M-Matt?"
"Right here." He said as softly as he could.
"Okay..."
Miraculously, he heard her take a couple steps forward. Then her hands touched his chest. She curled her fingers around his shirt and stepped close to him. He wrapped his arms around her. "You did it."
"I did it." She said breathlessly.
"I knew you could."
Before Jenna could say anything in response, an ear splitting scream pierced through the night air.