The deeper Arica dived into the details of the story, the more the sensitive people in the group recoiled. Grandma Mayfair's face had long gone pale with a quiet horror, imagining how many victims had beco Humphrey's prey and feeling sorry for the poor helpless animals that had fallen prey to him.
Connie leaned forward, captivated by the macabre twists, her curiosity outweighed the unease. "Here cos the interesting part."
Her words earned her judgntal glances from so of the people in the group, this was not exactly a sweet tale.
David clicked his tongue. "Let guess, he graduated from killing animals to humans?"
"Yes, but no one knew that and it did not happen imdiately. On that day, Mrs. Whitlock won the argunt and they took their son ho. After the first eting the Whitlock's never returned to see for a long while and i carried the haunting tale and fear of what Humphrey would do if he ever got the opportunity. I was really surprised when after three months Humphrey Whitlock ca to my office."
"What for after all that ti?" Grandma Mayfair asked.
Shark cracked a finger joint. "Sothing must have happened that triggered him to return, isn't that right?"
Arica nodded continuously. "Indeed, I welcod him and asked how and why he had co by himself with no guardian. The boy only smiled, studied my office and asked for a cup of tea and biscuits.
As a responsible adult i of course reached out to his parents imdiately and inford them about this developnt. They were shocked to hear that he was at the hospital, they sounded hysterical to , especially the mother. She made it abundantly clear that if i spoke to her son without them or a lawyer, i would be sued.
As curious as i was, i knew better than to cross legal boundaries so i backed down, he drunk his tea as we waited for them together. While i could not question him about his ntal well being, i could ask general questions so I repeated my question about why he had co but the boy maintained his silence.
I waited patiently until he was done, you see Humphrey is not soone that you rush into doing anything, he takes his ti pushing you to the edge, building your desire to engage with him in a battle of wits."
She pointed to the roughly put away chess board and piece in an open drawer in the desk that was standing in the corner of the office.
"It's like a ga of chess, he is always trying to prove that he is more strategic, clever and ahead of you. That's how he let's you know that he is the one in charge, he is a small boy that can manipulate and gaslight an adult.
I must admit that he did make interested, the more he acted like that is the more i desired to explore his mind. I was slightly fascinated, i had never t a child like that." She whispered.
Arica sighed and raised her voice. "When he finally spoke, he told that his parents had been fighting a lot and it was because of what I had told them about him.
His father was threatening to divorce the mother if she did not agree to have him committed. My na had apparently co up in many of their argunts.
A creepy smile ford on his lips as he politely blad for causing chaos in his family. Then he asked why I thought that he was crazy and advocating for him to be admitted.
I did not hesitate to tell him that I believed that he had so problems and if he took the right treatnt he could over co it. I asked him how often he had got the urge to harm others. He did not respond but the flicker in his eyes told what i needed to know.
He told i was wrong and I insisted that I was right. I bluntly told him that he was a danger to others and himself and the safest place for him was inside the walls of the institute.
I told him that I understood what he was going through and I could help him. Out of all the doctors that he had been to I was the first to tell him all this. I also didn't display any fear of him and I think this fascinated him and annoyed him at the sa ti.
Unknown to was that Humphrey had marked , he did not like the things I had said, I made him unhappy and uncomfortable." A small regretful smile ford on her lips.
"You saw his hidden personality he had learned to hide, a darkness in him that others couldn't see. I took a course in psychology at the police academy, people that behave like this kid attach themselves to people like you who can see through them because they want to pull them into their world or get rid of them." Shark interjected.
Arica's brows rose and fell. "You are correct because he told that he wanted to treat him, in fact he volunteered to be admitted and go through the full course of treatnt."
"He did?" Phoebe asked "Just like that? How calculative." She added.
Shaking his head, David scoffed. "I agree."
Arica concurred with them all, "the boy had calculated every step like a criminal mastermind, i was just glad that he would be off the streets for a while. When his parents arrived, they were shocked to the core when I told them about Humphrey's decision.
His father was slightly hesitant-more afraid and worried but the mother she was against it completely. Just like the last ti in my office, she said the sa things. She was worried about his future and all that.
Mr. Whitlock surprised by suddenly taking his wife's side and it made curious because he had been all about admitting his son for treatnt just three months back. Sothing had changed in those three months but I could not put my finger on it at the ti.
I also couldn't insist on making Humphrey a resident of Sanderson if the parents were against it. Aside from a court order I could do nothing even if Humphrey wanted to be admitted, at the end of the day they were his guardians and I needed their consent.
Their son however was determined to have his way and he stood his ground, unfazed by his parent's opinion. Unlike in the past eting where I could see worry etched on their faces, this ti that worry had transitioned to fear.
Mrs. Whitlock flinched each ti Humphrey spoke, and Mr. Whitlock avoided his son's gaze altogether. When he moved close to them, Mrs' Whitlock trembled so much that i was worried i would hear her bones rattle.
It was more than fear, she was horrified and it made worry even more. They were both hiding sothing and I was determined to get to the root of it.
That's why when Mr. Whitlock suggested that I treat Humphrey from ho, I agreed before they could change their minds." Arica inhaled, looked at the ceiling and exhaled loudly then turned to the listeners whose full attention she held.
She was like a movie star and they, her die hard fans that were holding onto each and every of her words.
Reviews
All reviews (0)