It was Daddy after all. A version of him he had tried hard to forget.

Dr. Faber stopped at his chair and looked down, smiling.

“Good evening, Mack. How are you feeling?”

Mack said nothing. He was staring at the daddy he didn’t like. His skin was hot; he was surprised to find he was close to despair.

Dr. Faber turned to his companion and Mack did too. He thought he saw a sickness in the man’s eyes. “This is−”

Mack interrupted, feeling proud that he had the courage to assume some degree of control.

“I know my own father when I see him,” he said, averting his gaze.

Dr. Faber shook his head. “No, Mack, this is Dr. Kincaid. He’s come to talk with you. He wants you to tell him everything you can about your illness. We think he might be able to help.”

Mack stared at Dr. Kincaid and saw something in the man’s swirling face that set his hands trembling. He looked again and the force of what he glimpsed made him blanch. He suddenly remembered. The memory of it was so strong, so vivid, he could barely believe he had failed to notice it before. This was what Dark Daddy looked like, he realized, the one Daddy threatened him with when he’d done something bad, the one who would occasionally appropriate his father’s face and turn it into something grotesque, where all the features were buckled slightly, as though the whole face had been rotated to the left.

Do I have to call Dark Daddy? his father would say, showing a glimpse of the thing’s distorted face. I think I can hear him on the stairs…

God, he had been petrified. He remembered lying in bed, thinking he had two daddies, the one who he saw every day of the week, and the one who occupied the cracks in the wall.

This was his face, Mack thought. This is what he looked like exactly. And this time, when he looked at Dr. Kincaid, it was Dark Daddy that stared back, his face fully formed. Come to drag his wayward child back home.

 

 

 

SESSION #F001/624

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday 5th September, 18:00PM

Attending Physicians: Dr. Kincaid, Dr. Faber.

Faber: Good evening, Mack. I’m glad you agreed to join us. You seemed a little uncomfortable earlier in the common room.