“Mrs. Turner, Dr. Karolin and Dr. Wilbur felt that perhaps if you came to the hospital, you wouldn’t have to go to sleep. That you’d be able to learn how to deal with problems and frightening experiences, and that you’d be able to deal with them.”

“You mean you guys c’n do that?” sobbed Billy.

“We certainly would like to try to help you do that. Would you like us to try?”

Billy’s voice rose to a cry again: “You mean, you’ll get these people outta me?”

Dr. George settled back. He had to be careful not to promise too much. “We’d like to help you so that you don’t have to go to sleep. So that these sides of you can help make you a strong and healthy person.”

“I won’t hear ’em anymore? And they won’t be able to put me to sleep?”

Dr. George chose his words carefully: “If you become strong enough, there won’t be any need to put you to sleep.”

“I didn’t think nobody’d ever be able to help. I—I didn’t know … Anytime I turned around, I’d wake up … I was locked in a room—back in the box…’ He choked up, eyes flicking back and forth in terror.

“That would be very frightening,” Dr. George said, trying to reassure him. “Terribly frightening.”

“I always got put in a box,” Billy said, his voice rising. “Does he know I’m here?”

“Who?”

“My dad.”

“I’ve had no contact with him. I don’t know if he knows you’re here.”

“I—I’m not supposed to tell things. If he knew you was talking to me, he’d … oh! … he’d kill me … and bury me in the bam …”

The painful expression on Billy’s face was terrible to see as he cringed and then looked down. The line had snapped. Dr. George knew he’d lost him.

Allen’s voice came out softly. “Billy’s asleep. Arthur didn’t even put him to sleep. He just went to sleep because he started remembering again.”

“Talking about those things was just too difficult, is that right?”

“What was you talking about?”

“About Chalmer.”

“Oh, well, that would—” He glanced up at the video recorder. “What’s this film machine on for?”

“I told Billy that I would like to video-record. I explained to him about it. He said it was okay. What made you come here now?”

“Arthur told me to get on the spot. I guess you were scaring Billy with that remembering. He kinda felt trapped in here.” Dr. George started to explain what he and Billy had talked about, and then he got an idea. “Tell me, would it be possible for me to talk with you and Arthur both here? All three of us talking together about what just happened?”

“Well, I can ask Arthur.”

“I want to ask you and also get Arthurs opinion about

whether perhaps Billy is stronger now, not suicidal, and could maybe deal with more things—”

“Hes not suicidal.”

The voice came out in a soft, clear, upper-class British accent, and Dr. George knew Arthur had decided to come out and speak for himself. He had not seen Arthur since the examination with Dr. Wilbur and others that Sunday morning at the jail. Trying to remain composed and show no surprise, he continued the conversation: “But does he still have to be handled with kid gloves? Is he still vulnerable?”