by Kate Sten
His chair had been readied for him. He sank into his chair and pushed a false smile on his face. ‘Lets skip the part where we have the long gaps of silence. I think we are past the theatrics now. We are here to debunk the notion that you have some alias or alter ego pushing your buttons and controlling your life choices like the goddamn wizard of oz. That is bullshit.’
‘Is it? You think I want to be here, locked away from the people I love?’ John raised his voice from behind the intimidating long mane of hair that hung over his face.
‘Yes I do. Most people that claim to have split personality disorder are often attention seeking posers just like yourself. So please tell me why I should give your rants any credence?’ Barry leaned forward, looking John straight in the eye.
‘You saw what happened the last time you were here? I blanked out! I lost time!’ John screamed on top of his voice.
Barry sucked his teeth and reclined back into his chair, placing the notepad on his lap in his usual carefree style.
‘I did notice a distortion in the pitch of your voice and a drastic switch in your mood. We will need more sessions to determine whether you are that kind of crazy - the kind you are alluding to.’ Barry scratched some words unto the paper on his lap.
‘Sure. Whatever you have to do to get me somewhat sane.’ John smiled, relief etched on his face.
‘You shot Henry Winters. The police statement says that. The evidence says that. But you have failed to acknowledge pulling that trigger. We know he was Redford, the sadistic reprobate woman killer. I'd hate to think how that must have felt having a guy like that as your step dad - However brief that ordeal lasted. There is a possibility that he might have influenced you more than you know. I mean, who methodically picks out dark-haired women and guts them like a tuna after choking them out on camera. They found those poor souls, shrived and barely decaying, buried beneath a couple of inches of clay, cocooned within the statues which the sicko kept hidden in his garden shed. You said in your statement that acts of violence are completely against your nature. We need to dig deeper to ascertain what that nature is.’ Barry's face tightened and his gaze squarely rested on John's lips, anticipating a response from him.
