Distant Memories

The door slams shut, as Justin lay on the floor, motionless. His body’s sick of the treatment, it’s been getting. Bumps and bruises are all over him. Justin coughs, crying out in pain. His cries seem useless, as he tries to focus, on anything positive.
There’s nothing positive about the ghettos. It’s a nightmare day and night. Glass is shattered everywhere, and the place reeks of alcohol.
Broken glass is inches away from Justin’s body. He slowly gets into a sitting position, placing his arms tightly around his knees, too afraid to move. His body trembles, in fear.
Everything hurt, and he didn’t want to be touched. Touching causes more pain, and worry. Justin wishes he is in his mom’s loving arms. He didn’t understand why somebody would treat him like this, and where’d she go?
Justin’s heart sinks into his chest. “Ashley’s always stayed with me. Where’d the take her?” His shirt and pants become soaked with tears. He begins to fall backward, landing on the wood floor. He rubs his head, watching the room spin. He turns to his side, moaning, as blood comes from his mouth.

Justin wakes to a white room, staring at unfamiliar faces. His body aches, from the injuries. His eyes can barely stay open, due to the swelling. His sight is blurry. Justin doesn’t know where he is, or how he got there.
Dr. Troy examines Justin. She gently pulls off Justin’s shirt, and pants. “I won’t hurt you. I promise, Justin. I’m going to give you some medicine, to make you feel better. It’ll make you less afraid.” She’s very gentle, and loving with him. “You tell me if it hurts, and I’ll stop.”
Justin nods his head. He doesn’t like the touching, because those evil men touched him. He begins to feel sleepy, and cries out of fear.
Dr. Troy rubs his hand soothingly. “It will be okay, Justin. This medicine’s going to make you tired.” She explains everything to him, and allows him to help with the procedures, if he can.

She finds him a good physiologist. Dr. Benit with oversee his care.
Dr. Benit sits next to Justin’s hospital bed, pulling out a harmonica. “I want you to have this Justin. Whenever you’re frightened, I’d like you to blow on it.” He pulls out a sheet of paper, and crayons. “I’m going to play some music. I’d like for you to draw me some pictures, but you don’t have too.”
Justin doodles on the paper, in a blue crayon. He can’t tell his thoughts on the drawings. Getting them out is too difficult.
Justin mouths, “Ashley.”
Dr. Benit asks, “Who’s Ashley.”
Justin stares at him blankly, and then points to a female walking down the hall.
“Do you like Ashley, Justin?”
Justin nods his head.
Ashley is who Justin really needed. He couldn’t understand why she left him there. It isn’t like her. The answers would soon come, and maybe he’d be able to have normalcy.
Dr. Benit is concerned as Justin regresses. He is in search of connecting with Justin, in a safe manor, without physically laying a finger on him. He uses soft music with Justin, which relaxes Justin, into a sleepy state. While Justin’s sleepy, the doctor has him imagine he’s some place safe, from harm.

Somebody has to be with Justin all the time, as he goes through this. His mom is there for him. She sings to him, hoping he’ll sing back.
A few words come out, in a hush voice.
His mom smiles, “You’ll get all of the song soon. Dr. Benit is going to play the soft song, Justin. She’s able to hold him, during the treatment, reassuring him everything is going to be alright.
It seems like magic how he changes. He’s singing more and more. He’s saying more words, at a louder tone. He has his good and bad days.

Ashley enters the hospital room, frowning. “I’m sorry Justin. I didn’t want to leave you, all this time. I brought you to the hospital, but I couldn’t stay, or they’d find out. I need to be some place safe, and warm, once I knew you were in good hands.”

Justin’s tightly in her arms, remembering those now distant memories. Those horrific nights no longer mattered. They found each other again. He didn’t feel alone, because she understood what he went through. He feels safe having her touch his body, because Ashley won’t abuse him, like the men did.