Teratognosea

By Anthony J. Lacaria

James is being questioned about the disappearance of Allison Bathery. The body of Allison has yet to be found, so there is reason to believe she might be alive. The only person James will talk with is the young psychologist Dr. Kind. As James tells the story of what happened during the weekend of Allison's disappearance, Dr. Kind discovers who James really is...and what has happened to Allison.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anthony J. Lacaria
• Release date: Jan 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310243226

Anthony J. Lacaria

Author from North Central West Virginia. Inspirations are F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Chuck Palahniuk, J.D. Salinger, Stephen King, and Clive Barker."There should be no rules - no restrictions when you write. There should only be a story to tell..." - Anthony J. Lacaria

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ter·a·to·je·nik \adjective \ -- of, relating to, or causing of severe developmental malformations ter·a·tog – noz-a \adjective \-- the making of monsters

Teratognosea Published By Anthony J. Lacaria Distributed by Smashwords Copyright 2015 Anthony Lacaria Books This is a work of fiction. All names, likenesses, and incidents are completely incidental. Teratognosea/Fiction/Mystery/Suspense License by Anthony Lacaria Books This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you wish to share this book with another person please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the work of the author.

Contents

Chapter 1 What I Remember

Chapter 2 Stranded

Chapter 3 Everything is Changing

Chapter 4 Eyes are Open

Chapter 5 Fire and Flower

Chapter 6 Full Bloom

Acknowledgements

About Author

Chapter 1: What I remember

I have been working with James since his arrival – we met under unusual circumstances, but our relationship has blossomed over the past few days. Today, though, is not one of the better days. James has not spoken a word to me for hours. Earlier, before his peculiar vow of silence, James would have needed a muzzle if I wanted him to stop talking. Now his voice seems like a distant memory. His mood could be defined as temperamental – even volatile at times. For example, James would start with intimate descriptions of how much she’d meant to him – how Allison was his best friend. Then he would change his sentiments and tell me how she’d destroyed him; or how they’d created so many memories together, and now he would never be able to get those memories back. And even more, how they’d shared something, something that neither of them could possess. James told me this thing they shared a passion for didn’t matter anymore – because it was dead. When I would inquire what – what did he and Allison share a passion for? Could he be specific? Was it a passion for each other? He wouldn’t answer. He’d go silent. Like he is now, with his eyes closed, refusing to speak.

We sit in a dark room. A curtain of blackness engulfs everything around us – a single light flickers between us. The steel chair James sits in is bolted to the floor. He is restrained, his hands and feet cuffed – not only for my protection, but for his own. The reason for his condition, for his memory loss, is uncertain – things happened that are difficult to understand – and hard for James to explain. There are various causes for memory loss; sleep deprivation, head trauma, substance abuse, even malnutrition can trigger memory-loss. With this particular case I believe the individual is suffering from what appears to be anterograde amnesia, meaning he is unable to create new memories after a traumatic event. His memory of the altercation, the traumatic event, and the weekend alone with Allison he maintains he is aware of – yet he refuses to elaborate on any facts at this moment. But he is talking now, and he wants to tell me their entire story, to paint me a clear and objective portrait of Allison and himself, of what happened that weekend.

Three months earlier James purchased his first home; a one story ranch-style house resting on an enormous four-hundred acre lot. He had made plans weeks earlier to invite a few friends over after he’d moved in. It was going to be a kind of celebration. With his recent endeavor into home ownership a weekend of food, drink, and good friends seemed appropriate – a proper celebration. James had another two weeks until he would reach the age of thirty, and he felt it was quite an achievement owning a home at his age. Out of the six guests he’d invited, he could only remember one showing. But there could have been more – one other should have been there, I know they wanted to come. I remember their face, but their face has no name. The one invitee that did make it to the house, Allison Bathery, was the only person James had really wanted to come, and having the entire weekend alone with Allison was, by his standards, ideal. I was not attracted to her, Doctor, but be certain that I had my own intentions why I wanted her to come. I asked James what his intentions were with Allison – did he want to sleep with her? James would not comment, but I presume his intentions certainly have something to do with Allison’s disappearance.

When Allison arrived, her SUV pulling into the driveway, James was already waiting at the door. He described Allison as happy; she was smiling with her hands full of house-warming gifts – body warming, golden elixirs. She asked James to grab a few more items out of the vehicle. Her smile was familiar, but there was clearly something different. It did not take James long to notice it was Allison’s hair. Usually a light brown, it was now dyed charcoal black. She told James that she changed it because a woman always changes her hair color and style if they are going through a life change. The life change was she discovered that her husband Eric, after three years of marriage, had been cheating on her. And worse, with one of Allison’s closest friends. She’d mentioned this to James before coming to his home – but he couldn’t remember exactly when she told him. I tell you doc, Allison was not the kind of girl you do that to unless you are prepared to lose certain things – things no one really wants to lose. Needless to say, Eric was lucky Allison allowed him to keep his balls.

I was going to cut them off – but I really didn’t want to get my hands dirty. I figured he was not worth it — and anyways, blood doesn’t wash off very easily.

No, I hear it takes some time to get the red out – and I don’t think they make eye drops for that, Allison.

Even though Allison dropped the subject after the little exchange, James was certain Eric would be a sore spot that would continually be addressed over the course of the weekend. Allison would be at the house physically with James –