Cruel Will Page #3

Yeah. It's very rare I have a

client schedule an appointment

and show up within the hour.

Very lucky, indeed.

I'm Frances.

I'm here to help provide some perspective

on what you're going through.

Yeah. Um...

I real... I really

appreciate it.

Well, let's get comfortable.

Have a seat right there.

Um...

I probably should've

asked you this on the phone,

but, um...

have you had many, uh,

special clients?

Special?

You know,

Crazy, disturbed.

Well, I'm sure you understand I

can't go into all that,

but do you feel you're

either of those things?

Recently.

Yeah.

Yeah, I have.

Well, if you feel that way,

odds are you're not.

Have a seat, Paul.

Sure.

Tell me what's going on.

I don't want to jump

to conclusions,

but you seem a little on edge,

if I can say so.

My wife's father died

a few days ago.

I see.

I'm sorry.

My condolences.

Well, uh,

My wife...

Lily's her name...

She's been

understandably depressed

the last few days, and, uh,

I am really not

used to seeing her like this.

I've known her

since we were kids.

Long time.

Yeah.

Paul,

What's really going on with you?

You mentioned

your father-in-law.

Were you especially

close to him?

Not so much.

Are you ambivalent

about his death?

I can talk to you about anything in

the strictest confidence, right?

Of course.

Lily had Adrian cremated,

and she took

responsibility of the urn.

Adrian...

that's the father that passed away?

That's right.

On our way back

from the funeral,

The urn had the lid

on top of it,

and some time passed,

and somehow

the lid went missing.

"Missing"?

Where did it go to?

I do not know.

Let's continue.

What exactly happened?

Well,

apparently,

there's someone in my

house that only...

that only... I can hear

and see.

Who is it?

Do you recognize the person?

Adrian.

Ah.

He got inside Lily,

At least for a while.

It did this to me.

He keeps repeating something.

What is that?

I don't know.

I wasn't trying to listen.

So Adrian, this is someone

you've known for

quite a while, I take it.

Yeah, since I was around 15.

Do you have parents, Paul?

No, I grew up in a few homes.

Ward of the court?

Yeah.

Did you ever see Adrian as a

father at one time or another?

What does this have

to do with anything?

It's important that I know these

things, Paul,

so I can help you

explain these episodes.

I just got done telling you that I'm getting

pushed around by this ghost, all right?

So give me a damn prescription

so I can get over this!

I can't do that, Paul,

because I know you can get over

this if you allow yourself.

There's nothing I've seen

that warrants a prescription.

You don't believe me.

Big surprise.

It's not a matter

of whether or not I believe you.

It's a matter of you

getting control of yourself.

Paul, if this is

your last visit,

a word of advice:

You're just fine.

This phantom can't hurt you.

You need to ask yourself why

this manifestation

is happening to you

right now, in this manner.

And then you have to

listen to your answer.

Trust yourself, Paul.

Your invoice is waiting

for you outside.

I'm gonna stay.

What? No.

No, don't be silly.

I just don't feel right

about leaving you like this.

Auntie, I'm fine.

Really.

I like my nails.

Well, make sure

you mention my name

if you ever decide to go back there.

Yeah.

See you later, Auntie.

Okay.

Okay. Oh.

One more thing.

Um, what are you gonna do about my brother,

Lilian?

I mean,

I could take him off your hands...

No. No, I'll

take care of him.

Um,

I'll handle it tomorrow

after I smooth things

over with my professor.

From what you told me,

you don't need to

do any smoothing.

Okay, okay.

Okay.

Take care of my brother, Lilian.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Okay?

I love you.

Okay.

Call me.

Yeah.

Aah! Damn it!

Ah, but I'd do them again.

And again.

Because you knew...

you knew that I loved you.

And that was my way

of showing you that.

You needed to learn things.

I only wish

I would've taught Paul

some of those things

when I had the opportunity.

For taking you away from me.

You know, your grandfather

told me this story once,

and I feel like

telling it to you.

Okay, here it goes.

One day, this boy

was walking along the street,

just minding his own business,

and then

he was stopped by this...

this thing.

And before the boy

could do anything,

he said, "You and I

"aren't so different,

"are we?

We're not

so different, Paul."

Lily!

What's going on?

Uh...

Nothing. It's just

that I thought...

What's wrong?

Where are you going?

Sweetie,

I love you,

and I'm here

to take care of you,

but I need you to

take care of me too.

What's going on in there, huh?

Paul, you're scaring me!

What's going on in where?

Oh, my god, Paul!

I almost thought

you weren't gonna show.

Yeah, sorry. I, uh...

I had to take care

of some stuff at home first.

It's cool.

Are your mom and dad...

okay with me being here?

That was them sleeping

in there, right?

Yeah, that was him.

My mom disappeared

about a week ago.

My dad's been more or less

occupied with that.

She disappeared?

She ran off.

With some secret guy

she was seeing.

It's kind of my fault

my dad found out.

What did he do...

You ask a lot of questions.

You haven't even said anything

about my new bathing suit, Paul.

Was I supposed to?

Silly, silly...

Let's get you kids dried off.

Come on.

Inside the house.

Oh, one more lap, daddy.

Now!

You,

Whoever you are,

I think you'd

better go home now.

Hey, daddy, we were just...

Lilian, come with me.

What are you...

I told you to go home.

What are you doing?

Hush.

What's wrong with you?

I said, hush.

You have humiliated me.

Here, put this on.

You know why?

Because we are gonna throw that away.

But it's my new bathing...

Quiet!

What's wrong with you?

Put this on. You know why?

We're gonna burn that.

It's my new bathing suit!

Quiet!

I'm gonna ask you this

one more time.

What were you doing

with that boy?

Like I said, nothing!

Don't you lie to me.

What, do you think

I can't see you?

Acting the whore

your mother was?

I will not stand

for you whoring around!

I thought you were a good girl.

Leave her alone!

Get away from her! Lily!

Want to get a good look at her?

Go ahead, look at her!

Lily! Lily, come on.

We have to go.

No! No!

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

Open the door!

Open it up!

Lily!

Lily!

Open the door!

Lily!

Open up!

We've been looking for you, Paul.

You're a ward of the state now.

Things are done

a certain way around here.

It's time for you to learn

how to be a good little boy.

No, you...

Shut up!

Last night he blew up

at me for no reason.

He's been impossible.

Well, what happened, dear?

I'm taking a nap,

and I awake to Paul

ripping the covers off of me.

No.

Yes. He comes in

acting like a crazy person.

And what's worse, he lies

and says it's grief over dad,

and then he slaps my hand away.

He acts as if I'm gonna

hurt him or something.

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