Katie Smith

A Familiar Turning

Sarah knocked on Katie's office door. "Come in," called Katie, "take a seat".

Sarah sat down.

"So how was your first day?"

"It was fine".

"That's good. I've got your results. You're all clear - you are not pregnant and no horrible infections were passed on apart from, well, the Turning virus. Do you think you're ready to tell me a little more about that night?"

"What more is there to tell?"

"I usually find that starting at the start helps. Why don't you tell me a little about what happened leading up to the attack? Try to remember as much detail as you can. The details can be passed onto our Trackers who will hopefully find this man so he can be punished".

"Well, I was at a party, I had only had about a glass of wine, but I didn't feel right...I told you before, I was drunk. I blacked out and don't remember anything else." Sarah looked down, feeling ashamed.

"It wasn't your fault this happened Sarah. It doesn't matter if you had been drinking or were sober. You were r***d. They are the criminal not you.  Have you ever seen the consent film with the tea."

"No" said Sarah shaking her head.

"Well, if someone makes you tea, you don't have to drink it. Just cos you said you wanted a cup of tea doesn't mean you can't change your mind and if you are unconscious you don't need tea, and no one would pour tea down your neck if you are unconscious. This is the same with s*x Sarah. You can withdraw consent at any point, and if someone does something to you when you can't consent, that is rape."

"Yea, I know, but I don't remember anything useful. I was at the party not feeling great. Then I woke up on a white sheet covered in blood droplets."

"A white sheet" Katie commented, "that's interesting, do you mind if we try a technique?"

Sarah shrugged, "Sure".

"Ok, place your hands in my hands and think about the party and the events, try and think of as much detail as you can possibly recall."

Sarah placed her hands in Katie's hands and they both closed their eyes.  Katie was then in Sarah's memory.  Katie experienced Sarah's memory as if she was living it herself. The party, the one glass of wine, then blackness, feeling pain, opening her eyes, seeing the white sheet splattered in her blood and something else, a smell.....that smell was so familiar. Katie broke contact.  

"OK Sarah," Katie said "I want you now to try and rewind your thoughts like you are rewinding a program. Open your eyes when it's finished".

Katie watched Sarah's eye movements as she rewound her memory.  

"I think that is enough for today. You should rest"

Katie showed Sarah to the door and then took a seat. She closed her eyes and was back in a memory, her own this time.  She watched as her own blood dripped onto a pure white sheet, each drop spreading, making unique patterns like snowflakes. It was strangely beautiful and distracted her from the pain. Then there was the smell. Katie opened her eyes! The smell she thought, it was the same smell!!