I knew he was around somewhere as I paced the hallway. Suddenly one of the doors flung open and there he was, zinging his little buzzing flashlight do-hickey around, aiming at something unseen up in the corners of the doorway. He was prattling aloud about who knows what, paying me absolutely no heed, not taking his eyes off of the ceiling, skinny pin-striped arms and legs wind-milling about, tongue lodged firmly in the corner of his mouth. I kept trying to catch his eye as I followed him this way and that but he never looked at me. He stopped suddenly and gasped, staring at his hands and arms wildly. Suddenly his entire body arched like he’d been hit by an electrical shock and he fell right into my arms. I staggered and helped him to lie down. He was so afraid which made me far more afraid than I’ve ever felt around him. He kept looking at his hands and saying he could see “them” (and I don’t think “them” was referring to his fingers). His head was heavy on my thighs and he went abruptly quiet. I whispered into his hair “Help me, I don’t know what to do!” over and over. I really didn’t. Surely someone more clever would know what to do, how to save him, how to do anything but I was frozen. I started crying and shaking him and kissing his forehead. All of a sudden, I was also aware that I was acting. And I was very worried I was doing a terrible job of it. Completely overdid it with the kissing and, oh God, I’m sure I have no idea how to cry prettily.
