Exposure Therapy

Caleb shoved the journal back into the bag. He turned to run, but Simon was standing in the doorway.

He was wearing a towel, dripping wet. He held a glass of water in each hand.

"Hydrate," Simon said. "You look pale."

Caleb stared at him. The fear was gone, replaced by a cold, sharp rage. "It’s fake."

Simon didn't blink. "What is?"

"The journal. You wrote it. You killed that bird. You rigged the fire." Caleb took a step forward, his hands balled into fists. "You sick son of a bitch. Why?"

Simon watched him for a long moment. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face. It wasn't the winning smile. It was a smile of pure, unfettered relief.

"Finally," Simon sighed. "I was wondering how long it would take you. You're usually sharper than this, Cal. The drugs must have really rotted your brain."

"Why?" Caleb shouted.

"Exposure therapy," Simon said, taking a sip of his water. "You walk around carrying this guilt, this victimhood. 'Oh, poor me, I crashed the car, I ruined my life.' I wanted to show you what real fear looks like. I wanted to break you down to the studs so we could build you back up. Stronger. Better. Mine."

"I'm leaving," Caleb said. He shoved past Simon.

"I wouldn't," Simon said casually. "I put a very potent sedative in your water bottle at dinner. Ketamine, mostly. You should be feeling it right about... now."

Caleb stopped. The hallway seemed to stretch. The lines of the floorboards began to wiggle like snakes. His knees turned to water.

"No," Caleb slurred. He grabbed the wall.

"The Third Omen," Simon said, his voice echoing, sounding like it was coming from underwater. "The Betrayal. You thought it meant I would betray you? No, Caleb. That's too easy."

Simon walked into the kitchen and pulled a long, serrated hunting knife from the block.

"The prophecy says the Broken One dies unless the Betrayal spills blood," Simon said. He tossed the knife onto the floor between them. It landed with a clang that vibrated in Caleb’s teeth.

"To survive the night," Simon said, his face warping and stretching in Caleb’s vision, "you have to kill your best friend. You have to betray everything we are. You have to fight back, Caleb. Show me you want to live."