My eyes fluttered open after an undetermined amount of time. I was lying in my bed, a cold compress draped across my forehead. Not-Susan sat nude on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The preacher's evil dagger rested in a bloody mess on my satin sheets. She must have sensed my eyes opening because Not-Susan turned to look at me.

   "Welcome back to the land of the living," she said, emotionless. "You now have twelve minutes. Two souls left. You could make it easy and kill me and our daughter, just like you killed our son."

   "He is not my **** son!" I screamed at her. "You are not my wife and that little girl is not my daughter. My family is dead!"

   The room seemd to start spinning and my mind was a reeling mess. Time was running out. The dagger caught my eye again. Oh, how easy it would be. I could shove it into her throat and run downstairs and finish the job with the little one. That would be six. All demands fulfilled. 

   Tears streamed from my eyes as I settled back on my bed. The salty drops stung as the raced down my face. Bright flashes of red and blue lights started to dance across the window panes. Screaming sirens broke the silence of the night. I could feel my veins stiffen as my heart started to race. So this is how it would end. The police would storm my house and find all the bodies downstairs and me, sitting here crying like a frightened child. 

   The hand that gripped my shoulder was cold.

   "It's time, Mr. Knox," a distant voice sounded. 

   I looked up curiously into the face of a young woman, clad in a white unifom. I tried to shrug off her grip but my arms would not operate. It was almost as if they were tied to my body. The young woman helped me off the bed and escorted me out the door. My eyes were deceiving me. The preacher was at it again. This was not my house. The hallway looked long and foreboding as I was led slowly down the corridor. 

   "Here we are, Mr. Knox," the young woman said softly and sweetly. "And if you are ready to behave, Dr. Christian may see fit to remove your restraints today." 

   The door opened slowly and there he stood. The preacher. Only he was dressed like a doctor this time. I tried to lunge at him. He must be destroyed.

   "Mr. Knox! If you insist on trying to attack me every single session, we will never get to the heart of your illness and you will never be able to come to terms with the loss of your family!"

   I screamed as the door slammed shut behind me.