“So, Lanique…” Dr. G kept as calm and friendly a face as possible. Easier to do than for most people; working with kids diagnosed with conduct disorder with callous and unemotional traits, as the current moniker was, had lent the good doctor a near-impenetrable facade of good will. “Tell me about this friend you’ve drawn.”
Lanique, age seven, smiled back. She was always happy, always ready with a joke. She had tried to kill her three week old brother because he was taking her parents’ attention away from her. She enjoyed reading mystery novels (age-appropriate), and had recently taken up watercolor. She had been living in the Glenmont Childcare Facility for a few months, and was enjoying the attention the staff gave her.
“This is my friend!” Lanique said. “He’s always giving me good ideas.”
“Mhm. Like what?”
“Well…” Lanique paused, thoughtful. “He told me where the bones hurt. He gave me the ideas for my stories!”
“The stories you draw?” She nodded. Dr. G had a portfolio of those drawings. They were technically impressive, for a seven-year-old, and would have made a medieval dungeon seem cheery and warm. This painting was different.
It had started two weeks ago. Dr. G kept weekly individual appointments will all of the Center’s charges, in addition to the group activities the doctor supervised on the weekend. It hadn’t been noticeable at first; most of the younger kids were seen earlier in the week, and their motor skills weren’t as developed. It wasn’t until that Wednesday, when Lanique was showing off her beautifully gory watercolors, that Dr. G had realized it.
“Tell me more about this friend. He’s very different from the other things you like to draw.”
“Well…He lives in the walls. And he comes out at night. He likes to show people scary things, and sometimes he lets them think they got away and then -” her toothy smile grew wider “- then he cuts them all up!”
“Is that so?” Dr. G smiled back. “Why at night?”
“Because that’s when everybody’s asleep so he can get in people’s heads, duh!” She rolled her eyes. Doctors. Clearly they understood nothing.
“Ok, kiddo. That’s all for today. Go out in the hall and have Ms. Drayer walk you to the common room.”
After the door had shut, Dr. G examined the picture on the table. It was the same basic figure as all the rest. A little more detailed, with some flourishes the doctor was sure the other kids hadn’t put on, but still. The same. Dr. G sighed, and opened up the laptop to compose an email.
To: List(All) Re: Imaginary Friends
Please be present for the staff meeting this Friday after all charges are asleep. Staff meeting will go over appropriate media, story subject matter, and topics of conversation with charges. Night shift will, per usual, have a separate meeting.
Best, Dr. G
After shutting the laptop, Dr. G texted the nurse on duty, Karen, who had been following the imaginary friend episode with interest.
“Karen -SMH. Who thought it was a good idea to show kids Nightmare on Elm Street???? Freddy Kreuger for sure.”