Seen Not Heard: An Alexis Fawx Story

Anna (Alexis Fawx) slouches on the edge of a hospital bed in a rumpled gown, eyes shut, jaw tight, fists bunched. The hall casts moving shadows behind the curtain, but the room stays dark. 'Monsters don’t just crawl out of the dark,' she says. 'They’re built. Big, ugly bastards that hide under the bed and laugh at your blanket trick. Every shape, every trick, all they want is pain.' Flashback. Young Anna (Bobbi Dylan), barely legal, perches on the edge of a bed. An older man strolls in carrying a paper sack. 'Hi, sweetie,' he says, sliding a blindfold over her eyes, tracing a finger along her cheek. His fingertip brushes her lips, then digs into a cup of chocolate pudding. 'Gonna be good?' She nods, opens her mouth. Pudding coats his finger; she sucks it off. 'Wrong answer and you know the drill, don’t you?' She nods again. The door slams. Back to now, Anna rocks on the mattress. 'I said it right, didn’t I?' Half sob, half laugh. The orderly (Seth Gamble) walks in, shoulders her down, tucks the sheet under her chin. 'Doctor sees you in the morning.' His knuckles graze her cheek; she drifts. Morning hits. Anna bolts up. Younger Anna’s in the corner, nightgown on, grinning like she owns the room. 'Took you long enough, doc’s already waiting.' Right then the orderly returns, eyes locked on grown-up Anna. 'Doctor’s ready,' he says. Younger Anna grabs her older self by the wrist, hauls her forward; the orderly doesn’t even notice the ghost. In the office the older woman sits across from the doctor (Eric Masterson). He checks her chart, asks routine questions, and she chokes on every answer while younger Anna leans in, stage-whispering, 'Seen, not heard.' Anna clamps her eyes shut. In the memory she’s back in front of a mirror, mom’s brush running through her hair: 'Seen, not heard.' She starts repeating it, quiet, then louder, then screaming. The doctor barks for help. The orderly drags grown Anna out; younger Anna blows him a sly kiss before winking at the oblivious doc. Night again. Orderly wheels in dinner. 'Not hungry!' Anna barks, flipping over to show her younger self already lying there. 'You gotta eat something,' he coaxes. The ghost sits up, snags a bite, then slips her finger into Anna’s mouth. 'Bad girls get punished,' she purrs, sucking the same finger. She stands, strolls to the orderly, drops his scrubs, drops to her knees. 'I’m eighteen now, so let me show you what good girls do.' 'Sure, Anna,' he says, calm as milk. She swallows him; the older woman watches from the bed, heart punching ribs, brain howling what the fuck is even real?