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Description
BEN took a little while to post his first segment of the information that he'd dug up on me, and once he did I wasn't that surprised at what I read- he started with the basics.

BEN: You were born in Mesa in the year 1992 to your mother Stacie Myers.
BEN: I tried finding information on your father, but I couldn't find any. Have any idea as to why?

Me: Because I don't know who my father is- no one does.

BEN: I thought you said he disappeared when you were a baby?

Me: Yeah, I did- because its true. My mother was...Well, I don't know what was wrong with her while she was pregnant with me. She has no memory of him- or anything that happened between meeting my father and giving birth to me for that matter.
Me: The only reason I know he took off around the time I was born is because I managed to locate some eye witnesses who saw my mother and my father together on more than one occasion- but they could never tell me anything about him.

BEN: Do you know why?

Me: Yeah.
Me: They saw him but never associated with him- none of them could even describe his face because they saw him so rarely and for such short periods of time.
Me: And, as for why he can't be looked up- no one knows his name. My mother never introduced him to anyone. They were very private- or secretive about their relationship.

BEN: How strange...
BEN: You don't think your mother was on drugs do you?

Me: God I hope not- but that could explain whatevers wrong with my head, as some people might put it.

Without meaning to I'd started answering a series of new questions without having mine answers first. So I did what I could to change the subject so that I wouldn't get thrown into another fit of tears. My eyes still burned from the last one.

Me: But enough about that- I want to know more about what you've dug up about me before we discuss more of what you haven't been able to uncover.

BEN: Very well.
BEN: Shortly after you were born, your mother moved you to a smaller town in Arizona known as “Casa Grande”. She met a man by the name of Frank Costa, and later married him. She gave birth to your younger brother Tristan Costa in September of 1993- the same year she and Frank were wed.
BEN: Seems the pair only married because she'd gotten pregnate.

Me: Yeah, that's the story.

BEN: Not long after your brother was born, your mother abandoned you at your grandparents doorstep- I assume it was because you were a very sick child. You could not consume her breast-milk as a baby because you were lactose intolerant. So, you remained very sick for the first five years of your life.
BEN: For the next twelve years of your life, you were under the care of your grandparents. You only saw your mother on breaks, and from what I've dug up she wasn't the best role model. During those short times under her care, you had little choice but to fend for yourself. You were left home alone to care for your younger siblings- she had a total of three children aside from you during the 12 years you were with your grandparents. Two brothers and a sister- all with different men. She married and divorced all of them as she went.
BEN: From what I've managed to uncover, you were left alone with no means of contacting her- you never had a phone, nor did you know your mothers cellphone number. You were also roped into caring for the animals she snuck into her apartments. Cows, fowl, and a number of other animals were put under your care during her absence.
BEN: How am I doing so far? Have I acquired accurate information?

Me: Yes- your beginning to make me nervous actually. Only a few people have ever had access to the information regarding how I had to live while under my mothers care- only the therapists new.

BEN: Are you afraid of me now?

I thought for a very long time about how to answer his question. I'll admit, him knowing so much about me made me nervous- but it wasn't because I was actually afraid of him. The idea of someone knowing so much about me- knowing things that I've never dared to tell anyone. That was what I feared. So, once I was sure of why he made me nervous, I gave him my honest answer.

Me: Yes, I am afraid- but not of you. I'm afraid of what you'll find out- what you've already found out. I don't want you to uncover something that would make you despise me. I don't want you to hate me because of what I've been through.

BEN: So what you fear is loosing me?

Me: Yes.

BEN: Then you have nothing to worry about.

I won't lie, BEN's comment made me feel a lot better than someone might have expected. Sure, it was vague and it probably didn't mean anything- but still. Theres no describing my mind in the end is there?

BEN: Back to the topic at hand.
BEN: At thirteen- this would be the same year that the gunmen arrived at your school and tried to kill you- your mother decided to move onto your grandparents property. The property was divided in half- fences, waterlines, even the house- your mother saw to it that everything was done from scratch. You and your siblings were forced to help her build her home, because she was a stubborn woman who refused to leave others to do her work.

Me: Actually, she just felt that she was right about everything. She still feels that way- it as if she thinks she's god.

BEN: I'm starting to wonder why a woman like her was allowed to raise children.
BEN: Moving on.
BEN: Not long after your mother moved onto your grandfathers property, you were forced to move in with her- since you were grown and able to work, or something like that. The details here are difficult to locate- you refused to tell any therapists about most of the events in your life following your near death experience. So I am unable to locate any real facts.

Me: Sorry...

BEN: Don't worry about it- I'll get the information I want from you one way or another.
BEN: And I doubt you'll deny me should I ask.

I laughed a little bit upon seeing his opinion on the matter of learning everything there was to learn about me. He was right- but for reasons other than he may have realized. So, I figured that I'd point those reasons out, seeing as he liked hearing my opinion so much.

Me: Considering that you have access to resources I cant even think of, I'd answer just because I know you'd be able to find out regardless.
Me: In that sense, I guess your trying to be polite by simply asking- even though you didn't bother doing it earlier.

BEN: Blame my curiosity. Your a very interesting woman.

Me: Thank you.

BEN: Since I've been unable to locate any solid evidence of what happened in your life between the ages of thirteen and nineteen, aside from whats available through your medical records. So, all I really know is that you went through seventeen therapists in a six year period, and that at eighteen you had lazer hair removal. As far as the hair removal goes, I've confirmed that it was done at the request of your great-grandmother. She put in her will that you could not collect your inheritance until the surgery was done- but I am unable to find out why.
BEN: I will leave that topic for a later date.
BEN: On to more pressing matters.
BEN: Not long after your nineteenth birthday, you moved out of your mothers house- or rather, you decided to leave and she threw you out on the streets. After that, you moved in with your great aunt and uncle. You did not have an ID, nor did you know how to drive- they were able to help you get an ID, but your anxiety has seen to it that you will never be able to get a drivers license.
BEN: Six months after moving leaving your mothers care, you entered a writing contest. You submitted a poem titled “Sadness”- the topic of the poem easily reflected the pain and misery that you had been through the past nineteen years of your life. That poem, is what set off your career as a writer.
BEN: Anything you might like to add before I continue?

Me: No, not really. I think we'd better leave any questions for later.

BEN: Very well.
BEN: The poem you entered in the writing contest was quickly found by a publishing company similar to Hallmark. They sought you out, and later realized that you had a natural gift for writing- not to mention your naturally shy and timid nature. They initially offered you a one year contract as a publicity stunt- a mock charity. Knowing your wariness of people and such, the press would undoubtedly say that the publishers were giving you the chance you needed to make something of yourself, and in the end they couldn't afford to loose you.
BEN: Everything you wrote became a top selling product. Short stories, Poetry, your first novel- everything became so popular that their shelf time lasted less than twenty-four hours.
BEN: Your style of writing and genre choice was what caught peoples attention. Your dark themes paired with your tenancy to make the stories as realistic as possible while still mixing in a somewhat supernatural tone- your readers loved it. Even when you put romance into the stories, they remained dark- you tend to kill of your romantically involved characters in a bittersweet method. Many critics have compared your methods of showing love between two characters to the end of Romeo and Juliet- so alike and yet so distinct. Rarely do you end a romantic story with the lovers living happily together, and when you do, you always make sure to point out the hardships they face, giving the ending a hint that the pair may separate.
BEN: Since then you've become a sensation in the U.S, Canada, and a few other countries such as France and Asia.
BEN: Shall I continue on with more private details?

Me: By all means.

BEN: Due to your anxiety and fear of people, you only ever leave your home to tend to private matters such as collecting mail, attending social gatherings, and visiting your publishers. You've never been known to speak openly in public. While at social events such as parties and celebrations sponsored by your publishers you tend to stick to the outer edge and avoid people. Your only socialization at these evens occurs when someone is brave enough to seek out your company. During these instances, you have not been known to mutter more than simple responses to questions, and whoever sought you out inevitably leaves because your “Lack of interest” as some would put it, bothers them. No one has ever seen you eat or drink at these events either, even though there is always a decent amount of food and beverage present.
BEN: Outside of your required public appearances, you have not been known to socialize with anyone- the only person you see on a regular basis is your chauffeur Aleksandr Skirmish, who is responsible for transporting you anywhere you need to go. He has been known to take you shopping, to get your mail, and to drive you to your meetings and public events. I have also uncovered that he was in prison shortly before becoming your chauffeur, and that he is only six years older than you. He was put in prison after being convicted for beating, raping, and attempting to murder a twenty year old woman. I've also learned that you are the only reason he was released from prison in the first place.
BEN: You wrote numerous letters to the court begging for him to be set free, and they eventually gave in under the requirements that you pay his bail, and that he would pay the medical bills of a miss Emily Scott, the woman he raped, for the remainder of his life. These are paired with mandatory anger management, and regular visits with his probation officer.
BEN: Normally I would ask what would drive you to go so far to aid a convicted felon, but I have a feeling that you have more reason to aid him than I am able to uncover. I will allow you to choose whether or not you tell my why you've done so much for this man.

Me: I will gladly tell you- but not just yet. I want to know you a little better first.

BEN: That is understandable.
BEN: There isn't much to look into past that. You've spent the past three years as an employee of the Hurston Publishing Company. You've published fourteen novels, forty-five short stories, and eighty-seven poems. You make an average of over 200,000 each year, and a majority of your money goes into a number of savings accounts. You currently reside in Arizona, in a town known as San Tan Valley. You live alone in a house built for a family of five- I've confirmed that you have a pet, but I have been unable to find out what it is. You also pay for the basic care of a herd of miniature goats owned by a farmer further out into the country- he's been known to send pairs of them to you every few months. I've also confirmed that you have a butchers license, so I'm going to assume that you butcher and eat the goats sent to you.

Me: Yes, I eat them- and to answer your unasked question, my pet is a snake. An albino Burmese python.
Me: That's why I get the goats in pairs. One for me to butcher, the other for my snake to eat.

BEN: For such a timid woman, you have a strange boldness when it comes to animals.

Me: Animals and people are two different things BEN. I've never been afraid of animals.

BEN: That may be true, but I've known few women so comfortable with reptiles- yet alone the ones large enough to kill a man.

Me: Then your in for a surprise. Sometimes I bring my snake to bed with me.

BEN took a long time to respond after that- for a while I actually thought that I had scared him away.

BEN: That's a dangerous habit Fae. A snake that size could crush you while you sleep. What would you do if it turned on you?

Me: I know it seems dangerous BEN, but Mai would never hurt me.

BEN: Mai?

Me: That's her name- the snakes name.

BEN: Strange name for a snake- but still. You shouldn't be so trusting. Snakes aren't exactly known for being cute and cuddly.

Me: I know, but she's just misunderstood. Shes never taken a snap at me, never made me think that she might harm me. When I go to sleep with her she looks over my waist and slips her head under my neck. In the end I wind up with my arm draped over the midpoint of her body and she puts her head near my chest.
Me: We stay like that all night and she never shifts as if preparing to suffocate me. Call me a fool for trusting her, but I think she knows that I'm the one who saved her life.

BEN: Your snake is a rescue?

Me: Yes.
Me: Aleksandr was driving me home from a meeting roughly a year ago, and I noticed a group of people swarming together in an alley.
Me: Normally I don't try to get involved with crowds, but for some reason I just couldn't avert my eyes.
Me: After a few minutes, Aleksandr drove closer to the crowd so that I could get a better look, and that's when I saw Mai.
Me: She was curled up in a corner and people were throwing rocks at her. They were screaming and shouting as if she was some kind of monster- I couldn't just leave her there to die. But, I didn't know what to do.

BEN: So how did you save Mai?

Me: Aleksandr saw the expression on my face and knew how badly I wanted to help the snake, so he drove straight into the crowd and honked the horn as loudly as he could to scare everyone away. The people scattered thinking that he was going to run them over, and I jumped out of the car as soon as everyone had moved away.
Me: Then I rushed over to Mai and tried to pick her up- but she was scared and hurt. She bit my arm, and before I knew what was going on she constricted around most of my lower body.

BEN: I though you said she's never attacked you.

I sighed irritatedly at his response, and got to work on my reply.

Me: I don't count striking out of pain and fear as an attack BEN. If you were in her position and had no idea what was happening or why, you would have done the same thing- and don't try to tell me differently.
Me: Anyways, I pjo

BEN: ?

I wound up messing up on my post because my towel slipped off of my chest and my breasts fell out. I slammed my hand on the keyboard from the shock of it and immediately tried to fix the issue. I could tell by the heat I felt on the face that I was blushing, and I secretly thanked the fact that BEN couldn't see me- as far as I knew. The last thing I wanted was for someone I barely knew to see me naked! As soon as I had my chest covered back up I worked on giving him a reasonable response without telling him that I was sitting on my couch wearing nothing but a towel.

Me: Sorry, I had a wardrobe malfunction. I hit the keyboard by mistake.

BEN: Alright.
BEN: Continue.

Me: K.
Me: Once I realized that Mai was coiled around me, I rushed back to the car and sat in the front seat- Aleksandr was mortified because I was bleeding and my abdomen was being crushed. I could barely breathe so I couldn't talk, but I did my best to let him know to just take me home.
Me: He realized what I wanted done and he rushed me back home and helped me get inside. Mai was still constricting, but because she was hurt she couldn't get as tight as she wanted to.
Me: Once we were inside, I made my way to the kitchen and Aleksandr helped me get Mai off of my waist.

BEN: How did you manage to do that?

Me: Its easier than it sounds. All you have to do is find the tail and unwrap it, so I had her body off of me in less than a minute once I was in the kitchen- her jaws were another story.
Me: In the end it took twenty minutes for her to let go of me once I had her inside, and then I put my hand on the back of her head to hold her down so that she wouldn't bite me again- or Aleksandr for that matter.
Me: You are aware that I know enough in the medical field to tend to certain types of injuries on animals right?

BEN: Yes. The ten years you spent in the 4-H program saw to it that you'd know how to mend wounds and give medication to animals.

Me: Good, so I won't have to explain how I was able to treat Mai's injuries without getting arrested- not that anyone knows I have her.
Me: Anyways, afterwards I treated her wounds and gave her some antibiotics, then I put her in a box with a heat lamp. After that, Aleksandr insisted that I let him bandage my arm, and even though it made me uncomfortable I let him. Then he went home. I've had Mai ever since.

BEN: Well, that was an interesting story- but I do have a few questions.

Me: Alright, I'm listening.

BEN: Why did you have antibiotics?
BEN: Why did you have needles?
BEN: Why did you have a heat lamp and a box?

Me: Wow, I'm surprised that you've payed enough attention to realize that normal people don't keep such things in their house- but I'll still answer you.
Me: I had antibiotics and needles present because I actually keep a supply of them around should I come across an injured animal. Since my near death experience and being saved by a dog, I've made it a habit to take care of any wounded animal I spot.
Me: As for the box and heat lamp, I'd had it since I moved in and I just never bothered to get rid of it. I had the heat lamp so that I could keep warm those cold nights when I was up late working on my manuscript.

BEN: Alright, I guess that makes some sense.
BEN: Scratch that- its you we're talking about, so it makes perfect sense.
BEN: Well, I'd love to continue our little chat, but its gotten pretty late and I'm sure you'd like some rest. We'll continue tomorrow, I'll contact you when I can.

Me: Alright.
Me: Goodnight BEN.

BEN: Goodnight Fae.

With that my second conversation with BEN was over, and I must say that I actually felt a little better than I had in years. Thinking it over, it was probably because I'd shared some of the most private information of my life with someone other than a therapist. I scowled at the memories. I'd always hated therapists, the way they talked to me and the way they looked at me- they made me feel as if I was broken. Hell, all they ever said was that they'd fix me, and that made me feel as if I was broken. I started thinking that since I was broken, did that mean that I'd be thrown away if I wasn't fixed? I shook my head and slapped myself in the leg to scold myself for remembering such things. I haven't seen a therapist on nearly four years, so I don't need to worry about all the bullshit they gave me as a child. I've come to terms, and now I know that absolutely nothing is wrong with me- I don't need to be fixed. I just need more time to adjust to people is all. Sighing, I turned to look at the clock- it was a quarter to two! Damn, I've been talking to BEN for over five hours- no wonder he told me to get some shuteye, I was going to be in a very bad mood tomorrow. Not because of lack of sleep, but because whenever I stayed up past one my eyes would burn the following day.

Somewhat irritated at myself, I rose from the couch and strode over to the T.V where Mai's cage was to get her- all the talking about her I'd done make me want to sleep with her tonight. I opened the cage and stuck my arm to allow her to slither up on me, and she wrapped loosely around my shoulders to warm up. She knocked the towel off of me in the process, but by that point I didn't care- I didn't have the time to get dressed, I just needed to get some sleep. Once I had Mai I turned and walked over to my blankets- I'd forgotten to pick them up this morning, so they'd been on my living room floor all day. Then, I kicked the top blanket off and fell to my knees, and I unwrapped Mai from my shoulders so that I could lie down. I lied on my right side, then Mai coiled back around me the way she usually did when I brought her to bed with me. Her midsection draped over my waist, her tail coiled around my left leg, her upper body ran along my back, and she curled her head past my neck to sleep with her face next to my chest. The only difference tonight was that I was naked, so I felt her cool body against my bare skin. The sensation was odd, but not unpleasant- I liked it actually. Then, I pulled the moved blanket over our bodies, and I closed my eyes. Sleep overtook me before I had the chance to let another thought pass through my mind.

Description
BEN took a little while to post his first segment of the information that he'd dug up on me, and once he did I wasn't that surprised at what I read- he started with the basics.

BEN: You were born in Mesa in the year 1992 to your mother Stacie Myers.
BEN: I tried finding information on your father, but I couldn't find any. Have any idea as to why?

Me: Because I don't know who my father is- no one does.

BEN: I thought you said he disappeared when you were a baby?

Me: Yeah, I did- because its true. My mother was...Well, I don't know what was wrong with her while she was pregnant with me. She has no memory of him- or anything that happened between meeting my father and giving birth to me for that matter.
Me: The only reason I know he took off around the time I was born is because I managed to locate some eye witnesses who saw my mother and my father together on more than one occasion- but they could never tell me anything about him.

BEN: Do you know why?

Me: Yeah.
Me: They saw him but never associated with him- none of them could even describe his face because they saw him so rarely and for such short periods of time.
Me: And, as for why he can't be looked up- no one knows his name. My mother never introduced him to anyone. They were very private- or secretive about their relationship.

BEN: How strange...
BEN: You don't think your mother was on drugs do you?

Me: God I hope not- but that could explain whatevers wrong with my head, as some people might put it.

Without meaning to I'd started answering a series of new questions without having mine answers first. So I did what I could to change the subject so that I wouldn't get thrown into another fit of tears. My eyes still burned from the last one.

Me: But enough about that- I want to know more about what you've dug up about me before we discuss more of what you haven't been able to uncover.

BEN: Very well.
BEN: Shortly after you were born, your mother moved you to a smaller town in Arizona known as “Casa Grande”. She met a man by the name of Frank Costa, and later married him. She gave birth to your younger brother Tristan Costa in September of 1993- the same year she and Frank were wed.
BEN: Seems the pair only married because she'd gotten pregnate.

Me: Yeah, that's the story.

BEN: Not long after your brother was born, your mother abandoned you at your grandparents doorstep- I assume it was because you were a very sick child. You could not consume her breast-milk as a baby because you were lactose intolerant. So, you remained very sick for the first five years of your life.
BEN: For the next twelve years of your life, you were under the care of your grandparents. You only saw your mother on breaks, and from what I've dug up she wasn't the best role model. During those short times under her care, you had little choice but to fend for yourself. You were left home alone to care for your younger siblings- she had a total of three children aside from you during the 12 years you were with your grandparents. Two brothers and a sister- all with different men. She married and divorced all of them as she went.
BEN: From what I've managed to uncover, you were left alone with no means of contacting her- you never had a phone, nor did you know your mothers cellphone number. You were also roped into caring for the animals she snuck into her apartments. Cows, fowl, and a number of other animals were put under your care during her absence.
BEN: How am I doing so far? Have I acquired accurate information?

Me: Yes- your beginning to make me nervous actually. Only a few people have ever had access to the information regarding how I had to live while under my mothers care- only the therapists new.

BEN: Are you afraid of me now?

I thought for a very long time about how to answer his question. I'll admit, him knowing so much about me made me nervous- but it wasn't because I was actually afraid of him. The idea of someone knowing so much about me- knowing things that I've never dared to tell anyone. That was what I feared. So, once I was sure of why he made me nervous, I gave him my honest answer.

Me: Yes, I am afraid- but not of you. I'm afraid of what you'll find out- what you've already found out. I don't want you to uncover something that would make you despise me. I don't want you to hate me because of what I've been through.

BEN: So what you fear is loosing me?

Me: Yes.

BEN: Then you have nothing to worry about.

I won't lie, BEN's comment made me feel a lot better than someone might have expected. Sure, it was vague and it probably didn't mean anything- but still. Theres no describing my mind in the end is there?

BEN: Back to the topic at hand.
BEN: At thirteen- this would be the same year that the gunmen arrived at your school and tried to kill you- your mother decided to move onto your grandparents property. The property was divided in half- fences, waterlines, even the house- your mother saw to it that everything was done from scratch. You and your siblings were forced to help her build her home, because she was a stubborn woman who refused to leave others to do her work.

Me: Actually, she just felt that she was right about everything. She still feels that way- it as if she thinks she's god.

BEN: I'm starting to wonder why a woman like her was allowed to raise children.
BEN: Moving on.
BEN: Not long after your mother moved onto your grandfathers property, you were forced to move in with her- since you were grown and able to work, or something like that. The details here are difficult to locate- you refused to tell any therapists about most of the events in your life following your near death experience. So I am unable to locate any real facts.

Me: Sorry...

BEN: Don't worry about it- I'll get the information I want from you one way or another.
BEN: And I doubt you'll deny me should I ask.

I laughed a little bit upon seeing his opinion on the matter of learning everything there was to learn about me. He was right- but for reasons other than he may have realized. So, I figured that I'd point those reasons out, seeing as he liked hearing my opinion so much.

Me: Considering that you have access to resources I cant even think of, I'd answer just because I know you'd be able to find out regardless.
Me: In that sense, I guess your trying to be polite by simply asking- even though you didn't bother doing it earlier.

BEN: Blame my curiosity. Your a very interesting woman.

Me: Thank you.

BEN: Since I've been unable to locate any solid evidence of what happened in your life between the ages of thirteen and nineteen, aside from whats available through your medical records. So, all I really know is that you went through seventeen therapists in a six year period, and that at eighteen you had lazer hair removal. As far as the hair removal goes, I've confirmed that it was done at the request of your great-grandmother. She put in her will that you could not collect your inheritance until the surgery was done- but I am unable to find out why.
BEN: I will leave that topic for a later date.
BEN: On to more pressing matters.
BEN: Not long after your nineteenth birthday, you moved out of your mothers house- or rather, you decided to leave and she threw you out on the streets. After that, you moved in with your great aunt and uncle. You did not have an ID, nor did you know how to drive- they were able to help you get an ID, but your anxiety has seen to it that you will never be able to get a drivers license.
BEN: Six months after moving leaving your mothers care, you entered a writing contest. You submitted a poem titled “Sadness”- the topic of the poem easily reflected the pain and misery that you had been through the past nineteen years of your life. That poem, is what set off your career as a writer.
BEN: Anything you might like to add before I continue?

Me: No, not really. I think we'd better leave any questions for later.

BEN: Very well.
BEN: The poem you entered in the writing contest was quickly found by a publishing company similar to Hallmark. They sought you out, and later realized that you had a natural gift for writing- not to mention your naturally shy and timid nature. They initially offered you a one year contract as a publicity stunt- a mock charity. Knowing your wariness of people and such, the press would undoubtedly say that the publishers were giving you the chance you needed to make something of yourself, and in the end they couldn't afford to loose you.
BEN: Everything you wrote became a top selling product. Short stories, Poetry, your first novel- everything became so popular that their shelf time lasted less than twenty-four hours.
BEN: Your style of writing and genre choice was what caught peoples attention. Your dark themes paired with your tenancy to make the stories as realistic as possible while still mixing in a somewhat supernatural tone- your readers loved it. Even when you put romance into the stories, they remained dark- you tend to kill of your romantically involved characters in a bittersweet method. Many critics have compared your methods of showing love between two characters to the end of Romeo and Juliet- so alike and yet so distinct. Rarely do you end a romantic story with the lovers living happily together, and when you do, you always make sure to point out the hardships they face, giving the ending a hint that the pair may separate.
BEN: Since then you've become a sensation in the U.S, Canada, and a few other countries such as France and Asia.
BEN: Shall I continue on with more private details?

Me: By all means.

BEN: Due to your anxiety and fear of people, you only ever leave your home to tend to private matters such as collecting mail, attending social gatherings, and visiting your publishers. You've never been known to speak openly in public. While at social events such as parties and celebrations sponsored by your publishers you tend to stick to the outer edge and avoid people. Your only socialization at these evens occurs when someone is brave enough to seek out your company. During these instances, you have not been known to mutter more than simple responses to questions, and whoever sought you out inevitably leaves because your “Lack of interest” as some would put it, bothers them. No one has ever seen you eat or drink at these events either, even though there is always a decent amount of food and beverage present.
BEN: Outside of your required public appearances, you have not been known to socialize with anyone- the only person you see on a regular basis is your chauffeur Aleksandr Skirmish, who is responsible for transporting you anywhere you need to go. He has been known to take you shopping, to get your mail, and to drive you to your meetings and public events. I have also uncovered that he was in prison shortly before becoming your chauffeur, and that he is only six years older than you. He was put in prison after being convicted for beating, raping, and attempting to murder a twenty year old woman. I've also learned that you are the only reason he was released from prison in the first place.
BEN: You wrote numerous letters to the court begging for him to be set free, and they eventually gave in under the requirements that you pay his bail, and that he would pay the medical bills of a miss Emily Scott, the woman he raped, for the remainder of his life. These are paired with mandatory anger management, and regular visits with his probation officer.
BEN: Normally I would ask what would drive you to go so far to aid a convicted felon, but I have a feeling that you have more reason to aid him than I am able to uncover. I will allow you to choose whether or not you tell my why you've done so much for this man.

Me: I will gladly tell you- but not just yet. I want to know you a little better first.

BEN: That is understandable.
BEN: There isn't much to look into past that. You've spent the past three years as an employee of the Hurston Publishing Company. You've published fourteen novels, forty-five short stories, and eighty-seven poems. You make an average of over 200,000 each year, and a majority of your money goes into a number of savings accounts. You currently reside in Arizona, in a town known as San Tan Valley. You live alone in a house built for a family of five- I've confirmed that you have a pet, but I have been unable to find out what it is. You also pay for the basic care of a herd of miniature goats owned by a farmer further out into the country- he's been known to send pairs of them to you every few months. I've also confirmed that you have a butchers license, so I'm going to assume that you butcher and eat the goats sent to you.

Me: Yes, I eat them- and to answer your unasked question, my pet is a snake. An albino Burmese python.
Me: That's why I get the goats in pairs. One for me to butcher, the other for my snake to eat.

BEN: For such a timid woman, you have a strange boldness when it comes to animals.

Me: Animals and people are two different things BEN. I've never been afraid of animals.

BEN: That may be true, but I've known few women so comfortable with reptiles- yet alone the ones large enough to kill a man.

Me: Then your in for a surprise. Sometimes I bring my snake to bed with me.

BEN took a long time to respond after that- for a while I actually thought that I had scared him away.

BEN: That's a dangerous habit Fae. A snake that size could crush you while you sleep. What would you do if it turned on you?

Me: I know it seems dangerous BEN, but Mai would never hurt me.

BEN: Mai?

Me: That's her name- the snakes name.

BEN: Strange name for a snake- but still. You shouldn't be so trusting. Snakes aren't exactly known for being cute and cuddly.

Me: I know, but she's just misunderstood. Shes never taken a snap at me, never made me think that she might harm me. When I go to sleep with her she looks over my waist and slips her head under my neck. In the end I wind up with my arm draped over the midpoint of her body and she puts her head near my chest.
Me: We stay like that all night and she never shifts as if preparing to suffocate me. Call me a fool for trusting her, but I think she knows that I'm the one who saved her life.

BEN: Your snake is a rescue?

Me: Yes.
Me: Aleksandr was driving me home from a meeting roughly a year ago, and I noticed a group of people swarming together in an alley.
Me: Normally I don't try to get involved with crowds, but for some reason I just couldn't avert my eyes.
Me: After a few minutes, Aleksandr drove closer to the crowd so that I could get a better look, and that's when I saw Mai.
Me: She was curled up in a corner and people were throwing rocks at her. They were screaming and shouting as if she was some kind of monster- I couldn't just leave her there to die. But, I didn't know what to do.

BEN: So how did you save Mai?

Me: Aleksandr saw the expression on my face and knew how badly I wanted to help the snake, so he drove straight into the crowd and honked the horn as loudly as he could to scare everyone away. The people scattered thinking that he was going to run them over, and I jumped out of the car as soon as everyone had moved away.
Me: Then I rushed over to Mai and tried to pick her up- but she was scared and hurt. She bit my arm, and before I knew what was going on she constricted around most of my lower body.

BEN: I though you said she's never attacked you.

I sighed irritatedly at his response, and got to work on my reply.

Me: I don't count striking out of pain and fear as an attack BEN. If you were in her position and had no idea what was happening or why, you would have done the same thing- and don't try to tell me differently.
Me: Anyways, I pjo

BEN: ?

I wound up messing up on my post because my towel slipped off of my chest and my breasts fell out. I slammed my hand on the keyboard from the shock of it and immediately tried to fix the issue. I could tell by the heat I felt on the face that I was blushing, and I secretly thanked the fact that BEN couldn't see me- as far as I knew. The last thing I wanted was for someone I barely knew to see me naked! As soon as I had my chest covered back up I worked on giving him a reasonable response without telling him that I was sitting on my couch wearing nothing but a towel.

Me: Sorry, I had a wardrobe malfunction. I hit the keyboard by mistake.

BEN: Alright.
BEN: Continue.

Me: K.
Me: Once I realized that Mai was coiled around me, I rushed back to the car and sat in the front seat- Aleksandr was mortified because I was bleeding and my abdomen was being crushed. I could barely breathe so I couldn't talk, but I did my best to let him know to just take me home.
Me: He realized what I wanted done and he rushed me back home and helped me get inside. Mai was still constricting, but because she was hurt she couldn't get as tight as she wanted to.
Me: Once we were inside, I made my way to the kitchen and Aleksandr helped me get Mai off of my waist.

BEN: How did you manage to do that?

Me: Its easier than it sounds. All you have to do is find the tail and unwrap it, so I had her body off of me in less than a minute once I was in the kitchen- her jaws were another story.
Me: In the end it took twenty minutes for her to let go of me once I had her inside, and then I put my hand on the back of her head to hold her down so that she wouldn't bite me again- or Aleksandr for that matter.
Me: You are aware that I know enough in the medical field to tend to certain types of injuries on animals right?

BEN: Yes. The ten years you spent in the 4-H program saw to it that you'd know how to mend wounds and give medication to animals.

Me: Good, so I won't have to explain how I was able to treat Mai's injuries without getting arrested- not that anyone knows I have her.
Me: Anyways, afterwards I treated her wounds and gave her some antibiotics, then I put her in a box with a heat lamp. After that, Aleksandr insisted that I let him bandage my arm, and even though it made me uncomfortable I let him. Then he went home. I've had Mai ever since.

BEN: Well, that was an interesting story- but I do have a few questions.

Me: Alright, I'm listening.

BEN: Why did you have antibiotics?
BEN: Why did you have needles?
BEN: Why did you have a heat lamp and a box?

Me: Wow, I'm surprised that you've payed enough attention to realize that normal people don't keep such things in their house- but I'll still answer you.
Me: I had antibiotics and needles present because I actually keep a supply of them around should I come across an injured animal. Since my near death experience and being saved by a dog, I've made it a habit to take care of any wounded animal I spot.
Me: As for the box and heat lamp, I'd had it since I moved in and I just never bothered to get rid of it. I had the heat lamp so that I could keep warm those cold nights when I was up late working on my manuscript.

BEN: Alright, I guess that makes some sense.
BEN: Scratch that- its you we're talking about, so it makes perfect sense.
BEN: Well, I'd love to continue our little chat, but its gotten pretty late and I'm sure you'd like some rest. We'll continue tomorrow, I'll contact you when I can.

Me: Alright.
Me: Goodnight BEN.

BEN: Goodnight Fae.

With that my second conversation with BEN was over, and I must say that I actually felt a little better than I had in years. Thinking it over, it was probably because I'd shared some of the most private information of my life with someone other than a therapist. I scowled at the memories. I'd always hated therapists, the way they talked to me and the way they looked at me- they made me feel as if I was broken. Hell, all they ever said was that they'd fix me, and that made me feel as if I was broken. I started thinking that since I was broken, did that mean that I'd be thrown away if I wasn't fixed? I shook my head and slapped myself in the leg to scold myself for remembering such things. I haven't seen a therapist on nearly four years, so I don't need to worry about all the bullshit they gave me as a child. I've come to terms, and now I know that absolutely nothing is wrong with me- I don't need to be fixed. I just need more time to adjust to people is all. Sighing, I turned to look at the clock- it was a quarter to two! Damn, I've been talking to BEN for over five hours- no wonder he told me to get some shuteye, I was going to be in a very bad mood tomorrow. Not because of lack of sleep, but because whenever I stayed up past one my eyes would burn the following day.

Somewhat irritated at myself, I rose from the couch and strode over to the T.V where Mai's cage was to get her- all the talking about her I'd done make me want to sleep with her tonight. I opened the cage and stuck my arm to allow her to slither up on me, and she wrapped loosely around my shoulders to warm up. She knocked the towel off of me in the process, but by that point I didn't care- I didn't have the time to get dressed, I just needed to get some sleep. Once I had Mai I turned and walked over to my blankets- I'd forgotten to pick them up this morning, so they'd been on my living room floor all day. Then, I kicked the top blanket off and fell to my knees, and I unwrapped Mai from my shoulders so that I could lie down. I lied on my right side, then Mai coiled back around me the way she usually did when I brought her to bed with me. Her midsection draped over my waist, her tail coiled around my left leg, her upper body ran along my back, and she curled her head past my neck to sleep with her face next to my chest. The only difference tonight was that I was naked, so I felt her cool body against my bare skin. The sensation was odd, but not unpleasant- I liked it actually. Then, I pulled the moved blanket over our bodies, and I closed my eyes. Sleep overtook me before I had the chance to let another thought pass through my mind.