A Vision of Fire

“I’ve been good about that. Well, Jacob’s been good about it and I’ve benefited.”

Barbara laughed. “And sleep. Actual sleep, not the occasional Ambien. Also, take some time off.”

“You don’t want much, just miracles,” Caitlin said as her phone beeped with another call. It was from a private caller. Her gut burned a little; she had a feeling who it might be.

“You asked, I answered,” Barbara replied.

“All right, will do. Hey, I need to take this other call—”

“Okay, but keep it short. Maintain your boundaries.”

“You’re a mind reader. Talk soon.” Caitlin switched to the other call. “Hello?”

“Dr. O’Hara?” said a man’s voice.

“Mr. Pawar.”

“Please, it’s Ganak. I am sorry not to be visiting you in person, to thank you. But eyes are upon me.”

“Not a problem. How is Maanik?”

“She is a little better.”

Caitlin heard strain in his raw, raspy voice. “Did she have another episode?”

“Yes, but not like before.”

“Tell me about it.”

“We’re not sure. It was—forgive me, I am not used to describing these things. It was as if she was there with us at dinner, eating her soup, but she was listening for something else.”

“Did she talk at all? Respond to you?”

“No. It was as though she was on the alert for something. But not in an urgent way. It’s very difficult to explain.”

“How long did that go on?”

“Perhaps five or six minutes. She said nothing the entire time and we did not want to question her until we spoke with you.”

“I understand.” Caitlin paused to consider the situation. “Mr. Pawar—Ganak. Maanik may have been suffering from a mild, self-induced trance.”

“I’m sorry. Do you mean she hypnotized herself?”

“Not exactly,” Caitlin said. “Did Mrs. Pawar tell you I used hypnosis to stabilize her?”

“Yes. And I must be candid, Dr. Deshpande expressed some concern—”

“Dr. Deshpande may be a fine doctor but he was prepared to overmedicate your daughter,” Caitlin interrupted. “That’s like washing your eyeglasses with a hose. It’s not my way.”

“Please, I did not mean to question your judgment. This is all so unfamiliar to us.”

“Completely understandable,” Caitlin said. “My point is, occasionally, individuals who have been given hypnotherapy will return to that state if they feel threatened in the same way as before.”

“You mean her mind self-hypnotized to fend off a relapse?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Caitlin said.

“I see.” The ambassador was silent.

“Sir, may I make a suggestion?”

“Please.”

“There is an obstruction in her mind, something that is redirecting her natural response to ordinary thoughts and stimuli. My guess is it has something to do with a traumatic event—in this case, the shooting. Maanik was very responsive to the superficial hypnosis I used earlier. I’d like to put her into a deeper trance.”

“Deeper? What does that mean?”

“I only helped her to sleep before; I didn’t fully engage with her. It’s clear that something is blocking her normal self and we must uncover what that is. This process is a proven tool for enhancing memories.” She added, “Leaving her untreated could make the situation worse.”

There was another silence. Caitlin had the impression the ambassador was not considering her suggestion but thinking about how to refuse it respectfully. She was right.

“Hypnotism is a practice honored across time and across many cultures,” Ganak said. “The Hindu Vedas call it a ‘healing pass.’ Yet I believe a mind moves between different strata of consciousness for its own good reasons. Interfering with that self-organization may be premature, if not dangerous.”

“I respect what you are saying but you’re forgetting an important point—the self-mutilation,” she said carefully. “The sounds she was making while scratching at her arms alerted those around her. But it’s possible that she could harm herself in silence in the future, without anyone knowing in time to prevent it.”

“Then someone will stay with her constantly,” Ganak said.

“Which could bear a psychological cost, drive her farther into hiding,” Caitlin pointed out. She let that sink in for a moment, then said, “One thing I can do for Maanik under hypnosis is guide her into symptom transformation.”

It took the ambassador a moment to rediscover his voice. “I am not familiar with the term.”

“We would choose a physical movement such as twitching her finger and associate it with her scratching at her arms. When fully conscious, any self-attack would be preceded by her finger twitching. As she exercised control over her finger she would also shut down the scratching.”

“An off switch,” he said.

“Exactly. It’s one of many useful tools. And please understand, while she is in a trance she retains her power of choice. In hypnosis I am not operating her. We work together.”

“I will certainly keep that in my mind.”

“I appreciate your willingness to hear me out,” Caitlin said. “You may call at any time if the situation changes.”

“Dr. O’Hara, I may not have been sufficiently clear earlier about my reasons for caution.”

“Not at all. I can see that you’re in a difficult situation.”