Chapter 7: Daryl You’re Bleeding

‘Daryl your backs bleeding,’ Lewis called out, ‘Have you been hurt.’ ‘I must have caught it on something at the library.’ Daryl said. ‘Lie down on the settee on your tummy and I’ll get the first aid box.’ Lewis told him.

He returned from the bathroom with the first aid box to find Daryl still standing up. ‘Lie down,’ Lewis said, ‘I’ll put some antiseptic and a plaster on it.’ ‘It’s ok, I’ll be alright.’ Daryl said.

‘I’m thinking of being a doctor when I leave school,’ Lewis told him, ‘So it’ll be good practice for me, please let me see to it.’ Daryl reluctantly lay face down on the settee. Lewis sat at his side and started to lift the back of his T shirt up.

On closer inspection it wasn’t fresh, just recent. The blood had congealed on his skin and sealed his T shirt to his skin. Lewis explained, ‘The blood has stuck your T shirt to your skin. I’ll have to wet it first, so I don’t do any damage to your skin,’ he said, ‘Just lie still.’

He returned with a wet warm flannel and dabbed the T shirt all over the bloody area plus half an inch around the edge beyond. ‘It’ll need to soak in for a few minutes,’ Lewis told him, ‘So just relax. Do you know what you caught it on.’

‘No,’ Daryl said, ‘I think I backed into something, but I didn’t realise it had done any damage.’ Lewis sensed he was making it up, but he didn’t query it. Also, as he had tried to lift his T shirt, he had spotted brown patches on his back. It could be dirt, but Lewis suspected bruising.

Every few minutes, Lewis dabbed the area with more water. Then after it had soaked for ten minutes, the blood had dissolved enough to let him lift the T shirt away from the area. Lewis pulled it halfway up his back and tucked it under itself to keep it out of the way. He looked at the damage on his skin, opened his mouth to speak then changed his mind.

Instead, he said, ‘I’ll wash the cut with antiseptic, then when it’s dry, I’ll put a plaster on it.’ He got a swab out of the box and poured a drop of TCP onto it. ‘It might sting a bit,’ he warned, ‘I’m just going to clean it.’ He dabbed the area over and around the cut.

He heard Daryl gasp, but he didn’t cry out loud. ‘Let it dry for a moment,’ Lewis said as he tucked Daryl’s T shirt up higher. ‘Then I’ll put a plaster on it.’ Lewis picked out a large plaster and put a dab of antiseptic cream on it ready. ‘Whatever it was, it hasn’t gone deep,’ Lewis told him, ‘It’ll soon heal up.’

Lewis studied the bit of his back that he had uncovered whist he waited and wondered. He took a quick snap of it on his phone. ‘I’m just going to put the plaster on.’ he said. ‘This one shouldn’t sting, but it will feel cold in the middle.’

He put the plaster in place so that the blob of cream was directly on the cut. Then gently pressed the sticky part of the plaster onto the skin all round. ‘Roll over carefully, then sit up.’ Lewis told him.

Once he was sitting up, Lewis took hold of the bottom of his T shirt and started to lift it up. ‘Put your hands up,’ he said, ‘I’ll take it off and put it by the radiator to dry.’ Once off he stood up and took it across the room.

Putting it directly on the radiator so that the area he had wet was against the heat, he returned to the settee. Daryl was still sitting up. Lewis sat back on the edge and put a hand on each of Daryl’s bony shoulders. Looking him straight in the face he said, ‘I can see from your back that someone has been using you as a punch bag. I am going to help you stop it.’

Daryl had learnt the hard way to be tough, but kindness was something he hadn’t experienced much of lately. He just couldn’t cope with it. He burst into tears.

Lewis moved his arms and pulled him close. As Daryl rested his head on Lewis’s shoulder, Lewis said in his ear, ‘Let it all out, take as long as you want, nothing in here is going to hurt you.’ Then he put his arms around him and held him gently.

It had been a long time since anyone had shown kindness to Daryl, when his tears had all gone, he stayed where he was, feeling safe in Lewis’s arms.

‘Lie down now.’ Lewis said after a while. Once Daryl was settled, Lewis could see the front of his chest. It also had numerous bruises, new and old all over it. Lewis noted them but didn’t comment.

He smiled down at Daryl and said, ‘Can you tell me who has been beating you?’ Daryl looked scared, ‘I can’t,’ he said, ‘Sorry.’ ‘That’s ok,’ Lewis said, ‘I won’t push you, but please listen carefully to what I have to tell you.’

‘I help people who are in trouble,’ Lewis told him. ‘But although I’m good at it, I can’t do anything without the cooperation and help of the person who is directly involved, in this case you. I realise you’re frightened and that is clearly with just cause. So, the first thing I have to do before I can sort it out for you, is to get you feeling safe and at ease with me. So much so that you can tell me everything that has happened to you.’

‘I have to get you feeling that it’s ok to tell me anything because you know I won’t tell anyone what you told me. I also need to find out more about you and your life. As well as your hopes, dreams and the people around you, lots of ordinary things.’

‘We might not be able to do all that today. If we don’t, we’ll keep going as long as it takes. Just as long as you want to. When people come to me for help, it often takes a lot of time to find out what the problem is. In your case I already know the gist of it. Someone is beating the hell out of you.’

‘But the procedure is the same. If you agree to try, first I will try to get you very relaxed with me. I’ll also ask you lots of everyday questions to get to know you better. If I ask you anything you feel you can’t answer just yet, all you need to do is to say ‘Pass’ and I’ll leave the question for later.’

‘If you decide at any time that you don’t want to continue, all you need to do is say ‘Stop.’ I’ll stop whatever we’re doing immediately. If you want to leave, you can just get up and go. You don’t have to explain why or apologise. Just go. Because if you don’t want to be here, we’re not going to get anywhere. We would just be wasting our time.’

‘No one’s done it yet, but if you did walk out, I’ll always welcome you back again if you wanted to return. Nothing you tell me will leave this room. If I feel someone else should be told something, or if I need to ask anyone for help, I will ask your permission first. If you say no, then I will respect your decision.’

‘In a moment I will ask you if you want to stay and give it a try. If you do, then I’ll ask you to turn onto your front. I will then massage you gently from your head to your feet and back again. As I do that, I will ask you all about yourself and your life.’

‘Now, before you decide, do you have any questions?’ ‘Can you promise me no one will know anything I say to you?’ Daryl asked. ‘Yes, I promise, you have my word,’ Lewis said. ‘Even Mike will not know. Although obviously he will know you have a problem otherwise you wouldn’t be seeing me.’

‘Sit up.’ Lewis said. He put his arms around him and hugged him gently. ‘There’s no pressure,’ he said, ‘It’s entirely your choice. Even go away and come back next week if you want more time to think it over.’

Daryl was already feeling more at ease with Lewis. Plus, he had heard things at school about him helping people. Then there had been Michael and Dudley’s comments about him on the stage. ‘I’d like to try,’ please he said. ‘But I’m frightened of saying too much, so I might not stay.’

‘That’s ok,’ Lewis said. ‘If you do leave, then later decide you want to try again, just let me know at school and we’ll fix up a time. ‘So lie down if you’re ready.’

Daryl lay down. ‘When you turn over,’ Lewis told him, ‘I will rest my hands on your head and massage it. I won’t ask any questions, or start massaging down your back, until you say ‘Go,’ ok?’ ‘Ok,’ Daryl replied.