Cruel Therapy

Lori turned off the vacuum cleaner with a sense of accomplishment. As she admired the perfectly straight lines on her carpet, Lori felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. Glancing at the screen, she was surprised to see an alert from her doorbell camera. Lori clicked the alert and felt her heart leap into her throat. On her porch was a brown paper wrapped box. Lori's heart began to pound as she looked at the box. She had no idea why there would be a box on her porch. As long as she could remember, Lori hated packages in boxes. When she ordered products online, she had them shipped to her mother. Her mother would unbox the items and hand deliver them to her. She felt her anxiety increasing as she rapidly closed the app. She couldn't bear to look at that box.

"Oh no!!" Lori gasped. She had run out of her anti anxiety meds this morning. Her brother had offered to go pick them up from the pharmacy. Lori fearfully huddled in the corner of her bedroom. She could feel the box looming large on the porch. She could swear that she heard ticking. Was it coming from the box?

As her mind was running rapidly from one horrific scenario to another, Lori's phone vibrated in her hand. She had received a text from her brother, Bryan.

"I put your meds in a box and left them on your porch. I know why you take them. You need to face your fears. If you want your meds, you will go get them out of the box," his text read.

Lori's hands were trembling so badly that she couldn't type a reply. How could he do this? Why would he be so cruel? She literally could not go near that box, let alone touch it!!

Lori called her mom. Thankfully, her mom's number was on speed dial. "Help" was all she could gasp when her mom answered the phone. Lori's mom, recognizing her daughter was having a bad panic attack, said "I will be right there!"

Lori was hyperventilating to the point that she couldn't catch her breath. She moaned as she passed out.

Bryan felt a thrill as he watched his sister. He'd hacked into her smart home so he could watch her on his tablet. He also had access to her house. Her own home betrayed her and she had no idea. Bryan always had considered Lori to be weak. How could she be that scared of boxes? Kasoniphobia. Really? In his mind, by encouraging her to face her fears, he was actually conducting exposure therapy. He read about it online. The fact that he loved being cruel to his sister was a side benefit. Now it was time for phase two of his plan.

Bryan let himself into his sister's house. Taking the box with him, he went to her bedroom, where she had collapsed in a corner. Placing the box next to Lori, Bryan slapped her face until she woke up.

"If you want these meds, here they are!" He gleefully held the box in front of Lori's face. Lori covered her eyes and screamed, "Get it away from me!" Her eyes bulged in fear as Bryan shook the package. She could hear the pills banging together inside the box, but in her terror she interpreted the sound as ticking.

At that moment, Lori and Bryan's mom, Brenda arrived. She was shocked to see her son tormenting his sister. Enraged, she grabbed a pillow and whacked him over the head. "Stop it! What is wrong with you?! " Brenda pushed by Bryan so she could comfort Lori. Brenda was able to help Lori start to calm with breathing exercises.

Bryan left with the box. He returned with the pills and a glass of water. Lori refused to speak to him as she took her medicine. Brenda told him to go home. She would deal with him later. Lori sighed in relief as she cuddled with her mom.