William didn’t know what to say. It was hard to believe. It was hard to do; hard to think about. “I don’t know.”

Greyson sighed. “That’s understandable.”

More silence passed between them. The rain grew stronger, violent upon his window. Cox could hear the good doctor sigh once more.

“William – Cox – your agoraphobia has reached a breaking point. These last few sessions, I feel as though we’ve gone to new heights, truly reached the root of the problem. Do you feel this way as well?”

Cox brushed his right hand through his brown hair. He couldn’t argue with the doc; Greyson was right. He had really opened up the last few phone conversations, had finally told the truth about what started it all. He had never told anyone before, not anyone…

“Don’t you feel a remarkable improvement already?”

“Yeah, I do,” Cox admitted. “But I just don’t know if I feel ready to do what you’re asking.”

“Think about it in steps,” the doctor pushed. “Step one, you will set one foot outside the threshold of your apartment’s front door, and then another. Can you do that?”

“I-I just…”

“Step two, you will lock the door behind you.”

“But I don’t, I’m just not…”

“Step three,” Greyson pressed, his voice rising slightly. “You will walk forward towards the streetlamp, under which I will be waiting.”

“No, I don’t…Listen, I - ”

“Step four, you will enter my car, and I will take you exactly one block from your apartment and then return you home safely.”

“I can’t! I CAN’T DO IT!” Cox stood quickly, his heart racing. He punched a wall hard with his fist. “No! I won’t do it!”

“Which is it, Cox? You can’t, or you won’t?”

Cox sat once more. He was covered with sweat, and his right fist glittered darkly with blood. Just the thought of leaving his apartment after all these years gave him the panic attack of his life. But…

“I want to get better,” Cox admitted, tears burning the corners of his eyes. “I do want to. I’m just scared.”

“It’s okay to be frightened, Cox. I understand that this is more than a phobia with you. It is a severe anxiety condition, Cox. I just want you to be free of it. For six years, you have literally put your life on hold, and for what? A childhood trauma? You’re an adult now, Cox. It is time to live again, don’t you agree?”