‘Fair enough, but we’re just trying to fully understand what goes on there.’
‘It is a hell hole that has no place being in existence,’ he said, taking another gulp.
‘Could you share anything that you saw? Something that happened to someone else while you were there?’ she asked.
He considered for a minute.
‘Yeah, actually there was this one guy, jeez, he had a rough time of it. They threw everything at him. Cocky little shit at times. Reminded me of Jack Nicholson in that crazy film,’ he said, clicking his fingers to remember.
‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,’ Bryant supplied.
‘That’s the one. Yeah. We called him Jack, and they threw the works at him. They tailor your treatment plan to play on your worst fears, you see. Jack’s fear was being disowned by his parents. They start off small and increase the pressure every couple of days. He had the shocks and stuff, but they didn’t seem to bother him as much as the videos. Over and over again. Parents telling their kids they were disgusting, they were unclean, they were inferior, despicable. They showed Jack this one video of a guy who was kicked out of his home. He had nowhere to go so he ended up on the streets. He was on his own, no job, no money and beaten almost every night, while being called the most horrific names. Sometimes it was gay bashing and other times it was by other homeless guys. I think they got to Jack a bit because they just kept showing videos of this poor kid with nowhere to go, no friends or family, and he couldn’t bear the thought of being alone.
‘He was a spirited kid but he had his limits.’ He smiled and raised his eyes upwards. ‘I remember one time that Jack refused to belittle another guy in the group meeting. The lad had failed to hide his erection when the counsellor was talking about lewd acts. Everyone was supposed to kick him in the nuts, but Jack wouldn’t do it so he got the hat.’
‘Hat?’ Kim asked.
‘Yeah. It was big like a witch’s hat but with a big D on it for Dunce. You had to wear it all day. Just the hat, no clothes, not even underwear. If you had the hat on it meant you got no food or water except a sip to take two tablets. And then you were supervised on the toilet.’
‘For what reason?’ Kim asked.
‘So you couldn’t use the toilet paper.’
Bryant got it first. ‘The tablets were laxatives?’
John nodded. ‘Jack had to walk round in that state all day.’
Kim swallowed back the emotion as John continued.
‘They test you, you know. They tested Jack. They got one of the other patients to come on to him, give him the eye. Jack forgot himself and responded.’
‘What happened to Jack?’ Kim asked.
‘They got him in the end, didn’t they? In the film. He was lobotomised. They took his spirit. It was the same with Jack at the clinic. Made the poor kid cry his eyes out and beg for mercy.’
‘Corrective rape has been mentioned,’ Kim said, sensing where this was going.
John nodded. ‘Corrective rape for the ladies and punishment for the boys if necessary.’
‘Why would it be necessary?’ Kim asked.
‘To show Jack how foul and disgusting the act was. It wasn’t sex. It wasn’t consensual. It was rough and painful, brutal. That’s what rape is. He curled into a ball and cried for his mum. They broke him in the end in the worst possible way. Jack was helpless, weakened, violated, broken.’
His voice croaked on the last word.
Bryant leaned forward. ‘Did Jack know the name of…?’
‘Never mind,’ Kim said, standing.
‘But if—’
‘Enough, Bryant, we’re done,’ she said, taking a card from her pocket. ‘Thank you for sharing Jack’s story with us, and if you ever want to talk to someone about what happened to you, give me a call. I think we might know someone that can help.’
‘I’m good,’ he said with a smile. ‘It’s safely packed away in the boxes,’ he said, tapping his temple.
‘Just in case,’ she insisted.
He took it and saw them to the door.