I'm not normally into modern-day adaptations, but wanted to try something different, a one-off idea. Unfortunately, I still don't own Prof.Tolkien's characters.

Many thanks to Quillon for her help and advice.

REGRESSION

Chapter One: FLYNN

He fascinates me, this young man, who introduced himself simply as Flynn. He has an aura that is intense, but in no way threatening, for I detect an underlying gentleness.

When he first came to me, he was a soul in torment, fighting the unidentified demons of his past. He was nervous - afraid of learning the truth, but afraid of not learning it. These demons remain nameless, but he seems now to have some belief that we will find the answers he is looking for.

In two months, we have established that he was a priest during World War One, a Puritan farmer in 17th century England, and a physician in 15th century Italy, where he fell victim to The Black Death. It's possible that he has had other lives also, but these appear to be the most traumatic and therefore the most easily recollected, but as yet, we cannot account for his overwhelming pyrophobia which was apparent during his first consultation. When I lit a cigarette, he even flinched from the flame which emanated from the lighter.

At first I just probed gently into his background, and learned that he was the youngest son of a wealthy industrialist and landowner, living in a renovated castle some 20 miles from Dublin.

"My father wants me to join the family business," he said, "but it's not the life I want for myself. I'm a songwriter, but my family don't see that as acceptable - or respectable."

With further questioning I ascertained that his problems really began with the death of his mother two years previously, after which, and for reasons he couldn't fathom, he became more and more estranged from his father, whilst at the same time, developing an almost obsessive devotion to his older brother.

"There's something in my head," he said. "Something that's there, but out of reach. Ever since my mother died, I get brief moments when I feel as though I have a memory of something, but I can't hold on to it. All I'm sure of is that I can't cope with any criticism from my dad, and I have this morbid fear that I'm going to lose my brother."

"And the flames?" I asked.

He visibly paled even at the word, and his voice became little more than a whisper.

"I've had a phobia about fire for as long as I can remember, but it's been worse since my mother died. I think it's all connected, but I've no idea how, or why."

"Then let's find out." I said.

His first few sessions have been interesting, but basically uninformative. So far, my approach has been cautious, but it's become obvious to me that he has issues which have accompanied him through countless generations. I believe the root of his fears lie much further back than we have so far attempted, and today I plan to reach that part of his subconscious which could provide him with the answers he seeks.

"Where are you?"

He seems happy and relaxed. "By the sea."

"Are you male or female?"

"Male," he replies. "I'm a child - very small."

"Are you alone?" I ask.

"No, my brother is with me. I'm sitting on his shoulders."

"Is there anyone else with you?"

He is silent for a while, before drawing breath sharply.

"What do you see?" He seems emotional, but I take the opportunity to delve further.

"My mother - she's so beautiful!"

His breath becomes rapid, and he chokes back the sobs that threaten to escape.

"Are you still by the sea?" I ask, unsure whether to continue should he become more distressed.

"No," he replies. "I'm in a room. My brother is crying. She's never coming back. My father says we have to be brave, but I don't understand."

I ask him his name, and his answer surprises me somewhat - it's unlike any name I've heard before.

"Faramir."

I feel loath to interrupt his train of thought, and tell him to relax, and to tell me all he can remember about Faramir's life. I speak only to provide a gentle stimulus, for occasionally he falters. I decide to ask about his brother, to try and find a connection between his past, and his present day fears.

"Tell me about your brother."

"Boromir looks after me," he replies. "Father is always busy."

He proceeds to talk at some length about his life as the privileged son of a man who holds an important office in a country of which I have no knowledge.

Hesitantly, I ask whether his childhood was happy.

"Sometimes," is the eventual reply. "But we don't go to the sea together anymore. Father has no time, and it pains him too much for it was my mother's favourite place. My uncle came to take Boromir and me to Dol Amroth, but Father wouldn't let Boromir go......he let Uncle Imrahil take me though."

"Did your father always give you what you want?" I ask with a smile that reflects in my voice, but I immediately realise that I've made a mistake. His brow furrows. "No - but my presence isn't as important to him as that of Boromir - he's the eldest, and the heir. Father is proud of him."

"And he isn't of you?"

"I try to please him," he continues, "but my efforts are usually wasted. He always finds faults with me. He thinks I'll make a poor soldier because I like to read and learn - and I don't want to kill."

"Where are you now?" I ask gently, afraid of startling him, and losing this connection to his subconscious mind - to his soul.

"The River Anduin. Father has taken us to a military post there, where Boromir will soon serve as a soldier. I want to prove I'm brave, to make him proud. I jump in, and start swimming towards the other side, but there's a current, and I'm not strong enough. I'm too scared to call out, but Boromir sees me, and jumps into the river. He reaches me but the current is too strong for him also. There's a lot of shouting, and we're rescued by a soldier who has swum out with a rope tied around him, and we're pulled back to the bank. Boromir yells at me - he never does that and it scares me. I tell him I just wanted to prove to Father that I'm brave - but Father is very angry. He calls me stupid and says that next time I want to kill myself, I should do it when I'm alone, so that I don't take anyone else with me."

He pauses, before adding softly, and as though deep in thought, "It's Boromir who gets all the praise for being brave."

"Do you resent this? Do you resent Boromir?"

"No!" His voice is surprisingly passionate. "He was more than my brother - he was my best friend. It wasn't his fault that Father loved him best."

I decide that it's time to bring him back to the present, and tell him that upon awakening, he will remember everything he has told me, but although he remembers what has been said, he has no real sensation of the events themselves. As he leaves, I give him a recording of the session and tell him to listen to it at every opportunity - but I advise him to stay relaxed and not to try too hard to remember, for that could cause stress which could obstruct the path way to his memories.

We have another session in a week's time, before which I fly to a conference in New York. I have compiled a dossier on Faramir, aka Patient A, and I am anxious to hear the opinion of my fellow therapists, for despite my fascination with his story, it appears to me to be just the work of an overactive imagination - a fantasy life that he may have created for himself at some time, for whatever reason. There is no historical documentation to substantiate his memories, for I can find no reference to the places he refers to - Minas Tirith, Gondor, Dol Amroth and more.

I fear it may not be hypnotherapy he needs, but psychotherapy.

TBC

I've investigated regression to a degree, and had some advice but please allow me some poetic licence here. :o)