A Mother's Soothing Touch

I clutched my favorite baby toy, a worn-out teddy bear with a faded pink ribbon around its neck, as I struggled to calm myself down. But it was no use. The sounds, the sights, the smells - everything was too much for me to handle. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of sensory input, unable to escape the overwhelming pressure. As I hyperventilated, my body began to shake uncontrollably. I felt my mind slipping away, regressing to a time when I was a helpless baby, unable to protect myself from the world. I whimpered and whined, my voice rising to a high-pitched squeal. Hanji's grip on me tightened as he tried to comfort me. "Shh, little one, it's okay. I've got you." But I could feel his panic rising. He didn't know how to calm me down, and I couldn't blame him. I was beyond consolation. In a flash, Hanji pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Mother, I need your help," he said, his voice urgent. "My girlfriend can't calm down. She regressed severely. She's traumatized." I couldn't make out what Hanji's mother was saying on the other end of the line, but Hanji's responses gave me a sense of what was happening. "Yes, Mother. It happened again. Taro and his crew triggered her. She's hyperventilating... I don't know what to do, Mother. Please help me." A few minutes later, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Hanji's mother walked into the room, her face etched with concern. She took one look at me and nodded. "Let me take care of her, Hanji." Hanji gently handed me over to his mother, who wet a warm blanket with warm water. She gently laid me down in the warm wet blanket, and I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. She wrapped the blanket around my fragile body, and it was like I was back in my mother's womb, safe and protected. As I lay there, I felt Hanji's mother's gentle hand on the warm wet blanket. Her touch was soothing, calming, and I felt my eyelids growing heavy. I was drifting off to sleep, surrounded by a sense of peace and tranquility. Hanji's mother looked up at Hanji and said, "Your girlfriend's body is like an adult, but her mind is like an unborn baby. Her mind makes her feel like she is out of the safety of a womb." She stroked my hair, her touch gentle. "She needs love, care, and protection. And I'm here to help you give that to her, Hanji." As I fell asleep, I felt a sense of gratitude towards Hanji's mother. She understood me in a way that few people did. And with her help, I knew I could face whatever challenges lay ahead.