She Didn't Cry Wolf

Intrusion, Part 2

I had the most vivid dreams all week, a shadow in my room sometimes at my curtain, walking in and out. Brushing my hair and the smell of peppermint and something else, I'd know it if I ever walked by it but it was less subtle like a spice or a chilli but it was neither of those it was just similar, it happened for a few nights. "When did it stop?" "They stopped the moment I stopped using the aspirin. I didn't get a refill because I didn't like the dreams or side effects." "Do you still have the pills?"

I thought about it "It should be on my nightstand, as it always is." "Do you have any drug related family issues?" "Only my cousin Lorenzo, he is the reason I don't do any type of substance. Seeing your family go through it is enough to say no." She left it at that and I thought more about the few months that had passed.

She got someone who came during the day and cleaned the house, I didn't like the way they did it. Everything was moved and placed somewhere I hated, I constantly had to change it back. "You know, the person you hired to help kindly let them know not to change the order of things." She turned her head "Honey, how would they know where to place it if they simply found it in the sink?" I could only close my eyes and say in pure frustration "Please, no more. I don't want any more strangers in my house that include bridge club members or this person you have hired to clean."

I felt claustrophobic. I couldn't breathe in my own house or do anything without someone being there. It was then when she knocked on my door "Honey, I've been meaning to tell you. I'll be gone by tomorrow. It's been fun but I can't stay here." Thank you for leaving, were my exact thoughts but I dared not say to them "I'll miss you." I'll admit a sigh of relief came upon me when she said that and I slept better that night, unassisted. I must have slept all morning but when I got up to look around she was gone and everything was cleaned up.

She left the spare keys on the counter and I placed them in the small rhino cup on the wooden rack which holds my umbrella and sometimes a coat or two as the weather changes. It just looks cute there. She was truly gone, she didn't come back or call. I did however still continue having issues with my phone so I called Carson, he was honestly the only person I could think of and he came over, he had a look at the phone and his first words were "This phone is so old no wonder you can't hear anyone. I'll order you a wall unit and I should be here by tomorrow if not the next day." I was grateful just to have a working phone, I couldn't spend all my time texting. That felt like a true disconnect. He took off the wall unit, placed it in a box, and handed me a bill much smaller than expected "Don't worry, single discount. Have a good one."

He left and I didn't know whether to slam the door or say thank you then slam the door. That day my rhino cup broke and I had to throw it away, I also cut my right index finger with a porcelain shard "I didn't find my key but it must be there somewhere." She looked at me and started questioning once more "2 months is a long time for a missing key that just fell right there." "It probably went under the rug, I've forgotten about up until today." She stopped tapping her pen on the paper and asked "This might sound intrusive but have you recently had a blood test done?" "Yes, I had to take one when Officer Harris pulled me over a few months ago." "Why did he pull you over and have that administered?" Curious as ever but the answer wasn't as thrilling "I was struggling with my brakes and the steering had locked, he thought I was drinking and avoiding stop signs. My car was scratched that night, I had to use the curb then brought me here and had the test done, we had to leave my car in the middle of the street." "Did the insurance cover anything?" I had to think about it "I can't remember but I did receive a bill from Charlie's Motors fixing my wheel alignment and also replaced my caps, my vehicle was impounded but while they were towing it, somehow the broke the brake cables and I ended up needing a new car so I bought my red sedan." "Why not just replace the brake cables?" "After the steering lock, I was too scared to drive the car again. I'd rather change it then be in more trouble, I could have been injured or worse, killed."

It was a nightmare of a time but I did like my new car, I never left it out and always parked inside the garage. Very few people knew about it, little to nobody as I didn't want anyone to know. My phone was replaced but I still had the same static, you can imagine Carson came by often and it frustrated even him. "You know I can't understand why there's this static on your line, it makes no sense. Not even your neighbours have this issue." I was making us something to eat "Maybe there's something with the connection?" He got up immediately and went out back, there's this metal box against the wall and when I came, it was already open. I don't know what he did but he walked into the house and checked the line again. "I'm going to the car, call me as soon as I get there." I was slightly confused but I waited for him to be in the car and I called him "Testing one, two, three?" I could even hear him breathing "I can hear you loud and clear." "Thank you Carson, you're a genius." "I'd love to stay and chat but I have another client, I'll send the bill."

For a while that's all I saw, bills. Phone bill, I had to replace my front porch lightbulb, my bell made a weird noise so the battery had to be replaced. It was one thing after another but it did eventually stop.