Dark Lines

Brother, Help Me...

The next day he woke up seeing that his room is a mess, the doors of the closet are broken, the walls are scratched, the mirror is blurry, no view of the chains, so he gets up but notices some blue bruises allover his body, and purple ones around his wrists and ankles, he was hardly able to stand, and when he managed to stand, he saw some hair strands, some teeth and drops of blood on his pillow, so he quickly wipes the mirror with his sleeve, and realizes that they belong to him, there was also blood dripping from his mouth. He punches the mirror, and starts crying, then he decided to shave his head completely, in order to fix the view he saw in that mirror, and maybe forget what had happened, but when he did, he noticed some bruises too, because the hair strands he found on the pillow was terribly pulled out of his head, though at least the teeth that was brutally pulled out, weren't from the front row, so hopefully it won't be that noticeable.

After two hours, Peter was still sitting down on the couch, shocked and horrified, he was scared of doing anything, he was not able to walk around the house, and even look behind him. He was constantly checking his wrists and ankles, then searched for anything else that was injured, but he didn’t find anything other than what he saw in the room, as if this wasn’t enough.

He felt so hungry, for that he had to get up and prepare himself breakfast, and for little Crystal that was sitting infront of him and looking at him for a long time, she must have felt that there was something wrong, he must look so different and weird, he wonders if she feels or see what he sees, the weird events and the negative energy that has conquered this house for a long time now.

Later, Peter was laying on the couch, with a cup of coffee next to him, he was still unable to conprehend anything, he feels lost and endangered, will he be alive by tomorrow?, he doesn’t know, and he doesn’t know either how would he die, but he knew where, in this house.

At 5:33 p.m., he was eating his lunch, without paying attention to the flavor or anything, the television was on, but he wasn’t watching, and Crystal was sitting next to him, trying to console him. He felt depressed, nothing means anything to him now, he can’t think of anything else than surviving, happiness, excitement, hope mean nothing.

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The next morning, he got up as soon as the alarm went off, not because he felt motivated, but because he didn’t sleep not for a second, he didn’t dare to close his eyes, he might never wake up. All the night, he was looking around him, even though he kept the light on, but he was paranoid, he couldn’t stop himself, he is going crazy.

Wherever he bumps into anything, he feels a major pain anywhere in his body, he was cautious to sit, stand and lay down slowly, so he doesn’t feel terrible as he moves his body parts. He made his breakfast without minding what he is putting in his plate, he is just eating to stay alive, and maybe get his mind busy with the flavors rather than his life, but it never worked.

Three hours later, he is sitting on the balcony smoking, he feel like he isn’t alive, he hoped that something or someone could help him, but they would think that he is crazy, plus the medical conditions don’t allow him to talk to them in person, or to go wherever he wants, maybe he would feel better, if he did some activities or hung out somewhere, with some friends.

At night, he was having his forth cup of coffee, so he won’t sleep, and he was feeling like he was suffocating, so he kept the windows open, then he had a small dinner. Later, he decided to go to bed, just to lay down, but made sure as always to close the bathroom door, check on the attic, keep the inhaler and a cup of water next to him, and took only his hallucinations pills, it may pay off some day, then he starting reading.

Peter was up all night as he will do from now on, and took more time showering than usual, maybe he will feel calmer and at peace if he did that, just close his eyes and standing under the warm and delicate water.

After a few minutes, he got out and watched some meditation program on the television, while drinking his cup of green tea, and holding Crystal on his lap, he feels secure with her, even if she is a much fragile creature, but she was a soul who is accompanying him all the time, who seems to feel what he is feeling, and tries to cheer him up.

At 4:22 p.m., he ordered pizza with a huge cup of Pepsi, with music on and the volume is turned on too much. He was trying to do random and crazy things so he might forget the reality, and these bad things won’t matter to him anymore, he didn’t want to feel anything anymore, or to think about anything either.

He turned off the music, because his head is going to explode right now, then washed the dishes, and layed down on the couch like a dead body, no matter what he does, nothing is working, nothing is changing his thoughts or distracting him, he can’t be human that have a normal life again, and he can’t be a zombie who doesn’t feel anything, and doesn’t pay attention or understand what’s happening around him either.

Three hours later, he grabbed a blanket with his pills and inhaler, deciding that he will stay up all night in the living room, while watching television, and watch some videos on his cellphone as well.

*******************

“I feel terrible, brother”, Peter said.

“What is happening with you, Peter?”, his brother asked. “I feel trapped in my thoughts everything around me seem surreal”, Peter replied.

“Peter, we all are bored, and stressed about the fact that we have been staying home for a long time”, he said back.

“No, it’s not like that, I see things that are abnormal, and I feel things as if they were real, they even leave marks in the house, including my body”, Peter explained.

“Peter, are you being serious right now?”, he asked. “Please, believe me brother, I’m dying here, I don’t know what will happen with me next”, Peter added.

“Wait, you aren’t planning to commit suicide, or anything, are you?, we are a religious family Peter, don’t think of such negative and destructive thoughts”, his brother said.

“God no, I didn’t mean that, but those who are surrounding me here, I just don’t know what they’ll do next”, Peter said.

“Okay listen, I will send you the email of a very famous and professional shrink, my sister in law used to have sessions with her”, he suggested.

“Fine, anything that would help me get through this with my sanity”, Peter said.

“Very well brother, we all love you, and we are eager to see you when all this is done, please stay safe and positive”, his brother said.

“I love you too, will do brother”, Peter said back.

Peter felt a bit relieved after this conversation, and was definitely open to any idea that will solve his case, and bring him peace and settlement again.

At 2:11 p.m. Peter has send this shrink an email, and she was very helpful and sweet, they will have sessions together starting tomorrow, she sure have now plenty of patients during this lockdown. He went to the kitchen, heated some leftovers, poured some juice, and brought Crystal her lunch, then sat down together on the balcony.

How good does it feel to fly like a bird, to be free of everything, all you got to do is flap your wings and fly wherever you like to, you won’t even have anything to worry about, and you understand nothing of the cruel things in world, all what you worry about is feeding and sheltering yourself and your little ones.

Peter walked inside the living room, and closed the door of the balcony behind him, because it got chilly out there, he went to his room, grabbed the blanket and the book he is currently reading, then made a cup of latté with some cookies aside, then he remembered that he won’t be able to finish one line before he wears his glasses, so he grabbed those too, and sunk in the fantasy world of literature.

In the evening, he fried some eggs, chopped some tomatoes and cucumber, put them in a plate with some mint, next to the pan of fried eggs, then poured some tea in his favorite cup. Crystal was nagging about the flavored cat food, that was in the pantry, in a closed package, so Peter gave up and put some in her bowl, although he was saving those for when there weren’t any cat food left for her.

He put some soothing music, when he finished reading, and eating, then closed his eyes for a few minutes, just to chill out a bit, and feel put together. One hour later, he went to his bedroom with his book, blanket, glasses and pills, he placed them on the table and placed the inhaler even closer to his bed, left only the lights in his room on, and only the door if his bedroom open, then he covered himself and made sure that Crystal is warm enough. Now it’s time to fight the urge and the desire to sleep, with the help of his cellphone.

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