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A Chapter by Bob

Schizophrenia, spirits, high levels of stress, schizophrenia, CIA chip implants, bugs inside your walls. Research did not help as much as he thought it would but it did yield some interesting topics. Out of everything he had read he wanted to believe that the government was behind it but Schizophrenia seemed the most logical. John somehow just knew that although Schizophrenia may fit his symptom that it was not that or maybe he just didn’t want to accept that it might be that. There wasn’t only one symptom but John dismissed the others such as lack of motivation, he only lacked motivation in things that didn’t interest him. Lack of desire to form relationships now that one was up for interpretation, he loved to form relationships (with people that were interesting) but the problem was prolonged relationships with those people. He scrolled down and when he saw causes, he immediately shut everything down. He was already in trouble so what is the use fussing over what caused it (especially if it’s something that he’s still enjoys doing). He sat on his windowsill counting stars and sipping on his third cup of coffee. No surprises tonight he was going to wait for it confronting the voice had fired him up, no lack of motivation here. He dosed off twice but the wind and a car’s horn had woke him up quickly and after the second awakening he heard it. “Johnny bud” before it could say anything else John yelled, “Who are you”. “Johnny...hey bud” the voice sounded different, happier or delighted at finally being acknowledged. “Are you real?” John didn’t have time for small talk he wanted to be reassured that he wasn’t sick. “You bet...your” the sound came stutteringly and distorted. “Johnny?” and this time it sounded more like a question. Complete silence and John was left shouting at nothing asking the same question. No one was home so the screaming session he had with himself was acceptable. He wasn’t even sure if that was a success or not but he was sure of one thing. That he was going to sleep much better tonight. Communicating with whatever that was, was tiring and the fact that it was two in the morning just added to his sleep like a baby tonight theory. It was the best sleep he’d had in weeks but it was far too short and when he was sent to the principal’s office for sleeping in yet another class he wasn’t surprised. Walking to the office he saw (not for the first time today) a group of kids looking at him and giggling. He found that weird but it didn’t bother him what really bothered him was that they were walking with umbrellas and jackets. All around the school, everyone was dressed for rain, jackets tightly covering every inch of their body, earmuffs, gloves and everything that went with it. He looked up just to make sure and saw some clouds pass by the sun and that was the only time the sun was going to be covered because the sky was clear. He wasn’t getting hot with only a T-shirt but these kids must be burning up. He sat at across the table from the principal, the typical high school principal. Balding, cheap suit and preaching the same “I’m trying to help you nonsense”. The only time John took any notice of him was when he walked in and looked at him sceptically as most of the kids did today. He ran his hands through his unkempt hair.”It is too long, it looks untidy son.” We have an image at this school” was what he said and John’s only response was messing it up even more. It wasn’t that long he obviously hadn’t seen Jim. John might have gotten the idea from him but it was simply that both of them didn’t really care about how they looked with the addition that they weren’t going to put much effort into managing a good image. He was neat and tidy compared to Jim who had the beard and all, you’d think you were transported back to the 70’s and Clapton was telling you about this high school chick that came into the bookstore today. Principal Rheinhold didn’t find that as funny as John did so he had booked himself a one way ticket home. It wasn’t a big deal he could get some sleep and head over to pass the time with Clapton (who was probably buzzing already). “Hey cutting class is not cool man” Jim was in the condition John expected him to be. “The faculty isn’t really cool about you catching some zzz’s in their class” John walked up to the counter. “Plus Rheinhold didn’t think comparing you to Clapton was funny”. Jim was laughing and through the laughter, John told him everything. “So you slept when you got home and came straight here?” “Yes whatyou thinking?” “You didn’t take anything, eat or drink anything?” “No ociffer” Jim laughed but composed himself quickly “I know why I can’t feel the cold but what’s your deal man?” “What are you talking about? It’s another annoying sunny day. You gotta lay off the office hours smoking dude.” “It’s been raining all day man. John are you okay?” Jim knew John was not kidding as he could see the realisation in his eyes. He realised why everyone was staring at him, everything made sense now except the fact that he saw a sunny sky outside. “I’m gonna head home, I think I just need to sleep it off.” He did not look at Jim and just walked out heading home. He felt gooseflesh on his bare arms and rubbed them. They were wet and when he looked up and seemed to have started drizzling, no it had been drizzling all along. John could see from the puddles and everything around him just said that it could not have started only now. Hallucinations, he was used to them but usually they’d eaten or drank something to achieve the effect but now it was unexplained. Not completely unexplained, another symptom pointing to Schizophrenia. It had not sunk in and he wasn’t going to let it sink in so John was not distraught, not yet.

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