Chapter Three

Later that night she laid in her bed in complete disturbance. What are the odds of that? She sorted through racing thoughts in her head, trying to make sense of everything. First it was the man next door, now the girl in the truck, both times she could somehow read their emotions, but the question is how? How is she able to do this? But she knew that something with the man was different than with anyone else. She remembering the feeling she had with that man, as well as the emotions that were overwhelming her mind as she made eye contact with this woman, the woman that is now dead from suicide. Lexi remembers the feeling of hopelessness and despair. Did she know what that woman’s next action was going to be? Did she somehow know she was going to kill herself and maybe lost the chance to have saved her? That’s crazy talk, and not even possible to read people’s emotions. She squinted her eyes hard and shook her head trying to rid her mind of the cogitation, she massaged her temples gently with the thumb and middle finger of her right hand. Exhaling deeply and switching her glance from wall to wall, still lying in bed she realized she could not close her eyes long enough to doze off. There is no way that thinking about this is going to get her to sleep. She thought about that again... Reading people’s emotions, how strange. Now that she had someone what of an idea of what is going on in her mind, she will keep a closer look for it next time it happens.

 

She made a loud sigh mixed with a hushed grumble as she jammed her balled fists into the mattress; she hopped up and froze for a second figuring out what the best option at this point should be. She leaned over to her desk and grabbed her laptop, opened it up and began to check her Facebook. Maybe there are other people who are having more of a life at this moment then she is. The glow from the screen cast a light in her face and at first she was blinded from the illumination stinging her eyes but after getting used to it she was able to now see the contents of her room in a dim shade. Noticing the bag from the bookstore she remembered she bought that book when she was in town and have yet to open it. Moving her computer aside she hopped off her mattress a little to reach for the book and got back to her comfy spot in the bed. Reaching to her bedside table she clicked on the small lamp she had positioned there by her clock radio, and noticing it was around 11:37 p.m. Looking over the title again, she now understood what she was getting herself into, the title read “Mental Disorders” and it was one of the exact same book she found in the man’s house next door when she was previously there to help him move boxes. She turned the book over a couple times, reading the back and the title again before opening it, she debated on whether to begin such an investigation on it or not. Especially being this tired, she felt disoriented. The whole idea of reading something like this at this time of night makes her tremble with fear and her teeth get all jittery, but she forced those feelings away as she pulled back the cover and began to read the first page. She didn’t think she had a mental disorder but then again she really didn’t know what she has going on inside her head. One of the two reasons she got this book was because first of all she saw it in the man’s house and maybe it would help her get answers about the man. Secondly, maybe even answers about herself. She couldn’t explain her actions even if she tried and research was her next step to getting answers. Pulling back the cover she began to embark on this investigation with a sight terror in her chest, filled with the possibility that she may not be able to erase what she finds out.

 

She didn’t even remember falling asleep, she was in her bed reading and then in the blink of an eye it was morning. Lexi found herself face up on her bed, with the book open on her chest. Slowly opening her eyes and taking in what was going on, sun light leaking in through the slightly open curtains of her window. She liked closing the curtains at night in fear of creeper’s watching her sleep through a visibly open window, and that feeling didn’t settle with her at all. Shifting her body and having a quick stretch she removed the book, closed it and set in on the floor by her bed. Stretching once again she yawned real big, climbing to her feet over to the window to open it all the way letting in every ounce of golden rays to flood her room.

 

She looked to find the neighbor, with it being Sunday he should be home. Shifting her glance from object to object until she finally spotted him in an upstairs window. He was sitting at his desk working on something; she couldn’t see exactly what on. But he was in deep concentration to what lied upon that computer screen. She snatched up a pair of binoculars she got in town and brought them to her eyes and she squinted to get a closer look. She froze for a second just staring; she sat down on a little pillow she had positioned there without removing the binoculars from her eyes. Nothing too interesting at this point, she got a little agitated that it has been so long and she hasn’t witnessed anything interesting so far. She was about to lower her gaze when she noticed his lips moving. Making a spastic glitch as she deeply inhaled she regained her focus to the man; her eyes even wider than before she sits frozen staring hard and trying to make out what she could be spotting. First assuming he is just talking on the phone or playing with ideas out loud, she almost let the idea slip her mind, when looking even more thoroughly she noticed there was no phone in sight. Finally some action… he must be talking to himself or a hallucination he sees. Or that could just be an assumption. In a rather quick motion she stopped watching for a second and grabbed the book she retrieved from the store, opened it up fumbling to reach the S’s… scanned down until she reached Schizophrenia. Yup that could be it, she thought to herself as she let a grin slide over her face; then she looked back through her goggles to the man with a conscious stare for a couple seconds, the book still lying open in her lap.

 

She decided now if any time would be best to keep a record of what she sees. She reached for a blank notebook, a pen from a little cup she kept on her desk and started jotting down everything she remembered seeing about the man and everything she sees now. She felt extremely odd and a bit like a stalker for keeping tabs on such a creep. But after all, it is her life and the lives of her family she is trying to protect. She spent the next four hours watching his every move; recording what she sees.

 

She kept staring, as if a person could stare any harder. She started to get a headache and debated on whether it was time for a break or not, this had become an obsession for Lexi and not having been moved for hours gave her tension and fatigue in her muscles. She definitely decided it was time to reach a stopping point, besides not one thing has sparked her interest in hours and she felt like she was wasting her time. She let out a huge exhale and set the book aside closing it with the pen still inside. Leaning back in her chair she stretched her back and put her hands on her head to massage her temples to keep them from throbbing so violently. But being startled by a loud bang she jolted to her feet, having a slight feel of panic she realized there was movement from next door. Staring in surprise she retained her position in the chair next to the window, swooped up her binoculars and squinted in them to make out what she was witnessing. Turning the scopes to get a clearer view she realized they the man was throwing things and talking loudly. He could be upset, but why? HE is talking, but to whom? Who else was in the house?

 

Exhaling in disgust she rubbed her eyes then tried to refocus. Changing her position to get a better view she got a better look at him, but looking all around she saw no one else in the room with him. He was all alone. Lowering the scopes she had a head full of confusion. Then as she was looking again she observed very mental behavior. He was acting out very violently, almost as if someone or something was attacking him. Her chest tightened with fear and anxiety, feeling her hands gets sweaty and tingly. A little hot rush went through her face and she felt her breathing get heavier. Rubbing her right hand over her mouth then both hands together in front of her to try and rid her hands of the feeling but it was not subsiding. As a spark of memory came to her mind she reached for that mental disorder book she bought, and frantically flipped through it in search of something she remembering coming across the other day. Finally finding what she was looking for, slapping her hand down on the page she read the entire first chapter, following each word with her pointer finger. She inhaled in confirmation as she came to the conclusion that everything she was witnessing and reading made complete sense. Looking at the book, then looking at the man, then back at the book she nodded her head and realized that it made sense that this man must be schizophrenic. She of course couldn’t know this for sure, but from what she can see, all the points met.