Chapter 15

"Unsound Mind"

“Jasper! Are you here, dear? It’s us, Rosemary’s parents!”

Greg and Jessica Jones walked into Jasper’s house. Jasper had not answered the door when they knocked, and they wanted to make sure he was okay. It had been a month since Rosemary died. As they walked into the house, they began to feel uneasy. With bright red paint, the word “Rosemary” was painted all over the walls. The two walked upstairs, and they began to hear ear-splitting piano music. They entered a room with a baby grand piano, and Jasper was sitting at it, hitting his hands on the keys and screaming rhythmically. Greg’s face turned pale, and Jessica screamed when they saw him. Jasper was wearing a metal mask with gears covering it, and it frightened Greg and Jessica. Jasper stopped banging on the keys and looked at them.

“Well hello there, you two!” he cheerfully said. Jessica asked kindly, “Jasper, would you please take that silly mask off? It doesn’t suit you.”

Jasper laughed wildly and replied, “Oh, I can’t.”

He stood up and tried to take the mask off his face, but it wouldn’t come off. Greg tried to take it off him, but he couldn’t take it off, either.

“I melted it onto me face,” Jasper said casually. Jessica screamed and covered her mouth with her hands. On the wall behind Jasper and the piano was an abstract painting of Jasper and Rosemary making love, and it attracted Greg’s attention.

“Did you paint that, Jasper?” Greg gently asked. Jasper nodded, and Greg asked, “Why?”

“We made love the other night, then we painted this together,” replied Jasper with a smile. “It made me happy. Rosemary sang as we painted.”

Jessica began to cry, and she leaned her head on Greg’s shoulder. Greg told Jasper, “Jasper, I think you need to see someone.”

“What do you mean?” asked Jasper. “I am seeing someone. I’m seeing you two right now.”

“No, I mean a psychiatrist,” said Greg. Jasper asked, “Now why would I do that? That would be a waste of me time.”

“But Jasper, you are losing your mind,” said Greg, concerned. Jasper laughed and exclaimed, “I am not! That is such a lie. Dear God, Greg. You’re a silly, silly man!”

Greg and Jessica began to walk down the stairs when they felt something large fly over their heads. A wooden piano stool landed at the bottom of the stairs and broke into pieces. The two turned around and saw Jasper standing at the top of the steps.

“Don’t leave,” Jasper whimpered. They tried to rush out of the house, but Jasper screamed after them, “Don’t leave! Come on, don’t leave! You two can have sex in me bed and make me another Rosemary! Don’t leave!”