Neighbours (Part 4)

6PM

I've been laying on my bed, fiddling with my hair for the past hour, with the words 'human meat' still imprinted in my brain. Could that be the real reason for her distress, or is it quite simply a product of my imagination? While these ideas circle my head, Roy's apartment experiences a loud thud which indicates he's back. I look at his dimly lit room and indeed, there he is, holding a plastic bag with some clear, empty bottles. I stand upright and see him leave for the bathroom, taking the glassware with him. He soon reenters the room with these filled up to the top, and I begin to wonder what they contain. Is it water? I wouldn't think Roy is that simple of a man. Without a previous warning, he throws it on top of the lifeless girl and lights up a single matchstick. Her body is in flames, as if she was in a Viking ritual, biding one last goodbye to this world on a bed rather than a luscious ship. I feel sorry for her but not necessarily bad. Roy is still holding the bottle, watching her body disintegrate under red, beautiful flames. He then pours what appears to be water over her corpse and the fire is soon extinguished.

9PM

It's been two and a half hours since he's been gone. Not having his presence overbearing my senses allows me to think with enough clarity as to realise that my thoughts and my mind have gone completely insane. How am I not reporting this? How am I not feeling guilty of not stopping this monster? Truth is, I have fallen for him. It's almost a guttural love, coming from the deepest and darkest areas of my heart which have been torn and twisted by the sole man I once loved but left me with no explanation. Maybe that's why I'm messed up.

He turns on the light and lets himself sit on a puff I never noticed before, which lies on the ground, somewhat grey from the fire. The colour on his wall has mixed well with the blackness of the smoke remains, but it looks somewhat aesthetic. It's strange to feel nauseous yet attracted to someone at the same time. I shrug my shoulders, hoping that it scares the guilt that's beginning to overcome me away but it doesn't. I decide it's time for another glass of wine, perhaps two if I feel too overwhelmed. I walk toward the kitchen without turning any of the lights on. I want him to think that he's alone, in a solitude which I always envied when I was married, yet now I can barely cope with. I want him to feel unnoticed and helpless, knowing that no one out there will help him hide his crime away. I want to have something in common with him.

I reach the kitchen and open the fridge, the bright light causing my eyes to flinch and grab some petite snack to mix with the flavour of cheap wine. As soon as I close the door, I notice he's also in the kitchen, but not grabbing anything. In fact, he's gazing over to my side, watching me. I shiver, as though my body knows it's in danger and that I could be the next Rachel. I envision my body covered in those flames, consuming me slowly and accidentally drop the plate I was holding. I look up as I pick it up and see a smirk. He's laughing at me. I'm pathetic. I run to my room and see him again, in his, still staring at me, watching every move I make. My window is wide open, though it feels like he's going to fly inside of it and take me away. He turns back and leaves, his room going pitch black while mine is completely lit though it feels like something obscure is about to happen.

6AM

I wake up to the sound of my alarm, which beeps incessantly. My eyes are barely accustomed to the light, yet I make an effort to open my curtains and let the sunlight infiltrate my room like some sort of nature's agent, ready for action. the sky I hoped to be blue is grey and the clouds cover the shy rays of sun which attempt to escape the darkened claws of the firmament. I look over to Roy's room, without drawing attention to myself and see nothing but darkness. A phone call awakens me from my trance. It's Anna, again. I want to ignore it but something tells me it's better to respond and act somewhat normal, even if my next door neighbour is a murderer.

"Hi." I say coldly and she replies back with her accustomed energetic and girly voice.

"Bailey! I'm sorry to call you so early but I knew you'd be awake for work. I just couldn't stop thinking about you. You sounded a little bit strange yesterday. I have to ask again...are you alright?"

Her question was easy to answer. I could have given a straight 'yes' and let her floating doubts disappear. Instead, I remain quiet for a bit, unable to lie, maintaining her concerns somewhere in the atmosphere. The silence is then broken by her.

"Bailey, if there's anything wrong you have to tell me, you understand?"

"I'm fine Anna. I just got distracted with something. Those damn birds keep coming at my window and they won't leave." I let out a forced laugh which is obviously fabricated. She must know.

"Bailey...please. I'm one of your closest friends."

She had indeed been one of my closest friends, before my husband decided he had had enough of our friendship. She knew of his abusive behaviour and I acted oblivious to it.

"I'm fine, An. Thanks for asking but I have to go now."

"Call me tonight please or I'll come over myself."

Her tone is more severe, imperative. It's not a proposal, it's a definite and terminal answer. I must call her tonight.

"Alright, An. If that makes you feel better, I will. But please, don't worry, alright?"

"Right. Speak to you later, don't forget!"

"I won't."

I hang up and let out a long, exasperated breath. Since when has my life been commanded by the universe instead of my own hands. I'm certainly the pilot of my own ship, yet I cannot stop thinking that fate always decides my destination for me. I throw the phone onto the bed and just as I do, Roy is watching me through the window, smiling. His room is still dark and the fainting lights from the streets reveal his maniac, eerie and lunatic expression, ready to haunt me as his next victim.

I have to call Anne tonight.