The Dark Room

“Tag! You’re it!”

“Aw man!”

“You gotta run faster than that, Betty.”

“Mommy said I can’t get a new pair until these have holes in them…”

“Well, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Maybe she’ll get you new ones!”

“Hmm… I better run more in these then.” Betty giggles. “TAG!” Sarah feels a poke in her stomach. “You got me.” She rolls her eyes.

The three girls run around in the empty parking lot surrounded by three apartment buildings. It’s evening, maybe around six o’clock, when the adults are relaxing after coming home: reading, watching TV, talking to their spouses about their days. An elderly woman sits in a comfy lawn chair perched up in her balcony, drinking tea with her medicine, watching gingerly as the girls play, probably reminiscing her own youth some fifty years back. In the apartment two floors below her, a couple are fighting about their financial situation and the stress of raising five children alone especially with the landlord’s latest notice of raising the rent by a couple hundred bucks. In the apartment building to their left, on the highest balcony, sit two mothers, each with their toddler on their laps as they share cookies and other fancy chocolates while gossiping about their neighbors, families, and friends. The building opposite to them has no balconies, and only light from the opened window penetrates a curious man’s room. His figure is not completely clear, but it can be deduced that his eyes are glued to the girls playing in the lot. He watches them, without a single movement of a muscle, just peculiarly. The residents notice this and often remark,

“Sometimes I wish Raleigh would have us move to another building. I cannot stand having to see that man every day when they play!”

“Oh, I hope you don’t move! I don’t like half of the people in this building and you’re the only one who’s kind enough.”

“Do you think he was arrested for something child-related…?”

“He surely must have. He just stares at them day and night.”

“Why is he watching those girls daily?! He’s dangerous, I swear.”

“Whenever those girls play, I always drink my tea in the balcony. One hand holding the cup and the other ready to call 911. Sigh, this used to be such a safe neighborhood back in my day.”

“I just bought a Glock 19. Cost me a fortune but it’ll keep that damn bastard away from those gals. One shot and he’ll be runnin’ back to his momma!”

The mysterious figure heard about their allegations against him. Whenever he went to the drug store or even stepped outside for a walk, people’s eyes followed him everywhere just like the rumors. He didn’t seem to mind nor care. They don’t know what I’ve done. I see you for who you are, he says while watching the girls play in the lot.

And so, the sun was setting, the girls’ mothers called them back inside (to which they demanded an extra five minutes but their mothers had none of it), everyone who was sitting, standing, reading, or drinking in the balcony retreated back to their apartments, probably starting to prepare dinner or getting take-out, and as the last of the girls finally left, the curious man in the semi-dark room of the opposite apartment building closed his window, drew back the curtains, and retired to his secret life.

The next day was a Saturday, everyone who had to rise early during the week now rose slowly, relaxing in their beds knowing that it was the weekend and they could catch a couple of more minutes of their sleep. All was well during the day. Betty, Sarah, and Ash were sitting on the pavement of the parking lot, looking at something interesting. Betty exclaimed, “Looks like a caterpillar!”

“Feed it the leaf, Bets”

Betty gingerly stuck the leaf out to the yellow caterpillar. She shook the leaf thinking it would be alluring. Success, the caterpillar came towards them.

“Look at the way it moves! Ooh it’s eating it!” said Sarah. Suddenly, Ash picked the caterpillar up with her fingers and started brandishing it in front of Betty. “Ash, stop doing that!” she shouted, but Ash had none of it. She started chasing Betty and Sarah while the caterpillar hung from her fingers. The girls ran around the parking lot, Ash laughing maniacally while the other two screaming. But suddenly they stopped. The girls saw a figure running towards them, and so did the adults in the apartment.

“Dammit! That man is goin’ straight for ‘em!”

A bulky, tall looking man ran downstairs towards the girls. He pushed the figure away from them and aimed his gun at him. The rest of the audience was cheering him on.

“Finish him, T!”

“Yeah, it’s about time that guy stopped stalking these girls!”

The curious man was bleeding from his lip and started pleading with Trevor, “Please! Don’t do this!”

“Whatcha mean?! You brought this upon yourself, you pervert.”

“Shoot him, T! You know how this sicko is!”

“He’s a psychopath! What are you waiting for?”

The man lifted both his hands up as a plea, he closed his eyes shut and was praying silently. Trevor still had the gun pointed to him but finally relented, “You live this time. Go back to your apartment and NEVER come close to these girls again!”

“But I- “

But he saw the gun pointed at him and so the mysterious man knew there was no point in explaining. He got up and slowly backed away into his apartment building. Trevor asked the girls if they were okay for which the only response was the scared look in their faces. Their parents thanked him for being so quick in their rescue and Trevor waved his hand, liking his new status of being a hero. The audience retreated to their apartments, feeling it was quite enough drama for a Saturday afternoon. The mysterious man reached his apartment and immediately went to his window where he heard Trevor being cheered by everyone, people pointing middle fingers at him, and the girls going back to their homes. The curious man stayed where he was, his attention simply at the empty parking lot. He heard something but before turning around, he closed the window and drew the curtains.

James Alan Prescott had quite the reputation in his college days. He was smart, handsome, sporty, which attracted both his peers and teachers. Girls would be all over him, his professors praised his work, and he was the life of the party. He graduated, worked as an accountant, and married his high school sweetheart. They settled in a lovely home and Eva gave birth to a beautiful daughter. James attached to her immediately and would always entertain young Jessica. They would play together, he shared his love of reading with her, and she liked softball more to which James did not mind. They were an inseparable duo. One day, James received an email from his brother, Nigel, regarding some good news. Nigel’s years at the company finally paid off and he received a big, hefty promotion. He invited James and his family to come to his house for a party to which James immediately replied positively.

“I think it’d be great to see your brother again! I’m so glad he’s moving up the corporate ladder.” said Eva.

“Yeah, he used to complain about them for months on the phone! And look at him now, finally at the top.” said James.

On Friday night, before the party, James was debating which bottle of wine to bring while upstairs, Eva was having a little quarrel with Jess about her choice of outfit.

“Jessie dear, can you make mommy happy by wearing the pink one? It would look great with those earrings Aunty Mel got you!”

“No mommy! I want to wear the blue one! It has Donald Duck on it.” cried poor Jess.

Eva tried to console her and upon hearing their little argument, James went upstairs, saw the tired look on Eva’s face, squatted down and said, “Jess honey, let’s wear the pink dress. You’d be the one and only Princess Jessica!” Jess giggled but said, “I don’t want to. I don’t like pink as much!”

James pretended to think and then said, “Why don’t I wear my pink polo shirt to go with yours? We’ll be a team! How does that sound?”

“Yay! We’ll be a team!” exclaimed little Jess. Eva gave her husband a look of gratitude and went to their room to change while James helped his daughter wear her dress.

Once the Prescotts were ready, they sat in the car, and went off. James was driving on the dark highway. He saw in the rear-view mirror his daughter looking cute and turned to admire his beautiful wife. They were driving for some time now until something terrible happened. James could not remember much but he recalls Eva (or was it Jess?) screaming, a jerk to his right, and his head paining horribly. The rest was all black.

“Can you hear me, James?” asked Dr. Mendez. “I’m asking you about how you feel after a year of the accident?” No reply. James was looking out of the window, watching the world run normally when it should have stopped the night of the accident. He didn’t think it was fair.

“James you have to work with me here. It’s the only way I know you’re feeling better and can take you off your medications. I’m here to talk to you. But it’s not a conversation if only one person talks.” Still no reply. James was in his own world. All of his memories were playing in a loop in his head. The sharp pain, the blackout, the doctors telling him they tried all they could, the police explaining that it was a drunk man who rammed his car.

“James please talk to me.” Dr. Mendez pleaded. She’s been his therapist for a year now. Nigel thought it was best for James to attend his weekly therapy sessions and gain some closure (or medication). James, upon finally hearing the plea in Dr. Mendez’s tone, dragged himself out of his thoughts and replied, “I hear you Dr. Mendez. What do you want me to say?”

“I’m asking how you feel after a year of the accident?”

“The same to be honest. How else should I feel?”

“Have you been keeping up with the journal entries I told you to do? You know it’s supposed to help you with your feelings, if you cannot communicate them to me.” A silent pause. She could read James and knew that he hasn’t been keeping up with her solution, but she wanted to hear it from him.

“No doc, I’m sorry I haven’t.”

Dr. Mendez sighs, she writes something on her notepad, and explains,

“I’m sorry to tell you this James, but without your effort of talking to me for a whole year, I have to say that there is no progress on your mental health. You would have to remain on your medication till you are better.”

“But doc, you know those pills make me sleepier and… and… they leave me…”

“I know James, but it’s for the best that we keep you on them. I’m sorry.”

It’s a mellow Friday evening, James watches the girls and little Jess play in the parking lot, surrounded by the neighboring apartment buildings.

“Look at her go! She’s gonna be quite the softball star. Wait and see.” he says.

“Oh James, you have to let us go…”

“I’m so glad there are other girls here. They seem nice and may even be a good influence on her.”

“James, we’re not here. You don’t see us.”

James turns around, “Why do you keep saying that, Eva? I do see you. You’re here with me and so is Jess. Look, she’s downstairs playing tag with those girls! We should call her in soon, it’s getting dark.”

“Honey, it’s time for your medication. Please take them. The doctor said you’d feel better.”

James sighs, turns around, and goes to his night table where his pill bottle sits. He takes two and downs them with water in his Donald Duck mug. He feels a bit dizzy, so he sits on the perch of his bed for a few minutes. Regaining his strength, he goes back to the window only to see three girls playing in the parking lot. Their mothers holler from their apartments to come back home for supper.

It’s Saturday afternoon, James goes back to his window to see little Jess with her friends being intrigued by something under a car. He smiles to himself and admires the beautiful sunshine making the city sparkle and glow. “Looks like they found something, Eva” No response. He turns and sees that Eva isn’t there. He thinks to himself that she must be in the kitchen preparing lunch or lying down for a nap. James shrugs and goes back to his window. He watches one of the girls (Astrid? Ashley?) chasing the others around. Jess suddenly falls to the ground which alarms James. He sees none of the girls helping her get up. Somewhat irritated by their lack of morality (it’s okay James, they’re kids after all), he goes downstairs to check on Jess. Suddenly, he feels a push and then he’s on the ground with a gun pointed at him. The fall cuts his lip and he lays there shielding his eyes from the sun, trying to see who hit him. He sees a tall, bulky man and pleads to let him go. The man grunts and warns him to stay away from the girls. James tries to explain, but the man has none of it. James, his anger fading, also sees that Jess is no longer there. He retreats to his apartment, gets a napkin from the kitchen and dabs on his lips. He continues watching the parking lot and the residents cheering that bulky man.

“You need to take your medication, James. It’s the only way. You have to let us go.” James hears Eva’s voice. He closes the window and draws the curtains. Knowing that she only means the best for him, he opens the pill bottle but before he takes them in, he ponders loudly, “What if I can’t let you go?” No response. James starts crying. Realizing after such a long time that his therapist was trying to help him, that he needed to take his medication to become normal again, and that he’s all alone in this depressing world. “I can never let you go.” he whispers. He knows that no matter how many pills he takes, the number of people he talks to, the number of times the accident replays in his head, James can never be normal again.

It’s cold and the watch says it’s a quarter to seven. The ocean looks almost black and the waves gush quietly. A car drives on the beach and stops right before the water. A mysterious figure gets out of it and stands silently, watching the waves and the sunset. It looks beautiful today, the figure thinks. Suddenly, the beach look starts to look crowded, the moon turns into the sun, there is laughter and happiness in the air. The figure takes a deep breath, it sees a mother and her child playing in the ocean. It smiles and wishes to join them, to be part of the happy life in which they exist. It walks slowly, one step after the other, until it starts running and then swimming deeper and deeper into the abyss. We’ll always be a team; it thinks for the last time.

And so, the sun was setting. In the parking lot, the girls’ mothers called them back inside, everyone who was sitting, standing, reading, or drinking in the balcony retreated back to their apartments, probably starting to prepare dinner or getting take-out, and as the last of the girls finally left, Sarah turned around to see whether the mysterious figure was still there watching them. She sighed in relief and took the elevator up to the fifth floor.

James entered a place where there was an air of peace and happiness. He felt like he could finally breathe, and saw his little Jess run up to him. He holds her in one arm, the other draped around his beautiful wife. James’ room is no longer dark. It is filled with all the light possible and shines brighter than ever.