The Experiment

“How was your day today, Mr. Jenkins?” Evelyn asked and looked expectantly at Hugh. 

“Today, I was remembering how I met my beloved Clara,” he answered and continued his story.

***

It was a hot summer day. I was wandering around the city. I was alone. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances, but sometimes you want to be alone and think about why we exist... The sun began to bake, so it was about noon. I walked with my head down. I wanted to scream, but I didn’t know why. I turned around the corner of a house with a high fence surrounding it.

“What kind of secretive people live here? Or drug dealers? Or slave traders?” I thought and walked on, smiling at my conspiracy thoughts.

Then I turned onto the next street. My mood worsened with every step. I walked, not thinking where I was or how far I had left my house. Then I noticed a large tree. It spread its branches over the ground, and I was drawn to sit in its invigorating shade. I walked up to it, sat on the ground, leaned against the trunk, and closed my eyes. And yet it’s nice in the summer! I just sat and enjoyed the silence. Suddenly, I heard someone start strumming a guitar. I opened my eyes and saw a young woman. It was Clara. She was sitting across the street on the steps of her house, playing the guitar and humming something. I listened. She had an angelic voice! And this voice penetrated my soul.

Suddenly, Clara stopped playing and looked straight into my eyes. I felt uncomfortable and anxious. I jumped up from the ground and took off. Having run a couple of blocks, I leaned on my knees out of breath.

“You run so slowly!” she exclaimed and caught up with me. I had no strength, and the girl was not even out of breath.

"Probably, she is an athlete or keeps a healthy lifestyle..." I thought.

I couldn’t speak. More precisely, I didn’t want to. I was breathing heavily on purpose, so Clara would think I was short of breath. I took advantage of this moment and looked at Clara more closely. Her dark hair was disheveled, but it looked cute. Very cute. Her gray eyes were also looking at me attentively. An elongated, snub-nosed face was lit up with a charming smile. My soul felt so calm and warm, as if I were on the seashore early in the morning when the waves caress your ear, the sun gently envelops you with its rays, and a light breeze plays merrily in your hair. This moment did not last long, and I became anxious again.

"Why did you stop?" I asked, pretending to catch my breath.

"Because I caught up with you." Clara radiated with calmness.

"No. That's not what I meant. Why did you stop playing?"

“And why did you run away when I noticed you?”

I couldn’t answer, and I didn’t know either. Something strange happened to me, and I simultaneously liked it and did not like it.

“Maybe we should go for a walk?” she suggested.

I nodded in agreement, and we walked further down the deserted street. It was strange, but while I was walking alone, I hadn’t met a single person. And again, there was no one on the street. Suddenly, Clara took my hand. I pulled my hand away. But she grabbed my wrist again. I tried to break free but loosened my grip, and our fingers intertwined. The girl stopped, and so did I. She looked at me straight. I felt so scared, but at the same time so calm as I had never been before. Clara touched my face with her free hand, and I closed my eyes. Her face was getting closer, and I could have felt it. Soon, our barely distinguishable breaths merged into one. I felt the raspberry taste on her lips, the warmth emanating from her hand.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. It seems that...” but I didn’t let Clara finish. It seemed to me that our kiss lasted forever. Finally, she pulled away, smiled sweetly, and said in a barely audible whisper so that only I could hear, as if spies were around us, catching our every word, “I know one place; it’s gorgeous. Close your eyes...”

I obeyed and closed my eyes, and fear overwhelmed me. But hearing Clara’s calm breathing and feeling her hand, I calmed down a little. Clara gave me a sense of security I had lacked for so long.

We walked for a short while and then climbed the stairs. Clara’s calm breathing helped me stay relaxed. I felt her steps slow down. Then Clara pressed herself against me and told me to open my eyes. A magnificent landscape opened before us—the whole city at a glance!

“You’re right... It’s amazing here...” I looked into the distance in admiration.

We admired the scenery and then lay down on the warm roof. Clara started humming a song, and I closed my eyes and imagined that I was listening to an angel. After the second verse, she began singing quietly and moved closer to me. I hugged her and pressed her to me. Clara didn’t mind. Suddenly, she started running her index finger along my wrist. I liked it. But I realized that something was wrong. A tremendous sense of danger appeared. I stood abruptly, went to the roof’s edge, and stopped. There was about five meters down.

“What happened?” Clara asked.

“That puzzled expression doesn’t suit her...” I thought and stepped off the roof into the unknown.

***

Hugh finished his story and sighed heavily.

“I didn't expect that. You shouldn’t have stepped off the roof. Interesting effect. We’ll reduce the dose of our experimental drug today. “Bring Mr. Jenkins back to the ward and give him half of the pill and some raspberry yogurt; he deserved it today,” ordered Evelyn Foster, a doctor at The Best Schizophrenia Rehab.