Mental

Prologue 

Trish was cold. But that was nothing new. The foggy air in the room was always cold. Her skin itched again, and she wished it was time for her meds, but according to the plastic clock on the wall, she had already had them today. She can’t remember though. She scratched another mark in the papery wall, the 23rd mark. 23 days she had been in here.. But she couldn’t remember why. Struggling to regain her memory once again, she sat on the irritatingly rough bed. Cupping her face in her hands she tried to silence the room. It wasn’t that noisy there, just the huffing wheeze of the broken air vent. Trish tried to match her breathing with the sound of the vent. Panting heavily now, she felt the goose bumps rise on her porcelain skin. Her green eyes were dulled over. Not that they were bright to begin with, Trish didn’t have pretty green eyes like she longed for. They were more described as an asparagus green. She dug her nails into her skull, as if to force the memories out. A sticky crimson substance appeared under here fingers. Pulling her hands back, she looked at the warm red substance on her hands. The metallic smell and bright appearance set off some kind of memory locked deep inside her skull. Trish didn’t know why, but she had to get the damp substance off of her. Right now. Going into a screaming frenzy, she wiped her hands across the pale flimsy walls. Frantically she attacked the bed sheets and scrubbed her hands and her head with them. Blood was everywhere now, and just as Trish was about to run boiling water on herself, three men with big long white coats on came rushing in the room. Two grabbed her and the third pushed a long needle in her skin, letting her sink into deep deep bliss. The last thing she heard was

“Your going to be fine Sara, your going to be just fine.”

Chapter one

Aaron thumped out of his room and stormed into the kitchen. He didn’t like hearing the house so quite, so he banged around and made as much noise as possible. Pulling the fridge door open he peered inside. Nothing.

Dang it!

He forgot to go grocery shopping. Slamming the fridge shut, a picture flew off of the door and floated under the stove. Flopping on his knees he dug in the mess of pieces of old food, dog hair, and dust to retrieve the picture. Pulling it out, he glanced at it only for a second before hot tears welled in his eyes. It was a picture of his wife, Elaine and their dog, Jasper. Blowing the dust off of the picture, he placed it back on the fridge door with an inconspicuous magnet. Shuffling to the bathroom, Aaron didn’t bother making any noise as he turned the bathtub’s water on, slipped out of his clothes, and sunk down in the tub, letting his worries and tears sink into the scalding water.

A few hours later, Aaron was pacing the aisles of the grocery store. This was one of the very first times he’s managed to venture out of his home since the incident. His eyes glazed over the rows of colorful boxes. Elaine always did this. This whole, grocery shopping thing. He didn’t even know what he needed. Throwing random boxes into his cart, he moved from isle to isle. Lining up at the check out he could feel the eyes of other shoppers on him. 

I didn’t forget pants again did I? His head mumbled as he inconspicuously glanced down to reassure himself that he did in fact remember to put pants on. Sighing he knew the real reason people were staring. No one’s seen Aaron K. Jones since the incident. It’s been 23 days since anyone’s seen him out of his house. 

Shoving the food in where he thought it should go he lugged the 50lb bag of dog food out to the garage. 

“Jasper!” Aaron yelled, jumping a bit at the sound of his own voice. He watched as the once perky Borzoi slouch out into the garage. Lazily he laid down and chewed some food, almost like he didn’t want to eat, just knew he had to. 

“I know Jasp, I know. I miss her too” He sighed and ruffled the animal’s fur. Jasper let out a low whine as to agree. Slouching, Aaron waked back into the main part of his now to big for him house. Sliding his feet along the floor, he decided that he should get some kind of dinner now. It was almost five, and he had unintentionally skipped lunch. Aaron just didn’t have an appetite anymore. Sighing he walked back into the kitchen, trying to decide what to prepare for a lonely dinner of one, when the phone rang.

“What.” Aaron answered with a tired voice. He hated talking to people.

“Aaron. Its Natalie. We’re going for drinks tonight. I’ll pick you up in an hour.” His best friend said as she hung up the phone before he could decline. He really didn’t want to go out tonight. Or any night, in reality. Groaning, he slapped some peanut butter and jelly on bread and ate that. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

Three long horn honks interrupted Aaron’s thoughts as he was sitting on his couch. Quietly sliding out of the door, as not to wake the sleeping Jasper on the sofa beside him, he clicked the lock behind him, and walked down the sidewalk in the brisk October air to Natalie’s green Jeep. 

“Hey man!” She chipperly replied to Aaron hoping in the car.

“Um, hey Nat. How have you been?” he asked 

“The real question here, is how are you? I haven’t heard from you in like, a week.” Nat inquired as she sped around a corner onto highway 81. Aaron’s response to her question was to lean over, and turn the music up to loud for comfortable conversation. Laying back in his seat he closed his eyes and willed the ride to be over. At least at the bar there were other people around and she might not ask about what she was asking about. 

“Aaron.” Nat started to reach for the radio’s knob when he shot his hand out to stop her.

“Maybe I’ll feel like talking after I knock down a few, okay? But now, just drive.” The pain in his eyes almost made her uncomfortable, as she placed her hand back on the wheel and focused on getting them there in one piece. Sighing, she wished Aaron would bring up anything to talk about while she drove. Cheesy radio tunes filled the air, forcing out the awkward silence. Thankfully the bar wasn’t far from Aaron’s place, and was soon in Nat’s line of vision. 

Resting his head in his hands, Aaron’s elbows felt stiff and disgusting pressed against the woody bar. Sitting there he watched Nat order their drinks, and absentmindedly looked around the bar. The musky sent of the place had hit him as soon as the doors swung open. There was an overweight man sitting at the far end of the bar, looks like he’s been here for hours slamming down beer after beer, watching some game on tv. Two blonde chicks were at a table on the left, drinking something fruity and trying way to hard to catch Aaron’s eye. A group of men and woman mingled in the middle of the bar, and two well dressed men sat three stools away from Aaron and Nat. Pretty calm night, but Aaron knew it would fill up soon.

“So..” Nat started as she handed him his beer, and sipped her martini.

“Wait.” Aaron said as he gulped down his drink and looked at her with gazed over eyes.

“What.” He replied coldly. 

“Aaron…I’m worried about you” her voice was soft, and quiet, but it seemed to shake the whole bar.

“Well stop.” He grumbled.

“Elaine would want you to talk about it. She would want you to open up to someone.” Her voice shook his insides as he motioned to the bartender for another. Tears welled in his eyes as he shook his head and chugged down his beer. 

“Nat. its been 23 days and I haven’t talked to anyone but Jasper. I don’t want to talk to anyone. I don’t want your help. I can do this. Besides, the nut job who murdered her, and numerous other women, is away. I can’t dwell on it…right?” He barked.  

“Fine. Whatever Aaron. When you come crawling back to me, I’ll be here” She slurped the remains of her martini and stormed out the door. 

Great. Now how will I get home!? He thought aggressively as he wolfed down the beer. The men sitting near him looked at him oddly, then continued there conversation. 

Calling a taxi, Aaron grabbed another beer, then paid the tab. The two blondes followed him out.

“Hey. Hey you!” One of them called him over

“What.” he replied coldly

“Whats youuuur namee?” The second one slurred over her words.

“None of your business.” Aaron replied just as cold, as his taxi pulled up and he climbed in.