The Strange Case of the Jackson Building

Chapter 15 - Relief

Chapter Fifteen

Relief

It was the weekend and, as such, the streets were quieter and slower than usual. The sun was fighting a battle against the massive clouds that extended throughout the whole sky.

Petra enjoyed the occasional sunrays that bathed her balcony and gently warmed her skin. They were rare, because the sky was so heavily clouded, but felt wonderful when they managed to pierce the grey clouds, like fleeting kisses from a flirty lover. The young woman had been minding her laundry and was now hanging her wet clothes in the balcony, hoping they would dry up quickly, despite the shy sun.

Petra was still recovering from her mental breakdown. She had spent the previous day in bed, resting, only coming out for the occasional meal and bathroom trip. Natasha still hadn't talked to her, but to be fair, they hadn't seen each other ever since that night, and Petra only knew of her flat-mate's presence through rare glimpses of her leaving the apartment or entering her room or hearing her walk around. Petra herself still felt in recovery, she still felt sore, both in body and mind, as if she had struggled against a brutal disease and was still suffering from some lingering symptoms.

"Oh, crap," she cursed when one of her shirts fell out of the balcony. Leaning against the railing, she saw it was now stuck on the downstairs neighbor's own balcony.

She facepalmed. Now this was an ordeal.

Sighing, Petra prepared herself mentally for a cordial, probably awkward, encounter with a complete stranger.

Dragging her feet, almost like a child being forced to do a boring chore, Petra went to the fourth floor and chose the apartment most likely to be bellow hers.

Approaching the door, she noticed with surprise that the keys were promptly there, on the keyhole, on the outside, bravely inviting anyone to go inside. Considering the caliber of people walking around in that building, that was both impressive and stupid. Petra found it weird and dangerous but shrugged. The person who lived there probably just forgot about it. On the other hand, if it really was encouragement to walk inside freely, she would gracefully decline the offer.

She was ready to ring the doorbell, when it suddenly rang on its own, like she had done it with the power of her mind alone. Petra jumped at the sound, caught completely by surprise.

What the hell had just happened?

The doorbell rang without her even touching it!

She took a few steps back and, when the device rang a second time on its own, she bolted.

She didn't even like the shirt that much anyway.

Petra was quickly trying to escape, before someone from the apartment came out and saw her, when she bumped into someone on the hallway.

For a second, she was hit by the familiar earthly scent of something she loved but couldn't properly identify. Taking a step back, she was met by a pair of big brown eyes and a charming smile.

"Kyle!" she blurted, blushing automatically. "What are you doing here?" She mentally slapped herself for not being able to hold back her stupid, embarrassing smile.

Kyle casually gestured at the elevator. "Elevator is at it again. Isn't that why you're here as well? Or am I on the fifth floor already?"

"No, this is the forth. I'm here because I dropped a shirt and it landed on this apartment's balcony and I was about to ring the doorbell when it just..." she struggled to explain, not wanting to sound crazy to him. She even wondered if she should actually tell him the truth or come up with something less weird, but he looked at her with so much friendliness and confidence, she found it impossible to lie to him. In fact, he made her feel totally comfortable with the truth. "Rang on its own, it... It just... It rang without me touching it and-"