Neighbour

xv

Lucius made me follow him into his bedroom. He removed a rug from the floor, exposing a tiny handle which led to an opening underneath the house. He opened it and went downstairs, I followed. The steps were quite tiny and narrow, but I wasn't afraid of falling, I was afraid of something much worse.

It was like a small secret cellar underneath. But it smelt suffocating and dirty. There were a lot of brown stains on the walls and floors.

"I usually bring them down here. I have fun with them first." He said.

"You what?!"

"Like what I did with Nigel. Not any other type of fun." He assured.

I blinked a couple of times, trying to comprehend how he can act like what he does is normal.

"Why." I said but meant to ask.

"Why do I do it? People get on my nerves so I get into theirs." He said.

"I torture and murder whenever I want to, with whomever. Usually it's with people who I despise. But if I feel like it, I do it to strangers." He said, accepting what he does.

I couldn't look at Lucius anymore. I couldn't stay a second longer in the cellar where he traps people. So I ran. I ran up the stairs of the cellar and out of the door, avoiding to look at Nigel's body.

Luckily I had my car keys with me. I ran over to my driveway, started my car and sped to the police station. I didn't really want to help Lucius, oh no. I lied to him so that I could confirm that he's doing something illegal. What Nigel did was true, but I didn't want him to die! It had been all my fault. I didn't think my plan through. But I had to save myself now. I ran inside and yelled for Detective Aldrich. He made me sit inside his office and gave a glass of water to me.

"First calm down Maya. Then tell me what happened." He said.

I took a deep breathe and told him everything that happened. He scratched his forehead and starting looking for something in a cupboard full of papers.

"Maya, are you taking your pills?" He asked.

"What? What pills? What are you talking about?" I asked.

He handed me a document which stated that I am a schizophrenic who is undergoing  diagnosis. The document seemed to be issued from a legitimate mental institution.