Below The Dark

Chapter 4: Why?

Eddie felt relief and gladness as he walked back home. He had just scored a job as a cashier in the local supermarket. The pay wasn’t much, but it would be just enough. He swore that as soon as he graduated, he would look for a job and get out of this accursed town. He would go back to Boston, or somewhere else. He prayed that his constant bad fortune would pass, and he would get the success that he yearned for, and knew he deserved.

His head was aching again, and his eyes were feeling sore. What happened last night had shaken him up pretty badly. He still could not explain what he had seen, and why. He kept trying to tell himself that the shadow he had seen, and even the laughter, had been figments of his imagination. But if so, how were they so vividly real?

He tried not to think about it. Things were bad enough without him thinking about the paranormal. He had never been particularly brave, and had always had phasmophobia. But he couldn’t allow his fear to take him down. Not when he was already losing at every turn.

He stopped at the pharmacy once. He went to the counter and asked the girl there for sleeping pills.

“Do you have a prescription?” she asked, without looking at him. She was about his age, wearing a cap over her red hair, and a jacket with the pharmacy logo on it over her t-shirt.

“No,” he said.

She looked up. “Then I’m sorry I can’t give you any.”

Eddie didn’t want to argue. He knew he would have to spend another sleepless night. He nodded and said, “And what about migraine pills?”

“In a second,” the girl turned to pull out a box from the shelf behind her, and as she did, she asked, “You live in Sunrise Towers, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, and he was surprised how weary he sounded. “How did you know?”

“I live there too,” she said, placing the box on the counter. “I’ve seen you. Lemme guess. WCC?”

“Yeah,” Eddie managed to smile. “You too?”

“Yup,” she rummaged in the box and found a box of pills. She pulled out a strip from it and picked up the scanner. “So is everything alright? What do you need sleeping pills for?”

“Insomnia,” Eddie said.

“Duh, obviously,” she said. “But is it after coming here? Wyke can be a bit traumatic for outsiders.”

“How did you know I’m an outsider?”

“It’s a little town,” the girl said. “I was born and raised here, so I know.”

“Well, to be honest, things haven’t been going well lately,” Eddie admitted. It felt strange, admitting this to a stranger, but he suddenly felt a slight sense of relief.

“I can understand,” the girl shoved the strip into a small brown envelope. “Tell you what, there is a really good psychiatrist in the hospital. Ask for Dr. Regina Black. She is a friend of my mother’s. I mean … she might be able to help you out.”

“I was thinking of getting therapy, actually,” Eddie nodded. “Thanks.”

He paid for the medicines and tucked the envelope into his pocket. “It was good to meet you. And I’m Eddie, by the way.”

“I’m Sadie,” she said with a bright smile. Eddie thanked her again and left. He had a can of coke in the side-pocket of his bag, and he popped a pill immediately and washed it down. He rubbed his eyes with his thumbs and slowly made his way back home.

It was good that he had made his first acquaintance in Wyke with someone who wasn’t a middle-aged man demanding rent. He felt like calling his mother. Her voice would soothe his constantly racing mind. But his head was aching terribly still, and a call wouldn’t help. Once he reached his apartment, he locked the door and sank into his bed. Broad daylight filled the room, and he fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

It was drizzling when Eddie reached the hospital. He had made an appointment with Dr Black in the evening. There weren’t many people in the hospital when he walked in, his shoes moist, shaking his umbrella into the plastic bucket kept near the entrance. He went to the counter and said his name, and they directed him to the elevator. He was, once again, surprised by the weakness in his voice. At least now he would get some help.

Dr Black was seeing a patient when he reached the third floor. A nurse told him to wait, and he dropped into a metal bench and buried his face in his hands. Despite the nap in the afternoon, he was still feeling sleepy and tired. His eyes were even sorer now, but his headache had subsided. He tried to think how he would place his problems to the therapist, but somehow, his mind kept drifting to the shadow he had seen last night.

She flitted out of his room.

It was her eyes he had seen in the washroom.

Her laughter he had heard. A cackling laughter. Menacing.

When the nurse called out his name, he didn’t hear at first. He had to call thrice before Eddie lifted his head and nodded. He rose and entered the doctor’s chamber with a knock. He closed the door behind him and went and sat down opposite her. She was a stately middle-aged woman, her glasses on her nose, and her hair tied in a bun. She had a notebook in her hands, and she looked at Eddie and asked, “Mr Barnes. Tell me, how may I help you?”

And he spilled. He told her everything about his poor scores, about his dreams of getting into Harvard getting punctured, about his relocating to Wyke. He told her about his sleepless nights and his recurring headaches, about his weakness and his constant weariness. She scribbled down on her notebook, nodding occasionally, and listened patiently. Eddie was glad to talk.

When he had finished, she said, “There is nothing to worry about, Mr Barnes. This stage of life can be a bit stressful for everyone. And I understand what you are going through. I would recommend mild sleeping pills, but only when you need them. You must not have them on a regular basis. And you must exercise daily. That will not only ensure good sleep, it will also rejuvenate you. Have a strict schedule. Dine early, go to bed early, get enough rest and wake up early. Honestly, you don’t really need much medication for this.”

Eddie nodded as she wrote down on her prescription. He had been biting down on a last bit of information, but he decided to let it go. “There is something else, too,” he said. “And this is new.” He told her about last night. About the illusions he had had, about the shadow and the laughter and the eyes.

“You live in Sunrise Towers?” was her response. “Hmm. Are you sure they were illusions?”

“What else could they be?” Eddie said.

“I agree that it could have been hallucinations after your disturbed mental state,” Dr Black said. “But let me tell you one thing. Your residence … Sunrise Towers is a bleak place. Not at all fit for … well, I think you should contact your college and ask them about any other accommodation arrangements. Or rent another place.”

“Why?” Eddie asked.

“It is nothing,” she said. “Just that living in such decadent conditions might worsen your health, you know. It is alright, nothing to worry about. Sleep is what you need. Get some good sleep, and I’m sure these hallucinations will go away. And indulge in activities that make you happy. Listening to music, playing sports, reading, writing, anything. Get a vacation. That helps. You still have a lot of time before college starts. Don’t think about the past. Dwelling in the past will only make things worse. Think about the future. Think about the possibilities that are still open to you, and the best ways to embrace them. That is enough for today. Remember what I told you. Give it a week. If the problems persist, then come again.”

Eddie thanked her as he took the prescription and handed her the fees. By the time he was walking out of the hospital, holding his umbrella up even though it wasn’t raining, he didn’t know whether to feel better or not. What the doctor had said would possibly help him, but why was she lying? Because he was certain that she was hiding something.

When he stepped into the pharmacy again, he smiled at Sadie. “I have a prescription this time.”