Claustrophobic Mind

Chapter 7

The next day Billie sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal sat in front of his blank face. He's only taken a few bites, and he wasn't planning on taking anymore. He knew weight loss was soon to follow, but he couldn't control his nervous tick.

He stared out the window thinking over what he had seen that day. Seeing Fink in real life wasn't something he was expecting to happen anytime soon, if at all.

Obviously, no one could see Fink. He was just as visible in real life as he was in Billie Joe's head. The frustrating part was that Billie had no control on him in the real world, just like in his mind.

Many questions popped into Billie's thoughts after having Fink try to teasingly cut off his air supply. What happened that gave Fink the ability to appear in his world? Was Fink actually there? Since Fink isn't existent in real life terms, could he kill Billie Joe if he tried? Now that he's been in the real world, will he appear instead of talking in Billie's head?

These questions with unknown answers made Billie Joe feel nauseous. He stood from the table and washed the remainder of his breakfast down the sink, which ended up being a fairly large amount.

He started to make his way to the steps in order to go to his room. Before he could grab the railing, someone knocked on the front door.

"Why? Why does this happen to me?" Billie sarcastically said to himself. He was actually pretty happy to finally have some company.

Billie Joe reached for the door knob, twisted, and pulled to reveal a much needed face. Mike.

Billie instantly lit up and his eyes filled with excitement as he saw his lifelong friend standing on his doorstep with his hands in his pockets. It began to get lonely not having Mike around to laugh with. A smile played across Billie Joe's face as he lunged himself towards Mike.

"Mikey," Billie forced out before he broke down in tears. Mike had left him. He left him all alone.

"Oh Billie Joe. What happened to you?" Mike said as he could feel Billie's ribs protruding against his chest. He could easily tell that Billie Joe had lost weight since he's last seen him.

Billie pulled away.

"What happened to me? What happened to you?! Why did you leave me? Why haven't you called? I missed you Mike..." Billie Joe managed to get out.

Mike didn't respond and only brushed back Billie's curls off his forehead. Billie closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He knew why Mike has been ignoring him. He thinks he's crazy. No, he knows he's crazy.

As if it were his own home, Mike walked right into Billie's welcoming space. He took a deep breath in through his nose and began to appreciate the smell of Billie's house. It smelled just like him: fresh and new.

Mike sat himself down on Billie Joe's couch and waited as Billie's short legs followed. Billie Joe swiftly made it over to Mike.

Billie sat himself down in Mike's lap. He laid his head against Mike's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. Mike reached up and played with Billie's hair, something he always did with him as a kid. At times it felt strange being that Billie was older, but it always felt natural to them for Billie to be the baby.

"Something's wrong with me Mikey," Billie Joe mumbled as he played with the drawstrings of Mike's hoody.

"What do you mean?" Mike asked. He knew what Billie meant by that, but he wanted him to elaborate on what is making him go so crazy.

Billie sat his chin on Mike's shoulder and looked at him with his piercing green eyes. They were rimmed with tears.

"You know I can't tell you that Mikey," Billie Joe said, slowly blinking his eyelids, but not once breaking eye contact with Mike.

Mike huffed in frustration. He was irritated that Billie wanted company, but he wouldn't say what's wrong with him.

"This is why I left Billie Joe. This is why I gave up on you," Mike said looking away from Billie.

Billie Joe took his chin off of Mike's shoulder and slouched in disappointment.

"Y-You gave up on me?" Billie Joe said. The lump in his throat grew and the force to put a frown on his face strengthened.

"Oh my god, really?! You always take things the wrong way Billie Joe. I can't even have a normal conversation with you without you being a crybaby," Mike snapped.

Billie Joe didn't respond, but he stood to his feet and looked away from Mike. He tried to hide the fact that he was wiping away his tears with his shirt sleeve.

Mike rose to his feet as well. He watched Billie who had his back turned to him. He once again sighed.

"Look, Billie. I didn't mean that. You know I love you man, you just need help," Mike soothed, resting a hand on Billie's shoulder. Billie Joe shrugged it off.

Billie turned around to face Mike. He still couldn't believe that his best friend would say something like that to him.

"I don't want help," Billie said through gritted teeth. He wasn't crazy. He didn't need help.

"I just wish you would talk to me," Mike whispered. He held his arms out, motioning Billie Joe in for a hug.

Billie accepted the offer and went into Mike's arms. The stood in silence as they swayed back and forth, comforting each other.

The tensity that suddenly hit Billie's body was unmistakable for Mike.

Little did Mike know, Billie Joe had a knife held to his back. He could feel the poke of the sharp blade through his shirt. The blade drew random lines, almost seductively on his back. Soon, the recognizable smell of cigarette breath met Billie Joe's nose. He knew it exactly who it was. Fink.

"Guess who?" Fink snickered into Billie's ear. He was resting his head on Billie Joe's shoulder as he kept the knife firmly pressed against his back.

Mike seemed to ignore Billie's discomfort, and continued to hug him.

"Well Billie boy, I've just about seen enough of this friendship affection shit. It's time for Mike to leave," Fink said into Billie's ear, his lips pressed against his hair.

Billie Joe held himself tighter to Mike, only for Fink to press the blade closer in return.

"Remember what I said Billie Joe. I control you now. You do whatever I say. Got it?"

Billie Joe didn't say anything, and Fink took that as an indication that he didn't want to talk to Fink in front of Mike. Fink knew that Billie agreed, so he proceeded with his plan.

"Tell him he should leave."

"Mikey, I think you should go," Billie sighed. He really didn't want Mike to leave. He liked being held by someone for what seemed like forever.

Mike looked offended but also sad by Billie's request.

"Why?" Mike choked out.

"Tell him because you said so," Fink chuckled.

"B-Because I said so," Billie Joe said aloud. It hurt him to say these things to Mike, but there was a knife pressed to his back.

Mike's shoulders sagged and he nervously made his way towards the door. Billie followed to close it behind him. Of course, Fink tagged along.

Before Mike could get any further than Billie Joe's first porch step, he turned around and looked Billie straight in the eye.

"I'll come by tomorrow," Mike nodded.

"Tell him no, then close the door in his face," Fink laughed devilishly.

Billie Joe hesitated only for Fink to press the knife harder into his shoulder blade. Billie hissed in pain. Mike knitted his eyebrows in confusion.

"No," Billie said through clenched teeth.

And just as Fink instructed, he closed the door in Mike's face.