Spectral Desires

When the Other Shoe Drops

"Uh, sure. Let me just get dressed." Alexander tossed the first clean outfit he saw on. Part of him was prepared for what this was about, but the rest, well the rest was just icy cold dread permeating his entire being.

He walked downstairs to find Alyssa glued to her phone but he figured she would be mentally recording  every word that was exchanged between the three of them either way. His grandparents were sitting at the kitchen table which was cleared of all flowers, decor, and cheerful fruits or cookies his grandmother usually had in place. 'Wow, way to really set the mood.' He thought to himself.

"What's going on?" He asked ready to get this over with.

"Well, Alyssa is very concerned about you and after piecing together what she had to say with what we've seen, your grandfather and I are as well." Delores began.

George continued, showing him the footage on the phone. "Alyssa saw you talking to thin air and recorded it, intiially-"

"Are you joking?!" He turned on Alyssa who flinched and looked up from the cell phone. "You do know in some states it's a felony to record someone without consent, not to mention just downright shitty."

"I was only trying to help." She shrugged and glanced away.

"Like hell you were-"

"As I was saying, intially, I reprimanded her and assumed it was your way of dealing with your grief. Losing both of your parents so suddenly and everything. Plus your fragile mental state following the loss." He said somberly.

"However, you asking your grandmother about a woman named Catherine coupled with this and other things. Delores, go ahead."

"Right, um, well I feel it is important to have a healthy appetite but I noticed whenever you come down to grab dinner on certain days of the week, you use double the silverware, two plates, forks, bowls, or cups. You must be dumping it but think someone else is eating it."

Alexander's eyes kept widening. "Okay what did you find out about Catherine then to make you think I'm crazy?"

"There is no Catherine! You're completely delulu Alex! Your brain is making you see and hear things that aren't real. You need to go to the crazy house like yesterday." 

"That is quite enough from you, young lady." Delores corrected firmly. 

"However, she is right about one thing. I asked all of my friends and even looked in phone and address archives to be sure. There is no Catherine matching your description who lives on this street and since no one has seen her other than you, well I think you should talk to Dr. Macintosh again and go from there."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Maybe you didn't look hard enough or they aren't listed there."

"Did your friend Hailey meet them maybe or anyone else, who can vouch for her?" Delors asked kindly, truly hoping the answer was yes.

He shook his head slowly. 'Vouch for my sanity she means.'

"Fine. I"ll speak to Dr. Macintosh today. Are we done here?" 

The two grandparents nodded sadly while Alyssa barely hid a smirk.

He called immediately and made the appointment, feeling ill. The man was able to work him in the same day and he was driving there not three hours later to the clinic. "So you said you're suffering from visual, physical, and auditory hallucinations, Alex, is that correct?"

He nodded. "Apparently, yes."

"And how would you like to approach this turn of events?" The doctor queried carefully.