Mind Or Matter

Chapter Three

 "Damn it, Jake," I muttered, wandering around outside the building.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

Four rings.

Five-

"Hello?"

Finally, I thought. "You need to pick up your phone when I call you. That's the whole point." I walked around the pizza place, waiting for my slice. It was the kind of pizza restaurant where you could get a single slice that was really big, like the kinds they had in New York.

Jake laughed. "Yeah, yeah. What're you callin' me about?"

I coughed into my free hand, watching the woman place my slice of cheese pizza on a yellow paper plate. She walked back up to the cash register, handing the plate to me. I gave her three dollars, telling her to keep the change. I honestly didn't care about a twelve cent difference.

"What the hell is that noise?" Jake shouted a little too loudly. I could tell the cashier heard him, because she immediately looked away, pretending that she never even talked to me.

I walked outside, still on the phone with Jake. "Okay, well, I called to ask if you're still... unemployed."

Jake laughed again, this time an uncomfortable laugh. "Come on, bro, I'll just use your cash. Don't need a job when I got a little brother, right? Besides, I'll get a ton of dough by the time you get here."

Jake hung up before I could say anything.

What does he mean? He's not going to rob bank, is he?

I walked towards my car, wolfing down the pizza slice. Immediately, I drove out of the parking lot, looking in the review mirror. A mom driving a red minivan was taking up the whole lot, trying to park.

Not even bothering to honk, I waited for her to park, which felt like a long time. When I finally left the parking lot, it was 9:01.

Driving down the street, I was ready to go back to my apartment. I turned onto my street – Pine Drive. Brown, red, and orange leaves fell onto the roof of my car, landing on the road behind me.

Driving past several apartments, I looked for the third one on the left. When I spotted it, I turned, parking in a space beside a green buggy.

Getting out of the car, I smoothed my dark hair, bag on my shoulder. Locking my car as I walked away, I crossed the parking lot towards the two glass doors. A man who was also heading inside held the door open for me. I walked right by him, rushing towards the elevator.

Two people stood inside – the first was Mr. McDonald, who was a businessman. He usually left for work at nine in the morning, but he must've been running late today. In a black suit with a white tie, he rushed past me, his brown leather suitcase bumping into my leg. Now there was only me and Nancy Brown, who lived on the top floor. She was a thirteen year old girl who changed boyfriends at least twice a week. Nancy had very curly blonde hair with a plump face, always wearing pink lip gloss. She was adding another layer right now, gazing into her hand mirror. Her white purse, which was over her right shoulder, was completely full, just like her lemon colored dress. She rubbed her lips together, snapping the small mirror shut and stuffing it in her bag.

I looked away split second before she looked at me. Almost made eye contact, I thought, panicking. Slightly awkward.

The elevator went up. Nancy admired her nails, which had pink watermelons painted on. For some reason, I was reminded of the fat boy from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Augustus Gloop. Slowly, she opened her bag and took out a Hershey bar, chomping into it like a pig.

She admired her nails again, flexing her hand out in front of her. "I got them done last week. Jackson paid the lady there. Boys are so handy; they'll pay for anything if you let them make out with you. You should try it."

I cocked my head at her. Nancy had a theory that I was gay, which wasn't true. In March, she had even tried to set me up with the janitor here at Wood Heights.

The elevator came to a stop on the fourth floor. Nancy got out, giving me a strange glare as she did.

I sighed, glad to finally be alone. Pressing the 2, I felt the elevator descend, like I was sinking into the earth.

Suddenly, I saw something out of the corner of my eye – a little girl crying in the corner on the elevator. Instead of tears flowing out of her eyes, there was blood. And her eyes were just empty, black eye sockets. Her fancy white dress what now covered in blood, the lace dark red at the ends. Her black ballet flats were matte and dark, like someone had covered them with ash and soot.

Quickly glancing over to the girl, I stepped back nervously.

Nobody was there.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. I stepped out into the empty hallway, walking towards my room.

Getting my keys out of my left pocket, I fumbled around until I felt them, cold and sharp. Jamming them into the lock, I twisted it to the left sharply, then back again, opening the door. Yanking my key back out, I stuffed it back into my pocket, slamming the door behind.

It's just your mild Schizophrenia, I thought. It's all in your head.