"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."
"Las puertas que abrimos y cerramos cada dÃa decide el vive vivimos."
It was almost Valentine's day, which was also coincidently Psymons birthday. He'll be eighteen years old. He never really mentioned it to anyone because he always thought it was a little embarrassing his birthday was on a lovey holiday like Valentine's. The hallways of the school were decorated in reds and pinks and whites. Streamers and hearts on the walls and doors. Mostly done by his girlfriend and her group of friends.
Psymon stood at his opened locker. He didn't reach for a book or hang his backpack. Just stood in place as people walked by. His peers had noticed a drastic change in him, especially his friends. He didn't laugh with everybody, he didn't make jokes, and he didn't interrupt class. Dane had tried his best to coax him into talking but Psymon had none of it. He was tired of hallucinating and hearing weird things go bump in the night. He knew it was all in his head but he still saw all the weirdness.
Suddenly Farrah came running up to him, "Psymon!"
He turned in her direction.
"You need to come with me."
He slammed his locker shut and followed her through the halls and to the second floor ladies bathroom.
"Elise is in there. She needs to tell you something."
Psymon looked at her, then looked at the door. He pointed, "I can't go in there."
"I'll stay out here and watch. You have to go talk to her."
Psymon debated then pushed the door open. Elise was sitting on the floor in a corner crying. He slowly approached her. "Elise?"
She continued to cry as he squatted down to her. He pulled her hands from her face, "Elise."
"I'm sorry," she cried.
What could she have possibly done?
"I don't understand."
"I'm pregnant."
Denise sat at the kitchen table. The kids had left for school and Tom was fixing himself a cup of coffee before heading off to the shop.
"You ok?" he asked.
"Psymon hasn't been the same since Christmas. There's something seriously wrong with him."
Tom sat down across from her, "I see it too. We can't just ship him off to a psychiatrist. We're not supposed to make him think he's crazy."
Denise looked at him with fire in her eyes, "My son is not crazy."
Tom had to jerk back wide eyed for a second. 'Momma bear mode,' he thought to himself.
"I didn't mean that hun, I'm sorry. I'm just saying he thinks he is and we have to prove to him he isn't," Tom replied picking his words very carefully.
He could see tears in her eyes as she stared out the bay window. He kneeled in front of her, "We'll get him through this-"
"This wouldn't have happened if he was with another family!" The tears were now streaming down her face as she buried it in her hands.
Tom hugged her tightly, "Don't ever think that. That accident happened for a reason and we did our best with him ok?"
Denise sat up wiping her face clean of tears. "Your right I'm sorry," she stood waving her hand in her eyes to dry her eyes, "I'm over reacting. You need to get to work."
"We'll be fine, I promise," He kissed her then left for work.
Dane and Forest waited patiently outside their first class for Psymon. "The bells is about to ring," Forest informed him.
"Then go to class. I'm waiting here for Psymon. We both know he's here, he drove."
"Alright. I hope he shows up soon."
Forest walked into the classroom just as the bell rang. Dane still waited patiently outside the class for his friend. He saw a lone figure making her way towards him.
"Alyssa!" he called out.
She stopped in front of him, "Yea?"
"Have you seen your brother?"
"Last I saw him and Farrah went upstairs before the first bell rang."
She saw his look of shock and walked away not wanting to answer anymore questions.
Dane knew no one was allowed on the second floor of the building before the bell rang. So they obviously were alone when they did. Dane and Farrah were exclusive but he still had his eye on her and Psymon knew it.
"That motherfucker…" Dane stormed to the nearest staircase and headed up ready for serious confrontation.
He searched the upstairs halls and finally found Farrah standing outside the Ladies room.
"Where is he?" Dane demanded.
"He's in there with-"
Dane interrupted, "What?"
"Wait!"
Before she could stop him Dane pushed the door in and saw Psymon squatting on the ground in front of a crying Elise. Psymon yelled at him immediately feeling protective of Elise, "Get the fuck out!"
Dane stepped out quickly. "What's your problem?" Farrah asked.
Dane tripped all over his words but stopped muttering as a teacher approached them. "What's going on here?" Mr. Roberts asked.
Now they were both stumbling over their words. Mr. Roberts heard the muffled cries from with in the bathroom and knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked again.
"Mr. Roberts," Farrah said.
"Get to class, both of you."
He knocked one more time before hearing a male voice shout, "I said go away you jackass!"
The door was opened yet again. "Get up both of you!" They stood in surprise and follow suit out.
"Young lady you need to go to class and for you mister; you're going to the princibals office."
"Like hell I am," Psymon told him.
Elise held his arm, "Psy-"
"Go!" Mr. Roberts pointed down the hall.
Psymon looked down to her, "Just go we'll talk later."
She made her exit still wiping her eyes.
Mr. Roberts crossed his arms, "As for you-"
Psymon had walked off in the opposite direction before he could finish his sentence. Mr. Roberts followed him all the way downstairs to his locker. Psymon opened his locker and put his books back in as this teacher kept yelling. Mr. Roberts got louder and soon people were looking out of the doors watching the scene unfold. Mr. Roberts noticed all the attention this situation was getting and decided to be the man and nip this in the bud. "You're coming with me," he said as he grabbed Psymon's arm.
Psymon felt and hand grip his arm and suddenly the world was in slow motion. He turned right and saw Dom Stark holding his arm with a sickening grin on his face. The words he spoke were frighteningly deep and stretched out. Psymon gasped pulling away quickly. Psymon reacted out of instinct and punched Dom square in the jaw as hard as he could. Dom fell to the ground as Psymon backed away then turning and running. He ran out the front doors of the school as he hopped in his truck and sped off.
Dane and Forest ran outside trying to catch him.
"Damn man!" Forest said trying to catch his breath.
Dane had his hands on his hips, "There goes our ride."
Psymon parked his truck out front in his usual spot as he rushed inside. He was panting heavily and sweating. He her his mom call him from the kitchen, "Psymon? Is that you?"
She was holding a dish towel as she walked into view watching him throw down his bag in the foyer. "What-"
"He was at my school. He's following me!" he yelled as he began to cry.
Denise dropped her towel to comfort him. She embraced him as they both seeped to the floor. She held his head on her shoulder and rubbed his back. She whispered sweet and reassuring words to him.
"Why does he want to kill me?" Psymon asked, "He's supposed to be my father!"
Denise knew exactly who he was talking about and still said nothing. She just let him blurt out words and hoped he would calm down enough to talk. His shaking and shuttering calmed as she led him to the couch and laid him down. She got a warm washcloths and put it on his head. She then went into the kitchen and picked up the phone.
"Performance Plus," A man answered.
"Tom you need to come home. Psymon had an episode at school."
"How bad?"
"He came home crying and asking why Dom was trying to kill him then started babbling in Spanish."
"I'll be right there."