Before we could speak anything Uncle John had his gun out. He came running and pointed it on us. After realizing that it was me he put the gun down. I was able to see the anger in his face.
‘What are you doing here again?’
‘We came for a trip,’ I stammered.
‘To a forest?’ He raised his eyebrow.
‘We had a project on trees,’ helped Catherine.
He knew that we were lying, ‘Don’t you’ve an appointed today?’
‘I was about to leave,’ I lied.
Catherine was surprised to hear about the appointment. ‘Then you need to check your watch. You are already five minutes late.’
‘Damn! I’ll apologise in my next meeting.’
‘You have to go now,’ roared Uncle John.
‘But…’
‘NOW!’
We both sat on the bikes and rode back. ‘You’ve an appointment?’
‘Yeah I’m going to a psychologist.’
‘Why?’ she was astonished. It was an answer she never expected.
‘I hear voices.’
‘What kind of voices?’
‘Can we please stop talking about it?’
She fell silent; I saw sympathy in her eyes. She rode with me to the doctor and then waved me and left. I walked inside knowing that I was fifteen minutes late.
I flung open the door and saw that he was waiting for me patiently.
‘I’m really sorry.’
‘Have a seat Rodrigo.’
I sat on the couch and repeated, ‘I’m really sorry. I know I should have taken care of time.’
‘You have no need to apologize. Being busy is a sign of improvement.’
He was right. I hadn’t heard Rodrigo from past few hours. These people are really good with words.
***
Mrs. Baker stormed on me immediately I entered home. Uncle John had told her everything and now I was grounded. I ate the dinner and lied on the bed wandering that I’ll be stuck in this body forever.
‘Stuck?’ ‘You’re living a pretty luxurious life according to me.’ Rodrigo appeared again.
‘What do you want?’
‘I’ve told you so many times.’
‘Where were you all afternoon?’
‘Messing with your dreams is so exhausting, I needed some rest.’
‘Why can’t you leave me alone?’
‘You want to be alone,’ he yelled. ‘You don’t know what alone means. It’s me alone all the time. I don’t feel human touch. I feel hunger but can’t eat. My throat begs for water every second but it can’t be quenched. I’ve no one to talk to. I just see you living in my body and this all happened because of you.’
‘There is nothing I can do.’
‘Then kill yourself.’ Those words hit me hard. Will dying for good end all this? But I wasn’t a coward. I was deep lost in my thoughts that I heard a knock on the door.
I got up and opened the door. It was Uncle John. What was he doing at this hour?
‘Why were you with that girl?’
‘Why can’t I be with her?’
‘Because of her safety.’
‘How?’
‘You’re fooling no one Ashley,’ he yelled.
My heart skipped a beat. Did I hear it right?
‘I’m Rodrigo,’ I tried to correct him.
‘Stop this! I know who you are and what you did. I knew from the first time I saw you…’
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