Chapter 12 LOSING HIS MIND

Kevin walked out of the autopsy room where Landry’s body was kept for medical examination. Alex followed him close behind, sympathizing with him. He had just witnessed the brutal nature of Landry’s body, and it left him in considerable shock. His expression was numb as he walked to a bench in a corner. As he sat, he stared blankly at the wall.

Alex took his seat beside him. “I just received a report that your friend’s house went up in flames at about 3:45am, early this morning. The fire was said to have started in the kitchen. I thought I should let you know.”

Kevin turned to look at him, eyes swollen and reddened, his cheek wet with tears. He was terribly distraught that it became a nauseating pain. He smiled, then suddenly started laughing hysterically. Tears streamed from his cheek as he laughed.

Alex, bothered by his psychotic behaviour, slouched. “Kevin? Are you alright?” he asked, waving his hands over his face.

Suddenly, the laughter stopped, and Kevin’s eyes flickered past him. He gazed upon the doorway in dismay, then raised a hand to tap Alex. Pointed at the door with stretched finger—showing him something.

Kevin found himself staring directly into the eyes of the masked figure that’d kidnapped him a year ago. The figure stood at the doorway—eyes fixed on Kevin, leaning on the door with its arms folded.

Alex turned to see what he was showing to him but found nothing there. To him, Kevin's behaviour just got a bit more inscrutable. His worries grew when Kevin started mumbling some words. Kept pointing towards the door.

“The masked man… he’s standing over there. I swear it.” he whined, pointing his finger at the door they came through.

Alex turned to look at the spot he was pointing at, but found nothing. “Kevin, there’s nothing there.” he persuaded, but Kevin grew persistent. Kept insisting that the masked man was standing over there.

Alex's fears were finally coming true. “Kevin, you’ve got to stop this. This was exactly how Mrs. Lena started out, before she eventually took her own life.”

His eyes bored into him. “Alex, you’ve got to believe me. I’m not insane. He is really standing over there.”

Alex stared into his eyes; Kevin looked dead serious. He really wanted to believe that he wasn’t suffering from the same mental illness Lena had suffered. He really wanted to believe his words—that he was just hallucinating. But each time he turned to look behind at the exact spot which Kevin claimed the masked man stood, he saw nothing.

Tried to look from Kevin’s perspective to see what he saw, but the wall appeared empty from every angle he stood to gaze at it. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the wall for a long time, but still could not find anything.

“There is no one there, you are just hallucinating.” he concluded.

Kevin dragged his shirt. “I am not hallucinating! He is standing right over there.” he blurted, pointing a finger to the door.

Alex quickly stood up to hold him down. “Kevin, you have to stop this now! You’re simply traumatized from seeing the brutal nature of your friend’s corpse. Same thing happened to Lana too.”

Kevin was all over him, dragging his shirt. “I am not traumatized! And don’t you dare compare me to Lena! I’m not crazy!! He is standing right over there!!” he bawled, pointing a finger at the door.

The people that sat on the benches waiting at the autopsy room stared. There was no mistake—Kevin was showing symptoms that’d led to Lena’s fate.

Alex quickly signalled to one of the police officers waiting outside to come. The officer struggled to get Kevin’s hands off Alex’s shirt, then pressed a cuff to his wrist and walked him out of the building.

Kevin sat quietly on a wooden bench inside Alex’s office, his both arms cuffed. He’d been that way for hours. Alex thought it best to restrain him. This way he wouldn’t hurt himself.

Kevin sat there, back straight. Didn’t move an inch. Just kept on staring blankly at the grey wall, chest heaving rapidly. His expression was numb, and his eyes appeared lifeless. He didn’t notice when Derik walk into the office.

Derik, on entering Alex’s office, took a moment to stare at him. He observed that Kevin wasn’t himself anymore. Something has changed.

“He’s been like this ever since we returned from the hospital where Landry’s body is being examined.” Alex’s voice echoed from behind. “He’s in shock. This behaviour is normal for a person who just lost someone dear. He is seeing things. Keeps talking about a masked man who is not really there. This started right after he saw his friend’s damaged corpse.”

Derik’s brows drew together. “I heard there was a lady with a similar case.”

“Yes! Mrs. Lena. She also had a similar problem of perceiving things that were not actually there, and this started after she saw the brutal nature of her daughter’s corpse. And when it became too much for her, she took her own life.”

Derik’s eyes were drawn to the cuff on Kevin’s wrist. “Is that why you had him cuffed? So that he wouldn’t hurt himself?”

“Mr. Logan is a tormented young man. I’m simply looking out for his best interest. We have to rush him to a mental hospital before he gets worst.” Alex suggested.

“Leave him to me, he will be fine. There is really no need for that yet.” Derik objected.

“Alright, do you mind explaining to me what the show you put up earlier was all about?” Derik asked Kevin as soon as they entered his apartment. “Alex now thinks you are crazy.”

Kevin walked up to him. “Look straight at my face and tell me, do I look like I’m crazy to you?”

Derik looked over at him for a moment, then frowned. “I really don’t know how to answer that. Barely an hour ago, you were acting up in Alex’s office.”

“Derik, you’ve got to believe me, for some reason which I can’t explain yet, I saw this masked man even when everyone else couldn’t.”

He scoffed, walking away from him. “Can you listen to yourself? Anyone hearing you would definitely think you are crazy. The masked man is not invisible. His photograph was captured on camera after he killed Mrs. Eulich.”

Derik noticed he wasn’t paying any attention to him anymore. Rather, Kevin kept staring at the wall behind him.

His eyes narrowed at him. “What’s wrong with you!?”

Kevin raised a finger to point at the wall behind him. Derik slowly turned to look at what he was pointing. Found nothing.

“He is here again. Look, he’s standing over there!” Kevin tattled, pointing his finger at the masked man who stood still with his arms folded, just staring at them from its mask.

Derik turned to see what it was Kevin was trying to show him but found an empty wall. He snarled at him. “Look, Kevin, you really got to put an end to this drama and get yourself together. Just accept the fact that your best friend is gone and move on with your life. You cannot continue like this or you might end up hurting yourself, or worst, dead—like Mrs. Lena.”

“I’m not making this up. He is really standing over there and he’s watching us both.”

Derik looked at him rather disappointedly. “We are going to invade Beocraft tonight and I was counting on you to lead us to them since I don’t know exactly where the meeting was held that night.” he moved closer, a frown on his face. “This is my only chance to proof to all of them that I could be useful. Get your act together and don’t blow this up for me.” he said in a tight voice, then stormed off the room.

The room was left in sheer silence. Dappled sunlight fluttered through the window. Kevin was left to stare at the masked figure. For a moment, they just stood there, staring at each other.

“Go away!” he yelled at him, blocking his ear with both hands. Shut his eyes.

No, I’m not crazy. He is really standing here, and he’s staring at me. I’m not crazy.

He opened his eyes and stared directly at the masked man. The figure stood far across the corner—arms folded, looking at him with fixed eyes, his face neutral and his posture straight. Didn’t move an inch.

“No. I am not crazy. He is real. He is really here. He is watching me. I’m not crazy.” he kept repeating to himself. It was all he could do to keep himself from screaming.

Again, he blocked his ears with both hands and looked away from him, hoping he’d disappear. But when he turned, he found the figure unmoved. Although he appeared immobile, but he seemed real enough. He couldn’t be imagining him there.

“What do you want from me!?” he cried in a loud voice. “Why won’t you just go away!?” his bellow filled the room.

Kevin caught a reflection of himself in a mirror that hung from the wall. His hairs were scattered and his face was coated with dirt. He let out a scary laugh. “Oh God, I’m really going insane.”

When he looked searchingly in the mirror, he did not find the reflection of the masked figure there. His hairs stood on end. Was he finally gone? He turned to look back at the wall and found the masked man still standing there.

He was terrified. Then, quickly, he returned his confused gaze back to the mirror, his body trembling. He blinked in fear when he saw his reflection in the mirror, but not the masked figure.

He turned to gaze at the figure, then took out his phone and turned on the camera to take a picture of the masked man. Surely, someone would believe him when they see the picture. But there was nothing standing over the wall when he looked through his phone camera. When he brought down his phone, the masked man was still standing there, staring silently at him.

Anxiety overwhelmed him “What the hell is happening to me?”

Kevin started walking towards the masked figure, eyes fixed on him, leg trembling. “Am I seeing things?”

As he neared, a cold shiver run down his spine when he felt it gaze on him. It felt real. Kevin slowly raised a hand to touch him; to feel him. He expected his hands to pass through him. He expected his hands to meet the wall.

Horror crept through him when it didn’t. Rather, it rested on its chest. He felt him. Felt his faint heartbeat. Felt his breath pouring down on him. Kevin slowly raised his head to stare at his mask, his eyes wide and wild.

He’s really here.

He quivered.

I am not crazy. He is really here!