Part 2
The Mysterious Man at the Shop Window
The door opened. At home, finally. The only place where I felt safe.
The street was almost empty.
When I turned the corner, immediately, I immediately saw the degraded, old, and somewhat sinister building where I lived, home sweet home. During the rest of the way, until I got home, I turned back several times to check that the stranger was not following me. I didn’t see him! Then I could rest because I was not being followed. But why was I still restless, nervous, and with the sensation of his presence very close to me?
The key, as always, refused to enter the old lock that had already been worn out by use and time. The door opened. At home, finally. The only place where I felt safe. After checking all the rooms in the house to make sure that no one else was there, that feeling wouldn’t let me go, so I went back to the kitchen. In the fridge were leftovers still from the lunch that I warmed up and ate quickly. Having nothing else to do, I went to sleep.
I woke up to the sound of “O Leãozinho” by Caetano Veloso playing on the radio. It was time to get up and go to work.
I didn’t want to get up, not because I had to go to work, but because I didn’t want to see or talk to other people, I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Again, went out to work dressed in the clothes of the previous day, without eating, without appetite, and with a cigarette on my lips. Tobacco was all I needed. All the way to the company, which was always walking, I could only think anxiously about returning home, “my safe place”.
As usual, I arrived on time; I was always on time, and I never missed work either.
After all, the rules are very important, and I have always been compliant. I don’t know how to live any other way. I sat down at my desk and the workday started. Lunchtime has finally arrived. I would eat nothing since I wasn’t hungry, but for an hour I could smoke as long as I wanted. And it was just when I lit my first cigarette, that I felt a shiver down my spine. I turned quickly, and there he was, I saw him only for a second through the glass of a car that passed so fast, but I knew for sure that was him.
I was the last to leave the building; the company had already closed.
I stayed for a few minutes, watching every corner of the street. Couldn’t see him, but I could feel him. I sweat, my sweat was cold. I wanted to breathe and I couldn’t. My heart was beating so hard that I thought it would stop at any moment. I couldn’t think, I could only hear my heart racing. I was sure I was going to die at that very moment, the feeling of fainting was imminent! Gradually my heart returned to normal, my breathing stabilized, and I stopped sweating. But what had that been? I had felt nothing like it, nothing so frightening and horrible.
I arrived home in record time, although I had turned back a good dozen times to confirm that I was safe.
I know, yes, I know, and sure that I met the one who torments me before, I just don’t understand why. I always had a peaceful life, I’ve never been in trouble with the police or anyone. What does he want from me? And why don’t I remember where I know him? And why the hell can I feel his presence like that out of nowhere? My mind seemed full of questions, a carousel of questions, I felt nervous and irritable, and I am normally so calm and organized. I drank some tea to calm down and went to sleep without eating.
Everyone looked at me weirdly, as if they felt sorry for me. But why?
I arrived on time as usual. Is it because I have been wearing the same clothes for over two weeks? Or because I am a little dishevelled? Or even because I haven’t eaten almost anything and just smoked? What does this have to do with my job performance? I’m here to work and I do my job, so they have nothing to do with the way I manage my life. Grrr, how I hate them all. I would like to know what they would do if they were as life-threatening as I am. Living in hell. Let’s go, let’s work. It is time to decide and take action.
I picked up the phone and called an old friend, well it’s more of an old acquaintance because, in fact, I had no friends.
The conversation was not very long.
This “friend” has always had some dubious contacts, so I went straight to the point. I want to buy a gun. A good, powerful one. He asked me for a few days to deal with it. Three days later, I already had it in my hands. I knew nothing about guns, but he told me it was a little expensive but excellent quality and powerful, so money didn’t matter, now I was safer.
Part 3