Man Next Store

I was an average person living in England, spending my nights on the internet looking up random sites and just messing about. Spending my days in bed, my life was going nowhere. See, I lived on the countryside where, because of the recession, no jobs were available, and my debts were raising. I needed to come up with an idea. It looked like I was never going to win the lotto. It became apparent that my family saw me as bum who will never achieve anything.
I'll show them all.
I knew a local millionaire with a mansion down the road, and my immature mind didn't know whether I was ever going to achieve anything and pay my bills. 
I decided I'd rob his house because I knew his work schedule. It was easy enough to observe when his fancy car rolled out of his driveway. Only problem was that he had guard dogs. So, I put rat poison on the meat they eat, and got rid of that problem. Yes, there were cameras, but I knew the blank spots in the coverage from the summers I had spent mowing his lawn. Quickly, I got into an open window.
I was in. I couldn't believe it. He was not very smart, as I found his money under his bed. Suddenly, I heard the door creak open. He was back. What would I do if I'm caught? I'd be in prison for years! I decided to drug him.
Using the sleeping pills, which I found in his press, I drugged the pitcher of water on his nightstand. I didn't have much time, so I threw the lot in quickly. The owner of the house was so tired and drunk coming in, he didn't even notice the dead dogs. Perhaps he thought they were just sleeping. 
He drank his water and fell on the bed. I ran out and went home the next day. I was delighted, when suddenly, I froze with fear upon seeing the morning paper. I saw the name of the man I had robbed on the front page. I thought I had gotten away with it, but suddenly reality hit me when reading the full piece. It stated the owner was drunk, and the mix of alcohol and sleeping pills caused him to overdose and die.
I should be happy. I pulled off the perfect crime, but I was a murderer. His only crime was having more money than me. Although the money helped with the guilt, how was my mind going to forgive me? 
Suddenly, a letter went under my door. It was blank page with one sleeping pill on it. I switched off my light, when suddenly, the letter came to life, and it glowed in the dark. It said "HOPE THIS HELPS YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT."  I was scared that someone was watching me, and knows what I did.
Anyway, I went back into the kitchen and prepared my dinner. I needed something to eat, I was shaking. I put my dinner on the table, and went into my sitting room. I had forgotten my phone, so I then headed back into the kitchen.
What I saw next scares me to this day. My dinner was replaced with dog food and head of the dog I'd killed. There was a note in its mouth saying "THE DOG IS STILL BARKING FOR YOU." I wanted to run, but I froze with fear. I put all the money into a bag, left it at the door, ran upstairs, and locked myself in my room.
I did this in hopes that it would have appeased my stalker, and the attacks stopped. My phone rang, and I answered. I heard a voice say "THE DEAD TALK!! THE DOG STILL BARKS!" and then my electricity went out! 
At this point, I couldn't breathe. I was having a panic attack. Someone was banging on my door. It got louder and louder, and I heard a faint laugh. Suddenly, the banging stopped. I sighed with relief. I was free. The silence was deafening. I turned around, and someone was watching me through my window.
They were looking at me with dead eyes and a wicked smile. They were laughing. I shouted " I gave you the money, leave me alone!" He responded, "A SOUL FOR A SOUL." I grabbed my baseball bat, and ran out of my house.
He was chasing me so I turned and, swung the baseball bat. I got him. I was inspecting the body when I realized it wasn't the stalker. "This can't be happening", I thought. Laying dead on the ground was my mother. The police came, and I was arrested. I didn't struggle. I was sent was to a mental asylum. It turned out I was imagining everything. Every night I hear a dog barking. The cries haunt me.
I was let out to attend her funeral, and I was given time to see my dead mother by herself, in her coffin, on my own. I couldn't stand the guilt I felt, and I felt the tears I cried could fill an ocean. I screamed "Sorry mom, I love you!" All of a sudden, the body sat up. Her lifeless body said "A SOUL FOR A SOUL." and screamed with laughter. 
As the pain snaked its way through my chest I could feel my arm go numb. Instead of words, I could barely form half-hearted gasps as the medics worked on me. If only I could speak, I could tell them what I have seen.
As my awareness fades, I can only wonder if anyone will ever understand what has happened. Or, are they only going to remember me as the crazy man next door?
Category:Mental Illness