Prologue
The rain was pouring down in torrents out, making the inky night even darker.
The lights in the police station, as always were glowing outside and onto the soaked concrete and asphalt that made the street. Officer McGavin sighed and looked up at the clock from the desk he was seated at. It read precisely ‘10:05’ and he grunted. It felt like the time was just crawling along, like one of those ridiculous zombies on that show his teenage son enjoyed. He sipped at his lukewarm black coffee and looked over a few papers before the door creaked open.
He looked up and saw a young woman, early twenties slowly shake herself off of the water and nervously peer over her shoulder, frozen in place as she gazed out into the dark world from which she came from.
“Can I help you?”
His voice made her jump much more than he thought it would and she stared at him with wide, bloodshot green eyes. Great, another drunk or druggie, exactly what he needed.
“Uhm,” Her voice was so quiet he almost didn’t hear her. “Y-yes. I… I need help.” She slowly approached the counter, occasionally muttering to herself at such an octave that he couldn’t hear her words. She stopped at the very edge and nervously looked back and forth.
“What’s your name?”
“Lindsey Parkinson.”
“All right Ms. Parkinson. What’s the problem?”
She gulped visibly. “I-I’m being stalked. I think.”
“You think?” He asked, trying to keep his voice gentle.
“I don’t know if I’m just being paranoid or not, but things a-are proving otherwise.”
Officer McGavin sighed. “Okay, what makes you think you’re being stalked?”
“It’s a long story sir. I don’t know if I want to tell you it all, and you probably won’t believe me.”
“Try me, I’ve heard crazier!”
The woman nervously sighed. “Let me start by saying, I- I have schizophrenia.”
Well he wasn’t expecting that for sure! “You’re kidding me, right?”
“No sir. I have it, but it’s mild so I’m not a hundred percent crazy.” She kept her voice flat and her eyes continuously shifted around. As if sensing his skepticism, she then added, “But I can tell when something isn’t a delusion or hallucination normally, when it breaks the barrier.”
“You better explain ma’am.” He sighed, glancing up at the clock. ‘10:07’ it read and inwardly he groaned. Great. He was going to be stuck with a whackjob for awhile until his shift was over.
“I will, I promise. It- it all began at work, last month. I work in a library…”
