by Nelly Asher
***
They weren't far from their destination when traffic got slower.
“There's a jam ahead... Must be some traffic accident,” Kevin turned to drive around. He wasn't too familiar with this area, but was hoping he took a correct course. Selena has never been here before either. Having nothing better to do, she was checking out the shops they were driving by. One shop's entrance caught her eye – done in dark shades, with a black nameplate, “Obsidian”. There was something magnetic about it... She was suddenly seized by strong desire to go there.
“Pull over,” the girl spoke. Kevin reluctantly pushed the brakes. “I'll come back in a minute,” Silver said over her shoulder and headed to the shop without waiting for an answer.
Sunrays were barely penetrating the tinted window – light was coming from lamps that were creating a soft multicolored shade. It was pretty serene – a great relief after the street heat. Selena took a deep breath. It felt like she entered a different world, and yet it felt familiar, almost like home. She looked around. Leather bracelets, various charms, masks, items for pranking – a motley assortment of trinkets. Suddenly Selena noticed the salesman, a young man with black hair tied into a ponytail. He was sitting in a corner behind the counter and was examining something, paying no attention to the customer. But the very moment she saw him he looked up. His eyes were expressing nothing at first, but in a few moments his face brightened up, like he has recognized a friend.
“Hello!” he got up.
“Umm... Hi,” Silver answered hesitantly, trying to figure if she saw him before or not.
“How are you? Is your hand fine already?” young man's voice was expressing a sincere sympathy.
“I think you're confusing me with someone else,” Selena came closer to the counter so they both can take a better look. When she approached, the girl noticed a bunch of four-leaf clover-shaped keychains – identical to the one Evanford left, but in different colors. Silver frowned. There has to be some connection... “Do you have red four-leaf clovers?” she cautiously asked, deciding not to show her own keychain for now.
“I knew it's you,” the salesman smiled. “Playing those games of yours, as usual.”
Selena looked him in the eye, trying to catch the thought buzzing in the back of her head. All of this – the shop, the guy, his eyes dilated from the darknes – definitely had something about it... Something familiar... Something suspicious... It seemed that in a second she'll pull that thought out of her subconsciousness, but this moment just wasn't coming. Young man didn't say anything, keeping his gaze fixed at her. Prolonged silence was broken by the sound of an opening door – Kevin Evanford entered the shop.
He has a real talent to interfere in the least appropriate moment! Selena glanced at him menacingly, letting her acquaintance know that he must stay back. But Kevin didn't understand why she goggles at him and decided to ignore it. The girl's apprehensions were fulfilled – when the salesman saw that a man is approaching Selena, he seemed to have lost any kind of interest in her. His stare became blank again, and the guy sat back into the corner.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Selena hissed, clenching her fists.
“You were here for evidently more than a minute,” Kevin calmly replied. “I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving,” he headed to the exit.
After some hesitation, the girl followed him. She has to finish what she started. And it's better to talk to this guy some other time anyway. The pair got into the car and were near the building in a few minutes.
“Well, let's go,” the girl said imperturbably.
“I told you not to drag me into this mess,” Evanford frowned.
“As you wish,” Selena snubbed her nose. “But if I learn the answer, I'll never tell you!” she slammed the car door and headed to the entrance.
Kevin was about to start a car, but paused. What if it indeed will not end with one fear attack? Is he supposed to struggle to break out of his own bathroom every time? Or disgracing himself in public places? Also, even though he didn't care about an obnoxious acquaintance, he couldn't just leave her like that, knowing where she's going. Because this way he is short of becoming an accomplice in whatever might happen to her. Evanford reluctantly got out of the car.
He saw Selena standing near the door at the first floor. She was in no hurry to enter – maybe was afraid, or was waiting for him. The girl was closely examining the door, even though there was nothing on it.
“Can you recall, was there a plate here before?” she asked pensively.
“I don't think so,” Kevin shrugged. He would've definitely remembered if anything was written to the door to a nightmare. Selena turned the handle and pushed the door – it easily gave in. Silver was surprised and a bit scared, but didn't jerk the door back – opening it wider, she peeked inside.
“Come in,” a friendly voice said. Startled, Selena looked at a man sitting behind the desk across the room. It's not the same man that was in the dark room with parts. Looking at him with mistrust, the girl stepped in. “Come in, both of you,” he encouraged the young man standing behind his visitor's back. Kevin entered, closing the door behind him – after all, it wasn't easy to get rid of that habit in just a couple of days. He realized the mistake when he was in the middle of the office, but didn't run back. Evanford decided to wait and see what happens.
Warm sunlight was passing throught the thin curtains that were covering the window. It must be a psychiatrist's office furnished in pretty minimalistic fashion – there were two chairs near the desk, a couch, a bookcase and a clock hanging from the wall beside it. Its hands were showing quarter to two – they were a couple of hours ahead.
“Take a seat,” man pointed at the chairs. Visitors exchanged looks and unwillingly obliged. “What brings you to me? Do you have some problems as a couple?”
“No,” Kevin said sharply.
“So, everything is fine?” the psychiatrist grinned.
“No, we aren't a couple,” he specified. Selena nodded, then vigorously shook her head, not knowing how to empathise that there's nothing between them.
“So what is it about?”
“It's about the door,” Kevin replied bluntly.
“I'm often having a certain nighmare,” the man spoke. “I'm standing in front of a door with a sign. All night long I'm pushing it, trying in vain to open it, but it just won't give in. What do you think is written on the sign?”
“It says 'Pull'” professor's nephew replied. “It's an old joke. What are you getting at?”
“If you want to solve a problem, try various approaches. Keep your eyes open to see the hints. And read the manual, especially if it's right before you... What is this door for you? Where is it leading? What do you think is behind it?
“There's another question,” Kevin said. “Is it possible for a person to have a fear of the door itself?
“There is a huge number of phobias in this world,” the psychiatrist started. “Some of them are familiar to many – for example, a fear of darkness. Some seem simply ridiculous... Yes, take it, help yourself,” he spoke to the girl.
Selena looked in confusion at a piece of paper she was about to put into her bag. One side had a calendar for the current year and a line “Jeremy Lace, psychiatrist” written on it. On the flip side, instead of a picture, there was a list of phobias with short descriptions, about fifteen items. It started with Acrophobia – a fear of heights, and ended with Trypanophobia – fear of injections. There was a stack of calendars like this lying on the desk.
“Right on the subject,” Jeremy spoke. “There are some of the widespread phobias on this list. Each of you has probably experienced those fears at some point...”
“Most of them, I didn't,” Evanford also took a calendar, glanced at it and put it back. Selena couldn't get her eyes off the first line. The fear of heights... It can't be just a coincidence that the person whose office appeared in place of the weird room is talking about that.
“Do yo
u know this place? This man?” Silver pulled out the pictures and handed it to him. The girl decided to play with her cards face up. After some thinking, psychiatrist shook his head. Maybe he didn't know the man on the photo... But Selena was certain that the office owner just didn't want to reply.
“Come on, spill it! You know something for sure!” she leaped up and bent over the table. But Jeremy didn't seem to notice the view he was treated to – his look was fixed on the girl's sparkling eyes.
“I can't tell you anything,” psychiatrist replied with a subtle smirk. Selena was infuriated. He was scoffing at her! But what is she supposed to do? She doesn't have neither strength nor weapons to make him talk... “You deal with him!” she shouted at Evanford. “He knows everything! You're an expert in torturing people with words, so make him talk! I'll wait outside,” Selena ran out of the office, slamming the door.
“It's better for you to find some common language,” the psychiatrist advised.
“We have nothing in common,” Kevin said, trying to digest the events that unfolded in the last few minutes.
“You do. There was an incident, a moment in the past,” he got up and drew the curtain aside. There were yellowed trees behind the window, rustling and shedding their leaves under the gusts of wind. “And I'm stuck in that moment. I can't tell you anything else righ now.” Jeremy took a quick look at the clock on the wall. It was still showing quarter to two, even though the second hand was spinning just fine.
Kevin looked outside, staggered. Autumn?! Time and space tricks again... Well of course, what was he thinking when entering here? It seemed like the walls moved closer, compressing him in a small trapbox.
“Who are you?”Evanford said with restraint. Panic won't do any good, and information has to be collected.
“Jeremy Lace, psychiatrist,” the man answered, following a falling leaf with his eyes.
“I got that already... But what do you have to do with the whole book story?” Kevin asked patiently.
“I'm a rational element. An advisor. And I was the moderator in the circle,” Lace turned to him. “Does it say anything to you? No. You won't understand the answer if you don't know the question. I'm only dispensing the information when its time comes. For extra hints, there is a book. Which, by the way, is in posession of your unpredictable lady friend. And the longer you sit here, the less chance you have of seeing her again.”
It looked like the psychiatrist was serious. Kevin realized that it's silly to leave like that, but he's only wasting time here... He got up and went out of the office.
“Find her,” Jeremy muttered under his breath. “You'll need her more than once.”
