(This story is by no means an indictment against the country of Jamaica and its beautiful people.)

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The Ashlandview Psychiatric Center

December 1976

"Isaac, do you plan on standing at that window all day long, or would you rather have a seat and have a civilized discussion?" Doctor Sanyupta, who was dressed perfectly in a brown suit, patiently implored seated behind his desk inside his warm and cozy office.

With his arms folded in an irate manner inside his brown Izod sweater, Isaac remained obstinately at the window that overlooked a cold, frosty and cloudy morning.

He pulled at the crotch of his faded blue jeans that managed to itch with every restless move that he made.

"Man, I ain't sayin' anything until I see a lawyer or somebody." The young, bitter man mumbled against the sore jaw that he was nursing while leaning against the frigid window.

"My friend, this is not prison. We are here to help you."

Yanking himself away from the window, Isaac turned to Sanyupta and pointed, "Man, you ain't my friend! And the only help I need can't be found here!"

"I take it you are referring to your so called disease?"

"Hell yes that's what I'm taking about!" Isaac snapped back. "My dad sent me here for some bullshit reasons! Motherfucker!" He tossed his arms in the air. "I'm not crazy; I know what happened to me last month! It was that bitch that did this to me!" He pointed at his auburn eyes. "And I'm warning you, it can happen again, in this place!"

Doctor Sanyupta sat back in his leather swivel chair and studied Isaac very precisely before saying, "Isaac, allow me to ask the question. Was it you that murdered those men last month?"

For a second, Isaac caught himself before he stood absolutely still in the middle of the floor "Man...I don't know for sure." His voice faltered. "It just happened, and then I just blacked out." Isaac then happened to glance at the door and the mistletoe that was dangling from above.

"Isaac, I see you as a rational human being; someone who is not taken easily to being overrun with delusions of shape-shifting."

"But it's not a delusion!" Isaac pleaded with outstretched arms. "I know what happened that night! Look at my eyes, man! How did they go from black one day to this the next?"

"There could be a reasonable explanation."

"Like what? Someone broke into my room and slipped a couple of contacts into my eyes? That's bullshit!"

"Isaac, your father believed this facility to be the one place in the world that could help you—

"My father," Isaac twisted his lips. "That overgrown nigga hit me because he said I tried to hit him. Man, the next time I see his ass I'm gonna take a baseball bat and crack him so hard in the face he won't know what hit his black ass!"

"But he is your father." Sanyupta sounded amazed.

"I don't care if he's my mother; no one hits me and gets away with it! That's why he sent me here, because he knew I would get his ass back for that!"

Isaac was sweating while pacing across the floor in an agitated, cagey manner, as though he could feel someone watching him all around.

Meanwhile, Sanyupta, who was still seated quite securely in his chair, kept his eyes stationed only upon Isaac while quietly tapping his fingers on his desk.

"Isaac, tell me something, wasn't

Right then, Isaac stopped just short of a bookshelf with his back turned to Sanyupta. The look he had on his face at that moment in

"Oh...that bitch."

do you refer to the mother of your son

"Because, man, she lied and said that I

a reason at that second. Like the words that he wanted to say were slipping

"What seems to be the problem,

floor for a few moments

a question, young man." Sanyupta patiently reiterated.

know

placed just an inch away from him on

to call her that." Isaac turned

"But there was some kind of emotion that brought such

folded his arms and dropped his head. Every time he tried to turn his attention away from Lynnette that was all the more the woman's image

"What do you believe caused you to call her

his lungs before he said,

Sanyupta stopped writing at that moment before sitting

the eye. He kept his face pointed to the carpet for as

"You heard me. I said she wasn't

do

"Because...I just

"That is not a good

we both knew from high school. His name is William. I guess she was stuck on him at the same time she was on me. One thing led to another, and...and nine months

"Oh...I see." Sanyupta gently responded. "And yet, after all

mine to begin with. He said that God told him. But I guess I wanted to believe

"How do you and Lynn cope with

said, "We cope

"That is far

hell else do you want me to do?" He ranted. "Keep on bringing up the past until we break up

"Where

"He's standing right here!" Isaac angrily stepped forward. "I'm his

before saying, "Very well, young man. While I commend you on your commitment, that still does not give a reason as to why you

his pockets. "Man, I don't know." He whined.

"Do you

me away! She just stood

want an honest answer in return. Is there anyone

body just took a strong pause. The young man could have been knocked over so easily at

"What...what do you mean by

office before his eyes connected with the floor all over again.

"Why

named Elmer Holcomb. They used to run moonshine together before they both got saved. About five years ago, though, Mr. Holcomb, his wife and granddaughter were all killed in a house fire. Every year since then, my dad and I would drive out there to the house and visit. But this last summer...I

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