It was a sweltering night and I tossed and turned in bed,
unable to sleep. I got up and went to the window, hoping to catch a breeze.
The half-moon cast a dim light over the sky and the stars twinkled in the
darkness.
As I gazed at the beauty of the night, I heard a moaning sound coming from
the neighboring flat. At first, I thought it was just someone snoring or
dreaming, but the noise persisted and was followed by loud talking. I
strained to listen, but couldn't make out what was being said.
The volume of the arguing increased and it was clear that someone was
begging for something. Suddenly, I heard the sound of someone being hit and
a woman's piercing scream. I was filled with fear and dread, but hesitated
to go and investigate as the neighbor was only an acquaintance of mine.
As I pondered what to do, I heard a loud crash that shook me from my
indecision. I knew I couldn't ignore it any longer and mustered up the
courage to knock on the neighbor's door. He answered, looking flustered and
bewildered.
He let me in and I saw his wife curled up in bed with a few chairs toppled
over and things scattered about. He explained that his wife was a hysterical
patient and often created disturbances in the middle of the night. The
voices had been theirs as he tried to calm her down. She had pushed the
chairs, causing the crash, and then fainted.
Although I sympathized with his plight, I couldn't help but feel disturbed
and uneasy about what had transpired. I bid him goodnight and left his
apartment, returning to my own room.
I lay back down in bed, but sleep eluded me. The noises from the neighboring
flat had completely disrupted my peace of mind, and I couldn't shake off the
feeling that something terrible had happened. The rest of the night was
spent in restless contemplation, and it wasn't until the first light of dawn
appeared that I finally drifted off to sleep. |