doll of paper
Do not rent this apartment, ghosts live here . You\'ll get in trouble. Susan still had these words bouncing around his head . It was clear he did not believe in ghosts , but that he had given wrong impression : I did not expect to get along with a neighbor, the one who was on the seventh floor of the building , which had received such bullshit . No \" welcome to the building \" or something.She slipped on the floor while Susan had barely seen the room and let him that. The landlady did not flinch , did not even look . He must be used to being next door neighbor tried to drive away their tenants. Susan felt that they should be old rivals, so I do not intend to stay in the middle of both and their conflicts . Because finally found what I had three weeks looking for : an apartment with two rooms , one of them to become his studio where he continued with his next novel , with large windows from which to acquire a broad view of the whole city , only ten minutes from your new job, and, above all , at an incredible price .Susan had worked the past two years in a newspaper of regional circulation . I used to write a column of social criticism and sometimes an article without much significance , which sent by email on Wednesdays and Fridays to the editor of the newspaper. No big deal , his was the art of handling words and make them dance tangling between cover and cover his increasingly famous books . But he offered a very rewarding eat the sometimes tiresome work as a writer , and especially allowed to acquire, little by little, more famous among lovers of literature . And thanks to Susan latter was over at that , as the neighboring curled hair and tacky plaid shirt , floor with ghosts. Because thanks to its expertise and its emerging reputation the editor of the newspaper had offered a permanent position in the newsroom, part-time , but very interesting. It required his presence in the writing almost daily , would steal much of the time devoted to the synthesis of his books, but Susan was very enthusiastic and excited about her new role in the world . In addition , outside no longer contribute anything . I needed a change , feel the warmth of the people around her , but that heat will only noise came through banal cars and crowds crammed into buses online. He felt good anyway . I was tired of the soundtrack to the suburbs : birds, dairy truck horn and birds .So after three weeks looking floor, three weeks after going to the wording from their former home in the suburbs , having caught two trains and a bus , finally found a floor in his beloved city , just a short walk from his new job. She would not consent to a neighbor wanting to scare the new tenants ruined their efforts.Everything was still riding . The apartment was furnished , but Susan had all his stuff in a mountain of boxes that had been built with great care in the study. Only took three weeks in the writing, but I had already made great friendships . So I decided to invite many of them for a few beers , as a small opening of his new home , and why not , in his new job.The night transcurred quiet . A few beers , a few cigarettes , laughter , small snacks , long and interesting conversations , more beer , more laughter ... It was Friday night , the city , at the foot of Susan and his companions, exuded life and light , lots of light . So everything was perfect.The next morning he got up with a lot of vitality and energy , a little tired due to a small hangover, but willing to put the house in order, collect the remains of the previous night\'s party and especially the mountain of boxes in the study. She wrapped her delicate white skin like milk with a golden silk robe and prepared to leave the room for breakfast . When you open the bedroom door was pleasantly surprise all beer bottles, empty snuff packages , dishes with food scraps and ashtrays full of cigarette butts were gone . Everything was in perfect order. A big smile crossed her entire face, from ear to ear. The safest thing was that Shally and Thomas , the last guests leave and with more confidence than I had , had decided to collect it . No wonder , they were great people , always ready for anything .He came into the kitchen briskly and cheerful , a smile decreasing but still present . She picked up her golden hair into a high ponytail and pulled the coffee roaster and one of the upper cabinets in the kitchen. But before you turn decided to return to the bedroom. She was barefoot and never plugged descalzada since I heard things in that program of events of the seven , that someone was electrocuted when plugging barefoot television . So he returned to the bedroom for their fur slippers plush purple .When she opened the bedroom door again received a surprise , not as pleasant as the previous one. In fact , quite rude in his opinion . The bed was perfectly cast . He went to bed in disbelief , his mouth open and his eyes narrowed as trying to spot something in the distance. She touched the quilt with open palm . The bed was neatly made : the savannah under the quilt neatly folded , a pillow covered by the quilt and three beautiful peach colored cushions scattered throughout this .That was very strange, and for a brief moment in time , believed the neighbor, who advised that not rent that apartment , that if he did get in trouble . He felt a little anxiety , a little mosquito that grabbed his nuts and made him a strong and unpleasant taste flavor. But she repeated to herself that she did not believe in ghosts . He must have drunk more than usual last night, and have a tremendous hangover , so that just made the bed and could not remember.He made coffee and took in an attempt to clear your mind and breath and sanity. He sat on the couch nice dark blue room , attached to a large window that showed a large picture of the entire city , now disturbed by the dull gray clouds that reigned in heaven, but nice all the same place. He had a book in hand , \" The sunsets of Laura \" . It was about a Girl who fell in love madly with a gay guy . An impossible love for the suffering too , while she is on the verge of suicide.But he could not concentrate , could not continue reading , lines are disturbed , twisted and left a big hole in the page, hole through which appeared the face of the neighbor, with those words disconcerting . He closed the book and pushed it across the couch. He got up to take the TV remote , I was in a small glass table opposite the sofa, and returned to his privileged place atop cloudy but beautiful city .There was really nothing it worthwhile on TV, but Susan was not even aware of it . You could be broadcasting a concert by the Rolling Stones, or a documentary on sea lions, both his passions . Would not have mattered , had continued without notice . Because simply was dedicated to hitting the green button with the arrow indicating switches to the next channel , without any consistency , with their eyes fixed on the plasma screen , but his thought lost in a dark green forest .Suddenly the remote stopped working , there was no next channel , trash that program on the life of the famous three channels above would not appear . Unless you changed the batteries in the remote , Susan thought a minute later, when I finally realized that I pressed that button much , so much and so viciously that he was sweating the thumb , the channel went.He got up and headed for the kitchen. I thought I had left a package of batteries for your digital camera in one of the small drawers that were next to the sink. Indeed , the batteries were the queens of the drawer. That reminded him that he must get to work with the immensity of tackle boxes full of moving, staying in the study. And that made increasing headache.He returned to the living room wearily , almost dragging his feet, and dropped her back on the couch so violently that the back gave a little crunch to be against the wall. He opened the lid and pulled the battery charge . But something stopped. He looked at the TV , with some uncertainty , and discovered that the program was back garbage profamosos post when Susan was absolutely certain that going to search the batteries had been since the store TV channel . Suddenly the small uncertainty made it big , huge, and a small muffled cry that never came out of his mouth in his stomach rumbled . But not only for the fact that it was set to the same channel that when she left, but also because he realized that the IR receiver on the TV , a small little circle just below the image was covered with a piece insulating tape green, live green so exaggeratedly contrasted with satin black plasma TV . He remembered that tape left on a ledge that was a few inches above the TV , in fact the tape was still there, but what I remembered was not raised to take a piece and put it in the infrared receiver for no reason , all while sitting on the couch, mistreating the remote . And did not remember because again have a certainty, that had been sitting all the time . He rose from the couch slowly and carefully , as it expects a hit from behind, and moved closer to the TV. He knelt and looked with great curiosity and amazement duct tape , a simple piece of tape. It seemed unreal. He joined hysterical , angry with herself for believing having spent a quiet night with only two beers and a good conversation with friends, when it seemed that not only filled the stomach of alcohol, but it had overflowed . He thought of going to the studio to start putting some order , believing it would dissolve the clouds that crossed her mind.But something stopped when his legs were reaching verticality. The channel changed again. Only . The green tape was affixed to the receiver , and even if it had been , the command was with the batteries removed , lying on the couch, as proved to turn his head back slightly . On regaining his normal position , he discovered that the TV channel was changing steadily, with even faster than she had been doing while his mind was the dark green forest . She looked at the piece of bright green tape and realized that a button beside the receiver , under which were some fine print that read \"channel up\" , it was shining again and again . Confused, angry nervous and went to the TV and with more anger than I felt when I could not find any decent floor that arrived their savings , began to hit the button that would light attached , which read \"channel down\" . He was there for a few seconds , to no avail , until he felt a terrible chill that ran down from the small and delicate hairs of the toes to the last tip of your scalp .Suddenly stopped pressing the button and began to notice how the air was missing. He opened his mouth more than she thought she could open it, tried to catch a breath, a little bit of air, but could not. He fell to his knees on the carpet and fell in his stomach , while the small shiver seemed to become a Japanese stainless steel that tore into the kidneys. Unable to resist such pain lost consciousness and fell back , striking his head against the small glass table accompanying the couch.When he awoke it was night , although it was true that the sun had refused to leave that day , submitted by the unbreakable strength of opaque gray clouds . He looked round without leaving the ground. Everything was in order . He looked at the TV. It was off , without intense green ribbon . But the remote was on the glass table , instead of on the couch, where she remembered having left .He sat up, with great difficulty , put his hand to his head , and discovered a significant lump protruding and near the crown. \"I must have fainted ,\" he thought . He reached out and grabbed the remote. He opened the battery cover and discovered that were on the gold-colored with a silver line , they seemed to have spent a few hours ago . He was thoughtful for a moment , staring at the floor . When reacted pointed the remote at the TV and pushed the button \"on\" . The TV instantly brightened and changed the channel without any difficulty.He went to the kitchen, even with the remote in hand , and he opened the small clear lacquered wooden box . The batteries that had taken to change the things I thought had been spent were there. But despite this , or perhaps because of it , Susan had the feeling , stronger , truer than ever that something was wrong . And, there was something strange . The little thin plastic wrapper and delicate covering all four batteries forming with them a block was gone. Instead, there was a piece of green tape surrounding them and holding them together . He reached to the batteries with fear, as if waiting for a new thrill , and took them. They were sticky , as if they had made several attempts with green ribbon finally reaching the exact length that covered the four batteries , half of these , like a belt . The squeezed with all his might , closing the hand , and a thought came to mind . A message. His own voice insistently pounding in his mind, bouncing around inside his skull : these batteries are real, and something\'s not right today.He looked at the clock hanging on the wall opposite the sink. It was twenty past eight p.m. . Suddenly had the idea to call your neighbor and invite them to dinner . I had no intention of starting a string of questions about ghosts , still not believing in them , was almost certain , but did not want to be alone. I felt something strange and negative would happen if she was alone for the next few hours . Do not put the blame on any ghost, they threw herself. I did not want to be alone. , And her neighbor was the only person , besides herself , on the top floor of the building, and after all , was the only person in the building with whom he had had a little closer .He put a thin gray sports jacket that had hung next to the front door and went briskly and efficiently towards the door of his neighbor, who was directly opposite hers, so close that even closed his door .Called a couple of times in a row . It seemed that there was , or perhaps had more interesting things to do, \" have more important matters to go to dinner at the house they think there are ghosts and only misfortunes happen ,\" thought Susan , after which he turned and if headed back to his apartment. \" I \'ll go to the corner restaurant for dinner and then give a long walk. \"As he crossed the bow of her door neighbor opened his. He was wearing a light blue blouse and faded jeans , tacky and outdated . His dark hair was tousled curly even more than Susan remembered.You wanted something, girl? How was your name?Susan ... Susan . And you were ...Mary . My name is MaryNice to meet you - let out a small smile and crossed his arms as feeling cold, and hugging herself , with a gesture that made it seem more weak and delicate than it had always shown her fine golden hair as maize close to their old house.Problem , Susan ? I see a face. Concerned . I warned you , and I did it in good faith , because I think you\'re a good girl with some sense , that on that floor ...Just wanted to invite to dinner - abruptly interrupted , letting out the words with a speed that made them almost incomprehensible - just wanted to invite you to dinner . Our first conversation was very pleasant, at least to my mind, whether I thought I could make something for the two , relax and talk about our lives - added more slowly.You know what? I like you . But not enough for me to go on that floor.Come on , what is the problem ? Is everything in order, there is nothing unusual, nothing supernatural - again Susan let out a small smile as she stopped hugging, this time a smile denoted that she was lying , that their words do not even believe them herself .Do not worry, you should invite me to dinner at my apartment . So there is no problem and we also know , is not it ?All right , whatever.Come , come - Mary invited her into a simultaneous movement of head and hand .Susan closed the interdimensional apartment door shut and she followed Mary into the this .I love that picture - Susan said upon entering, with the door open behind him.I bought it at a garage sale . Shot of price.The floor of Mary seemed larger than Susan . Upon entering there is a large lounge , with three huge maroon sofas and salmon walls , crowded with paintings, among which was the favorite of Susan . They turned to the right, where was the kitchen.What do you want to prepare for dinner?I do not mind , Mary. Could eat a whole deer - again drop that mysterious smile , the one to which she herself believed what he said, because the truth was that he had stomach tighter than a German safe .I had thought to prepare a spaghetti with tomato , do you like ?Yes , that\'s fine . I like . Hey, Where\'s your toilet ? I need to go urgently .At the back of room , the door to the left. On the right is where I keep the bodies - his voice was husky and mysterious , which made Susan empezase to turn white as fast as lightning fall from heaven , and part a tree in half. It was not for scares - Let woman , it was just a joke. I just wanted to break a little ice. You look worried, and in this house there\'s no room for worries . My paintings would get sad - turned around and pulled out a huge package of spaghetti from a small drawer crammed a few other huge packages of spaghetti. It seemed to be the favorite food of the host .Susan spun around and said nothing , his face still a little pale, but with a look of relief. It could be explained as believing , if only for a short while , the words of Mary . \" The one on the right is where I keep the bodies \" . \"It\'s ridiculous \" thought Susan . And after re-reading the words in his mind , he thought that certain aura of madness surrounding Mary , after thinking also that of \" ghosts live on this floor .\" Not at all, ghosts do not exist, but if it was true that Mary was a little crazy , perhaps by loneliness or boredom. Susan was sure of it .At the turn of the spaghetti toilet were almost ready.Wow, Where do you buy that pasta ? Just three minutes have passed and this already seems to be made , it smells delicious Italian pasta - Susan returned to drop a smile, but this time it was a smile of conciliation , trying to forget the madness halo to give a new opportunity to the hostess .For in the supermarket of Riverside . In fact they are the cheapest. And indeed been twenty minutes. Why were you so long in the toilet ? Would not you be stealing something , right? I warn you that I have nothing of value , absolutely nothing.Susan looked thoughtful , was another of his jokes to break the ice? Whatever it was, what was not amused .I will set the table - Susan said abruptly.Least , dear. That less! - Mary gave a little laugh.The dinner was so quiet . None of jokes that would make Susan turn pale or long trips to the toilet to mosqueasen Mary.Tell me, do you work ? - Mary asked after completely devoured the dish in less than five minutes.I am a writer . I\'m writing my sixth novel . It\'s about the lonely life of a woman who decides to rebuild their lives after years of enduring beatings from her husband. I also work for a newspaper , the Morning View. He had two years as a partner and have given me a permanent job three weeks ago - was the phrase uttered with more enthusiasm Susan all day .Writer , now. I do not work . I had serious health problems that precluded me go to work for quite a while , so I asked for early retirement.Retirement ? ? You look young . What about you worked ?To the public , you know. And you need not try to flatter me , at least not for the next age. It is the age that I have , you know? And time does not pass in vain for anyone. So just tell me you are delicious spaghetti - Mary was a pleasant smile and wiped with a paper towel large tomato stains from the corner of his lips .Susan smiled back , and for a moment seemed to be together, like a couple of friends , melted into one person . In fact, as the minutes passed and trust, small but growing , would Afincando , Mary Susan asked many times to love a week and told him that his work was stupid , a waste of time . \" Writer , where are you going with that? Every writer eventually go crazy .\'\' Susan went along , but that was a low blow to her that undid much of the union.Well , I hope this has served to know us better. I would buy you a coffee or a chat in the lounge , but it\'s my time of the tablets , and leave me so groggy that if I do not sleep in the next three minutes I \'ll be asleep standing - Mary stood up and took a boat of pills that were in a cupboard above the sink .Susan turned to notice that aura of madness in the words of his neighbor, without knowing exactly why. But the truth was , that with pills or not, it was time to leave. It was enough for today.I understand . Do not worry , I \'m a little tired. It has been a pleasure to know you a little better. Until next time, Mary .Susan got up and left the room , without even picking up his plate. Not that it was a rude person , quite the opposite , but went with the mind elsewhere. A Mary not seem to care much . She also seemed to be elsewhere , since not even replied to Susan\'s goodbye message .He opened the door of his house with some uncertainty . For a moment, a brief moment, returned to have the need to embrace itself. He was cold. He entered the apartment and closed the door behind him and walked to the couch . Everything seemed in order. He sat quietly and took a languid look for the beautiful window. The city was illuminated in full. He looked a little clock on the shelf above the TV and saw that it was too late , so I decided to go for a walk and see those night lights more closely , with the intention to merge with them and be an architect over night.When he stood up , he discovered that the green tape was not on the shelf. Another reason to go for a walk, even stronger than merge with the night lights.The city was beautiful . Many of the streets were still stone miss . The asphalt was not welcome here, and Susan was grateful. Because those streets had the charm of an old European city, where one breathes the past. Buildings also retained the classic touch , this nuance that makes them different , that nuance that despite the decline of some, and transformed into beautiful giants that seemed to come alive at times . The area of the city Susan was the oldest . The buildings were virtually empty , with dusty wood windows and balconies full of dead plants after several years without a drop of water except falling from the sky . But all had that shade . And can that the buildings were virtually empty , but the streets were full of people . It was dark , but the streets were crowded , as in a summer evening on a beach in Mexico . Susan wondered where so many people could leave . That he liked , loved . He loved to look around and see people, insignificant points in the universe , but with huge and interesting stories behind them to tell.When he reached the street from Riverside , the supermarket , which opened into a huge river, decided it was time to go home and get some rest. It had been a difficult day, strange as few in your life , and that it showed. He was one of the largest mental tiredness throughout its existence , even more than when he walked immersed in her second novel , one that even though I tried, refused to be conclusive safeguarding consistently and convey what he wanted from the beginning.He opened the metal gate with energy and took the elevator at the far end of the long corridor . It was a very old elevator , used even fail. But the community refused to put one of these new technological gadgets music and backlit buttons . Before dying in the elevator after falling this violently to the first floor to install one of those technological blasphemies .The elevator shaft was about five meters of only two doors on the top floor . Susan came out of it looking in her purse a note he had written a few days ago while traveling in the bus , a key to decipher a great conflict of his new novel . He reached the door of his house to walk blind , his eyes fixed on the bag , removing his right hand again and again all the belongings he had in him, from one place to another , as earnestly preparing a soup fish . Not find it, and that made her get in a bad mood .Bad mood suddenly it went out with a bucket of cold water, almost frozen , when he noticed that the floor of the hall was a large blood stain your door that communicated with the neighbor. Susan threw her hands to her head and her stomach had another place that muffled cry , more distressing than ever, accompanied by a mosquito bigger than ever leaving a nasty flavor than ever. Because that could no longer be of suggestions or beliefs in ghosts . That was real, it was blood , as she proved when bending over , touching the ground with palm and manchrsela . He stood , frozen , several minutes. When I finally opened the door reacted almost shoving, trying to reach as soon as possible the phone to call the police. But when I thought nothing could be worse that Tuesday November 13 turned in for a nasty surprise.Upon opening the door for a moment thought he would die . Everything was thrown on the floor. Chairs, tables , TV , study boxes , decorative candles Ledge dining room, coffee maker, sofa cushions , everything. The open kitchen cabinets and glass table shattered to pieces . A stampede of rhinos seemed to have been there while she enjoyed a spaghetti with tomato and aroma of night city .But the worst thing was not that. That was beyond repair . What seemed to have no arrangement was the huge blood stain that connected her neighbor \'s door behind the door that was right in front after crossing the dining room, your bedroom . It was following the slick , short and slow steps , weak and timid , with mouth open and one hand on the chest, if his heart decided to open a gap between the ribs and run away . When I finally reach the bedroom door , opened just five centimeters, with great care, as if it were paper and it would break . He tried to find something for those few inches , and managed to see her closet , open and without clothes. After a few seconds of hesitation managed to give a push to the door. Back a few inches , in a reflex of caution , and when the door was fully opened discovered that things can always get worse .The bed sheets were lying on the ground , along with all the clothes I had in the closet. And in bed , on the fine pistachio green sheath covering the mattress had a huge blood stain . In fact it was stained with blood : the clothes off the floor , the floor itself , the walls , everything. He achieved distinction in the opposite wall , just above the bed, a few spots of what looked like fingers , fingers crawling from mid- wall to the mattress.Susan was sweating more than he had done in his life . I felt like all organs shrank to be the size of a pea , a handful of chickpeas trapped in a pressure cooker . He felt it was no heart or lungs , because it was almost impossible to breathe with all that before his eyes. Suddenly, for a moment , it seemed that the idea of calling the police was not as good .She turned and he followed the blood trail until he reached the door of Mary . He pressed the bell again , a single ring touch shy .The seconds passed and the door would not open. Susan feared the worst . He looked at his feet and discovered how the blood stain was introduced in a strong and continuous under the door of her neighbor .Was deathly silence in the hall.