1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,240 When life gives you lemons, you suck on it until you die. Sadly, I'm still sucking on them. 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:14,480 My life had been great. Perfect even. The day I met Alicia, my wife, my life changed. She made me 3 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:21,200 whole. She was an addition to my completion. I loved her with all my heart. And after two years 4 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:27,040 of blissful marriage and finally trying for our first kid, she found out she had cervical cancer. 5 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:32,480 Everything went to shit after that. We thought it would get better, but things got worse. 6 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:38,160 I was going to lose her. I was going to lose my heart. And it shattered me to know that I had 7 00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:44,400 to watch her slowly die every day. Seven short years of marriage and nothing but memories to show for 8 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:50,480 it. Nothing to bind our love. Nothing to show that she once existed in this cruel world. 9 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,960 The day she died, it rained heavy as fuck. Even the sky in the heavens above knew it was a tragic 10 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:02,880 day. I couldn't even make it home that day. I stayed in my vehicle and then rented a hotel for 11 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:09,280 three days until her funeral. The funeral was quick. I held it at a church and then cremated her. 12 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:18,160 Never had my life felt so gray, dull, empty. Alicia was all I had and she left me. The neighbors came, 13 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:23,760 of course. They offered their support and told me everything would be okay. But they didn't know. 14 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:29,040 They had no idea how much I loved this woman. Everything would not be fine. 15 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:34,800 The last two years had been harder without her and it still is. And every year around her 16 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:41,040 birthday and our anniversary, it worsens. It reminds me of what I've lost. There's no meaning 17 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:47,040 to life anymore. What is the sense of going out there? Why should I be enjoying life when she is 18 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:54,160 dead? When she can no longer enjoy it with me. Everyone is happy, laughing and going about their 19 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:59,120 business in this world, in this neighboring community. It makes me sick to my stomach. 20 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,160 And as if the chaos couldn't escalate further, a new neighbor moved in next door. 21 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:10,560 The house had been vacant for over a year. And quite frankly, it was the only thing that helped my 22 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,520 mood. Knowing that there wasn't another nosy neighbor trying to make things better for me. 23 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:21,520 But like flies to garbage, the residents in the community flocked to their front steps and greeted 24 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:28,240 them. They can be so pathetic, groveling to a total stranger or pretending to care. I've known them 25 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:36,160 for years and I can certify that 80% don't give a fuck about a newbie. As for my new next door 26 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:41,440 neighbor, I hadn't gotten around to see who she was. I'd caught glimpses of her in her bathroom 27 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:47,120 over my balcony. But the view was not as clear with her sheer curtains. Besides, I didn't want 28 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:54,000 to be a fucking creep. It would also be a disgrace to Alicia. However, everything changed within the 29 00:02:54,000 --> 00:03:00,400 blink of an eye. Like, literally. A week after moving in, the bold shit decided to play a good 30 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:05,360 neighbor. I was pretty sure everyone told her about me so why the fuck was she standing at 31 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:11,120 my door ringing my goddamn bell? And when I thought she had left because I never bothered to answer, 32 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:18,080 I saw her on the camera again and this time she took a seat on my swing. On Alicia's fucking swing. 33 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,800 But the rage that consumed me enough to throw this woman off my property 34 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:27,520 instantly dissipated when I opened the door. I didn't know how to explain it or figure out 35 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:34,960 what the hell it was. But all I knew was that she... she looked like Alicia. Well, not totally, 36 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:42,000 but she had an uncanny resemblance. Like a doppelganger. The fuck? I couldn't even find the 37 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,640 words I planned to tell her about sitting on the swing. It was as if there was a divine 38 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:52,640 intervention or something. The woman looked up at me just as confused. And when I didn't think she 39 00:03:52,640 --> 00:04:00,080 would say anything, she introduced herself. Freya Somerset. Then she handed me bread. It had been 40 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:05,360 packaged in a brown bag with doodle drawings with different colored markers. Life must have 41 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,160 decided to fuck me over again because Alicia loved to bake and she'd been an artist. 42 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,040 Was Freya her reincarnation? It could have never been. 43 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:21,280 As she rambled on about her boyfriend and other nonsensical stuff, I just stared in awe. 44 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:28,320 She'd looked so much like Alicia, down to her bow-shaped lips. Seeing Freya and having her 45 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,240 remind me so much of Alicia were emotions I wasn't ready to face. 46 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,560 Here I was standing in front of my wife's replica and having thoughts about how many 47 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,800 times we used to kiss and the beautiful things she did with that wicked mouth of hers. 48 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,480 How I used to kiss the small mole on her neck. The similar kind of mole Freya had on her lower 49 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:54,480 chin. Whatever scheme the devil was concocting against me was working. Because this woman 50 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,880 had sparked a fire within me. One that I had long lost after my wife's death. 51 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,920 I grabbed the bread and closed the door. I didn't want to get caught up. I didn't want to experience 52 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:10,880 the emotions she had just stirred in me. But after that day, I was never the same. 53 00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:17,200 A day after our encounter we had a really windy day. So windy that one of my balcony 54 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:23,680 chairs had toppled over and my potted plant had broken. When I'd gone to sea to it, Freya's window 55 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:30,240 had been open as usual. But the curtains had blown apart. It was much easier to see her in the bathroom. 56 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:35,920 Freya had returned from work and entered the room in her bath towel. I still wanted to believe that 57 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:42,160 all of this was unreal. And it was the fates fucking with me. But this was reality. I knew I 58 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:47,360 should have turned away. That I should have tended to my plant and headed back inside. But I didn't. 59 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:53,120 She reminded me so much of Alicia. And I didn't want to go another second without seeing my 60 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,560 wife's face in living flesh. But to be fair, when she loosened her towel I turned away. 61 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:04,720 I went back to tending to my plant and headed inside. I had never used my balcony before. 62 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:08,960 But ever since I knew I could catch a secret glimpse of the woman who resembled my wife, 63 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:14,480 I made it a customary thing. And day after day I would sit on the balcony until she got home 64 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:19,840 from work and get into the bath. I would take a few glimpses of her and head back inside. 65 00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:25,200 Not once had I been pervy enough to view her naked. I'm not that kind of guy. 66 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:32,400 Seeing Alicia, Freya, is only for comfort. And it's the only way I can do this without being 67 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:39,200 socially awkward. Honestly, I believed I could get away with it. That I could sneak a glance at her 68 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:45,120 and then disappear. However, it seems that all actions done in secrecy are eventually brought 69 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:52,000 to light. Last Wednesday night, Freya caught me staring at her. I thought it was going to turn 70 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:57,600 into a shit show. And she would call the police. And I'd go to jail for being the total pervert ever. 71 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:03,040 But it was nothing like that. Freya had looked at me looking at her and stood there for a few 72 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:09,120 seconds. She then dropped her towel and stepped into the bath. It was as if nothing had transpired 73 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:14,560 between us. I knew then that I should have gone back inside. That what she did should have been a 74 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:20,880 red flag for me to stay away. But I just couldn't. I couldn't pull myself away from watching her take 75 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:27,120 a bath, soaking in the sudsy tub. It was as if she wanted me to see her. It continued like that for 76 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:31,840 almost every night except the weekends when her boyfriend visited. I'd sunk into a new lie where 77 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:37,280 I thought this was okay. Where I'd become addicted to seeing her. And then knowing that she knows 78 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:42,640 that I'm watching her and she doesn't give a damn, had done something to me. How was this normal? 79 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:48,560 To this day, I'm sick of my decision. My wife is probably looking down at me and appalled by my 80 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:53,120 behavior. But I'll be damned if I don't catch a glimpse of her at least five times a week. 81 00:07:54,000 --> 00:08:00,960 Freya has become a drug, an opioid for my pain, an ecstasy to make me forget what I lost. Getting 82 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:06,560 out on a balcony and watching Freya have a bath has become a new norm for us. She alerts me by 83 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:12,880 flickering her lights on and off twice. This whole idea is disturbing. But it's just how it is now. 84 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:19,600 Now it's Saturday. And while I'm folding clothes in my bedroom, the lights at her house flicker 85 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:26,000 twice. I'm shocked. So stunned that I drift onto my balcony like a moth to a fucking flame. 86 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:33,200 Seeing Freya is addictive. It's nearly something I can't resist. Nevertheless, the last thing I 87 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:38,720 intend to do is disrupt someone else's relationship. Mine had been perfect, and I would have fought tooth 88 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:43,840 and nail to make sure that Alicia didn't have a reason to leave. I move to the lounge chair on 89 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:48,960 the balcony to see what the flickering is about. It's more of a safety check to make sure she is 90 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:56,800 okay. And she is okay. I'm about to return to my room when Freya moves to the window and spreads 91 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:03,120 the curtains the widest it has ever been. Whatever game she's playing, I'm all in. I'm no longer 92 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:08,640 Mr. Nice Guy because ever since Wednesday, I'd lost the opportunity to see her. So I'll take 93 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:14,000 whatever the fuck I get tonight. Despite her boyfriend staying the weekend at her place, 94 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:20,560 Freya has found the time to see me. No, to let me see her. Tonight is going to be different. 95 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:26,720 I can feel it. And now that I can see all of her, it's doing something to me. 96 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,800 She plays with the tie of her robe and then loosens it. A breath escapes me when the 97 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:38,960 robe slides to the floor. This is the first time I've truly seen her naked. Every other time was 98 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:44,720 vague shapes and illusions through a sheer curtain. But now, now it's the real deal. 99 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:53,200 She is stunning. So gorgeous that I can't tear my eyes from her. I sit on the balcony chair and 100 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:58,960 scoot it to the edge of the railing. She is fondling herself and it's surreal. My cock is hard, 101 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,680 so fucking hard and it's the hardest it has ever been in a long time. The moment she dropped the 102 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:08,400 robe, I should have headed back inside. I should have moved away because this was not what I wanted. 103 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:16,560 But there was this urge to stay, to watch, to feel. Freya spreads her legs and drags her fingers 104 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:23,520 between her thighs. This is wrong. This is sick. I shouldn't be watching her. I shouldn't be tarnishing 105 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:29,520 my wife's memories like this. But it's fucking painful not to look away. She reminds me so much 106 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:35,280 of my wife, but yet she's different in her way. I slip my cock out from my boxers like the fucking 107 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:41,920 pervert I am. It's the first time I'm doing this. It's the first time I'm letting my emotions rule me. 108 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:47,920 And right now I don't care. I know she can see me. And it may not be perfect vision because my 109 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:54,480 balcony is dark, but my mere presence is enough for her to enjoy rubbing herself. Freya lifts her 110 00:10:54,480 --> 00:11:03,360 fingers and spreads them. She's wet. Fucking wet. I'm pounding my dick so hard that it's probably 111 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:08,480 going to bruise from lack of use. However, the feeling she's invoking inside me is nothing 112 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:14,000 compared to the consequences. And when she dips her fingers inside her pussy again, it sends me 113 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:22,880 into a tizzy. I stand, peeling my boxers off and freeing my cock. I want her to see. I want her 114 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:27,760 to know what she's doing to me, how I'm breaking every rule and moral compass to please her. 115 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:36,960 As I pound my dick, she's fingers deep into her wet cunt. I'm on the edge. And having her stare 116 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:42,000 aimlessly through the window while getting off on me is not helping either. Freya turns around, 117 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:48,960 seeming agitated. Then she scrambles for her robe as she peers at the door. Fuck. Her boyfriend. 118 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:55,040 I can hear him banging on the door like some deranged idiot. She composes herself and finally 119 00:11:55,040 --> 00:12:01,040 opens it, but he bursts in like a maniac. Her boyfriend is livid, pointing his fingers in her 120 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:06,400 face and looking around. Somehow I just want to get down there and punch that fucker in his face. 121 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,920 He has no reason to be touching and yelling at her like that. His anger escalates to the 122 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:17,200 point where he's smelling her fucking hands. Then suddenly he walks to the window and looks up, 123 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:25,440 spotting me. Fuck. I pull up my pants, ready to head back inside because this no longer concerns me, 124 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:30,880 but something tells me to stay. Then this man points at me. And before I can blink again, 125 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:37,680 he slaps her about the face. What the fuck? Shit. He shoves her onto the wall. Damn it. 126 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:43,120 If I don't get my ass over there right now, he's going to do much worse. As I make my way downstairs, 127 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:48,800 all I can envision is her lifeless body being kicked in the stomach. I retrieve her keys from 128 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,840 beneath a potted plant and unlock the front door. And without thinking about the legalities of what 129 00:12:53,840 --> 00:13:00,800 I'd just done, I head upstairs and look for the door facing my balcony. Blood. Fucking blood. 130 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:06,800 I launch at the guy with my body slamming him to the floor. This has just gotten personal. 131 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:12,720 I ram my fist in the fucker's face enough times that he's out cold like a motherfucker. 132 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:20,000 Then I remember Freya. I turn to see her lifeless body on the floor. I can't wait. I can't even 133 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,960 think about doing more harm than good by touching her. I take her up in my arms and run downstairs, 134 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:30,080 straight onto the pavement. Then, without thinking, I yell at the top of my lungs. 135 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,960 I shouldn't be here. I have no reason to be here. 136 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:39,360 Sitting at her bedside at the hospital is the last thing I should be doing. 137 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:45,280 I don't know this woman, and she doesn't know me. But yet I find myself lying to the 138 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:51,840 doctors stating that I'm her relative. What is going on with me? A month ago, I hated people. 139 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:56,880 Interacting with one person was a chore. Now I'm sitting at the bedside of my neighbor, 140 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:03,280 without the will to leave her like this. She has no one. Well, that's what I believe. 141 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:08,720 The only person listed as her emergency contact is the fucked hard who did this to her. Somehow, 142 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:14,960 I'm compelled to stay. But it's like being with Alicia all over again. Not knowing when she would 143 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:23,200 die or if she would ever recover. It feels like deja vu. It feels so fucking real. It's been two 144 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:28,560 days and Freya hasn't woken fully. The doctor says she's stable, but she has a concussion. 145 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:34,720 However, she's in and out of it because of the meds. I stand to go get a refill of my coffee in 146 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:41,200 the hallway. When I hear a bit of rustling, I turn to see her eyes fluttering open. Nothing prepared 147 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:47,360 me for the joy I felt seeing her open her eyes and moving her head. This woman has no idea how 148 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:54,240 much she has grown on me. How much she has influenced the last 48 hours. I approach her bedside and as 149 00:14:54,240 --> 00:15:00,240 she slowly looks up, I'm uncertain of what thoughts might be crossing her mind. Her face is void of 150 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:09,840 expression. I'll go get the doctor, I say. No. Wait. She whispers. How are you feeling? Are you okay? 151 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:17,760 She nods, but deep down I know she's aching all over. That bastard did a number on her. Her ribs 152 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:24,880 are bruised and her eyes are all bluish black. Why are you here? She croaks out. The question shoots 153 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:30,720 me right through the heart, but she's right. Why the fuck am I here? I'm sorry, I'll go. 154 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:39,760 No. She reaches for my hand. Stay. I'm glad you're here. You... you saved me. 155 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:47,200 I did what anyone would have done. Better not to give her any false ideas. Freya turns her head 156 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:54,800 facing the window. Where is he? My face crumples with anger. I still can't believe after everything 157 00:15:54,800 --> 00:16:00,560 that Prick did to her she's still asking about him. He's where he's supposed to be. In jail. 158 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:09,040 Jail? She repeats. And now this is where it gets rough. I take a seat next to her. Freya, 159 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:16,320 there's something I need to tell you. She wintzes as she tries to sit upright. No, wait. You need 160 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:23,120 to see the doctor first. What? What is it? She wintzes again. What do you have to tell me? 161 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:28,240 There's no easy way to put it, but I would prefer if she sees the doctor before I discuss 162 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:36,960 anything with her. I stand. I'll call the doctor. Alex. By the time the doctor is finished checking 163 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:42,560 with her, Freya is uneasy. Even while the doctor was carrying out his tests, she kept dying me. 164 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:48,160 And now that the doctor is gone, there's an elephant in the room. Days ago, I'd been watching 165 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:54,080 her play with herself. Days ago, I'd been getting off of her pleasure. Now we are staring at each 166 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:58,960 other like the strangers we are. Why is Caleb in jail? Did you call the police? 167 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,200 Why are you so concerned about that asshole who put you in the hospital? 168 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:08,160 Because when he gets out of jail, he's going to come and finish me off for putting him in there. 169 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:16,880 Annoyance fills me. Not on my fucking watch. She exhales a sharp breath. Then she shakes her head. 170 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,000 You have no idea what he's capable of. 171 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:26,800 Let me worry about that, I say, before taking a deep breath. There's also something you need to know. 172 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,880 Freya squeezes her eyes shut for a few seconds and inhales. 173 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:33,120 Just tell me already. 174 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,840 Your house is gone, Freya. She eyes me with confusion. 175 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:39,120 What? 176 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:47,040 It's gone. Your boyfriend burned it to the ground.