Thomas (Chapter 1)

He just can't stop thinking
That his hands are dirty
After washing them again and again
Using handwash, detergent and soap
Thomas still can't get rid of the dirt
Even when he doesn't see any dirt on his hands
The thoughts in his mind keep repeating
That his hands are dirty

He knows these thoughts are his own
Not planted by some alien
Or possessed by some spirit
Yet he couldn't resist them
No matter how hard he tries
Like hungry maggots
They intrude every corner of his mind
Leeching onto his every bit of concentration
Until he succumb to what they are saying
That his hands are dirty
And he'll start washing his hands again

It is the 75th time
He washed his hands today
He lathered his palms with handwash
Rinsed them under running water
And rubbed them for 20 times
No more, no less
Exactly 20 times
And if he gets distracted when he's counting
He'll start all over again
1 time, 2 times, 3 times... 20 times
Exactly 20 times

Such a ridiculous ritual doesn't make his hands any cleaner
But it brings tremendous relief to his anxiety
And remedy to his stress
It is as though something bad will happen to him
If he doesn't wash his hands
There was once he tried to resist the compulsion
But he began to feel giddy
Heart beating very fast
Difficult to catch his breath
Butterflies in his stomach
Legs softened like jelly
As if he was going to die

So he surrendered to his obsessions
And performed his compulsions
But though he feels better momentarily
They seem to be getting worse
These unpleasant thoughts became more frequent
As the days went by

He has been washing his hands more frequently
But it no longer provides any considerable relief
To his distress and suffering

(To be continued)