Hello. I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, or behaviors. In other words, I live off of a schedule and if it modified in any way what so ever..... i panic. But for the most part, I never had any problems.

However, that was not the case yesterday. Yesterday... I experienced a flaw in my own system.

I awoke that morning in my lakeside home promptly at 6:45AM, as I do every morning. Before leaving my bedroom I made sure to touch the doorknob three times. I have to. I need to.

On my way down stairs, I made sure not to step on the second to last step. I never touch that step. I just can't.

I made my usual breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs, and black coffee. I never eat anything else in the morning, just always those three.

Opening the local newspaper, I made sure to check the local news headlines, like usual. But today, something was... Missing.

I couldn't place my finger on it. Did I forget something? The strange feeling lingered with me all the way to my cart. On my way out the front door I made certain to lock it, then unlock, and lock it again.

Walking to work, I couldn't help but feel like a part of me was missing. What did I miss? How could I possibly have missed it!

I hoped that the feeling would surpass while at work that day. It, however, did not. It stayed with me for twelve whole hours. I left the office around 6:45PM to head back home.

About 25 minutes into my walk, I stopped to let other ponies pass. near the towns library.

But as the path was clear of others, I couldn't help but feel that strange sensation again. The only other person near me was the angry stallion walking behind me. He yelled at me, telling me to get a move on, but instead of accelerating I just motioned for him to go around me.

He did.

I dreadfully stood there with my cart, still stopped near the library. Something is seriously wrong, I thought. What am I missing here?

I made sure to touch everything in my cart, hoping that would spark my memory. I touched the wheels, the saddle, the bottom, and even floor. Sadly, it did nothing for me.

My hands began to tremble as I slowly walked away. This isn't right. I don't like this.

Arriving home, I pulled my cart into the garage. I wash the cart every weekday, never on weekends. I only wash the front of the cart, and the back. Never the sides. No matter how dirty they get, I never wash the sides. I simply just can't.

But something else seemed to be missing from my daily routine as I washed. No! Not again! First the news, then the library, now this?

Finishing up with the cart, I jogged out to the backyard. Only jog, never trot, never gallop. Just.... jog.

Opening up the tool shed, I felt yet another thing missing from my pattern! I screamed.

"This isn't right! This isn't right! This isn't right!"

I stumbled out the shed and gazed out at the lake. It always seemed to calm me when my anxiety got out of control. But tonight, all I wanted to do was sleep. I needed to finish this day.

The next morning, I awoke at 6:45AM. Touched the doorknob three times. Made sure not to step on the second to last step on my way to the kitchen. I prepared my toast, scrambled eggs, and black coffee. I opened the paper. And browsed the local news.

...It's still missing...

I became aggravated. What is it I could possibly be missing? I began to feel nauseous.

Hurrying out the door in a vicious rage, I quickly locked the door, unlocked it, and locked it again. I set off to work.

I tend to get a lot of work done when I'm upset, strangely. So at least I felt some accomplishment when I left the office at 6:45PM.

I walked fast on my way home. Very fast.

What... am... I... missing....

I approached the spot where the pedestrians walked, near the library.

C'mon....Think....Think!

A stallion was walking in the middle of the path, on his way to the other side.

Why can't I remember!?

The man's head spun as he noticed me galloping straight for him, horn aimed at his chest.

A wave of horror crossed over my face as I watched him move to the side.

I swerved into the same direction. Blood spattered across my face as I sliced open the man's chest, puncturing his heart. Oh Celestia.

Removing my harness, I hesitated on what to do. He lay there bleeding to death while he tried to scream, only resulting in him spitting blood on himself and me.

.

I lifted the bleeding stallion, and heaved him into my cart. I ran home after that.

Upon entering my garage, I made sure to wash the blood that splattered off the front and, what little was of it, the rear of my cart. The sides were not necessary.

After dragging his limp body out to the backyard, I jogged to the shed. Inside were black garbage bags, cinder blocks, and a hacksaw.

After dismembering the man, I was able to fit both the remains and a cinder block into the bag.

Dropping him into the lake was all that was left to do.

The following morning, I made sure to wake at 6:45AM and touch my doorknob three times before skipping the second to last step on my way to the kitchen. While eating my toast, scrambled eggs, and black coffee, I browsed the local newspaper.

There was something that caught my eye this time...

The top headline: Hit and Run Serial Killer Strikes Again.

I couldn;t help but smile.

"Back to normal."