Part 4/9:
Despite these fears, Curtis's coping mechanisms begin to unravel. At work, he finds himself distracted, his mind fixated on the phantom pains of a dog bite from a dream and inexplicable thunder sounds that only he perceives. When he fails to attend a parent-teacher conference due to work conflicts, it becomes a stark reminder of the disconnection growing between him and his daughter.
Escalation of Paranoia
Curtis's situation becomes more precarious when he starts hoarding canned food in preparation for an imaginary disaster, a behavior fueled by both his nightmares and a sense of impending doom. After an unsettling encounter with a shadowy figure outside his window, he spirals deeper into paranoia, and it becomes evident that he is struggling with his mental health.