True Scary Stories Told to the Sound of Rain | Relax and Fall Asleep Quickly Vol. 120 l Black Screen

hello everyone I am the Storyteller and I am here to help you today I know you use this video to fall asleep so before that like the video and subscribe to the channel also where are you from and what time are you watching now get comfortable and relax I first noticed something was wrong when my coffee mug wasn't where I'd left it not a big deal right that's what I told myself I live alone in My two-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor of a decent building in Boston no pets no roommates no cleaning service just

me so when I found my blue ceramic mug on the kitchen counter instead of in the sink where I'd left it the night before I figured I must have moved it without remembering but then things kept happening small things a drawer in my bedroom slightly open when I knew I'd closed it my keys on the coffee table instead of the hook by the door the dining room chair pulled out 2 in from the table each time I brushed it off stress from work lack of sleep whatever I had reasonable explanations until the morning I found

my laptop closed when I distinctly remembered leaving it open to download updates overnight that's when the cold feeling hit my stomach I checked the door locked deadbolt secure Windows all locked no signs of forced entry but something was off I'm not the paranoid type I work in software development I deal with facts with code that either works or doesn't there's no middle ground so I approached this logically First Step verify if something was actually happening or if I was losing my mind I bought a small security camera on Amazon nothing fancy just a basic Wireless

model that connects to your phone I set it up in the living room angled to catch most of the apartment's common area and the hallway lead leing to the bedrooms the camera had night vision motion detection and saved footage to the cloud I figured I'd either catch something or prove to myself I was being ridiculous the first two nights nothing happened the footage showed An Empty Apartment occasional headlights from passing cars creating moving Shadows on the walls normal stuff I started to feel stupid for even buying the camera then came night three I woke up

to a notification on my phone the camera had detected motion at 3:17 a.m. my hands shook as I opened the app the footage was clear thanks to the infrared I watched as a figure human-shaped tall walked slowly from the direction of my front door into the living room they moved with purpose like they knew the layout like they'd been there before the person wore dark clothes and what looked like gloves I couldn't make out their face they kept their head down and the angle wasn't right they went to my desk first opened the top drawer

and looked through it for about 30 seconds then they moved to the Bookshelf ran their fingers along the spines of my books my throat went dry as I watched the time stamp showed this happened just 4 hours ago while I was asleep in my bedroom less than 40 ft away but the worst part came next the figure walked down the hallway straight toward my bedroom they stopped at my partially open door and just stood there for 6 minutes and 23 seconds they stood perfectly still watching me sleep I could see their shadow on the hallway

wall unmoving then they turned and walked back through the apartment checking a few more drawers before leaving through the front door I rewatched the footage four times my heart pounding harder with each viewing the person had a key they didn't pick the lock or break in they used a key to enter and exit my apartment I called in sck to work and spent the morning going through the footage from previous nights the camera only stored 7 Days of recordings I found three more incidents same pattern always between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. always the same

methodical movement through my apartment always that long stop at my bedroom door the police weren't much help I showed them the footage but without clear facial identification and no signs of theft they said there wasn't much they could do they suggested changing my locks and filing a report the apartment management was equally useless they claimed only maintenance had spare keys and those were kept in a locked box they changed my locks anyway gave me new keys and promised to look into it I bought more cameras five of them one in every room except the bathroom

I installed motion sensor lights and door chimes I added a door chain and an extra deadbolt I needed to know if they came back needed to catch their face for a week nothing happened I barely slept checking the camera feeds every hour dark circles formed under my eyes I jumped at every sound my co-workers noticed something was wrong but I brushed off their concerns how do you tell people that someone's been watching you sleep then last night my phone buzzed 3:22 a.m. motion detected in the living room I grabbed my phone hands trembling so bad

I could barely enter my passcode they were back same dark clothes same careful movements the new locks hadn't stopped them I watched in real time as they moved through my apartment this time I had multiple angles when they reached the kitchen one of the cameras caught their face as they looked up at a cabinet male probably in his 40s thin face graying hair at the temples I didn't recognize him he went through his routine desk drawer bookshelf but this time when he reached my bedroom door something changed he opened it wider than I'd left it

my breath caught in my throat as I watched him enter my bedroom except I wasn't in my bed I was sitting in my closet heartthe my carefully arranged pillows under the blanket he stood over the bed for nearly a minute before he realized it was empty his head snapped up through the bedroom camera I saw his face clearly for the first time his eyes were wide searching the room he knew something was wrong then he smiled not a cruel smile but something almost gentle understanding he walked to my closet door and stopped I could hear

his breathing through the wood my phone showed his face in perfect detail as he reached for the handle I gripped the baseball bat in my sweat ing hands and held my breath the handle turned the door began to open I was wondering when you'd stay awake for me he said softly I swung the bat as hard as I could what happened next exists in my memory as disconnected fragments the crack of the bat against his skull his body hitting my bedroom floor blood on my carpet my trembling fingers Miss dialing 911 twice before getting it

right red and blue lights through my bedroom window police officers securing the scene paramedics declaring him dead at 3:47 a.m. the investigation revealed he was a former maintenance worker who'd been fired 6 months ago he'd made copies of several Apartment keys before leaving the police found similar footage on phones and laptops in his apartment other tenants other buildings he'd been doing this for years walking through people's homes watching them sleep living in these Stolen Moments of false intimacy they found journals too detailed accounts of his nights of the lives he observed he knew our routines

our habits what books we read what shows we watched he felt connected to us wrote about us like we were characters in his private story I moved out the next day I couldn't stand to be in that apartment knowing how many nights he'd watched me sleep knowing his blood was soaked into my carpet I'm staying at a hotel while I look for a new place I've barely slept every sound makes me jump the police say I won't face any charges clear case of self-defense they're investigating how many other apartments he had access to how many

other people he watched they asked me to make a statement but I didn't have much to add the cameras told most of the story last night in my hotel room I woke up at 3:17 a.m. force of habit I guess I checked my phone even though I knew there weren't any any cameras to trigger alerts anymore as I lay there in the dark I realized something he' said I was wondering when you'd stay awake for me present tense like he'd been waiting for it like that moment in my closet was the natural conclusion to our

Strange one-sided relationship I've started looking at apartments in other cities maybe somewhere on the first floor with lots of Windows and good visibility somewhere I can see anyone approaching I'll still have cameras of of course multiple angles infrared capability cloud storage but I won't have any maintenance workers won't have any spare keys floating around the detective handling the case called yesterday they found more journals going back almost a decade hundreds of people hundreds of lives he'd invaded she asked if I wanted to know what he'd written about me I said no I don't want to

know what he saw on all those nights don't want to know what details of my life he collected some question questions are better left unanswered but sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night I find myself wondering how long he watched me before I noticed that first coffee mug out of place how many nights did he stand in my doorway while I slept completely unaware how many other people are out there right now sleeping peacefully in their beds while someone stands in their doorway watching waiting collecting moments of their lives I keep

the bat next to my hotel bed said the cameras are always recording and I don't sleep with my door open anymore not even a crack they still haven't found all the keys he made I shouldn't have stopped at that Motel the sign said vacancy in red neon and I was dead tired from driving 16 hours straight I just wanted to sleep now I'm sitting in my car hands shaking on the steering wheel trying to put distance between me and whatever happened in room 115 I need to write this down while it's fresh people need to

know it started around 6:00 p.m. yesterday I was driving back to Chicago from a business meeting in Tennessee my eyes kept closing on the highway and after my car drifted onto the rumble strip for the third time I knew I had to stop the Pine Grove Motel sat just off exit 237 and Southern Indiana the parking lot had only three other cars paint peeled from the wooden walls and half the exterior lights were burned out the office smelled like stale cigarettes an old man sat behind the counter watching Wheel of Fortune on a tiny TV

his name tag said Earl need a room I said pulling out my wallet Earl didn't look away from his show single or double single fine 55 cash check out out at 11: he slid me a key attached to a plastic tag marked 115 my room was at the far end of the building the door stuck when I tried to open it and I had to lean into it with my shoulder inside a queen bed with a faded blue comforter took up most of the space the carpet had dark stains near the bathroom door a small

TV sat on a particle board dresser and a single window looked out at the empty Field behind the motel I dropped my overnight bag and collapsed onto the bed without bothering to change the Springs creaked under my weight Pat sck's voice drifted through the thin walls from the neighboring room I closed my eyes ready to pass out that's when I heard the first knock three quick Taps so light I almost missed them I opened my eyes but didn't move probably someone at the wrong door the knocking came again louder this time knock knock knock wrong

room I called out silence for a few seconds then the door knob started to turn making a metallic scratching sound my heart jumped into my throat I sat up staring at the brass handle as it slowly rotated back and forth the door was locked I'd made sure of that when I came in plus the deadbolt in security chain but watching that knob turn made my skin crawl hey I shouted the door's locked you've got the wrong room the Turning stopped footsteps moved away from the door growing fainter until they disappeared I let out of breath

I didn't realize I'd been holding just some drunk person trying random doors I laid back down but my heart was still racing 10 minutes passed I started to drift off again bang the whole door shook in its frame I jerked upright adrenaline flooding my system bang bang bang someone was throwing their full weight against the door the chain rattled with each impact the walls trembled I jumped off the bed and backed away until I hit the far wall I'm calling the cops I yelled pulling out my phone no signal not even one bar the pounding

stopped as suddenly as it started in the silence that followed I could hear my own ragged breathing the overhead light began to flicker dim bright dim bright the TV which had been showing a rerun of friends crackled with static the picture dissolved into snow then Blackness words appeared on the screen in white text I will get in my legs went weak this wasn't happening this couldn't be happening the bathroom light started flickering too the temperature in the room dropped at least 20° I could see my breath coming out in white Puffs more pounding on the

door but different this time not someone trying to break in but a rhythm knock knock pause knock knock like someone asking to be invited in the TV changed again let me in no I whispered this isn't real the knocking got faster more insistent the light strobed like a disco the room spun around me a voice spoke from the TV distorted and crackling you can't keep me out forever I pressed my hands over my ears but the voice got louder I'm already inside the bathroom door slammed shut then opened slammed opened over and over faster and

faster the main door shuttered in its frame the chain pulled taut the dead bolt started to turn on its own I grabbed my phone and car keys and ran for the door as I reached for the handle everything stopped the lights steadied the TV went dark the temperature returned to normal silence my hand hovered inches from the doorknob sweat ran down my back something scratched at the door from the outside soft at first then harder like animal claws on wood a whisper came through the crack open the door I stumbled backward The Voice wasn't coming

through the TV anymore someone something was right outside open the door David I hadn't told anyone at the motel my name the scratching moved up the door then across the wall I tracked the sound as it circled the room moving through the drywall like there was nothing there it reached the corner above the TV and stopped I looked up the ceiling was bulging downward wallpaper stretching and cracking something was pressing against it from above a dark stain spread across the ceiling water or something worse dripping onto the carpet the Bulge grew larger straining against the

plaster the TV turned on by itself the screen showed a static filled image of the room my room from an impossible angle looking down from the ceiling I could see myself on the screen pale and terrified staring up at the camera except there was no camera the ceiling creaked a seam split open plastered dust raining down something reached through the crack a hand but wrong too long too many joints fingers bent backward the TV spoke again but this time in my voice you can't keep me out forever I ran I didn't bother unlocking the door

I hit it with my shoulder Breaking the Chain clean off I sprinted across the parking lot to my car fumbling with the keys behind me the lights in room 115 went crazy strobing like a lighthouse the TV flickered through the window I caught a glimpse of words on the screen before I got my car door open see you soon I peeled out of the parking lot gravel sprang from my tires in my rearview mirror I saw a figure standing in the doorway of room 115 it raised one impossibly long arm and waved that was 4

hours ago I've been driving north ever since staying on main roads with plenty of traffic the sun's coming up now things feel almost normal in the daylight but my phone keeps glitching random texts appear and disappear the screen flickers sometimes just for a second and a few minutes ago a message popped up from an unknown number thanks for letting me in I don't know what followed me out of that Motel I don't know what it wants but I know it's not finished with me the GPS says I'm still 3 hours from Chicago my hands are

shaking so bad I can barely hold the steering wheel every time I check the rear view mirror I expect to see those long fingers reaching for the back of my neck the sun is fully up now traffic is picking up other cars surround me people heading to work or school like it's any normal Tuesday none of them know what's out there none of them know what's coming my phone buzzes another message almost there I press the accelerator harder but I know it won't matter whatever was in room 115 is with me now maybe it always

was the radio turns on by itself through the static I hear my own voice laughing the first time I saw him I thought nothing of it that was my mistake it was 11:43 p.m. on a Tuesday in March I remember checking my phone repeatedly cursing the late bus the stop on Henderson Street was always deserted at that hour just a metal bench under a flickering street light surrounded by closed storefronts and empty sidewalks the temperature had dropped to 40° and my thin jacket wasn't doing much Against the Wind I was scrolling through emails when movement

caught my eye a man stood about 30 ft away near the darkened entrance of Pete's liquor store he wore a black coat that reached his knees his hands were in his pockets he faced the brick wall completely still my thumb froze mids scroll something about his Stillness made my skin prickle normal people don't stand Motionless in the cold staring at at walls I looked back at my phone but kept him in my peripheral vision after 2 minutes he hadn't moved an inch the bus's headlights finally appeared in the distance I stood up shifting my weight

from foot to foot the man remained Frozen as the bus pulled up with a hiss of breakes I glanced over again he had turned his head slightly just enough that I could see the side of his face in the dim light his skin was pale almost Gray his eyes were fixed straight ahead unblinking I hurried onto the bus swiped my card and picked a seat near the middle through the window I could see him still standing there as we pulled away my heart was beating faster than it should have been I told myself I was

being paranoid cities are full of weird people I'd probably never see him again I was wrong 3 days later I got home from work around 6:00 p.m. the sun was setting casting Long Shadows across my front yard I lived in a small house on a quiet residential street the kind of neighborhood where everyone had lived there for decades and knew each other's business as I walked up my cracked concrete path keys in hand something made me look across the street he was there same black coat same rigid posture standing perfectly still on the sidewalk staring

directly at my house at my window my stomach dropped I fumbled with my keys got inside and locked the door my hands were shaking I went straight to the window and peaked through the blinds he hadn't moved just standing there head tilted slightly up eyes fixed on my second floor bedroom window I grabbed my phone and called the police while it rang I kept watching him he didn't shift position once didn't check his phone didn't even seem to Blink the dispatcher answered and I reported a suspicious person she said they'd send a car to check

it out 15 minutes later blue and red lights flashed as a patrol car rolled down my street the man was gone the officers knocked on my door and I described what I'd seen they nodded took notes but I could tell they weren't too concerned just another paranoid resident reporting a suspicious person they told me to call again if I saw him that night I double checked all my locks before bed I live alone and suddenly my house felt too big too empty too many windows too many dark Corners I lay in bed staring at the

ceiling listening for any sound that seemed out of place around 2: a.m. a floorboard creaked somewhere downstairs I sat bolt upright heart pounding just the house settling I told myself old houses make noise the next morning I checked all the doors and windows everything was still locked no signs of tampering I went to work but couldn't focus my mind kept drifting back to that pale expressionless face those unblinking eyes over the next week I saw him four more times always at a distance always completely still once outside my office building during lunch once at the

grocery store parking lot as I loaded bags into my car twice more outside my house but on different streets partially hidden behind trees or parked cars each time I called the police each time he vanished before they arrived I started taking different routes to work varying my schedule looking over my shoulder constantly I installed security cameras and motion sensor lights around my house I bought pepper spray and kept it in my pocket my co-workers noticed the dark circles under my eyes asked if I was sleeping okay I made excuses about insomnia then came the night

that changed everything I woke up at 3:17 a.m. to a notification on my phone motion detected back door camera I opened the app with trembling fingers the infrared camera showed a figure standing in my backyard face tilted up toward my bedroom window that same black coat that same unnatural Stillness I called 911 immediately speaking in Whispers even though he was outside while I waited for police I watched him through the camera feed he didn't move didn't look around just stared up at my window suddenly the feed went black connection lost my breath caught in my

throat I heard a sound from downstairs like something sliding across hardwood floor then footsteps slow deliberate footsteps I grabbed my pepper spray and phone then quietly moved to my bedroom doorway the footsteps were coming up the stairs now step pause step pause the wood creaking under each careful footfall my heart was hammering so hard I could barely breathe sweat ran down my back the pepper spray shook in my grip the footsteps reached the top of the stairs a long pause then they started moving down the hallway toward my room I pressed myself against the wall

beside my door trying to control my breathing the footsteps got closer closer they stopped right outside my room I could hear soft breathing on the other side of the door the door knob slowly began to turn I raised the pepper spray adrenaline surging through my body the door creaked open letting in a sliver of Darkness from the hallway a pale hand gripped the edge of the door the moment I saw his face appear in the doorway I sprayed he recoiled with an inhuman shriek not of pain but of Rage it was a sound no human

throat should be able to make I shoved past him and ran for the stairs taking them three at a time nearly falling in my Panic behind me those methodical footsteps resumed their Pace step pause step pause no rushing no hurry like he knew he'd catch me eventually I reached my front door just as red and blue lights began flashing Through the Windows I yanked it open and ran outside in my pajamas Barefoot on the cold concrete two police cars were pulling up officers already getting out with weapons drawn they found no one in my house

no signs of forced entry the back door was still locked the security camera still functioning normally but in my bedroom they found wet footprints on the hardwood floor not from shoes they were bare feet much larger than hum sized with too many toes I stayed in a hotel that night the next day I started packing I'd lived in that house for 6 years but I couldn't stay there another night I took a week off work and found a small apartment across town I didn't tell anyone my new address for 2 months things were quiet no

more sightings no more Footsteps in the night I started to relax to convince myself it was over then yesterday I was waiting for the bus after working late the stop was deserted it was cold I was checking my phone movement caught my eye he stood 30 F feet away near a darkened storefront black coat hands and Pockets facing the wall I ran I didn't wait for the bus didn't call the police didn't look back I ran until my lungs burned and my legs shook when I finally stopped gasping for breath in front of a 24-hour

diner he was standing across the street watching I write this now from another hotel room my laptop screen casts a pale glow in the Darkness I've got the chair wedged under the door knob for whatever good that will do the curtains are closed but I keep imagining I can see a shadow standing outside my third floor window I don't know what he wants I don't know why he chose me I don't know if he's human or something else wearing human shape all I know is that he's patient he doesn't need to sleep he doesn't need

to eat he can wait forever and he's watching me right now I can feel his eyes on me as I type this the hair on the back of my neck is standing up my hands are shaking on the keyboard there's a soft sound coming from the hallway outside my room step pause step pause it's him I know it's him the footsteps are getting closer the door knob is starting to turn nobody else was supposed to be here not at 11:47 p.m. on a Tuesday the parking garage was my personal concrete cave at this hour had

been for the past 3 years of late shifts at Morton and Associates until tonight the footsteps started when I was on the third level at first I thought it was just my dress shoes on the concrete the usual Echo bouncing off the low ceiling but then I stopped walking the steps continued I stood there briefcase growing heavy in my right hand listening the sound came from somewhere behind me the click of hard Souls against concrete steady and deliberate my heart rate picked up I turned around slowly scanning the rows of empty parking spots and concrete

pillars nothing moved in the harsh fluorescent lighting the footsteps had stopped too hello I called out my voice sounded smaller than I intended swallowed by the vast empty space no response I started walking again faster now trying to keep my footsteps quiet The Parking Spot was just ahead my black Honda Civic sitting alone in the corner where I always parked it away from the other daytime cars that had long since gone home the footsteps behind me started again closer this time I broke into a jog no longer caring about the noise my keys jangled in

my coat pocket as I ran the sound of my pursuer's footsteps quickened to match my Pace 20 ft from my car I yanked the keys out thumb finding the unlock button the car's lights flashed and I heard the locks click open 15 ft 10 ft the footsteps were right behind me now I reached the driver's side door and grabbed the handle yanking it open as I threw myself inside movement caught my eye a dark figure emerged from behind a concrete pillar on the passenger side stepping in into the fluorescent light it was a man tall

and thin wearing a long black coat that hung open his face was pale almost gray in the harsh lighting but it was his eyes that made my blood run cold they were fixed on me through the windshield unblinking and intense I slammed the door shut and jabbed the key into the ignition the engine roared to life but I couldn't take my eyes off him he stood perfectly still hands hanging at his sides just watching my fingers fumbled with the gear shift finally finding reverse as I started to back out he took a step toward the

car then another his movement was smooth almost gliding I hit the gas harder than I meant to the tires squealed as the car shot backward in my rearview mirror I saw another figure standing behind the car my foot slammed on the brake the car jerked to a stop the second figure was identical to the first same height same coat same pale face it started walking toward my back bumper my hands were shaking on the steering wheel I shifted into drive and turned the wheel hard aiming for the exit ramp the first figure was still coming

toward me matching my car's movement the second one was closing in from behind I gunned the engine the car leaped forward tires screeching I aimed for the gap between the first figure and a concrete pillar he didn't move didn't try to dodge at the last second I swerved around him missing him by inches the exit ramp spiraled down ahead of me I took the turns too fast the tires squealing in protest in my rearview mirror I could see both figures standing at the top of the ramp watching my descent level two level one the security

gate was up ahead the striped arm raised for exit I didn't slow down the car burst out onto the street and I turned right then left then right again taking random turns until I was sure I wasn't being followed 10 minutes later I pulled into a gas station breathing hard my shirt was soaked with sweat under my suit jacket I sat there under the bright lights watching other cars go by on the street trying to make sense of what had happened my phone buzzed in my pocket making me jump I pulled it out with trembling

fingers a text message from an unknown number see you tomorrow night I stared at the screen my mouth dry the time stamp showed 11:47 p.m. the exact time I'd first heard the footsteps that was 3 weeks ago I quit my job the next day made up some excuse about a family emergency found a new position across town with regular daytime hours I've been taking different roads home varying my schedule parking in well-lit public Lots but sometimes when I'm alone at night I hear footsteps behind me and when I check my phone it's always 11:47 p.m.

I haven't seen the figures again not yet but I know they're out there waiting and sooner or later they'll find me because here's the thing I haven't told anyone every night at 11:47 p.m. no matter where I am or what I'm doing my phone buzzes with a new message from that unknown number always the same five words we're getting closer see you I've changed my number three times bought a new phone switched carriers it doesn't matter the messages keep coming last night I was in my apartment all the lights on doors locked Windows checked twice

at 11:47 p.m. my phone buzzed I almost didn't look at it but I had to know the message was different this time look behind you I didn't turn around I couldn't I sat there staring at my phone screen listening and then I heard it the soft click of dress shoes on hardwood floor coming from somewhere in my apartment the footsteps are getting closer now they're in the hallway outside my bedroom I'm sitting at my desk writing this down as fast as I can because people need to know what happened to me the door knob is

turning slowly they're here the fluorescent sign of Jerry's allight Diner buzzed against the darkness of Highway 43 I needed coffee my eyes hurt from 12 straight hours of driving and the cheap energy drinks weren't cutting it anymore I pulled my Honda Civic into the gravel lot the headlight sweeping across three other vehicles A semi-truck a beat up Chevy pickup and a black sedan I couldn't identify in the dark the Bell above the door jingled as I walked in the smell of burnt coffee and grease hit me immediately a tired looking waitress wiped down the counter

and an old man hunched over a newspaper in the corner Booth behind the kitchen window I could hear the sizzle of something on the grill and the clinking of plates I slid onto a red vinyl stool at the counter my joints stiff from sitting too long the waitress her name tag said Linda shuffled over with a coffee pot rough night she asked already pouring without waiting for my answer long drive I said wrapping my hands around the warm mug still got about 4 hours to go the Bell jingled again I didn't turn around focused on

adding sugar to my coffee but I felt someone sit down two stools away from me from my peripheral vision I saw it was a man in a dark jacket hey there the man said his voice oddly cheerful for 1:00 a.m. heading north on 43 I glanced at him noting his clean shaved face and neat hair he looked too put together for this hour like he just stepped out of an office in instead of a long drive yeah I answered turning back to my coffee must have left Nashville around noon then right that construction on I24

was brutal today my hand froze halfway to my mouth I hadn't mentioned Nashville or I24 the backup near Exit 47 took forever he continued still cheerful good thing you found that alternate route through the suburbs that saved you at least an hour I set my mug down slowly I had taken a detour through the suburbs to avoid traffic the ceramic made a small clicking sound against the counter do I know you I asked finally turning to face him directly he smiled his teeth were very white no but I saw you at the Shell station in

Lebanon you got that chicken sandwich for lunch the one with Pickles my stomach clenched I had stopped at a Shell station in Lebanon 6 hours ago I did get a chicken sandwich with Pickles that's quite a memory I said trying to keep my voice steady oh I noticed details he drummed his fingers on the counter they were long and pale like how you called your wife at the rest stop near Bowling Green the one with the broken vending machine you told her you'd be home by morning my heart started pounding I hadn't seen anyone following

me I've been checking my mirrors right regularly an old habit from when I used to drive late nights in bad neighborhoods look I don't know what you're playing at I started and that gas station in Portland with the flickering lights he cut in still smiling the attendant was asleep you had to knock three times to wake him up you bought a Red Bull and those peanut butter crackers the orange package not the yellow one I stood up so quickly my stool scraped against the floor Linda looked up from the register but the man waved at

her reassuringly just catching up with an old friend he said she went back to Counting bills I'm leaving I said pulling a 10 from my wallet and dropping it on the counter my hands were shaking drive safe he said it's dark out there lots of deer on this stretch would hate for anything to happen before you make it home I walked to the door as quickly as I could without running the bell jingled too loudly the cold a air hit me like a slap when I stepped outside my car was where I'd left it but

somehow it looked different in the dim lot lights more isolated I fumbled with my keys dropping them once before getting the door open inside I locked all the doors and started the engine the dashboard clock read 17 a.m. my hands were sweating on the steering wheel I looked back at the diner Windows the man stood at the counter facing my car he raised his hand in a friendly wave and then he smiled again wider this time even through the glass in the distance I could see his eyes clearly they were completely black not just the

iris the entire visible part of both eyes was dark as oil I slammed the car into reverse tires spitting gravel the Honda fish tailed slightly as I turned onto the highway but I kept my foot heavy on the gas in my rear view mirror I could still see him standing at the window waving my heart was hammering so hard I could barely breathe the speedometer crept past 80 then 90 I didn't care about speed traps I just needed distance after 10 minutes of driving my phone buzzed on the passenger seat unknown number I let it

ring a text message notification popped up against my better judgment I glanced at it at the next curve you forgot your receipt and you really should have tried the pie Linda makes it fresh every day I threw the phone into the back seat my hands were shaking so badly I had to slow down to keep control of the car another text came through I heard the buzz then another and another each Buzz made me Flinch the messages kept coming one after another like someone typing rapidly the next curve revealed a rest area ahead I pulled

in tires screeching I needed to turn off my phone maybe call the police though I didn't know what I'd tell them as I reached for the phone in the back seat headlights swept across my car a black sedan pulled into the space next to me I didn't wait to see who got out I threw the car in drive and peeled out of the rest area hard in my throat the sedan's headlights appeared in my rearview mirror within seconds the highway stretched empty ahead of me a black ribbon under my headlights the sedan stayed exactly three

car lengths behind matching my speed perfectly when I slowed down or sped up my gas gauge showed half a tank I could drive for another few hours without stopping but eventually I'd need fuel the thought made my stomach turn a green highway sign appeared next Services 47 miles the sedan's headlights remained steady in my mirror not getting closer not falling behind just there my phone started buzzing again a constant stream of notifications now like a swarm of electronic insects in the back seat A semi-truck appeared ahead moving slowly up a hill I'd have to pass

it the sedan's headlight seemed to brighten in anticipation I pressed the gas moving into the left lane the semi was doing maybe 50 Ming I accelerated to 75 drawing even with its cab the sedan matched my speed exactly staying those same three car lengths behind as I started to pull ahead of the semi my radio turned on by itself static at first then a voice through the White Noise the pie really was excellent today Peach your favorite I jerked the wheel nearly sideswiping the semi the truck's horn blasted as I swerved back into my lane

the radio continued The Voice clear despite the static you should have at least tried it Linda will be so disappointed I punched the radio was power button nothing happened I hit it again harder it's rude to ignore people the voice said especially when they're just trying to be friendly I yanked the volume knob off completely The Voice continued at the same level like that nice lady at the Shell station the one who helped you find the chicken sandwiches you barely said thank you my hands were numb on the wheel the sedan's headlights hadn't moved from

their position or that sleeping attendant in Portland you didn't even ask how his night was going just knocked and knocked until he woke up I was breathing in short gasps now the edge of my vision was starting to go dark but we can talk now the voice said cheerfully we have plenty of time at least four more hours right that's what you told Linda another sign appeared next service is 42 Mi the voice hummed too lessly for a moment you know what else is interesting about that gas station in Portland the security cameras weren't working

haven't been for months the owner keeps meaning to fix them but well you know how these things go my phone started buzzing again in the back seat but differently now a pattern three short buzzes three long three short over and over that's Morse code the voice said helpfully do you know what it means no it's saying SOS funny isn't it usually people send that when they need help but sometimes sometimes they send it when it's already too late the semi was far behind us now no other cars in sight just my headlights on the empty

road and the black sedan's lights in my mirror unwavering did you know there are exactly 17 curves between here and the next gas station The Voice asked I counted them earlier would you like me to point out each one as we come to it this first one coming up is particularly sharp you'll want to slow down I didn't slow down the Honda's tires squealed as we entered the curve the car swaying dangerously that's one the voice said 16 more to go unless you'd like to stop and chat sooner there's a nice spot coming up very

quiet no cameras there either the sedan's headlight swung with mine through the curve maintaining that exact same distance my gas gauge had dropped below half now the the warning light would come on in another hour maybe less if I kept this speed you know what's funny The Voice continued about an hour ahead there's another allight Diner better coffee than Jerry's if you ask me and their pie it made a satisfied sound well you really should try it we could stop there together the phone's buzzing changed pattern no longer Morse code now it was buzzing in

time with my heartbeat two the voice said as we swept through another curve 15 to go you're taking these turns very well considering how tired you must be all that driving all those energy drinks it can't be good for you I glanced at the speedometer 95 May the Honda shuttered slightly at this speed the steering wheel vibrating under my hands three The Voice counted as we hit the next curve you know I'm starting to worry about you your heart is beating awfully fast and your hands they must be cramping gripping the wheel so tight why

don't we pull over and rest for a minute the sedan's headlights remained steady three car lengths no matter what four the voice said lucky number four did you know four is considered unlucky In some cultures something about the word for four sounding like the word for death interesting isn't it my phone started playing a ringtone now a children's song I didn't recognize the melody was slightly offkey distorted five The Voice counted this next part of the highway is my favorite no street lights for miles just darkness and stars and US of course the Honda's engine

was whining now pushed Beyond its comfort zone the steering wheel shook harder six the voice said you're doing so well but you must be getting tired all that adrenaline it can't last forever the gas gauge needle was dropping faster now the warning light would come on soon seven The Voice counted not even halfway there to the curves I mean the gas station that's another story did I mention the pumps are broken such a shame they really should fix things more quickly out here the children's song on my phone got louder the Distortion more pronounced I

could almost make out words in it now but I didn't want to8 the voice said you know what's wonderful about this stretch of road no cell service hasn't been any for the last 20 minutes didn't you notice your wife's calls stopped coming through I hadn't tried calling my wife I hadn't called anyone nine The Voice continued almost to the good part there's a lovely view coming up you can see all the way down into the valley alley well usually you can it's quite dark tonight the gas warning light came on with a soft ding 10

The Voice counted getting low on fuel aren't you don't worry I know a shortcut the sedan's headlights seemed closer now though I knew they weren't still exactly three car lengths back 11 the voice said did you check your trunk before you left Nashville you really should always check your trunk never know what might find its way in there my hands were Beyond numb now I couldn't feel the steering wheel at all 12 The Voice counted almost time for a decision the highway splits in three miles left Fork goes to the gas station right Fork well

let's just say it's more private the children's song reached a crescendo the words finally becoming clear Ring Around the Rosie 13 the voice said Unlucky 13 you're not super I ious are you no of course not rational man like you you don't believe in Things That Go Bump in the night the Honda's engine made a warning sound a high-pitched whine I'd never heard before 14 The Voice counted Can you feel it the way the air changes just before something happens like the moment before a storm breaks the fork in the highway appeared ahead the signs

too far to read 15 the voice said decision time coming up left or right gas station or privacy the signs became clear gas food left and scenic route right 16 The Voice counted just one more curve after this then we'll see what kind of driver you really are the fork was only a/4 mile ahead now the sedan's headlights burned in my mirror 17 the voice said softly last chance what's it going to be I yanked the wheel left tires screaming the Honda fishtailed nearly spinning out the sedan's headlights disappeared for one moment I thought it

was over then my radio crackled wrong choice the voice said the sedan's headlights appeared directly in front of me coming the wrong way down the highway I swerved hard too hard the Honda left the road at 90 mph there was a moment of weightlessness then impact when I opened my eyes I was upside down still strapped into my seat the engine ticked as it cooled something warm ran down my face footsteps crunched on broken glass outside a door opened with a creek I told you you should have tried the pie the voice said much closer

now I turned my head slowly pain shooting down my neck the man from the diner crouched beside my window smiling that that same wide smile his black eyes reflected nothing no stars no emergency lights no Humanity now he said reaching through the broken window with those long pale fingers about that shortcut I mentioned the children's song played One Last Time clearer than ever ashes ashes We All Fall Down my hand was shaking when I finally managed to get the key into the ignition I kept telling myself I was being stupid that there had to be

a logical explanation but my racing heart wouldn't listen I needed to write this down while it's still fresh while I can still feel the cold sweat on my neck what happened tonight on that stretch of highway 16 doesn't make any sense but I know what I saw it started around 11:30 p.m. I was driving back from a business meeting in Portland Running on nothing but gas station coffee and trail mix the roads were empty except for the occasional truck and my GPS showed another 2 hours until home the fuel gauge was hovering just above empty

stupid of me not to fill up earlier when I spotted a sign for a gas station at the next exit the exit ramp curved through dense trees before opening onto a two lane road no street lights just the yellow glow of my headlights catching the reflectors the gas station sat alone at a Crossroads one of those older places with manual pumps in a small convenience store a single fluorescent light buzzed over the entrance drawing moths I pulled up to the nearest Pump the night air hit me with a blast of cold when I stepped out

the station's sign cast weak light across the cracked concrete and somewhere in the darkness crickets were chirping that's when I noticed the other car it was parked on the far side of the lck half hidden in Shadow one of those big old Buicks from the 70s dark blue or maybe black the windows were completely fogged up from the inside I figured someone was probably sleeping it off in there though something about it made my skin prickle the pump clicked as I filled my tank the numbers spinning slower than at modern stations I kept glancing at

that Buick but couldn't see any movement inside the window of the convenience store showed a board looking Clerk in something on his phone when I finished pumping I did what any normal person would do walked inside to pay the Bell above the door jangled too loud in the quiet the clerk barely looked up as he rang me up I bought another coffee even though I didn't need it walking back to my car movement caught my eye there was someone standing behind the station just visible at the corner of the building a tall figure too far

in the shadows to make out clearly they were were completely still facing my direction I picked up my Pace fumbling with my keys as I got in my car I looked in my side mirror the figure had moved closer to the edge of the building still watching I started the engine and pulled out onto the road faster than I should have gravel crunching under my tires the first 5 minutes were fine empty roads stretching ahead trees pressing in on both sides I kept checking my mirrors but saw nothing except Darkness I was starting to relax

to feel stupid about getting spooked when headlights appeared behind me old style headlights yellowed and dim the car was far back but I recognized the shape the Buick from the gas station my hands tightened on the steering wheel could be coincidence I told myself Same Direction that's all the Buick maintained its distance for the next few miles not gaining not falling back just there I I increased my speed to 70 then 75 the Buick matched it when I slowed down it slowed down I grabbed my phone from the cup holder no signal of course not

not out here I was trying to remember how far it was to the next town when the Buick's high beams flashed on flooding my car with harsh light I flinched my car swerving slightly before I corrected the road curved ahead and I took it faster than I should have the Buick was closer now close enough that I could see see its Grill in my mirror my Palms were sweating on the steering wheel another curve coming up I accelerated into it tires squealing the Buick's engine roared as it gained on me I could see someone in

the driver's seat now just a dark shape but what made my blood run cold was the passenger side empty the windows were still completely fogged up except now I could see handprints pressed against the inside of the glass I blew past a speed limit sign doing 90 the engine whined in protest as I pushed it harder the Buick stuck to my tail matching every move when I swerved into the opposite lane to pass a slower car it followed 10 minutes of this 15 my hands were cramping from gripping the wheel every time I checked the

mirror the Buick was there sometimes falling back a little sometimes surging forward until it was almost touching my bumper the handprints on the Windows seemed to multiply sliding across the glass I nearly missed the sign for the upcoming rest area it was one of those older ones just a gravel lot with a few picnic tables and a bathroom building but more importantly I could see a state police cruiser parked there its roof lights casting blue Reflections I yanked the wheel hard barely making the turn off gravel sprayed as I slammed on the brakes skidding to

a stop next to the police car I looked back at the highway just in time to see the Buick Roar past its engine echoing through through the trees no brake lights no hesitation the cop was understandably startled when I burst out of my car babbling about being followed he was professional about it took my statement even drove behind me for the next 20 miles we never saw the Buick again I made it home eventually kept all the lights on double checked the locks sleep wasn't happening so I sat down to write this while I could

still remember every detail because here's the thing I looked up that stretch of highway this morning three unsolved disappearances in the past 2 years all late at night and the descriptions from Witnesses a dark colored Buick older model windows fogged up following people who stopped at that same gas station I've driven that route dozens of times for work never again I'll take the long way around stick to the interstate because I keep thinking about those handprints on the Windows pressing outward and I can't shake the feeling that whoever or whatever was driving that Buick wasn't

the one I needed to be afraid of I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't found that rest stop don't want to know but I do know this if you're driving late at night and see an old Buick with fogged up Windows don't stop don't slow down just drive there's one more thing something I didn't tell the cop because it sounds crazy when I was paying inside the gas station I glanced at the security monitor behind the counter the screen showing the pump where the Buick was parked the car was there but there

was no driver no one had gotten out since it arrived the windows were clear I've replayed that night in my head 100 times the figure watching from behind the building the handprints appearing on the windows the way the Buick seemed to know exactly where I was going to turn like it was anticipating my moves some questions don't have answers you want to hear I've stopped looking up those disappearances stopped reading about that stretch of highway the less I know the better I sleep but I keep my tank full now don't drive at night if I

can help it and every time I pass a gas station after dark my eyes drift to the parked cars checking for fogged up Windows I wrote this down because people need to know need to be warned that gas station is still out there that Buick is still out there and whatever's inside it it's waiting maybe you'll read this and think I'm crazy that's fine I probably would have thought the same thing two weeks ago but if you're ever driving late at night low on gas and see a sign for a station just off the highway

check your fuel gauge again you might have more left than you think enough to make it to the next town the next well-lit place with people and traffic and safety because once you pull into that station once you catch the attention of what's waiting there the road home gets a lot longer and you might not make it back at all I know how this sounds believe me I do but every word is true and somewhere out there right now that Buick is idling in a dark parking lot windows fogged up waiting for someone else who's

running low on gas someone who doesn't know any better someone who will stop just like I did so consider yourself warned and if you ever find yourself being followed followed by an old car with foggy windows pray for a rest stop pray for a police car pray for daylight just don't look too closely at those handprints on the glass don't think too hard about what might be trying to get out the sun's coming up now the story is told but I can't shake the feeling that by writing this down I've drawn attention to myself again

that's somewhere that Buick's engine is turning over its headlights cutting through the early morning fog I keep telling myself it's over that I got away but every time I get in my car every time I check my mirrors part of me is waiting to see those yellowed headlights appear behind me and I know deep down that our paths will cross again until then I'll keep writing keep warning people because that's all I can do now try to save others from making the same mistake I did from pulling into that gas station from looking too long

at that Buick from discovering what happens when those handprints finally break through the glass stay safe out there keep your tank full and if you see an old Buick following you don't stop running not for anything because whatever's inside it never stops hunting my phone showed 11:47 p.m. when I first noticed him the fluorescent lights of Jefferson Station buzzed overhead making everything look washed out and artificial only three other people waited on my platform a woman in Scrubs probably heading home from her Hospital shift and an elderly couple huddled together on a bench I was

exhausted after working late at the office again barely able to keep my eyes open that's when movement across the tracks caught my attention a man stood perfectly still on the opposite platform staring directly at me at first I thought I was imagining things in my tired state but no his gaze was locked on to me with an unsettling intensity he wore dark clothes that hung Loosely on his thin frame a baseball cap pulled low obscured most of his face but I could feel his eyes boring into me my skin prickled I shifted my weight and

looked down at my phone pretending to be absorbed in something important when I glanced back up he hadn't moved an inch the station's overhead speaker crackled Northbound train approaching the rumble of the approaching train vibrated through the platform I kept my eyes fixed ahead deliberately not looking across the tracks the train screeched to a stop and I boarded the second car choosing a seat near the middle doors as passengers shuffled on I pulled out my phone again hunching over it the doors chimed their warning just before they closed heavy footsteps entered my car I didn't

need to look up to know it was him the hair on the back of my neck stood up as he walked past my Row in my peripheral vision I saw him take a seat two rows behind me on the opposite side my heart rate picked up I told myself I was being paranoid plenty of people take late trains just because someone got on the same car doesn't mean anything but my instincts screamed that something was wrong the train lurched forward Gathering speed as it left the station through the window window's reflection I could see him

watching me not glancing occasionally like a normal passenger might but staring unblinkingly his face remained shadowed under his cap I pulled up my work email going through the motions of looking busy while my mind raced four more stops until mine the train wasn't crowded but there were enough people that I felt relatively safe the woman in scrub sat at the far end of the car a group of young guys who looked like college students were near the front laughing about something an older man dozed in a seat near the doors at the next stop I

decided to move cars if the guy followed me I'd know for sure this wasn't a coincidence I gathered my laptop bag and stood as the train slowed as soon as the doors opened I Strode purposefully into the next car forward my hands trembled slightly as I chose a new seat 10 seconds passed 15 maybe I had been paranoid after after all then the connecting door between cars opened he stepped through eyes immediately finding me this time he sat directly across the aisle one row ahead my mouth went dry the car was nearly empty except for

us two more stops I could feel sweat beating on my forehead despite the car's air conditioning his presence felt like a physical weight pressing down on me I pulled out my phone again this time opening my messages I started typing to my roommate mark on the train guy following me between cars getting off at Central can you meet me at station I hit send then remembered Mark was visiting his parents this weekend the guy shifted in his seat I forced myself not to look directly at him but I could see his hands in my peripheral

vision long pale fingers drummed steadily on his knee his nails were bitten down to the quick one more stop my heart hammered against my ribs I had to make a decision getting off at my usual station meant a three block walk down poorly lit streets to my apartment the next stop after that was Central Station brightly lit usually staffed with security and right next to a 24-hour diner where I could wait things out if needed the train slowed for my regular stop I stayed seated gripping the strap of my laptop bag the guy's fingers stopped

drumming the doors opened and closed no one got on or off as the train accelerated again he stood up my muscles tensed ready to bolt but he just moved to the seat directly behind me I could hear his breathing now slightly ragged uneven a faint smell reached me like unwashed clothes and something metallic the fluorescent lights flickered plunging the car into darkness for a split second when they came back on I felt something brush against the back of my neck I jerked forward heart nearly stopping had he touched me or was it just my imagination

the train began to break for Central Station I stood up moving to stand by The Doors he rose too positioning himself by the opposite doors through the window I could see the platform was empty except for a janitor pushing a cleaning cart the doors opened with a hiss I stepped out forcing myself to walk at a normal Pace his footsteps echoed behind me the janitor had disappeared around a corner my footsteps quickened involuntarily the station's main Concourse was ahead just 50 more feet 30 20 I heard him getting closer 10 ft from The Concourse entrance

I broke into a run my dress shoes slapped against the tile floor as I sprinted past closed shops and darkened kiosks his faster footsteps pursued me I rounded a corner nearly colliding with a trash can the Security office was on the opposite side of the Concourse if I could just make it there something hit me from behind sending me sprawling my laptop bag went sliding across the floor before I could scramble up hands grabbed my shoulders flipping me onto my back the guy straddled me pinning my arms with his knees up close I could finally

see his face clearly under the cap it was like looking in a mirror same nose same jaw same eyes exactly like mine but his face was gauntt almost skeletal with dark circles under the eyes and skin that looked like it hadn't seen sunlight in months his cracked lips pulled back in a grin revealing yellowed teeth finally caught up to you he said in a voice that was a rough approximation of my own do you know how long I've been looking how many stations I've waited in how many trains I've ridden his fingers dug into my

shoulders but I knew I'd find you eventually the one who got all the luck all the success all the life that should have been mine I tried to Buck him off but he was surprisingly strong what are you talking about who are you he leaned closer his breath hot on my face don't you remember the hospital mixup two babies so similar they could have been twins one went home with the wealthy family grew up with every Advantage the other his grip tightened painfully the other went to foster care bounced around the system never quite finding

his place but I figured it out eventually found the records found you you're crazy I gasped that's impossible is it look at me really look we could have been twins should have been twins but they gave you my life he reached into his pocket pulling out something that glinted in the harsh station lighting well tonight I'm taking it back the blade pressed against my throat I felt a warm trickle of blood in desperation I slammed my head forward catching him in the nose he reared back with a howl I twisted managing to free one arm

my elbow caught him in the ribs we rolled grappling on the cold floor the knife skittered away I got on top of him Landing two solid punches before he bucked me off we both scrambled to our feet blood streamed from his nose staining his shirt his eyes blazed with hatred security I screamed my voice echoing off the station walls someone help he lunged for the knife I kicked it sending it spinning under a bench he turned back to me with a snarl reaching into his other pocket this time he pulled out a syringe doesn't matter

if you yell he said advancing slowly Security's on their coffee break night janitor's gone home it's just you and me the way it should be I backed away looking frantically for a weapon an Escape Route anything my back hit a wall he smiled raising the syringe don't worry this won't hurt much and when they find you it'll look like just another overdose sad story successful businessman falls into drug use dies alone in a train station meanwhile I'll step into your life already got your ID your keys your address been watching long enough to know your

routine your mannerisms who's going to notice the difference the syringe jabbed toward my neck I dropped and rolled feeling it whistle past my ear before he could recover I tackled him around the waist we crashed into a trash can sending it clattering across the floor the syringe flew from his hand he headbutted me catching me in the mouth I tasted blood his hands found my throat squeezing spots danced in my vision in desperation I drove my knee up into his groin his grip loosened enough for me to break free I stumbled back gasping for air

he was already getting up murder in his eyes my gaze landed on my laptop bag still lying where it had fallen I dove for it just as he charged the bag swung in a wide Arc catching him in the side of the head with the corner there was a sickening crack he went down hard head bouncing off the tile floor he didn't get up I stood there panting bags still clutched in my shaking hands blood pulled slowly around his head his eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling all the hatred and rage gone from them now

in death the resemblance between us was even more striking footsteps echoed from The Concourse two security guards rounded the corner probably finally back from their break they took in the scene the blood the knife under the bench the syringe on the floor the body she Jesus Christ one of them said Reaching For His Radio what happened here I looked down at My Doppelganger corpse at the face so like my own he tried to take my life I said he failed the next few hours passed in a blur of police statements paramedics checking my injuries detectives

asking endless questions they found ID on him multiple sets including perfect copies of my own his fingerprints were in the system from various Petty crimes the story came out eventually he'd been born the same day as me in the same hospital but there had never been any mixup we weren't Twins or even related just a random genetic coincidence that had driven an unstable man to Obsession they found his apartment full of photos of me detailed notes about my schedule practice sessions of mimicking my voice and mannerisms he'd been planning this for months Maybe years when

they finally let me go home Dawn was breaking I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a window Split Lip bruised throat haunted eyes for a moment I thought I saw him again standing behind me with that skeletal grin but it was just a trick of the light I don't take the train anymore started driving to work even though parking downtown costs a fortune sometimes at night I still check the Shadows half expecting to see him watching me still feel Phantom fingers brushing the back of my neck but mostly I think about how thin the

line is between the life you have and the life someone else might want to take from you how a random Twist of genetics can create two people who look identical but walk very different paths and how in the end we're all just trying to hold on to whatever life we've managed to build for ourselves the doctors say my hand tremors will fade eventually the night nightmares too but I know some things don't fade some things stay with you like a shadow you can never quite shake like the memory of a face exactly like your own

Twisted with hatred determined to steal your life away I survived he didn't that's what I tell myself when I wake up gasping at 3:00 a.m. sheets soaked with sweat that's what I repeat when I catch myself checking every reflection every shadow every face in a crowd that looks even Vaguely Familiar I survived but sometimes in my darkest moments I wonder if our positions had been reversed if he had been the one with the good life and I the one consumed by Envy and rage would I have become him would I have stalked through empty stations

rode endless trains planned methodically to steal another man's life I'll never know the answer and maybe that's for the best some questions are better left in the shadows like the memories of that night like the ghost of the man who wore my face like the last train home that I'll never take again the first time I saw it was 3 weeks after moving to the Henderson Farm just a dark shape standing motionless between the cornrows at 2 a.m. I blinked and it was gone that's when everything started going wrong I bought this place cheap after

Jim Henderson died without heirs the realtor said the price was low because it needed work but mostly because it sat isolated 15 mil from the nearest neighbor down dirt roads that turned to Mud In The Rain perfect for me after 20 years of traffic and sirens in Chicago I wanted quiet The Farmhouse was solid enough two stories of weathered wood with a wraparound porch the previous owner had let the crops go wild but the equipment in the barn still worked I spent that first month fixing leaks clearing fields and learning how to run a tractor

during the days I felt good about my decision to start over but at night alone with just the wind and creaking floors doubts crept in I kept the Shotgun by my bed out here help was too far away to count on anyone else the cops would take 45 minutes minimum to arrive I hadn't fired a gun since basic training but YouTube tutorials helped me remember the basics better to have it cannot need it that first sighting shook me more than I wanted to admit I was up late reading when movement caught my eye through the

kitchen window there it stood a human shape too dark to make out details completely still among the stalks my hand trembled as I grabbed the shotgun and flicked on the flood lights empty Fields greeted me I searched the property but found nothing just owl calls and rustling leaves I told myself it was exhaustion playing tricks I'd been working long hours getting the place in shape but I started double-checking the locks added new dead bolts installed motion sensor lights around the perimeter basic precautions I reasoned anyone living this remote would do the same a week passed

then I saw it again closer to the house this time I was sure a tall figure unnaturally still standing at the edge of the newly planted Wheat Field I grabbed the gun and ran outside nothing there but the soil showed signs of recent Footprints too degraded to make out clearly I barely slept that night the rational part of my brain said it must be local teens playing pranks on the new guy or maybe poachers using my land but why just stand there why disappear without a trace the sightings continued every few nights that dark shape

would appear somewhere on my property sometimes by the barn sometimes near the old well sometimes s right at the edge of the lights always gone when I investigated always leaving just enough evidence to prove I wasn't imagining things Disturbed gravel bent stalks faint prints I started sleeping in short bursts jerking awake at every sound installed security cameras that showed nothing but static when the figure appeared called the sheriff who found nothing suspicious and suggested I was just jumpy from being alone then came the night everything ES escalated I was dozing in my chair when heavy

footsteps creaked across the porch slow deliberate steps that stopped right outside my window the shotgun shook in my hands as I approached a shadow passed across the glass I threw open the door empty porch but there in the pale Moonlight fresh muddy Footprints leading right up to my door and pinned under a rock a note written in Jagged letters you're not safe here my hands wouldn't stop shaking as I read it again and again the threat was clear but the why eluded me I had no enemies kept to myself the only person I'd spoken to

in weeks was Earl at the farm supply store I considered leaving selling the farm and moving back to the city but something in me refused to be driven out this was my home now I'd sunk every penny into it running wasn't an option so I fortified installed better cameras with night vision added Steel security doors bought more ammunition started carrying the gun everywhere even to check the mail sleep became a luxury I couldn't afford the figure kept appearing closer each time some nights it stood motionless for hours just watching the cameras caught nothing but interference

the footprints became more frequent notes appeared regularly leave while you can time is running out we're coming soon I stopped working the fields spent my days watching security feeds and jumping at Shadows called the sheriff daily until they stopped taking my calls the few neighbors within miles started avoiding me probably thinking I was cracking up maybe I was then came the night that changed everything I dozed off around midnight exhausted from days without real sleep a crash jolted me awake glass breaking someone was inside heavy footsteps moved through the house multiple sets they weren't trying

to be quiet anymore I grabbed the shotgun and pressed against the wall heart hammering so hard I worried they'd hear it the steps came closer Shadows moved under my door the handle turned slowly I raised the gun as the door swung open there in the darkness stood three figures in Black too tall to be human moving with unnatural Stillness I fired twice the blast lit up inhuman faces with too many eyes they scattered I ran taking the stairs three at a time almost breaking my neck in the darkness more shapes moved in the shadows the

front door was blocked I sprinted for the back kitchen door slipping on something wet that I refused to look at made it outside into the cool night air ran for the barn where I kept the truck something fast moved in my peripheral vision I fired behind me blindly heard an inhuman shriek the the barn door was open swaying in the wind I reached the truck fumbled with the keys the engine roared to life I slammed it in reverse tires throwing gravel movement everywhere now dark shapes converging something landed on the hood with impossible weight denting

the metal through the windshield I saw a face that will haunt my nightmares forever I floored it the thing held on until I swerved hard sending it tumbling I didn't slow down until I hit pavement 20 minutes later drove straight through till morning the police report says they found nothing no Footprints no broken glass no signs of struggle just an empty Farmhouse with some wild animal tracks in the yard they blamed coyotes lack of sleep and an overactive imagination I know what I saw I'll never go back there let someone else by that cursed place

the dreams are bad enough dark figures standing motion L and endless cornfields watching with too many eyes sometimes I see shapes in my peripheral vision gone when I turn to look the for sale sign still stands in front of the Henderson Place the price drops lower each month sometimes I think about warning potential buyers but who would believe me better to try forgetting to build a new life somewhere crowded and bright but late at night when the wind sounds like footsteps I wonder did I really Escape or are they just waiting standing Motionless in the

darkness patient and hungry for the day I let my guard down I keep the shotgun loaded just in case and I never look too long out windows after dark some things are better left unseen the realtor didn't tell me about the deaths three of them all ruled as accidents I found out later from newspaper archives after things had already started happening but by then I was too invested financially and emotionally in my dream house to walk away maybe that's what they were counting on I bought 47 Cedar Street in October the price was suspiciously low

for a Victorian era house with original hardwood floors crown molding and stained glass windows the realtor Sarah Chen said the previous owner had to sell quickly due to a job transfer she smiled too much when she said it the first night I heard footsteps upstairs while I was unpacking boxes in the kitchen heavy steps like work boots on wood floors I went up to check empty rooms dust Sheets still covering the furniture I hadn't arranged yet the steps stopped when I reached the second floor old houses make noise I told myself they settle and I

went back downstairs and poured a glass of whiskey the footstep started again the moment I reached the bottom step that was 3 weeks ago now I sit in my study typing this out because I need someone to know what happened here my hands Shake on the keyboard the scratching in the wall started an hour ago it's getting louder but I should start at the beginning the day I moved in Mrs Rodriguez from next door brought over a casserole she stood on my porch holding the dish but wouldn't cross the threshold when I invited her in

nobody stays here long she said her eyes fixed on something behind me the house it doesn't like new people I laughed houses don't like or dislike anything Mrs Rodriguez they're just buildings she shook her head you'll see they all see eventually she thrust the casserole into my hands and hurried back to her house that night I heard my name for the first time a whisper right next to my ear as I was falling asleep David I sat up heart pounding the room was empty Moonlight streaming through the bay windows the temperature had dropped at least

10° I got up checked all the doors and windows everything was locked the security system was armed I took two Advil PM and went back to bed sleep didn't come until dawn the next morning I found all the kitchen cabinets open every every single one I know I closed them the night before I'm obsessive about things like that my coffee mug was in the sink though I distinctly remembered leaving it on the counter small things kept happening Keys disappeared and reappeared in strange places the TV turned on by itself at 3:27 a.m. 3 nights in

a row always to static my phone would ring but when I answered there was only a low humming sound I started researching the house history the local library had archives of the Town Newspaper going back to the 1800s the house was built in 1887 by Thomas Preston a railroad baron he died in his sleep in 1902 natural causes according to the papers but then I found more recent articles in 1998 a woman named Janet Cooper fell down the main staircase broke her neck the investigation ruled it an accident though they noted there were no signs

of tripping or slipping in 2005 Mark Webster was found in the basement apparently electrocuted while doing DIY repairs the police report mentioned that the circuit breaker had been switched back on after his death though he was alone in the house in 2012 Sarah Mitchell stopped answering her phone when police did a welfare check they found her in the bathtub drowned the water was ice cold and all the windows were open despite it being December I should have left then should could have cut my losses sold the house for whatever I could get but I'd put

everything I had into this place my life savings my inheritance from dad even a loan for my brother I couldn't walk away so I stayed and things got worse last week I woke up to find bloody Footprints leading from my bed to the bathroom my feet were clean but the prints were my size they disappeared while I was calling the police the officers found nothing of course they gave me that look the one that says they think you're crazy or drunk or both one of them officer Martinez pulled me aside before leaving my grandfather used

to work here back when it was the Preston place he said quietly he quit after 2 weeks said the walls head eyes I installed cameras after that high-end security cameras motion sensors The Works they worked fine during the day but every night at midnight they went dark for exactly 6 hours the company said there was nothing wrong with the equipment The Whispers got louder not just my name now but conversations I couldn't quite make out multiple voices arguing about something they went silent when I tried to record them then the scratching started first in the

walls like rats but rats don't spell out words I found get out scraped into the wallpaper of my bedroom the next day leave now appeared on the bathroom mirror in condensation though the shower hadn't been used last night things escalated I was in the kitchen making dinner when all the gas burners on the stove turned on at once the Flames shot up 3 ft High I couldn't turn them off the knobs wouldn't move the fire department had to shut off the gas man while they were there one of the firefighters asked me if I'd heard

about the other fires apparently there had been three separate incidents of mysterious fires in the house over the past Century all three previous owners got out alive but each one moved out immediately after I'm writing this now because the scratching is different tonight louder more purposeful it's moving through the walls circling my study the temperature keeps dropping my breath comes out in white clouds though it's 70° outside the lights are flickering my laptop battery was full but it's draining fast the scratching is in the ceiling now plaster dust is falling on my desk I can

hear Footsteps in the hallway heavy boots like that first night they're getting closer the door handle is turning slowly I should run I need to run but my legs won't move the door is opening there's someone something in the doorway tall dark the shape of a man but wrong somehow like a shadow that's forgotten it needs a body to exist it's reaching for me with hands that are too long fingers that bend the wrong way it knows I'm writing about it it doesn't want me to finish this but people need to know about 47 Cedar

Street they need to know what happens here if you're reading this stay away the house doesn't just dislike new people Mrs Rodriguez it hun the following text was found on a laptop in the study of 47 Cedar Street the owner David Chen has been missing for 3 Days police investigation is ongoing the house remains vacant update one week later they found my body in the basement yesterday I wasn't dead just unconscious and severely dehydrated the doctors can't explain the deep scratches all over my arms and back or why my hair has gone completely white I

don't remember anything after seeing the figure in the doorway I'm writing this from my hospital bed the nurses think I had a mental breakdown the police suspect drugs are carbon monoxide poisoning they have rational explanations for everything the footprints old water damage the scratches in the walls house settling the voices Wind Through old pipes but they weren't there they didn't hear it whisper their name in the dark they didn't see what I saw I signed the papers today to put the house up for sale Sarah Chen is handling it again she's already got potential buyers

a young family with two kids I tried to warn them but Chen interrupted me talking loudly about the original hardwood floors and crown molding I see her smile now the same one she gave me she knows they all know the house will be sold again someone else will move in attracted by the suspiciously low price the cycle will continue but at least I got out I'm one of the lucky ones though sometimes late at night I still hear Footsteps in my hospital room and yesterday a nurse asked me who The Tall Man in the dark

coat was the one standing by my bed when she came to check my vitals at 3:27 a.m. I didn't have the heart to tell her there was no man in my room or maybe there was maybe it followed me maybe it follows all of us who leave 47 Cedar Street maybe we never really leave at all my my hands won't stop shaking as I write this I need to get these events down while they're fresh while I can still hear the sounds from the forest and feel the cold sweat on my skin I have to

tell someone what happened on that trail yesterday even if No One Believes me I'd been hiking the Black Rock trail for about 3 hours when it started to rain not the gentle kind the type that soaks through your clothes in seconds the weather forecast hadn't mentioned rain and I hadn't packed proper gear my thin windbreaker didn't help much water ran down my face and into my eyes my boots squished with every step the trail stretched ahead turning into Brown mud my phone showed no signal typical for this part of the mountains the GPS still worked

but the battery was at 15% I needed shelter and fast that's when I saw it through the trees a dark shape about 50 yard off the main trail I walked closer pushing through wet branches a cabin not marked on any trail map I'd seen the wood was old and gray the windows Dusty a tin roof had rusted in patches the front door hung slightly open I stood in the rain staring at it something felt wrong the cabin looked abandoned but not destroyed no broken windows no graffiti just silent and empty like it was waiting for

something my wet clothes clung to my skin Thunder cracked CED overhead I didn't have much Choice the door creaked when I pushed it open the cabin was one room maybe 15 by 20 ft dust covered everything old furniture sat against the walls a metal bed frame with no mattress a wooden table two chairs a potbellied stove stood cold in one corner the air smelled stale and damp I closed the door behind me and wiped rain from my face water dripped from my clothes onto to the wooden floor my footprints showed dark in the dust the

rain drummed on the tin roof a piece of paper lay in the middle of the table I walked closer it was yellowed but not ancient someone had written on it in Black Ink the handwriting was neat almost too perfect you shouldn't be here I picked up the note the paper felt crisp not old and brittle like everything else in the cabin someone had left this recently a branch snapped outside I froze still holding the note the sound had come from the back of the cabin another snap closer this time then the unmistakable sound of footsteps

and wet leaves my heart pounded against my ribs I moved to the nearest window trying to see through the grimy glass rain streaked down the pain the forest Beyond was a blur of dark shapes something moved between the trees a shadow darker than the rest then another off to the left the footsteps circled around to the side of the cabin slow deliberate like whatever was out there knew I was inside I backed away from the window my breath came in short gasps sweat mixed with the rain water on my face the footsteps stopped at the

front of the cabin right outside the door I looked around frantically the back window was small but I could fit through it the frame looked rotted I might be able to break it if I had to the door handle turned slowly I dove under the table pressing myself against the wall my heart beat so hard I was sure whatever was out there could hear it the door opened rain blew in water pulled on the wooden floor boots stepped into the cabin heavy boots caked with mud they stopped just inside the door I held my breath

the boots took another step then another heading straight for the table they stopped right in front of me water dripped from them onto the floor a hand reached down grabbed the edge of the table I bolted knocked the table over as I ran for the back window behind me someone shouted The Voice wasn't human I hit the window with my shoulder the rotten wood splintered glass shattered I tumbled outside into the rain more shouts from the cabin more inhuman voices joining the first I ran branches whipped my face my boots slipped in the mud I

could hear them behind me crashing through the underbrush getting closer the trail had to be somewhere ahead if I could reach it maybe I could outrun them to the Ranger Station 3 miles north something grabbed my jacket I yanked free leaving part of the sleeve behind the things behind me were faster than humans their footsteps came closer and closer their breathing sounded wrong wet and raspy I burst onto the trail turned North and ran flat out my lungs burned mud splashed up my legs the creatures stayed in the forest on either side of the trail

I could see them moving through the trees dark shapes keeping Pace with me hurting me my foot hit a root I went down hard face first in the mud got up spitting dirt they were closing in moving out of the trees onto the trail behind me I ran the rain got harder lightning flashed showing Twisted shapes in the forest my legs started to give out I couldn't keep this pace much longer up ahead sunlight broke through the clouds the rain was stopping the creatures footsteps slowed their breathing grew fainter I risked to look back the

shapes retreated into the darkest parts of the forest melted away between the trees I didn't stop running until I reached the ranger station burst through the door covered in mud and blood from dozens of scratches the ranger on duty called the police they searched the area but found nothing no cabin no Footprints except mine no sign anyone or anything had been in those woods but I have proof in my pocket crumpled and wet the note from the table the one that warned me I shouldn't have been there I've been home for hours now night has

fallen rain is starting again and someone just slipped a piece of paper on under my door I'm afraid to read it but I can hear breathing outside wet raspy breathing and footsteps circling my house heavy boots in the mud getting closer they followed me home I shouldn't have taken that taxi that's what I keep telling myself now sitting here in my living room with all the lights on at 3:00 a.m. I'm unable to sleep my hands won't stop shaking as I write this down trying to make sense of what happened just hours ago I need

to get it out of my head need to tell someone even if no one will believe me it started normally enough the quarterly board meeting at Marshall and Phillips had run late as usual Jim couldn't stop talking about the Q4 projections and Sarah kept pushing back on the marketing budget by the time we wrapped up it was almost midnight I stood outside the office building on 47th Street loosening my tie and checking my phone no Uber available typical for this time of night in this part of town that's when I saw the Yellow Cab crawling

down the street the vacant sign glowed bright in the darkness I raised my hand and it pulled up to the curb with a soft squeal of brakes the car was old one of those Crown victoras from the early 2000s but well-maintained clean too clean looking back on it now evening I said sliding into the back seat the leather was cold against my legs 1487 Oakwood Drive please in Riverside Heights the driver nodded he was wearing a dark cap pulled low over his eyes and I couldn't make out his face in the rearview mirror just Shadows

where features should be I didn't think much of it at the time I was tired checking emails on my phone mine still stuck stuck on those projection numbers Jim had presented we drove in silence for a few minutes the streets were empty street lights casting orange pools on the wet asphalt it had rained earlier and water still dripped from the awnings of closed shops we passed long night at the office the driver asked suddenly his voice was odd not exactly accented but somehow off like someone trying to sound casual but not quite getting it right

yeah I replied not looking up from my phone big meeting at Marshall and Phillips right my fingers froze over the screen I hadn't mentioned where I worked I looked up meeting the driver's eyes in the mirror still couldn't see them clearly how did you know that he chuckled the sound made the hair on the back of my neck stand up oh I pick up a lot of people from there recognize the building you're in finance aren't you in investment division my mouth went dry I was but there was no way he could have known that

our logo wasn't even visible from the street where he picked me up something like that I said carefully sliding my phone into my pocket I was paying full attention now watching as we turned onto Madison Avenue at least we were heading in the right direction must be doing well he continued that's a nice neighborhood Riverside Heights 1487 Oakwood that's the gray Colonial with the red door isn't it my heart started pounding I'd never mentioned my House's color never described it at all listen I said trying to keep my voice steady I don't know how you

know these things but your wife picked out that door color didn't she he interrupted last summer I think it was July 15th Sarah wasn't sure about it at first but you convinced her the blood drained from my face my wife's name was Sarah and we had painted the door last July the 15th I remembered because it was the day before our anniversary I reached for the door handle but we were doing 60 down Madison too fast to jump out safely my hand moved to my phone instead I wouldn't bother with that the driver said calmly

no signal right now funny how that happens sometimes isn't it he was right my phone showed no bars who are you I demanded my voice cracking slightly what do you want he didn't answer just hummed tunelessly as we drove I recognized the song after a moment it was You'll Never Walk Alone the same song that played at my father's funeral 20 years ago my chest felt tight I couldn't get enough air the car seemed to be getting smaller the walls closing in I looked out the window trying to orient myself we were in my neighborhood

now the familiar houses sliding past like ghost ships in the darkness almost home the driver said cheerfully you must be tired after that meeting especially that argument with Jim about the Q4 numbers he never does listen does he I pressed myself against the door as far from the driver as I could get my shirt was soaked with sweat now sticking to my back the car slowed turning onto Oakwood Drive how do you know these things I whispered have you been watching me he laughed again that same wrong sounding laugh watching you no no nothing like

that I just know things like I know about the dream you had last night the one about your father and the $20 you found in your old jacket this morning and the coffee you spilled on your desk at 10:47 a.m. my vision started to blur at the edges this couldn't be happening none of this could be real I'd fallen asleep at my desk that was it this was just some stress induced nightmare the cab pulled up in front of my house The Red Door gleamed under the porch light like fresh blood that'll be 2350 the

driver said pleasantly my hand shaking so badly I could barely grip my wallet I pulled out three tens keep the change I muttered reaching for the door handle thanks he said oh and David I froze I hadn't told him my name say hi to Sarah for me and maybe check on that loose floorboard in the upstairs hallway the one outside Emma's room wouldn't want your daughter to trip we just noticed that floorboard yesterday Emma had complained about it squeaking I practically fell out of the cab stumbling onto my front lawn my legs felt like rubber

I turned back needing one last look needing to see the driver's face the cab was still there idling at the curb but the driver's seat was empty completely empty I blinked hard rubbed my eyes when I looked again the cab was gone no sound of an engine no tail lights disappearing down the street it had vanished as if it had never been there at all I ran to my front door fumbling with my keys dropping them twice before managing to get inside I slammed the door shut locked it and engaged the dead bolt then I

checked every window every door making sure everything was Secure Sarah came downstairs rubbing her eyes David what's wrong you look terrible I opened my mouth to tell her then closed it how could I explain what had just happened that a taxi driver who wasn't there knew everything about our lives about our past our present even our dreams bad night I managed to say just just a bad night she frowned concerned but didn't press the issue come to bed she said you're exhausted but I couldn't sleep couldn't even close my eyes I sat in the living

room instead every light blazing jumping at every sound The Tick of the clock the hum of the refrigerator the creek of that loose floorboard upstairs I've been sitting here for hours now trying to convince myself there's a rational explanation maybe someone's been stalking me gathering information maybe I had a mental breakdown from stress maybe I imagined the whole thing but I know what I saw or rather what I didn't see in that driver's seat and I keep thinking about something else something that makes my stomach twist into knots when I checked my wallet after coming

inside those three tens I'd given the driver they weren't there instead I found a receipt a taxi receipt dated July 15th last year the day we painted the door a ride I never took from a cab company that doesn't exist the sun is coming up now in a few hours I'll have to get ready for work act normal pretend nothing happened but I know I'll never take another taxi never trust another stranger's voice in the darkness never feel quite safe again because somewhere out there that empty cab is still driving still picking up passengers still

knowing things it shouldn't know and I can't shake the feeling that this wasn't just a random encounter that somehow for some reason it chose me that this was just the beginning of something the worst part deep down I know I'm right I know it the same way that driver knew everything about me and I know with absolute certainty that I'll see that cab again just now I heard a car pull up outside the sound of an engine idling I don't want to look don't want to see what's out there but I will I have to

because somehow I already know what I'll find when I do a Yellow Cab waiting at the curb empty the fluorescent lights of the 7-Eleven buzzed over my head at 247 a.m. I just needed cigarettes that's all a pack of Marlboros and I'd be back in my warm bed instead I got something else something that changed everything I pushed the glass door open setting off the electronic chime the cashier didn't look up from his phone the store was empty except for one other customer a tall man and a black coat standing in the corner by the

energy drinks he wasn't looking at the drinks he was looking at me I walked to the counter keeping my eyes forward pack of Marlboro Reds I said to the cashier he finally glanced up reached behind him for the cigarettes my hands felt sweaty the man in the corner hadn't moved I could feel his eyes on my back the cashier rang me up 8.95 I pulled out my wallet dropped a 10 on the counter my fingers trembled slightly don't look at him I thought just get the cigarettes and leave you're changed sir the cashier held out

a dollar and some coins I grabbed them quickly stuffed everything in my pocket when I turned around the man in the corner still hadn't moved his face was partially hidden by the collar of his coat but I could see his eyes they were fixed on me unblinking my heart started beating faster I walked to the door pushed it open harder than I needed to the cold night air hit my face keep walking I told myself just get to your car my footsteps echoed on the empty sidewalk the street lights cast Long Shadows was across the

cracked concrete after half a block I heard it another set of footsteps behind me slow steady footsteps I picked up my Pace the footsteps behind me quick and too my car was parked three blocks away in front of my apartment building why had I walked to the store the footsteps got closer I turned right at the next Corner onto Cedar Street the footsteps followed I glanced back quickly the man from the store was about 30 F feet behind me still wearing that black coat still staring my chest felt tight sweat ran down my back despite

the cold I walked faster almost jogging now the man matched my Pace the sound of his footsteps seemed to Echo off the buildings around us I crossed the street diagonally heading for the next block maybe I could lose him if I took a different route home the streets were completely empty no cars no other pedest ran just me and him the footsteps behind me got closer 20 ft now maybe less I could hear his breathing slow and steady like his footsteps my own breathing came in short gasps I reached into my pocket for my phone

my fingers were shaking so badly I could barely grip it I tried to unlock the screen but my sweaty fingers kept slipping the footsteps got closer hey I shouted without turning around what do you want my voice cracked no response just those steady footsteps I broke into a run my feet pounded against the sidewalk The Man Behind Me started running too his footsteps were faster than mine more controlled he was gaining on me I sprinted across Madison Avenue nearly tripping on the curb a car horn blared the first sound I'd heard besides our Footsteps in

what felt like ours I didn't stop to see if the man had been slowed down by the car my lungs burned sweat soaked through my t-shirt I could see my apartment building up ahead but it felt impossibly far away the footsteps behind me got closer and closer I fumbled in my pocket for my keys as I ran they slipped through my fingers clattered onto the sidewalk I bent to grab them almost falling the footsteps were right behind me now I snatched the keys and sprinted the last 50 ft to my building building's front door my

hands shook as I tried to get the key in the lock I could hear him right behind me his breathing loud in the quiet street the key finally slid in I turned it and yanked the door open throwing myself inside I slammed it shut just as a hand reached for The Gap the door closed on his fingers he didn't make a sound his fingers stayed there trapped in the door they were pale white almost gray the nails were long and yellow I let out a scream and shoved the door harder the finger slowly withdrew I

turned the deadbolt then backed away from the door gasping for breath through the glass panel I could see him standing there just standing and staring like he had in the store his face was still hidden by his coat collar but his eyes seemed to Glow in the darkness I ran up the stairs to my third floor apartment taking them two at a time my legs felt like they were going to give out I got to my door unlocked it with shaking hands and slammed it behind me I turned both dead bolts and slid the chain

lock into place for a moment I just stood there trying to catch my breath my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat sweat dripped down my face I went to the window and looked down at the street the man was gone the sidewalk was empty in both directions no sign that anyone had been there at all my phone buzzed in my pocket making me jump a text message from an unknown number you dropped something I looked down at the street again there under the street light was my pack of cigarettes

the man in the black coat stepped out of the Shadows he bent down picked up the pack and looked up at my window even from three stories up I could see his eyes clearly now they weren't glowing they were completely black he placed the cigarettes carefully on the ground then stepped back into the Shadows this time when he disappeared I knew he wasn't really gone I spent the rest of the night sitting in my living room staring at the door every sound made me jump the ice maker in my fridge the radiator clicking on the

wind outside my windows I kept checking my phone but there were no more messages from the unknown number when the Sun finally came up I looked out my window again the pack of cigarettes was still there on the sidewalk I watched as a woman walking her dog passed by it without seeming to notice I called in sick to work I couldn't face going outside I spent the day pacing my apartment checking the locks over and over when night fell again I turned on every light in the apartment at 2:47 a.m. exactly my phone buzzed another

text from the unknown number same time tomorrow I deleted the message and threw my phone across the room it hit the wall and fell to the floor screen cracked but still glowing in the darkness the next night I stayed awake again and the next and the next each night at exactly 2:47 a.m. I got a text from the unknown number sometimes just a question mark sometimes a single word soon after a week I couldn't take it anymore I hadn't slept more than an hour at a time I kept seeing movement in the corners of my

eyes every shadow Shadow looked like a man in a black coat I packed a bag and took a taxi to the airport I bought a ticket to the first flight out Denver as I waited at the gate my phone buzzed 2:47 a.m. enjoy your flight I turned off my phone and boarded the plane as we took off I looked down at the city getting smaller below us somewhere down there in the darkness he was watching the flight attendant came by with drinks sir would you like anything I looked up at her she was wearing a

black coat over her uniform her eyes were fixed on me unblinking sir I pushed past her and ran to the bathroom at the back of the plane I locked the door and splashed water on my face when I looked in the mirror I saw him standing behind me I spun around the bathroom was empty but when I looked in the mirror again he was there standing right behind me his coat collar was down now I could see his face clearly for the first time he had my face I screamed the other passengers banged on the

door the flight attendants used their key to open it they found me curled up on the floor still screaming the plane made an emergency landing in Chicago police were waiting at the gate they took me to a hospital where doctors asked me questions I couldn't answer they gave me pills that made me sleep when I woke up it was dark outside my hospital room window the clock on the wall read 2:46 a.m. my phone was on the bedside table as I watched the screen lit up 2:47 a.m. one new message welcome home I looked out

the window he was standing in the parking lot below looking up at me as I watched he raised his hand and waved slowly deliberately I raised my own hand in the window's reflection I could see us both waving our movements were perfectly synchronized we were wearing the same clothes we had the same face I turned away from the window and walked to the door of my room the hallway was dark and empty I started walking behind me I heard footsteps slow steady footsteps I didn't look back I didn't need to I knew what I would

see I kept walking and the footsteps followed they'll always follow now sometimes late at night I go into convenience stores I stand in the corner by the energy drinks I wait and when someone walks in someone who looks tired or afraid or alone I watch them I watch them buy their cigarettes or their coffee or their candy bars I watch them notice me watching I watch them hurry out into the dark streets and then I follow I follow because that's what he did to me I follow because that's what I am now now I follow

because at 2:47 a.m. in every convenience store in every city someone needs to be standing in the corner someone needs to be watching someone needs to be following the cigarettes are still there on the sidewalk in front of my old apartment building they'll stay there forever untouched unnoticed by anyone except us a marker a reminder a invitation if you see them keep walking if you see me run and if your phone buzzes at 2:47 a.m. don't look at the message just know that I'm out there watching waiting following and soon you'll be out there too

the first call came at 11:47 p.m. on a Tuesday I remember the exact time because I was staring at my phone thumb hovering over the screen debating whether to text Sarah back after our fight the unknown number lit up my screen and I answered without thinking hello nothing but breathing on the other end heavy rhythmic breathing like someone was holding the phone right up to their mouth I waited 10 seconds then hung up I didn't think much of it at first wrong numbers happen pocket dials drunk people but the next night at exactly 11:47 p.m.

the same number called again this time I let it ring three times before answering the breathing started immediately deep inhales and slow exhales perfectly timed like a metronome my neck tightened who is this the breathing continued unchanged listen if this is some kind of joke they hung up by the third night I was waiting for it sitting on my couch in my dark apartment TV muted phone in hand 11:47 p.m. like clockwork I didn't answer this time just watched it ring until it stopped 10 seconds later it rang again my hands were sweating as I

hit the block button a small victory no more calls from this creep I set the phone down and walked to the kitchen for a beer the text came before I reached the fridge 1408 Pine Street Apartment 3B my address my stomach dropped I grabbed the counter to steady myself suddenly dizzy how did they know where I lived I double checked the number it wasn't the same one that had been calling this was a different unknown number I blocked it immediately but my hands wouldn't stop shaking sleep didn't come easily that night every car passing outside

my window every Creek in the building sent my heart racing I checked the door locks three times pulled all the blinds shut sat in the dark with my back against the wall phone clutched in my hand like a weapon the next day at work I couldn't focus my eyes kept drifting to my phone sitting face up on my desk Karen from accounting asked if I was feeling okay said I looked pale I mumbled something about a stomach bug and left early at the police station officer Martinez listened to my story with practiced patience wrote down

the numbers in his little notebook asked if I had any enemies anyone who might want to harass me ex-girlfriends angry co-workers when I said no he handed me a pamphlet about cyber stalking and told me to document everything but they know where I live I said he shrugged your address isn't exactly private information these days call us back if they make any direct threats that night 11:47 p.m. a new number I watched it ring hands clenched into fists when it stopped another text arrived immediately you look tired James maybe you should get some sleep my

heart slammed against my ribs I ran to the windows yanking the blinds aside searching the dark Street below empty but somewhere out there someone was watching I called Sarah we hadn't spoken since our fight last week but I needed to hear a familiar voice James it's midnight what's wrong I told her everything the calls the texts the police my voice cracked halfway through come stay with me she said just for a few days until we figure this out I packed a bag with shaking hands checked the hallway three times before stepping out took the stairs

instead of the elevator fewer places to get trapped the drive to Sarah's Place took 20 minutes I checked my mirrors the whole way looking for headlights following too closely nothing seemed out of the ordinary but my neck achd from tension Sarah was waiting at her door when I arrived she hugged me tight and I realized how long it had been since I'd touched another person how isolated I'd become in just a few days you're freezing she said pulling me inside her apartment felt safe warm lights familiar Furniture the smell of the vanilla candle she always

burned I started to relax for the first time in days 11:47 p.m. my phone rang Sarah grabbed it before I could move hello she demanded her face changed as she listened hello who is this the breathing was loud enough that I could hear it from across the room she hung up hands trembling slightly okay that was creepy as hell my phone buzzed with a text Sarah read it out loud nice place Sarah has here 257 Oakwood Drive Unit 12 love love what she's done with the balcony Garden the blood drained from my face Sarah ran

to her balcony doors locking them then closing the curtains her small herb garden was clearly visible from the street we're calling the police she said right now two officers came this time they took statements checked the perimeter wrote more notes promised to increase Patrols in the area said the same things about documenting everything suggested we stay somewhere else for a few days days we went to a hotel 20 M away paid cash used fake names at check-in I felt like a fugitive but at least we were doing something the calls kept coming 11:47 p.m. every

night different numbers each time sometimes the breathing would change faster more aggressive or slow and deliberate sometimes we'd hear faint sounds in the background traffic music people talking the texts always followed always from different numbers room 412 The View must be nice that pizza you ordered smells good blue looks good on you Sarah we changed hotels three times it didn't matter they always knew where we were what we were doing what we were wearing Sarah started losing sleep dark circles formed under her eyes she jumped at every sound I watched her unravel and knew it

was my fault whatever this was I had dragged her into it maybe we should split up I suggested one night you go stay with your sister in Cleveland I'll figure this out no way she said we're in this together now but I could see the fear eating away at her the way she checked her phone constantly flinching every time it made a sound the way she insisted on keeping the bathroom door open afraid to be alone even for a minute after a week in hotels we went back to my apartment Sarah's plants had died on

her balcony her boss was asking questions about when she'd returned to work we couldn't run forever we set up cameras inside outside covering every angle changed the locks installed a security system Sarah bought a taser I started carrying pepper spray the calls continued 11:47 p.m. the breathing the text that proved none of our precautions mattered nice cameras the one by the front door is tilted too far left that new deadbolt looks sturdy pepper spray won't help James I stopped sleeping more than an hour at a time started seeing things in the shadows jumping at Reflections

and windows the sleep deprivation made everything worse every stranger on the street became a Potential Threat every closed door held danger Sarah tried to stay strong but I could see her cracking she cried in the shower when she thought I couldn't hear screamed once when her phone rang during dinner just her mother calling the police were useless the numbers were all burner phones impossible to trace no threats had been made technically no laws broken besides harassment we hired a private investigator he set up surveillance tracked patterns analyzed the texts for Clues cost us thousands found

nothing then one night something changed the 11:47 p.m. the call came but this time there was no breathing instead a voice distorted mechanical but clear time to end this game James my chest tightened Sarah gripped my arm so hard it hurt what do you want I asked look outside we ran to the window the street was empty except for a single figure standing under a street light they waved Sarah screamed I pulled her away from the window but she f me no look she pointed the figure was walking toward our building even from three stories

up I could see they were holding something a phone screen glowing in the darkness call the police I told Sarah already moving toward the door lock yourself in the bathroom James no but I was done hiding done jumping at Shadows done watching Sarah suffer because of me I grabbed my pepper spray and headed down stairs the figure was in the lobby when I reached it a man average height wearing dark clothes and a baseball cap pulled low over his face he looked normal not threatening at all he looked up as I approached smiled hello James

the voice was familiar not from the phone call from somewhere else then it hit me Kevin Kevin from it at work quiet Kevin who fixed my computer last month Kevin who always ate lunch alone he pulled off his cap took you long enough why my voice cracked why are you doing this he tilted his head still smiling that bland smile because I could because it was fun because you never even noticed me until you needed something fixed footsteps on the stairs Sarah and two police officers burst into the lobby weapons drawn Kevin didn't resist rest

kept smiling as they cuffed him said nothing else the investigation revealed everything how he'd hacked our phones used work access to track US set up surveillance hidden cameras in my apartment during that computer repair visit all because he could all because he was bored and invisible and angry months later I still check my phone at 11:47 p.m. every night still Flinch when unknown numbers call still see Kevin's smile in my nightmares Sarah moved in permanently says she feels safer when we're together maybe she's right maybe that's the only good thing that came from all this

realizing what matters who matters but sometimes late at night I wonder if Kevin was working alone if there were others like him watching through screens breathing into phones playing their games sometimes I swear I can still hear breathing on the other end of disconnected calls the scratching started my first night in unit 3B not the gentle kind a mouse might make but heavy dragging sounds that scraped across my ceiling at 3:00 a.m. I lay in bed staring up at the white popcorn texture above me listening to whatever was moving around in apartment 4B that was

when I realized I hadn't seen anyone go in or out of that unit since moving in 3 days ago the realtor had sold me on this place by talking up the quiet neighbors and peaceful atmosphere perfect for a writer looking for Solitude she'd said the price was right the Upper West Side location was ideal and after 6 months of crashing on my brother's couch while my divorce finalized I needed my own space but now on night one all I could focus on was that heavy scraping sound I got out of bed and stood on a

chair pressing my palm flat against the ceiling the vibrations came through clearly something heavy being dragged across hardwood floors back and forth back and forth then a thump that made my ceiling shutter sleep didn't come easy that night or the next or the one after that the sounds continued like clockwork always starting at 3:00 a.m. always lasting exactly 47 minutes I know because I timed it the dragging the thumps and sometimes what sounded like muffled speaking in a low guttural voice I couldn't quite make out after a week I'd had enough I knocked on 4

B's door at 600 p.m. figuring that was a reasonable hour to confront a neighbor about noise complaints no answer I tried again at 700 then 8:00 the hall was silent except for the hum of the fluorescent lights I caught Mrs Chen from 3A in the hallway the next morning while getting my mail she'd lived in the building for 20 years knew everyone oh 4B she said when I asked about my upstairs neighbor I haven't seen anyone go in or out of there for months not since the Williams family moved out last summer such a shame

about their son that got my attention what happened to their son she waved her hand dismissively oh nothing really he was a troubled boy got mixed up with drugs they moved to Connecticut after he disappeared for the third time haven't heard from them since I decided to go straight to the source Mr Grayson our building superintendent kept his office in the basement the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I descended the concrete stairs my footsteps echoing in the empty stairwell his office door was open classical music playing softly from an old radio Mr Grayson sat behind

a metal desk reading a newspaper he looked up when I knocked on the door frame uh Mr Harrison from 3B how are you settling in actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about the tenant above me in 4B I've been hearing some strange noises at night he frowned pushing his reading glasses up his nose that's not possible 4B has been vacant since August my stomach dropped vacant are you sure absolutely he pulled out a thick Ledger and flipped through the pages see here the Williams family moved out August 15th we've been doing renovations

since then new floors fresh paint no one's lived there for months I described the noises I'd been hearing the dragging the thumps The Voice his frown deepened I have master keys to every unit he said finally would you like me to check it out we went up together the hallway felt colder than usual as we approached 4B Mr Grayson's Keys jingled as he found the right one and inserted it into the lock the door swung open with a creek stale air rushed out the apartment was completely empty no furniture no curtains nothing but bare walls

and hardwood floors a fine layer of dust covered everything see Mr Grayson gestured around nobody here I walked through each room my footsteps echoing the layout mirrored my apartment below everything was clean recently renovated just as said no signs of occupation or disturbance what about the attic access I pointed to a square panel in the hallway ceiling sealed shut years ago building code violation to have it accessible from Individual units the only attic access is through the maintenance door on the roof I thanked him and went back to my apartment feeling foolish maybe I was

imagining things the stress of the divorce the new place working from home it was probably all getting to me that that night the sound started right on schedule 3:00 a.m. dragging thumping that voice I grabbed my phone and recorded a voice memo then played it back the sounds came through clearly there was no mistaking it something was up there the next day I went to the library and researched the building's history nothing notable came up except a small article from 1987 about a suicide a man had jumped from the roof the article didn't specify which

unit he'd lived in I started keeping a log of the sounds noting patterns they always began at exactly 3:00 a.m. always lasted 47 minutes always followed the same sequence dragging for about 20 minutes then thumping then that voice speaking in what sounded like rhythmic patterns almost like chanting two weeks in I noticed something new black liquid had started seeping through my ceiling right above my bed just a few drops at first I put a bucket underneath by morning the liquid was gone leaving no stains I took a sample with a Q-tip and brought it to

a friend who worked in a medical lab the results came back inconclusive some kind of organic matter she said but not blood or any other bodily fluid I'm familiar with the drops became a steady drip then a stream always between 3:00 a.m. and 3:47 a.m. always disappearing by by morning without a trace I started sleeping on my couch one night I decided I'd had enough when the sounds began I grabbed a flashlight and went upstairs the hallway was Pitch Black all the fluorescent bulbs had burnt out simultaneously for's door was closed as always I pressed

my ear against it the dragging sound was louder here accompanied by what sounded like heavy breathing I tried the handle locked then I I remembered something during my apartment hunt I'd viewed several units in this building they all had the same contractor grade locks I'd kept the spare key for my own unit maybe it would work on 4B my hand shook as I inserted the key it fit perfectly I turned it slowly hearing the mechanism click the door swung open the apartment wasn't empty anymore black liquid covered the floors ankle deep it rippled with movement

though there was no Breeze the walls pulsed like they were breathing and in the center of the living room something dark and massive dragged itself back and forth across the floor I couldn't process what I was seeing the shape was wrong too many limbs moving in impossible ways it stopped when it noticed me the thing turned I saw eyes dozens of them glowing faintly in the darkness that guttural voice emerged from somewhere within its mass speaking words that hurt my ears and made my vision blur I ran back in my apartment I shoved Furniture against

the door the ceiling shuttered violently black liquid poured down in sheets I called Mr Grayson no answer police next they said they'd send someone two officers arrived 20 minutes later we went up together the door to 4B was locked again when Mr Grayson opened it the apartment was empty no liquid no creature just bare floors and walls are you sure you weren't dreaming one officer asked no signs of forced entry or disturbance they left Mr Grayson gave me a concerned look before heading back to his office I spent the rest of the night researching found

more articles about the 1987 suicide the man had been involved in some kind of occult group police had found strange symbols painted on his walls books in unknown languages he'd lived in 4B that was 3 days ago the sounds haven't stopped the liquid keeps coming last night I swear I heard Footsteps in the hallway outside my door at 3:47 a.m. heavy wet footsteps that left no Traces by morning I'm writing this all down because I need someone to know what happened tonight I'm going back up there I've got my phone to record everything a crucifix

my Catholic mother gave me salt holy water probably useless but it makes me feel better the sounds have already started the liquid is dripping time to go if you're reading this and you live in my building or you're thinking about moving in stay away from 4B don't try to investigate the sounds don't look up when the ceiling drips and whatever you do don't open that door at 3:00 a.m. I have to go go now it's calling me the first bang made me drop my phone it was 11:42 p.m. and I was about to head to

bed when I heard it a loud metallic Crash from the basement the rain outside side was getting heavier drumming against the windows of my rental house but that sound was different distinct inside I stood in my living room not moving the TV was off the house was dark except for the lamp next to my couch I waited holding my breath straining to hear anything else over the rain 10 seconds passed 20 then another crash followed by what sounded like something being dragged across the concrete floor FL my throat went dry I'd only moved into this

house 2 weeks ago and I hadn't spent much time in the basement just enough to set up my washer and dryer check the furnace and stack some boxes the landlord had said something about the previous tenant leaving in a hurry but I hadn't thought much about it at the time I grabbed my phone and turned on the flashlight the beam cut through the darkness Illuminating the basement door at the end of the hallway my hand was shaking slightly I told myself it was probably just a raccoon that had found its way in through one of

the small ground level windows or maybe some pipes were loose the house was old built in the 1940s according to the rental agreement another scraping sound this one was longer more deliberate it didn't sound like an animal I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the wooden block on the counter it was the biggest one I had a chef's knife with an 8-in Blade the handle felt cold and unfamiliar in my grip I'd only used it to cut vegetables before the basement door was closed I put my hand on the brass door knob

and it was Ice Cold against my palm my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat I turned the knob slowly trying to be quiet but it made a small click anyway I pulled the door open the hinges creaked a high pitched sound that seemed too loud in the quiet house the basement stairs disappeared into absolute Darkness below my flashlight beam showed the first few wooden steps worn smooth from Decades of use the musty smell of the basement drifted up concrete old cardboard and something else I couldn't identify another crash from

below louder this time I jumped and my flashlight beam jerked across the wall something had fallen over down there or been knocked over hello I called out my voice sounded strange and thin is someone there no response just the sound of rain outside in my own breathing which was getting faster I took the first step down the wood creaked under my weight another step the darkness seemed to press in around my flashlight beam making the circle of light seem smaller than it should be five more steps to go I reached the bottom of the stairs

and swept my flashlight around the basement the beam caught the washer and dryer against the far wall the stack of moving boxes in the corner the old metal shelving unit filled with Dusty jars and tools left by previous tenants everything looked normal except the floor was wet not just damp like you'd expect in a basement during a rainstorm but actually wet with puddles reflecting my flashlight beam and the puddles were spreading out from behind the large workbench that took up most of the back wall I heard breathing not my own this was deeper raspier coming

from the same direction as the puddles my hands were shaking so badly now that the flashlight beam bounced wildly around the room the knife felt useless and small I'm calling the police I said trying to make my voice sound strong and confident it came out as barely more than a whisper the breathing stopped complete silence fell over the basement broken only by the distant sound of rain then something moved behind the workbench something big I heard the scrape of what sounded like claws or Nails on concrete a dark shape rose up blocking part of the

wall I turned and ran my foot caught on the bottom step and I fell forward slamming my knee into the wooden stair the knife clattered out of my hand I scrambled up the stairs on all fours Not Looking Back My Breath coming in short gasps behind me I heard heavy footsteps on the concrete floor I reached the top of the stairs and slammed the door shut my hands were shaking so badly I could barely work the deadbolt just as it clicked into place something hit the other side of the door hard the whole frame shuttered

I stumbled backward into the hallway wall another impact even harder the door frame cracked I turned and ran for the front door my knee screaming in pain I had to get out had to get help behind me I heard wood splintering I reached the front door and grabbed the handle it didn't move I'd locked it earlier a habit from living in the city my keys were on the kitchen counter 20 ft away past the basement door a tremendous Crash from behind me the sound of wood breaking apart heavy Footsteps in the hallway I ran for

the kitchen my socked feet slipped on the hardwood floor and I nearly fell I could hear it behind me breathing moving fast the smell hit me like wet leather and rotting meat my keys were right where I'd left them next to the knife block I grabbed them turned to run back to the front door and saw it the thing filled the kitchen doorway it was tall so tall it had to stoop under the frame its skin was dark and Slick like wet leather but covered in what looked like Barnacles or scales long arms hung down

past its knees ending in hands with too many fingers its face I threw the knife block at it the whole thing wood block and all the knives it raised one of those long arms to block them the knives clattered to the floor it took a step forward those long fingers flexed showing curved black claws the back door it was right behind me I spun and ran fumbling with my keys I could feel it right behind me reaching for me the smell was overwhelming now my Trembling Hands found the right key somehow and jammed it into

the lock something grabbed the back of my shirt I I jerked forward hearing the fabric tear the door swung open and I burst out into the rain I ran across the backyard my feet slipping in the wet grass the rain was coming down in sheets now I could barely see I reached the fence and scrambled over it not even feeling the pain as the rough wood scraped my hands I landed in my neighbor's yard and kept running their motion sensor light came on momentarily blinding me I ran toward the street my heart feeling like it

would explode behind me I heard an inhuman sound something between a Roar and a screech it made my teeth hurt and my stomach clench but it was farther away now I reached the street and ran to the nearest house with lights on nearly fell on their front steps pounded on the door with both fists an elderly woman opened it her eyes went wide when she saw me soaking wet covered in mud bleeding from my hands and knee please I gasped called the police there's something something in my house she let me in and called 911

I stood in her entryway dripping water on her carpet shaking uncontrollably through her front window I could see my house all the lights were off now the rain continued to pour down the police arrived 12 minutes later they searched the house thoroughly found the broken basement door the wet floor the scattered knives but whatever had been in there was gone the only evidence of its presence was a broken window in the basement broken from the inside out with a trail of wet Footprints leading into the backyard and stopping at the fence they took my statement

but I could tell they didn't believe me how could they I barely believed it myself and I'd seen it they suggested it might have been an intruder wearing some kind of costume said they'd increase Patrols in the area told me to call if I saw anything suspicious I checked into a hotel that night the next morning I called my landlord and broke my lease lost my security deposit but I didn't care I wasn't going back to that house it's been 3 months now I live in an apartment on the third floor no basement I've tried

to convince myself that what I saw wasn't real that it was just an intruder like the police said or that the stress of moving and starting a new job had somehow caused me to hallucinate but sometimes when it rains at night I remember the smell the way it moved those long fingers with too many joints and I wonder about the previous tenant who left in such a hurry wonder if they saw what I saw wonder if they ran too I watched the news sometimes looking for stories about break-ins or disappearances in that neighborhood so far

nothing but last week I drove past the house there was a for rent sign in the front yard again the most recent tenants had moved out after just one month I wanted to stop to warn them whoever might be thinking about renting that house tell them about what lives in the basement but who would believe me I barely believe it myself so I drove on but I check the news every day and when it rains at night I lie awake in my third floor apartment listening to the water hitting the windows and I wonder if

it's still down there in that basement waiting for the next tenant waiting for the next rainy night sometimes I dream about what would have happened if I hadn't gotten out in time if those long fingers had caught me if I'd seen what was under those Barnacles and scales if I'd learned why it was there what it wanted but mostly I try not to think about it at all I keep my doors locked I don't go into basements anymore and when people ask me why I broke my lease why I moved so suddenly I tell them

there were problems s with the plumbing it's easier that way simpler but every now and then when I'm alone at night and hear an unexpected sound my heart starts racing my Palms get sweaty and for a split second I smell wet leather and rotting meat I know it's just my imagination has to be but I keep a packed bag in my closet anyway just in case because I learned something that night in the basement sometimes the things we tell ourselves can't be real are and sometimes the only thing you can do is run the police

never found an explanation for what happened the landlord hired someone to fix the basement door and clean up the mess the house is occupied again now I drive by sometimes even though I tell myself not to the lights are always on after dark every single one like whoever lives there now is trying to keep something away something that lives in the darkness something that comes out when it rains I should stop checking stop driving by stop thinking about it but I can't because I know what's down there and I know that sooner or later on

another rainy night someone else will hear those sounds coming from the basement they'll go down those stairs with a flashlight thinking it's just their imagination just the rain just the old house settling and maybe they'll get lucky like I did maybe they'll run fast enough or maybe I try not to think about the maybe I try not to think about the basement at all but sometimes when the rain is heavy and the wind is strong I find myself wondering about those long fingers those too many joints that smell and I wonder if somewhere in that

basement it's wondering about me too the next morning after it happened after I'd checked out of the hotel I went back to the house with two police officers to get some of my things the basement door was still broken hanging off its hinges the floor was dry now but there were marks on the concrete long scratches that hadn't been there before and in one corner behind the workbench where I'd first seen it rise up we found something else a hole in the wall not broken through but carefully carved or dissolved somehow the edges were smooth

like melted wax it went deep into the foundation disappearing Into Darkness the officers Shone their flashlights into it but but couldn't see the end they called in a building inspector he said the hole shouldn't be possible that the foundation was solid concrete 2 ft thick said he'd never seen anything like it they sealed it up with concrete that afternoon but sometimes I wonder if that was enough if anything could really seal up a hole like that the new tenants probably don't know about it the landlord wouldn't tell them bad for business they probably think the

extra deadbolt on the basement door is for security probably think the scratches on the floor are from moving furniture but I know better I know what's down there what's waiting and sometimes on nights like tonight when the rain is pounding against my windows and the wind is howling I think about those new tenants I think about that hole in the basement wall and I wonder if the concrete they Ed to seal it is still holding I wonder if they check it like I would if I still lived there I wonder if they notice when the

rain starts if they hear the sounds from below I wonder if they know how lucky they are each morning they wake up and everything is normal because I know the truth now I know that sometimes the Things That Go Bump in the night are real sometimes they have too many fingers and smell like wet leather and rotting meat sometimes they live in basements and wait for rainy nights and sometimes if you're very lucky you get away you get to to live in a third floor apartment with no basement and tell yourself it was all just

your imagination but you never really believe it you never really forget and you never ever go into basements again I saw the out of order sign on elevator b as I walked into work that morning great that meant everyone would be cramming into elevator a making the usual Monday morning Rush even worse I stood in the lobby of Morton Financial checking my watch 8:47 a.m. running late for the 900 a.m. meeting where I was supposed to present the quarterly numbers I joined the crowd waiting for elevator a clutching my leather briefcase and the cardboard cup

of coffee I'd grabbed from the cart outside the doors open with their usual Ding and people shuffled out I pushed my way in with four others jabbing the button for floor 23 a woman in a blue blazer hit 15 and a guy in khakis pressed 19 the doors were about to close when a hand Shot Through The Gap the sensors caught it and the doors slid back open a tall man in a dark coat stepped in he moved to the back corner without pressing any buttons something about him felt off his clothes looked worn and

wrinkled like he'd been wearing them for days his hair was disheveled and his eyes there was something vacant about them I took another another sip of coffee trying not to stare the elevator started its Ascent humming as it passed each floor floor three 4 5 the fluorescent lights flickered slightly at floor 8 the elevator shuttered the lights flickered again more violently this time my stomach lurched as the car jolted to a stop between floors the emergency lights kicked on casting everything in a dim red glow you've got to be kidding me the woman in the

Blazer muttered she pressed the emergency call Button a tiny Voice crackled through the speaker this is building security is everyone all right we're stuck between floors she replied the elevator just stopped we're aware of the situation and contacting maintenance now please remain calm help will arrive shortly I checked my phone no signal of course looking around I saw the others doing the same thing all except the man in the corner he hadn't moved or said anything since getting on he just stood there staring Straight Ahead minutes passed the woman made small talk with the guy

and khakis about which floors they worked on I loosened my tie already feeling the air getting Stuffy the fourth person an older man with gray hair sat down on the floor with his back against the wall that's when I noticed the tall man in the corner had shifted his gaze he was staring directly at me now his eyes were wide and unblinking a cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck I tried to look away but I could feel his eyes boring into me then he started mumbling at first it was so quiet

I could barely hear it just a low continuous stream of words I couldn't make out the others seemed oblivious to it the woman and khaki guy were still chatting the older man had closed his eyes maybe trying to nap the mumbling grew louder I still couldn't understand the words but there was something wrong about the sound it didn't sound like English or any language I recognized the Rhythm was off unnatural did maintenance say how long this would take I asked trying to break the tension I felt Building inside me the woman pressed the call button

again no response this time she pressed it again still nothing the mumbling got louder now it was clearly audible to everyone the woman stopped mids sentence and turned to look at the corner the man and khakis took a step back bumping into the wall That's when another person appeared in the elevator I don't mean they suddenly jumped out or that I hadn't noticed them before one moment the space next to the mumbling man was empty and the next moment someone was standing there a woman in a white dress her dark hair hanging down over her

face my heart started pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat I blinked hard thinking my eyes were playing tricks in the dim red light but she was still there where where did you come from the woman in the Blazer asked her voice shaking the woman in white didn't respond she stood motionless next to the mumbling man then she slowly raised her head her hair falling away from her face her eyes were completely black like empty sockets the older man scrambled to his feet he started pounding on the elevator doors screaming for help

the woman in the Blazer pressed herself into the opposite corner holding her purse in front of her like a shield more figures appeared they filled in the spaces between us materializing out of nowhere men and women in outdated clothes all with those same black eyes some had wounds I couldn't bear to look at others appeared partially transparent like smudges in the air the mumbling grew to a fever pitch it wasn't coming just from The Tall Man anymore all of them were doing it now their voices overlapping in that strange arhythmic chant the temperature in the

elevator plummeted I could see my breath forming clouds in front of my face the older man collapsed the woman in the Blazer screamed then went silent her eyes rolling back in her head the man in khakis pressed himself against the wall hyperventilating I couldn't move my muscles had locked up every Instinct screaming at me to run but with nowhere to go the figures pressed closer I felt cold hands touching my face my arms my chest the mumbling filled my head drowning out all other thoughts The Tall Man in the corner finally moved he took a

step toward me his face splitting into a grin that was too wide showing too many teeth black spots danced at the edges of my vision the cold was unbearable now seeping into my bones the last thing I saw was that imp possibly wide grin getting closer closer I woke up to the sound of metal grinding against metal bright light hit my eyes as the elevator doors were forced open multiple flashlight beams swept across my face we've got a live one someone shouted I was lying on the elevator floor my clothes were soaked with sweat but

I was shivering violently a firefighter knelt next to me checking my pulse sir can you hear me can you tell me your name I tried to speak but my throat was raw I looked around the elevator it was empty except for me no sign of the others not the business people who'd gotten on with me not The Tall Man in the corner not the strange figures that had appeared the others I managed to croak where are the others the firefighter looked confused sir you were alone when we got here building security said the camera showed

only one person in the elevator when it stopped that's impossible there were five of us then more came my voice trailed off as I saw the firefighters exchanging concerned looks they helped me out of the elevator I was still shaking barely able to stand the lobby was full of people paramedics police officers curious onlookers from the office someone draped a blanket over my shoulders and led me to a waiting ambulance I heard the police questioning the security guard how long was he in there camera feed shows the elevator stopped at 8:53 a.m. we couldn't get

it moving again so we called you guys around 9:15 22 minutes I'd only been in there for 22 minutes it had felt like hours they took me to the hospital for observation my body temperature was several degrees below normal but they couldn't find anything else wrong with me the doctors suggested stress and panic had caused hallucinations the police searched the building but found no trace of the other pass ERS I described I took 2 weeks off work when I came back I started taking the stairs even though my office was on the 23rd floor better

to arrive sweaty and out of breath than risk getting on that elevator again but sometimes when I pass by elevator a I catch a glimpse of movement in the reflection of its steel doors a tall figure standing in the corner and in The Quiet Moments When the office is almost empty I swear I can hear that mumbling that strange rhythmic chant that makes no sense in any human language I've asked around about the building's history no one talks about it officially but I've heard stories stories about people going missing in that elevator over the years

about maintenance workers finding strange marks on the walls during inspections about security cameras catching impossible images in the middle of the night the outof order sign appeared on elevator a last week I watched them put yellow caution tape across the doors but at night when the cleaning crew is gone and the floors are empty I sometimes hear the mechanisms worrying the cables moving and if you stand in the lobby long enough you might hear a ding and the doors will slide open to an empty car just don't get in especially if you see a tall

man standing in the corner staring at you with those empty eyes because if you do you might find out where those other passengers went the ones who disappeared that day leaving me alone in that elevator with nothing but questions and the linger echo of that inhuman mumbling in my dreams the police never found any trace of them the security footage only showed me entering the elevator that morning according to the official report I was alone the entire time but I know what I saw I know what happened in those 22 minutes that felt like an

eternity sometimes I think about the woman in the Blazer the man in khakis and the older man with gray hair I wonder if they're still there trapped between floors with those things that appeared out of nowhere I wonder if they're part of that impossible crowd now appearing to new passengers mumbling those strange words most of all I wonder about the tall man who got on last was he one of them all along was he the one who brought the others or was he just like me another passenger who encountered something impossible in that elevator but

didn't make it out I'll never know the answers I've tried to move on to convince myself it was all a stressinduced hallucination like the doctor said but every morning when I climb those 23 flights of stairs I hear the distant sound of elevator cables moving of doors opening and closing and sometimes just sometimes I hear something else a quiet mumbling that Echoes up the stairwell speaking words that no human mouth was meant to form I've thought about finding another job moving to a building without elevators but deep down I know it wouldn't matter whatever I

encountered that day whatever exists in that space between floors it's not confined to one elevator in one building it's everywhere waiting in those metal boxes we trust to carry us up and down every day waiting for the right moment the right passenger so take the stairs watch the Reflections in those steel doors and if you ever find yourself in an elevator with a tall man who won't stop staring get out get out before the lights flicker before the car shutters to a stop before the mumbling starts get out before you discover what weights in that

space between floors where the normal rules of our world don't apply and where some passengers never reach their destination because sometimes the worst part isn't what you see in that red emergency lighting it's not the cold hands or the black eyes or the impossible appearances the worst part is surviving walking away and spending the rest of your life knowing that they're still there still waiting still mumbling those words that no one was ever meant to hear and sometimes late at night when I can't sleep I wonder if I really did survive if this life I'm

living now isn't just another kind of elevator another kind of between space where I only think I escaped because ever since that day nothing has felt quite real the world seemed slightly off like a picture hanging crooked on a wall and in every reflection in every quiet moment I'm back there in that elevator listening to that mumbling grow louder and louder waiting for those figures to appear but I'll never know for sure all I can do is take the stairs avoid the reflections and try not to think about what's waiting in those metal boxes riding

up and down up and down carrying passengers to destinations they never intended to reach I shouldn't have stayed so late at the office that night that's what everyone says after something goes wrong right but I really shouldn't have I knew something was off the moment I heard those sounds it was 11:47 p.m. when it started I remember checking my phone right before the office was dead quiet except for the hum of the AC and my keyboard clicking I was the only one left on the 14th floor of the Morton Building trying to finish the Wilson

account reports before tomorrow's deadline the first noise was a scraping sound like a chair being dragged across the floor but slower it came from down the hall from conference room C my fingers froze over the keyboard that room was always locked after 6:00 p.m. building policy I'd worked here 5 years and never seen it open after hours the scraping stopped I held my breath and listened nothing but the AC back to work I had three more spreadsheets to go through then it came again louder this time a long drawn out Screech of metal on tile

my hands started sweating I wiped them on my pants and tried to focus on the screen probably just the building settling old buildings make weird noises at night a thump heavy like something solid hitting the floor then another scrape my heart rate picked up I could feel it pounding in my neck the maintenance guys didn't work this late security did their rounds on the hour and it was too early for the midnight check another thump then the sound of papers rustling hello I called out my voice sounded thin in the empty office no response I

stood up slowly my chair squeaking the sound echoed off the cubicle walls the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead cast ing harsh Shadows during the day this was a normal office at night everything looked wrong the shapes were too sharp the Shadows too dark my dress shoes clicked on the tile as I walked toward conference room C the sound seemed too loud each step announced my presence I passed empty cubicles dark computer screens family photos of strangers staring at nothing the noises had stopped the hallway stretched ahead lined with closed doors conference room C was at the

end its frosted glass dark my Palms were slick with sweat I wiped them again 20 ft from the door I could see my reflection in the glass distorted by the frost pattern the name plate beside the door read conference room C maximum capacity 30 below that the red LED on the electronic lock glowed steadily another scrape from inside my stomach clenched security I called no answer I reached for my phone to call the front desk my hand shook as I pulled it out no signal there was never any signal in this part of the building

something about the construction materials 15 ft from the door close enough to see it was still firmly closed the lock light stayed red I could hear my own breathing too fast and shallow a Bang from inside made me jump then the sound of a chair toppling over who's in there I raised my voice trying to sound authoritative it came out higher than I intended silence I took another step my shoe squeaked on the tile and I flinched 10 ft away now close enough to see there were no lights on inside the room was completely dark

but something moved behind the frosted glass a shadow darker than the darkness around it my heart hammered against my ribs SW sweat ran down my back Cold against my skin I should go back to my desk call security from my desk phone let them handle it I started to turn around the shadow moved again then a sound like fingernails dragging down the inside of the door slow deliberate my legs wouldn't move the scratching continued moving from top to bottom then silence 5 ft from the door close enough to touch it I reached for the handle

with a trembling hand it was cold ice cold the metal seemed to burn against my palm I tried it locked of course it was locked it was always locked after 6 p.m. but something was in there something that shouldn't be there I pressed my ear against the door the glass was cold too like pressing against a block of ice I held my breath and listened nothing at first then so quiet I almost missed it the sound of breathing not my breathing this came from inside slow and raspy like something was wrong with the lungs making

the sound I jerked away from the door my heart was trying to punch its way out of my chest I'm calling security I said loudly my voice cracked the breathing stopped I fumbled in my pocket for my key card every employee had access to the conference rooms during business hours I knew it wouldn't work now but I had to check had to be sure my hand shook so badly I almost dropped the card I held it up to the reader the red light stayed red the lock didn't click something scraped across the floor inside moving

closer to the door the shadow behind the frosted glass grew darker larger I stumbled backward my heel caught on nothing and I almost fell a thud against the door like something heavy leaning against it the scratching started again not on the glass this time on the metal around the lock the sound of something sharp working at the mechanism I turned and ran my footsteps echoed through the empty office past the cubicles past my desk toward the elevator I jabbed the down button repeatedly my finger slipping on the plastic behind me a click the sound of

a door opening the elevator didn't come I hit the button again again the display showed it was on the third floor not moving Footsteps in the hallway slow dragging footsteps I ran for the stairs yanked the door open the stairwell was dark emergency lights cast a sickly Green Glow every few Landings I started down taking the stairs two at a time my dress shoes slipped on the concrete I grabbed the railing to keep from falling above me the door opened again the footsteps entered the stairwell I ran faster my lungs burned sweat soaked through my

shirt 13 flights to go the footsteps followed getting closer the dragging sound echoed off the walls distorting multiplying it seemed to come from everywhere at once 12 flights 11 my legs achd I couldn't get enough air the footsteps were right above me now I could hear the breathing again that wet raspy sound 10 flights nine the emergency lights flickered something grabbed the back of my jacket cold fingers brushed my neck I screamed and jerked away the fabric tore I lost my footing and fell tumbling down half a flight of stairs pain shot through my shoulder

as I hit the landing I scrambled to my feet didn't look back just ran eight flights seven six the lights went out completely I ran in darkness one hand on the rail the other out in front of me my shoulder throbbed each breath felt like inhaling fire the footsteps kept coming Closer Closer five flights four a light flickered on above me I looked up I wish I hadn't three flights two my legs were rubber I couldn't feel my feet the lobby door was just ahead I slammed into it at full speed bursting out into the

fluorescent lit Lobby the night security guard looked up from his desk startled sir are you all right I pointed at the stairwell door trying to speak no words came out just ragged gasps the guard stood up Reaching For His Radio the door swung shut behind me sir what happened I finally found my voice conference room c i wheezed something someone the guard was already moving radio in hand stay here he said he drew his flashlight and headed for the elevator I collapsed into one of the lobby chairs trembling my shoulder screamed in pain I could

feel bruises forming where I'd hit the stairs 10 minutes later the guard came back down two more sec SEC officers were with him we checked the entire floor he said conference room C was locked no signs of Entry all other rooms secure but I heard I started no one up there sir we looked everywhere you sure you weren't just working too hard sometimes when people are tired I didn't go back to my desk that night left my laptop my phone everything called in sick the next day when I finally went back Back 2 days later

everything was normal conference room C was locked like always no scratches on the door no marks on the lock I requested a transfer to our downtown office the next week got approved the same day I work on the second floor now never stay past 6 but sometimes when I'm lying in bed at night I still hear that dragging sound still feel those cold fingers on my neck and I still wonder what I would have seen if I'd looked through that frosted glass if I'd seen what was really in conference room C that night I don't

work late anymore some questions are better left unanswered they still use that conference room I checked regular meetings client presentations the usual no one's reported anything strange but I know what I heard what I felt and sometimes when I drive past the Morton Building at night I look up at the 14th floor floor most of the windows are dark except for conference room C sometimes just sometimes I see a shadow moving behind those windows a darker shape against the darkness I don't look up anymore when I drive past don't stay late at the new office

don't use conference rooms if I can help it some people say I'm being ridiculous that I imagined the whole thing stress exhaustion an overactive imagination maybe they're right but I know what I I heard in that hallway What followed me down those stairs and I know that conference room C is still there still locked after 6:00 p.m. waiting three sharp knocks jolted me from sleep at 2:47 a.m. the sound came from the back door not the front where visitors usually knocked I sat up in bed my heart already pounding our neighborhood hadn't had a Breakin

for 5 years but I remembered every detail of the last one I waited listening the house creaked its usual noises the dishwasher hummed downstairs nearly finished with its cycle my wife's side of the bed was empty she was away at her sister's for the week a car passed on the street outside its headlights sweeping across the bedroom ceiling then it came again one soft knock like someone tapping with their knuckle trying not to make too much noise I got up my bare feet hitting the cold hardwood floor the digital clock's red numbers cast a dim

glow I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and turned on the flashlight the beam lit up the hallway as I moved toward the stairs my throat felt dry sweat beaded on my forehead despite the cool air I touched the banister feeling the smooth wood under my palm as I descended each step creaked slightly under my weight the kitchen windows were dark rectangles against the walls Moonlight filtered through the blinds creating pale stripes on the tile floor the dishwasher clicked as it entered its final rinse cycle I approached the back door slowly my hand shook as

I reached for the light switch bright fluorescent light flooded the kitchen momentarily blinding me I blinked hard the door had a small window at eye level its glass divided into nine squares by white mtons I stepped closer my heart hammering against my ribs my breath came in short gasps a figure stood motionless on the other side of the door their face was turned down hidden by the brim of a dark baseball cap they wore a gray hoodie hands tucked into the front pocket they didn't move or look up when the light came on my fingers

fumbled with my phone as I tried to dial 911 the phone slipped from my sweaty grip and clattered on the floor the sound seemed deafening in the quiet house the figure's head snapped up I froze the face behind the glass was young female her skin was pale almost gray dark circles ringed her eyes a thin line of dried blood ran from her nose down to her chin she stared at me without blinking her lips moved but I couldn't hear what she was saying through the door I bent down slowly keeping my eyes on her and

retrieved my phone my hands trembled as I unlocked it she pressed her Palm against the glass her fingers were dirty the nails broken and caked with something dark her mouth kept moving forming the same words over and over I stepped back my shoulder blades hitting the refrigerator the magnetic letters spelled out grocery list behind my head one fell off and hit the floor with a small plastic click the girl's expression didn't change she kept mouthing words her hands still press pressed against the window a car drove by on the street out front its engine sound

rising and falling I looked down at my phone screen trying to focus enough to dial when I looked back up she had moved closer to the glass her breath fogged the pain around her mouth now I could read her lips please let me in my throat constricted I managed to dial 911 my thumb leaving a smear of sweat on the screen the phone began to ring she knocked again three soft Taps her Knuckles left smudges on the glass 911 what's your emergency the operator's voice seemed too loud in the quiet kitchen I struggled to keep

my voice steady there's someone at my back door a girl she's trying to get in is she trying to break in no she's just standing there knocking she looks hurt what's your address sir I gave them my address watching as the girl tilted her head slightly her eyes never left my face officers are on their way stay on the line with me are all your doors and windows locked I nodded then realized the operator couldn't see me yes yes they're locked good can you safely move to another room the girl's free hand emerged from her

hoodie pocket she pressed it against the glass next to the first one both Palms were scraped and bloody I don't want to take my eyes off her I said that's fine just stay where you are help is coming can you describe her young maybe 20 wearing a gray hoodie and a baseball cap she's hurt there's blood the girl's mouth moved again different words this time I leaned forward slightly trying to read her lips behind you ice shot down my spine I spun around the kitchen was empty the refrigerator hummed letters spelled out grocery lie the

final letters had fallen to the floor sir are you still there I turned back to the door the girl was gone she's gone I told the operator she just disappeared stay where you are officers should be there in less than 5 minutes I pressed my face close to the glass trying to see into the darkness of the backyard motion sensor lights illuminated the deck and part of the lawn nothing moved in their harsh glare a branch scraped against the side of the house Windchimes tinkled softly do you see her anywhere the operator asked no the

yard's empty can you see any signs of where she went I squinted through the glass the gate to the sidey yard stood open swaying slightly in the breeze I was sure I'd locked it earlier something dark dripped down the inside of the the window I stumbled backward the liquid was thick nearly black in the fluorescent light it oozed down the glass leaving trails like tear tracks sir what's happening more drops appeared seeping through the edges of the window frame they ran down the white paint of the door collecting in small pools on the tile floor

the smell hit me metallic and sharp blood I backed away until I hit the kitchen island my hands gripped the cold granite edge red and blue lights flashed through the front windows reflecting off the kitchen walls a car door slammed officers are there the operator said I'm going to disconnect now they'll knock on your front door the call ended I stood in the kitchen watching the blood drip down the back door each drop made a soft Pat sound as it hit the growing puddle on the floor heavy footsteps approached my front porch a solid knock

echoed through the house police anyone home my legs felt weak as I walked to the front door I flipped on the porch light and opened it with shaking hands two officers stood there hands resting casually on their belts the younger one held a flashlight we got a call about someone at your back door the older officer said I nodded yes a girl she was just there but she disappeared but now there's I gestured toward the kitchen you need to see this they followed me through the house their boots squeaked on the hardwood floors I stopped

at the kitchen entrance and pointed at the back door the door was clean no blood no drips the window was clear reflecting the kitchen lights she was right there I said there was blood coming through the window frame the younger officer walked to the door and shined his flashlight through the glass yards clear Gates closed it was open before I saw it the older officer studied my face had anything to drink tonight sir no I was sleeping the knocking woke me up they checked the do's locked then walked through the house flashlight beams sweeping across

walls and into Corners they found nothing no signs of attempted entry the older officer said no footprints on the deck you sure about what you saw I stood in the kitchen staring at the clean door and spotless floor I I know what I saw they left their card told me to call if anything else happened I watched through the front window as their patrol car pulled away red and blue lights cutting through the darkness the house felt different now bigger emptier every shadow seemed deeper I checked all the doors and windows again locked the back

gate was secured with its padlock the motion lights showed it an empty yard my phone said 3:36 a.m. too early to call my wife too late to call anyone else I made coffee my hands still shaking slightly The Familiar routine helped measuring the grounds filling the water reservoir pressing the Brew button the machine gurgled and steamed I couldn't go back upstairs not yet I sat at the kitchen island facing the back door and wrapped my hands around a hot mug the coffee maker clicked off the dishwasher had finished its cycle the house settled into silence

a soft tap came from behind me I turned slowly already knowing what I would see the girl stood at the kitchen window over the sink her face was pressed against the glass breath fogging the pain both hands splay on either side of her head fingers leaving bloody prints her lips moved let me in I knocked my mug over as I stumbled back hot coffee spread across the counter and dripped onto the floor she was at the next window now then the next moving impossibly fast her face appeared at each pain mouth forming the same words

over and over I ran through the living room up the stairs taking them two at a time my feet slipped on the carpet runner in my bedroom I slammed the door and turned the lock sweat soaked my t-shirt my chest heaved as I tried to to catch my breath tap tap tap the sound came from my bedroom window I couldn't stop myself from looking she hung upside down outside the Second Story window her face level with mine the baseball cap was gone her dark hair hung straight down swaying slightly she smiled showing Blood Stained teeth

I ripped the curtains closed and pressed my back against the wall my heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat the tapping moved around the room window to window I couldn't tell if she was actually moving or if the sound was coming from everywhere at once my phone was still in my hand I managed to pull up my recent calls through blurred vision the police dispatcher answered on the first ring she's back I gasped she's outside my windows second floor units are already on their way the dispatcher said stay on the line

the tapping stopped s silence pressed against my ears I heard my own ragged breathing the blood rushing in my temples hello The Voice came from right outside my bedroom door young female slightly muffled I can come in now the doorknob slowly began to turn I lunged forward and grabbed it holding it in place the metal was ice cold under my palm officers are 3 minutes out the dispatcher said the door shuttered as something hit it from the other side the frame creaked another impact harder the door bucked in its frame I braced my shoulder against

it feet sliding on the carpet the door knob burned cold in my grip bang the door shook so hard my teeth rattled one minute out the dispatcher said help is almost there something wet seeped under the door soaking into the carpet dark liquid spread across the white fibers the door knob went still in my hand silence again red and blue light strobed through the curtains car doors slammed outside I kept my weight against the door listening nothing heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs police where are you here my voice cracked bedroom step away from the

door sir I released the door knob and moved back my hand was stiff from gripping it the door burst open two officers entered guns drawn different ones from before they cleared the room checked the windows looked in the closet and bathroom found nothing I pointed at the carpet blood there was blood coming under the door the carpet was clean dry no stains one officer radioed for paramedics to check me out the other asked question questions I could barely focus on had I been under unusual stress taking any medications when did I last sleep the paramedics

found my blood pressure high pulse elevated everything else normal they suggested I go to the hospital I refused the police searched the entire house again no signs of intrusion no blood no evidence anyone had been there they left as Dawn began to lighten the sky I sat on my bed watching the Shadows fade my wife called at 7:30 her usual morning check-in everything okay she asked you sound strange I stared at the back door through my bedroom window normal clean closed fine I said everything's fine when are you coming home tomorrow night like we planned

sure you're okay the sun lit up the kitchen windows downstairs no faces No bloody handprints just tired didn't sleep well we said goodbye I kept watching the door the morning passed I didn't sleep couldn't sleep at noon my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number thank you for letting me in I dropped the phone it bounced on the carpet another text came through see you tonight I'm writing this now sitting in my car in a parking lot across town the Sun is setting soon it will be dark I don't know if I imagined

everything the doctors at the Urgent Care Clinic found nothing wrong with me no drugs in my system no sign of mental illness but I know I can't go home tonight my phone buzzes a new text I followed you I look in the rearview mirror she's in the back seat she smiles with bloodstained teeth let me in she says but she's already here the first message appeared 3 weeks ago six words scratched into the Steam on my bathroom mirror you need to lock your windows I hadn't written them I live alone on the 12th floor I

stood there dripping wet towel around my waist staring at those words until the steam started to fade my heart pounded against my ribs I reached out and wiped them away with my palm leaving streaks on the glass then I checked every window in my apartment they were all locked like always I never opened them I hate heights I tried to forget about it weird condensation patterns I told myself my eyes playing tricks but the next morning after my shower new words appeared they're watching you through the building across the street I live in downtown Chicago

in one of those steel and glass apartment Towers my bathroom window faces another identical building about 50 yards away hundreds of Windows hundreds of Apartments I'd never paid much attention to them before that morning I called in sick to work I spent hours watching the building across the street through my binoculars trying to spot anyone suspicious all I saw were office workers at their computers cleaning staff moving between rooms a few elderly residents watering plants on their balconies normal City Life the messages kept coming every morning right after my shower different words would appear in

the steam check your phone for spyware they know about the money don't trust the building manager I started taking photos of each message before wiping them away I installed security cameras in every room I changed all my passwords I bought blackout curtains and kept them closed day and night I sto sleeping more than 2 or 3 hours at a time the thing is I don't have any money worth stealing I work in it support make decent money but nothing special my savings account barely breaks five figures I've never done anything illegal or suspicious I'm just

a regular guy who likes video games and pizza and watching baseball last week the messages got personal we know what happened to your sister Jenny I dropped my towel when I read that one Jenny disappeared 15 years ago when she was 16 and I was 14 we never found out what happened to her the police investigation went nowhere my parents divorced over it I haven't spoken to either of them in years I wiped that message away so hard I cracked the mirror 7 years of bad luck but I already felt cursed that night I took

apart my bathroom mirror checking for hidden devices or cameras nothing just a normal mirror mounted on normal drywall the next morning ask your father about July 15th 2019 July 15th 2009 the day Jenny disappeared I remember every detail of that day the humid summer air the sound of cicas Jenny arguing with our father at breakfast about staying out late the night before her stomping up to her room me playing video games in the basement when I came up for dinner she was gone her bed was made her phone was on her desk powered off no

note no signs of struggle just gone I hadn't talked to my father since I moved out at 18 but that message got to me I called him that night hand shaking as I dialed his number it went to voicemail I tried again the next morning voicemail again I looked him up online and discovered he'd moved to Florida 5 years ago his current address was was listed as a retirement community in Tampa the messages continued he's not in Florida check the basement of your old house the police never found the right evidence I took a week

off work told my boss I had Mono I drove 6 hours to my hometown in Michigan passed rows of identical subdivisions until I reached the street where I grew up the house looked smaller than I remembered different color sighting new windows a basketball hoop in the driveway a woman answered when I knocked mid-40s wearing yoga pants and holding a cup of coffee I explained I used to live there made up a story about writing a memoir asked if I could see the basement for Old Times Sake she looked suspicious but agreed when I offered her

$100 the basement had been finished new carpet recessed lighting a home theater setup no sign of the bare concrete floors and exposed pipes I remembered I asked if they done any major Renovations the woman said no it was like this when they bought the place 8 years ago that night in my hotel room I researched the previous owners the house had been sold four times since my family moved out building permits showed no major structural work I was about to give up when I found something interesting a news article from 2010 about a serial killer

in northern Michigan he' buried his victims in the basements of homes he'd renovated through his Construction business my hands were shaking so bad I could barely hold my phone I Googled the killer's name along with my old address nothing came up but when I searched for his mug shot my heart stopped he looked exactly like my father the next morning's message now you're getting closer I drove back to Chicago in a days pushing 90 on the interstate my mind raced with possibilities was my father the killer did he know something about Jenny's disappearance was someone

trying to tell me something or just messing with my head when I got home I found my apartment door unlocked I never leave it unlocked I stood in the hallway for 10 minutes heart pounding before working up the courage to go inside nothing was missing or disturbed but there was a fresh message on the bathroom mirror even though I hadn't showered check your email I opened my laptop with trembling fingers one new message sent from an account I didn't recognize the subject line was Jenny the body contained only an address in Gary Indiana and today's

date I'm writing this now from my car parked outside an abandoned warehouse in Gary the address from the email it's almost midnight my Palms are sweating on the steering wheel my phone shows no signal the street is empty except for a stray dog picking through garbage nearby I've been sitting here for 2 hours trying to work up the courage to go inside I bought a gun yesterday a Glock 19 it's sitting on the passenger seat I've never fired a gun before my hands Shake every time I touch it a light just came on inside the

warehouse second floor one window a silhouette moved past it I can't tell if it's a man or a woman my phone buzzed new text message from an unknown number she's waiting for you I'm going in I have to no the gun is heavy in my jacket pocket my footsteps echo on the cracked pavement as I approach the warehouse door it's slightly a jar rusty hinges creaking in the wind the first floor is one huge room empty except for broken pallets and graffiti covered walls Moonlight streams through broken windows the air smells like mold and rat

droppings a metal staircase leads to the second floor each step groans under my weight my breathing sounds too loud in the silence at the top of the stairs a long hallway stretches Into Darkness one door is open at the far end yellow light spilling out I grip the gun tighter trying to remember what I learned from YouTube videos about proper stance and Trigger Discipline my feet move forward on their own 20 yards 10 yards five I reached the doorway the room Beyond is small maybe 15x 15 ft bar concrete walls a single light bulb hanging

from the ceiling and sitting in a metal folding chair in the center of the room Jenny she looks exactly the same as she did 15 years ago 16 years old long brown hair wearing the same Green Day t-shirt and ripped jeans she had on the day she disappeared she's transparent like a projection or a hologram I can see the wall through her body hi little brother she says her voice sounds distant like it's coming through water I've been trying to reach you I drop the gun it clatters on the concrete floor my legs give out

and I sit down hard staring at my sister's ghost how what I can't form complete sentences I'm sorry about the messages she says I had to get your attention somehow it took me years to learn how to manipulate physical objects the mirror was easiest water vapor is close to my state of being are you dead my voice cracks on the last word she nods since that day July 15th 2009 dad another nod he's buried six other girls in basement across Michigan the police never connected the cases because he used different construction companies each time different

names he's smart careful where is he now not in Florida Jenny says he's in Detroit still working construction still hunting my hands are shaking so bad I have to sit on them why didn't you tell me sooner I tried for years but it's hard to break through to the physical world it takes so much energy and I had to wait until you were ready to believe what do you want me to do stop him Jenny says her image flickers like a bad TV signal I can show you where the bodies are buried where to find

the evidence but you have to help me help us we can't rest until he stopped I pick up the gun it feels heavier now more real tell me everything Jenny's ghost tells me about the other girls their names their stories how our father gained their trust how he killed them where he buried them she gives me addresses dates details only the killer would know I take notes on my phone hands steadier now this is real this is happening my sister's ghost is giving me evidence to catch a serial killer our father I have to go

Jenny says her image is fading it takes too much energy to maintain this form but I'll keep leaving you messages follow them and Marcus yeah be careful he knows you're looking into him now he's watching you too she disappears leaving me alone in the empty room I sit there until dawn gun in my lap thinking about what comes next about Justice and revenge and family secrets about a teenage girl Frozen in time trying to reach through the veil to expose a monster when I get home there's a new message on my mirror even though I

haven't showered it begins now I wipe it away and start packing I have addresses to check evidence to gather a father to find and somewhere in Michigan six families who deserve to know what happened to their daughters the next message will come tomorrow and the next and the next until this is finished until Jenny can rest until they all can rest I check my gun making sure it's loaded outside my window the city is waking up traffic noise filters up 12 Stories the sun reflects off the building across the street hundreds of Windows staring back

at me like empty eyes Somewhere Out There my father is watching waiting but he's not the only one watching anymore and thanks to Jenny I finally know where to look the hunt begins today and this time the prey doesn't know he's being hunted the thuds above my head made the ceiling lamp sway I sat up straight in my armchair my TV remote dropping to the floor the footsteps moved across my roof with deliberate heavy steps someone was up there I live alone in a singl story house on the outskirts of Portland the nearest neighbor is

half a mile away the wind howled outside rattling my windows but those sounds weren't wind I know what wind sounds like on my roof after 15 years in this house my hands gripped the arms of my chair as another thud came from above the steps moved toward the back of the house where my ladder leans against the wall I always keep it there for cleaning the gutters my throat went dry the clock on the wall showed 11:47 p.m. I stood up my legs shaky the hardwood floor creaked under my feet as I walked to the

kitchen my fingers wrapped around the handle of my largest knife a 10-in chef's knife I use for cutting meat the steel felt cold and solid in my palm the wind whipped harder outside making the trees scrape against my windows but above that I heard it the distinct sound of my ladder scraping against the house siding someone was using it my heart pounded against my ribs sweat made my t-shirt stick to my back despite the cold I had two choices call the police and wait or check it out myself the closest station was 20 minutes away

by then whoever was up there could be gone or inside my house I walked to my back door each step carefully care ful and Silent on the floor the knife handle was slippery in my sweating Palm I wiped my hand on my jeans and gripped it tighter my other hand found the flashlight I keep by the door the back porch light cast yellow squares on my lawn through the window the ladder's Shadow stretched across the grass tilted at an angle against my roof no other Shadows moved I pressed my ear against the door the wind

rushed past but I couldn't hear footsteps anymore my jaw clenched so tight at hurt I turned the dead bolt slowly Trying to minimize the click the door hinges squeaked as I pulled it open I'd been meaning to oil them for months cold air hit my face the wind yanked at my clothes and hair fallen leaves skittered across my porch I swept the flashlight beam across my backyard empty the beam traced up the ladder to the edge of my roof also empty my throat tightened as I stepped onto the porch the wooden boards felt ice cold

through my socks I hadn't even thought to put on shoes the ladder rattled against the house in the wind I moved the flashlight beam back and forth across the roof's Edge nothing moved up there the rational part of my brain said to go back inside call the police wait safely but my feet carried me forward the first rung of the ladder was freezing against my hands as I set down the flashlight and knife I couldn't clim climb with both after a moment's hesitation I picked up the knife again I could come back for the light

the ladder shook with each step as I climbed wind pushed against my back my socks slipped on the metal rungs halfway up I stopped and listened just the wind no footsteps no voices maybe I'd imagined the whole thing my head cleared the roof's Edge in the dark the shingles looked like rows of scales the wind was Stronger up here trying to push me off the ladder I grabbed the gutter to steady myself the metal dented under my grip I pulled myself onto the roof moving slow and careful the shingles scraped my palms and knees as

I crawled up the slope at the peak I straddled The Ridge and looked around the knife's blade reflected the distant street light my roof has two main sections that meet in the middle from this height I could see my whole yard my driveway the empty road beyond the wind rippled through the trees a neighbor's porch light glowed through the forest everything looked normal I turned to check the other side of the roof that's when I saw it near the chimney a dark shape lay on the shingles my chest went tight I started crawling toward it

the knife extended in front of me as I got closer I could make out more detail it was a backpack black or dark blue mediumsized the kind you'd use for hiking or camping it wasn't mine I'd never seen it before my hands shook as I reached for the bag the Zipper was partially open inside I felt something hard and rectangular I pulled it out a laptop computer new and expensive looking also not mine the wind gusted hard almost knocking me over I grabbed the chimney to steady myself my sock feet slipped on the shingles the

knife clattered against the roof and started sliding I lunged and caught it before it could fall off the edge that's when I heard the crunch of gravel in my driveway I pressed myself flat against the roof heart hammering footsteps approached my house multiple sets they weren't trying to be quiet anymore a beam of light swept across my front yard then another flashlights male voices carried on the wind the signals still coming from here check around back he has to be close I lay completely still barely breathing the beams of light moved toward my backyard they'd

find the ladder they'd know someone was up here I looked at the laptop in my hands a small LED blinked on its surface some kind of tracking device I was holding stolen property and the thieves had come back for it my mind raced I could try to climb down Down The Far Side of the roof maybe jump to the ground but they'd hear me I could call 911 but my phone was inside I could throw the laptop into the woods but the tracker would lead them there the voices grew closer their flashlights illuminated my ladder

up there someone's been up there watch the front he might try to run heavy footsteps on my back porch the ladder rattled they were climbing up I made my decision moving as quietly as possible I crawled to the other side of the chimney the laptop went into the backpack I hugged both close to my chest along with the knife a head appeared over the roof's Edge a flashlight beam cut through the darkness I held my breath nothing here the man called down wait there's something by the chimney the beam moved closer I pressed harder against

the bricks another man climbed onto the roof spread out check everywhere their footsteps crunched on the shingles getting closer the wind covered some of the sound but not enough my Palms were sweating again the knife felt slick in my grip a beam of light passed inches from my shoes I pulled my feet in tighter hey one of them shouted he'd seen me I exploded into motion launching away from the chimney I sprinted down the slope of the roof their shouts followed me flashlight Light Beam swung wild the shingles tore at my socks the roof Edge

approached fast too fast I couldn't stop I hugged the backpack to my chest and jumped the fall lasted forever and no time at all the ground rushed up I hit the grass hard rolling to absorb the impact pain shot through my shoulder and hip but I was moving running before my brain could process The Landing shouts behind me running footsteps I spring Ed across my backyard toward the trees branches whipped my face rocks and sticks stabbed my feet through my shredded socks a flashlight beam caught me a gunshot cracked through the night bark exploded from

a tree trunk beside my head I ran harder deeper into the woods the ground sloped down toward the creek that runs behind my property the backpack bounced against my ribs with each step the knife was still somehow in my hand more shots more shouting but far farther away now the trees were thicker here harder to follow someone through I knew these Woods I'd walked them for years they didn't I splashed through the creek the icy water soaking my feet up the far Bank through more trees my lungs burned my legs trembled but I kept running

after what felt like hours I stopped to listen nothing but wind in the trees no flashlights no foot footsteps no voices I was about a mile from my house near the highway my whole body shook from adrenaline and cold my shoulder throbbed where I'd landed my feet were bleeding looking inside the backpack again I found more than just the laptop there was a thick envelope full of cash a handgun a small bag of diamonds and a USB drive labeled evidence I knew I should go to the police but something made me hesitate those men had

been willing to kill over what was in this bag they tracked it to my house they knew where I lived instead I started walking toward town I needed to find somewhere safe somewhere to look through what I'd found somewhere to figure out exactly what I'd stumbled into the wind followed me down the dark Highway every passing car made me Flinch expecting flashlights and gunshots but none came I'd escaped for now but as I walked one thought kept circling in my mind those footsteps on my roof hadn't been a random incident someone had deliberately hidden this

bag there my house had been chosen the question was why my feet carried me forward through the night as I gripped the knife and backpack the wind grew colder and somewhere behind me I knew they were still searching this wasn't over it was just beginning the lights of town grew closer with each step I needed answers I needed help but most of all I needed to survive long enough to figure out what I'd found on my roof that windy night and why it was worth killing for my socks were completely destroyed now my feet numb

from cold and cuts but I kept walking the weight of the backpack felt heavier with each step filled with Secrets I didn't understand not yet Dawn was still hours away a long night stretched ahead of me and somewhere in that Darkness men with guns were hunting for what I carried I touched the USB drive through the backpack's fabric evidence of what the cash and diamonds hinted at something big something dangerous I'd been dragged into someone else's criminal world all because of footsteps on my roof A semi-truck roared past on the highway its wake buffeting me

with wind and Road grit I pulled deeper into the Shadows of the roadside trees three more miles to town to people to relative safety my shoulder screamed with each step the fall from the roof had done more damage than adrenaline initially let me feel but I couldn't stop not yet not until I found somewhere secure I thought of my house now probably being torn apart by those men as they searched everything I owned was there my whole life would anything be left when I finally returned if I returned that thought sent a chill through me

deeper than the wind I'd seen their faces in the flashlight beams they'd seen mine this wasn't the kind of situation that ended with everyone walking away the knife was Heavy in my hand the handle warm from my grip I'd never used a weapon against another person never thought I would but tonight had changed things tonight had changed me another mile down two to go my legs moved mechanically now running on fumes and fear the first hint of pre-dawn gray touched the Eastern Sky I'd been moving for hours a car slowed as it passed I ducked

behind a tree until it was gone Friend or Foe impossible to know trust had become a luxury I couldn't afford the backpack's straps dug into my shoulders such a small thing to contain so much Danger part of me wanted to throw it into the woods go back to my normal life but it was too late for that I was involved now whether I wanted to be or not lights appeared ahead the outskirts of town buildings people Witnesses the men with guns wouldn't be as bold here I hoped my feet found sidewalk instead of gravel Street

lamps cast pools of light I skirted around a few early workers headed to their cars wrapped in their normal lives they didn't notice the man in torn socks carrying a knife I needed somewhere to rest to think to examine what I'd found but where hotels required ID friends would be checked I had no cash except what was in the backpack and I couldn't use that a 24-hour diner appeared ahead light spilled from its Windows onto the empty Street warmth coffee a chance to plan my next move I stashed the knife and backpack behind a dumpster

in the alley couldn't walk in carrying those my reflection in the diner's window showed a wild-eyed man with leaves in his hair and dirt on his face I did my best to brush off the Bell chimed as I entered an elderly waitress looked up from wiping tables her eyes widened slightly at my appearance but she just gestured toward the counter coffee I nodded sinking onto a stool the vinyl cover crackled under me she poured a cup steam Rising rough night you could say that my hands shook as I lifted the mug the coffee burned my

tongue but I didn't care heat spread through my chest what now the question pressed down on me like a physical weight I couldn't go home couldn't go to friends couldn't trust the police until I knew what was on that USB drive the waitress's TV played a Morning News show I stared at it without seeing my mind spinning through options each one seemed worse than the last Dawn crept over the town outside another day beginning people heading to work to school to their normal lives while I sat in a diner with stolen evidence and killers on

my trail all because of footsteps on my roof on a windy night funny how fast a normal life can shatter how quickly everything can change I ordered more coffee and tried to think the day stretched ahead full of dangers I couldn't yet see but I was alive I had what they wanted and somehow I had to find a way forward the coffee grew cold in my cup outside the town woke up around me and Somewhere Out There men with guns were watching waiting searching this was my life now at least until I figured out what

was on that USB drive until I understood why my house had been chosen until I found a way out of this mess but first I needed new socks the waitress was starting to stare at my bloody feet one step at a time that's all I could manage right now one step at a time for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for e for for for for