After a long pause, I answered.
“Hello? You haven’t come down yet?” Wayne’s voice was casual, almost too normal, but the quiet in the background was unsettling. It was so silent, I could sense an undercurrent of tension, like a hidden wire humming with energy.
“I’m… I’m busy right now. Thanks for your help, but I won’t be able to come out tonight.” I forced my voice into a semblance of calm.
“Ah, well, if it keeps raining like this, your car’s going to be flooded by morning.”
There was a pause.
Longer than it should have been.
“What are you so afraid of?” he asked. And then he laughed.
Not loudly, not joyously, but softly, restrained. It was the kind of laugh that didn’t belong in casual conversation, the kind that made your skin crawl because you knew something was not right.
“What do you want?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He didn’t answer right away. The laugh faded, replaced by a tone so calm it was almost more unnerving.
“How about this,” he said. “I’ll come upstairs, grab the keys, and handle it for you. Wouldn’t that be easier?”
He wanted to come up.
He knew where I lived.
My mind raced. I could almost feel the gears turning in his head, each word he spoke perfectly calculated.
“No, it’s fine,” I said quickly. “I won’t be driving tomorrow. My boyfriend will take me.” I emphasized “boyfriend,” hoping it would deter him, force him to rethink whatever plan he might have.
Wayne chuckled again, the sound hollow and strange, echoing like a void.
“I remember now,” he said. “Building 3, Unit 301… 302… 304. Yes, 304. You bought that place yourself, didn’t you?”
He knew. He knew everything.
And then, suddenly—
Bang, bang, bang!
Knocks pounded on my door, sharp and forceful.
Was he here?
I jumped to my feet, heart slamming against my ribs. My phone slipped from my grasp, clattering onto the floor, spinning until it landed near the door.
“Hello? What’s that noise?” His voice, still on the line, crackled faintly.
Bang, bang, bang!
“Open the door!” A voice called out from the other side.
