Someone Is Inside

You’re home alone tonight. At least, you’re supposed to be.

11:47 PM. A floorboard creaks upstairs.

Your phone buzzes.

hey wierdo, I am outside.

looks like you have left your lights on

wait what?

I didn’t turn it on.

uh. that's ur room tho. second floor, corner window

jake i'm literally looking at it rn. it's on.

Above you, the floorboard creaks again. Closer to the stairs this time.

wait. u said ur home alone right?

Yh I did

ok that's weird bc someone just walked past that window

not gonna lie i'm getting goosebumps out here

Upstairs, the footsteps cross your hallway. Slow. Unhurried.

jake do NOT go up there. seriously.

dion can you come in

no way. no. i'm staying outside

if someone's up there i can see them and u can't. that's the whole point

The footsteps stop. Directly above you now. The ceiling fan rattles.

ok ok i just saw them again. they moved past ur window AGAIN

jake listen to me. someone is up there. i'm not joking anymore

do not go upstairs. stay where u are.

call the police

calling rn. 30 secs tops

but jake. listen. they're still up there

whatever u do, don't go up those stairs

Above you, the footsteps start again. Toward the top of the stairs.

police are on the line with me rn. stay calm

they're asking if ur safe to talk. are u still downstairs?

The footsteps reach the top of the stairs and stop. The banister groans, as if a hand is resting on it.

then don’t go upstairs.

For a second, the whole house is silent.

The bedroom light switches off.

For a moment, nothing happens.

Then you hear it.

Creak.

One step.

Another.

A third step. The stairwell fills with the sound of someone descending without any hurry at all.

jake the light just went off. what's happening

police said 6 minutes. six. minutes.

Halfway down now. You can hear breathing — slow, even, almost relaxed.

Your phone screen is the brightest thing in the room.

turn the brightness down

You swipe the brightness down until the screen is a dull ember in your palm.

ok good. if they come down they won't see u as easy

where are u rn? kitchen? living room?

The stairs go quiet. The breathing has stopped too.

The house holds its breath with you.

wait. wait wait wait

i can't see the front door from here. is ur front door locked??

no unlocked

Unlocked. Anyone could walk straight in.

jake NO. lock it. lock it NOW

wait. actually don't move. do u hear that?

The stairs have gone completely silent. No steps. No breathing. Nothing.

he stopped. i can't hear anything from inside either

Then your phone buzzes. Not Dion. A number you don't know.

One message, on the screen in your hand: "don't turn around."

jake?? why'd u stop typing

jake?

The screen glows dim in your palm. The message sits there, unsent by anyone you know.

jake ur scaring me. what number is that

Behind you, so close now, fabric shifts against the banister.

He’s coming downstairs.

and here we're

To be continued...