THUD! Harper jolts awake, nearly tumbling from her tangled bedsheets. The dark shadows in her spacious room twist into unsettling shapes. Grabbing the cool blade hidden under her pillow, she prepares for anything. As the daughter of the most hated general in history, caution is essential.

Flicking a bracelet on her wrist, a soft, translucent shield surrounds her just as a small object whizzes past, bouncing harmlessly off it.

“Who’s there?” Harper’s voice trembles.

Another object flies through the air, but she dodges it. A silhouette steps into the dim light.

“Harper,” he says gently. “Lower your shield. It’s just me.”

Harper laughs, gripping her blade tighter. “So you can kill me? No, thanks.”

The boy huffs in frustration and flicks on the lights, temporarily blinding her. Even blind, she strikes true, hitting his leg with her blade.

“Why did you do that?” he grumbles, sinking to the floor. “Now I can’t move.”

Her gaze locks onto his striking green eyes. “You were trying to kill me.”

“Attack you? With sticks?” He gestures to two small, dull objects on the floor.

“Then why are you here?” she asks, arms crossed.

He looks bewildered. “I promised to break you out. We tried escaping together before.”

Harper scoffs. “Why would I want that?”

“Harper, you held the guards off for me. I promised I’d return for you.”

“Yeah, okay. For real. Why are you here?” She pulls her blade back from his leg, ignoring his wince.

“Please, you have to remember!” he pleads.

Before she can respond, guards burst in, dragging him away despite his protests.

“Harper, you need to remember!” he calls as they pull him out.

Then her father enters, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. “Don’t trust him. You can only trust me.”

He leaves without another word.

“Dude, did you hear that?”

Will’s vision was blurry. But he could manage to make out the silhouette of his friend bolted upright.

“Hear wha…” he yawned. He forced his eyes to open and pushed himself up. He looked up at the clock on the bedside table.

_1:30 AM _ “I don’t hear anything…” He mumbled, sleep still clinging on to him. His warm sheets invited him back in. “What are you talking abo—“

TAPTAPTAP!!

Will’s head shot towards the window.

There it was. A swift shadow. It vanished as soon as it knocked the glass.

“Someone’s at the window…” Alex whispered.

Faint light crept into his room from the window above his bed. Shadows thickened around them as they waited in the dark. He felt the ominous silence caress him down his neck.

“I’ll go get Dad—“

“SHH!!” Alex gripped his arm tight.

A hooded figure loomed behind the glass.

_TAPTAPTAP! _

A chill went up their spines. It tapped again. But this time, it didn’t leave. A silhouette of a person came into view.

“Don’t. Move.”

Will’s stomach churned with the person tried peeping through the window. His room suddenly wasn’t the safest pace anymore.

“Will?” Alex nudged him in the ribs. “You did lock the window right?”

That’s when it hit him.

He hadn’t.

Panic let loose like a bunch of scattering ants.

The window slid open. The figure darted in. Will let loose a scream. But it was cut short. The figure jumped off the bed and tackled him on the ground. The intruder’s knee pressed against his chest.

“AAAAAAAA— MMMPHMMM!”

“SHH! It’s me!” A voice hissed. “You’re gonna wake Uncle James up!”

The lights flicked on revealing Will’s cousin in a black hoodie, towering on top of him.

“Avery?” Alex whispered exasperatedly. “Are you crazy?”

“I prefer crea— HEY!”

Will pushed her off him and sat up. “Maniac…” he muttered under his breath.

Avery removed her hood, revealing her caramel hairs.

“Seriously, can’t a lady even sneak in peace?” She complained as she climbed up the bed to shut the window. “I bet you forgot to lock your window too…”

“Maybe try telling us next time?” Alex hissed, “You scared us!”

“Ha! And miss out on the look on your faces? I’m good.” Avery sat cross legged on the mattress, “So? What are we doing?”

“IIII don’t think I’ll be able to sleep after what just happened.” Alex plopped over the bed beside her. “And the ice cream in Will’s fridge looked too good to be ignored…”

“Yum…”

The two looked at Will like excited puppy dogs. He sighed.

“Fine. I’ll get it”

A noise in the dead of night. Why do they call it that?? Laughing, fighting, hah. It could go on and on.

Bass thumping. Red lights lit up. AirPods going. She hangs ov- over her desk. Working on it. Her next piece. Masterpiece.

Like a DJ at the slide. I make people sing along. Rapping my raps, tryna be me. DJ at the slide, I make my own beat.

Rap my writings, copy my beats. You’ll never get the tone right. Try to read my notes, craft.

“You were almost as good as SQ!”

Got me singing Like XXXTENTACION; “Like oh my god, shawty, Oh my god, it’s going down!”

Fighting like a warrior, Colors black and red. Bleeding but laughing. Wounded but walking.

Mad, I’m like Pepa Madrigal. Brewing storms, losing my cool. Like a tornado, I’m wrecking. I’m the devil in her flesh. She, that’s right. Complicated?

An angel with broken wings. Fading black— lost, shattered. Putting them in their graves. Black bands, knife at my thigh. Blades on my back, cackling. Licking blood like Cannibal. Blades like Scissor-Hands. Friendly like Icarus E. Watching like SM.

SMILEEE!!

I bring the fog, three-headed dog. Singing a Siren’s song, lurking. I even got Percy bowing down. On my throne, watching over. Love the fear, thick like organs. Thin blood, blades like lightning.

I bet you’re still wondering about that noise? That thump in the night? You swore you heard it. You even sat up and looked around.

Sorry. I was on the hunt. Didn’t mean to spook you.

Seems that the flesh-eaters, finger-lickers, and the monsters of the world have to eat too!

Ah. Oh well. I’ll be back! What’s that look for? I can’t leave witnesses! You know this, cutie!

Haha.

Run.

I was pulled out of my slumber by Kelly's fingers tapping on my shoulder.

“There it is again, that weird noise. Joey do you hear it?" Whispered Kelly.

I heard it, it didn't bother me this time and it didn't bother me the other times I'd heard it. There was a strange sound that sounded like a vacuum cleaner coming from our next-door neighbor. I'd heard it during the day and I'd heard it during the night. But the bewildering thing was that it ran for hours at a time.

"Sweetie she's probably vacuuming something up," I said under my breath.

"At 3:30 in the morning? Once is weird enough, but last night and the night before? That's super weird." Kelly insisted.

I responded with a stifled grunt before wrapping my pillow around my head.

"You don't think it's weird?" Continued Kelly.

"I think it's weird, but I also don't care. Baby, we both have work tomorrow morning."

She didn't respond with words like a normal person, instead, she punched my shoulder.

"Okay. What? Do you want me to go bother her at three in the morning? Then who looks like the assholes?"

"Who vacuums at 3 am every day?" Kelly argued.

I sat up and shrugged my shoulders. "I don't think she's vacuuming."

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Oh what? It's a better theory than yours which is that she's vacuuming the back of her head so she looks younger for her dogs."

I concealed my urge to laugh. I'd seen that on an episode of 'The Simpsons' and that was my first theory (it was still my theory god damnit), but I could tell, even in the darkness of our bedroom that Kelly wasn't in a joking mood.

"I know it's dark Joe, but I can see you trying not to laugh." She said flatly, arms crossed across her chest.

"Okay fine. Do you want me to go see what she's doing?"

She uncrossed her arms and slumped her shoulders. "Can you? And can you ask her to not vacuum her apartment until the suns up?"

"Fine, if it'll make you happy."

I pulled the sheet off myself and rolled my legs out of bed, I snatched my phone off the nightstand and navigated through the darkness of my bedroom.

"If I'm not back in five minutes she probably killed me. If I'm not back in ten minutes she's probably vacuuming up my remains."

No response, no laugh. Tough crowd.

I put my sandals on, pulled open the front door, and exited my apartment. It did sound like a vacuum cleaner. And yes it was strange to be vacuuming anything at this hour of the day. Maybe she was a clumsy old woman, who was a clean freak? One who liked late-night snacks but kept dropping crumbs everywhere? That sounded plausible, right?

I stopped in front of my neighbor's apartment and narrowed my eyes as I positioned myself to look into her apartment, at the right angle I could see just about everything. A small lamp on an end table provided the only source of light. I could see my neighbor, at the far end of her dinner table, sitting on one of the chairs, eyes closed. Her three small dogs sitting obediently at her feet with their attention glued to her. The vacuum cleaner sat off to her right and it was clearly in the on position.

My mouth fell open, I was at a loss for words. I'd never seen anything like it, and I was sure that I'd never witness something like this again. I wished Kelly was by my side to witness what my eyes had fallen upon.

I pulled out my phone, opened the camera, and hit record.

Five Minutes feels like an eternity when your boyfriend leaves the apartment, leaving you with the idea that your neighbor might kill him.

I felt like such an idiot, hiding under the blanket, my phone just inches from my face as I counted down the time.

Your neighbor isn't going to kill Joe, you idiot, grow up. And get out from under the blanket! What are you five??

I pushed the blanket off me and sat up, and just as I did the front door opened.

"Joey?" I hissed.

"Yeah," He responded.

He sounded out of breath. And he proved that he was, as he flipped on all the apartment lights and bombarded into the bedroom. He practically tripped over his own feet as he fell into bed. I didn't even have a chance to gather my thoughts, let alone respond.

"Oh my god, Joe, what the hell's wrong with you?" I asked. I'd never seen him this excited, not even during sex.

"Kelly, Oh my god. You have to see this." He said as he unlocked his phone. He turned the phone in my direction and hit Play.

I couldn't speak, I couldn't think, I was in a daze. I could feel my lips mouth the words: Oh my god, but the words ceased to come out. I subconsciously raised my right hand to cover my mouth.

After the four-minute duration of the video, I managed to say: "Is this for real?"

Joe frantically nodded his head as he paced back and forth across the room. "I only stopped recording because one of the dogs turned to look at me, I didn't want her to see me and stop so I bolted back."

I don't know how many times we rewatched that video, I just know that we watched it until the sun came up.

It was a gargling sound, undulating in the night. It wasn't totally strange, I had heard it before. I pulled my blankets over my head, hoping for it to stop. It was happening nearly every night now and I didn't like it. Something was definitely not ok.

I didn't want to get out of bed. But there it was again. The same gurgling sound. Then a squeak. I sighed and made myself turn on the lamp.

There it was, staring at me, licking his mouth.

'This isn't ok, Tinkles. Tomorrow I'm getting you another brand of food.'

And I walked into the kitchen to get an old cloth and clean my cat's vomit.

The sound of the kitchen cabinets being slammed shut roused her from her sleep, her thoughts foggy and slow from the unexpected, abrupt interruption. She forced her eyes open and glanced over at the clock on her bedside table where the numbers glowed 2:00 A.M. Too early to get up for work, she thought. She rolled over and repositioned her pillow, enveloped by her soft billowy comforter. Her eyes were heavy with fatigue and annoyance flowed through her mildly, as she wondered why Danny would be rifling through the cabinets in the middle of the night. The thought swirled through her mind but started to slowly fade away. Just as she was about to fully succumb to sleep, her eyes shot open and fear seized her heart with the sudden realization that Danny was in New York on a business trip. Whoever was downstairs making noise was not her husband. Just then, she saw the shadowy figure of a man standing at her bedroom door, and as he began to approach, she stifled a horrified scream.

I was awoken by a series of knocks early in the morning. Just a quick:

Knock, Knock, Knock.

I pushed myself up from my bed, wiping sleep from my eyes. Trying to figure out if I'd heard what I heard. I was on the verge of discarding the idea, my left arm supporting my weight as I sat in bed, it began to bend back towards the mattress, as sleep took over.

Knock, Knock, Knock

I sat up straight. There was a knock. But it sounded strange, it didn't sound like it was on my front door.

Knock, Knock, Knock

I pushed myself out of my bed, rubbing sleep from my eyes as I blindly navigated through my bedroom to the door. I yanked the door open in mild frustration, trying to figure out the time.

I was surrounded by darkness, my apartment was surrounded by silence. It was very early in the morning, but I couldn't assess how early. I heard the knock again, three more times, just as I entered the living room.

Silence.

I had motion sensor lights outside my front door. And yes, at night you could see the light seep beneath the door. There was no light. I cautiously peered through the peephole to see darkness. I squinted, trying to make out if there was a darker shape, but saw nothing.

Perhaps someone delivered something for me? At a ludicrous hour of the day? Should I even open the door? I cautiously turned the locks free from the door, I slowly turned the knob, and pulled the door open. Immediately wishing I'd had some sort of weapon in my spare hand.

I stepped outside and the motion sensor light flicked on.

Nothing. No person, no item.

Not a thing.

I peered down my stairwell to the ground floor. I saw no shadows of someone departing from their prank, heard no giggles or muffled laughter.

Silence.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

That was from my kitchen window. How was that even possible? I was on the second story of my apartment complex. I pulled the door shut and returned the deadbolt lock. I flicked my living room lights on and made my way to my kitchen on shaky legs. I reached out to various pieces of furniture to support my walk. My brain scrambled for what I should use as a weapon. My feet went from the living room carpet to the kitchen tiles, and just as I felt the surge of cool from the tiles I heard the knock again. This time from my bedroom window.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

It was loud, it almost seemed as though the window would fall from its frame. I expected to hear the shattering of glass. I turned around and ran for my bedroom.

Through the closed blinds, I could see her shape. Standing? No. Floating outside my bedroom window. Through my blinds, I could see her hair as it wisped in the wind. I walked to my window with no fear, without hesitation. Why? It was as though I'd lost control of my body.

I pulled the blinds open and I saw her. Her dead and pale skin wrapped tightly around her skull. The darkness of her eye sockets was the darkest abyss I'd ever witnessed. Streaks of crimson ran down her cheeks from when her eyes were removed, blood covered her lips and ran down her chin from when her tongue was cut out. I could see her decaying teeth, yellow and rotting, yet still reflective in the moonlight. Her mouth arched in a smile that was far too wide for her face.

And then, without warning. She crashed through my window.

He awoke to the sound of a twig snapping. “Curse my hearing!” He thought as he got up from his bed. He walked across the wooden floor of his room. He went to the door of Willow’s room and looked in glad to see she was sleeping. Aunt Bettie was asleep in her room too. Another twig snapped and he ran to the door. He grabbed the battle axe by the door and stepped outside. His bare feet crunching on the leaves as he looked around. Silver flashed in the distance then an arrow came flying toward him. He easily blocked it when another came. Suddenly humans rushed out from the forest swinging swords at him. He sent the first one to the ground and brought his axe crashing down so hard it left a dent. He blocked the sword strikes and swung towards the second’s belly. The axe cleanly passed through to block the thirds attack. “Aaaah!” Aunt Bettie screamed. He finished off the third and ignored the others to go help her. He crashed into the house and followed the sound of the screaming. One of the humans held a sword to Aunt Bettie who had Willow hidden behind her. He jumped and landed his axe in the man’s face. Willow ran to him and grabbed hold of his leg. He bent down and rubbed her hair. “You got to go now okay? Run to the cave with Bettie and stay there till I come to get you alright?” Willow nodded her head in reply and let go of him. She held Bettie’s hand as Bettie tried to calm down enough to run. They left through the back door out into the woods. He made sure to go first in case he had to clear the way. He looked around relieved to find the way empty. Willow and Bettie ran into the trees to the caves. “Eversor!” He turned around to the man who had said his name. Standing several yards away was a man dressed in a robe. He had finally found him. “You’ve changed your appearance, but you haven’t aged a bit. It’s been five years hasn’t it?” Eversor remembered well the last time he had seen him. Willow lost her parents that day. He wasn’t gonna let her lose her family again. He charged at the man raising his axe high above his head. He swung at the man who blocked the hit with his metal staff. The metal vibrated under the force of the blow. Eversor smiled. He used his foot to kick the man where it hurts and the man fell back in pain. Then suddenly Eversor turned away from the man and ran into the trees.

 Willow and Bettie ran as fast as they could. They knew Eversor would be fine. He had fought battles a thousand times harder. Suddenly a man came from the shadows and pushed Bettie away from Willow. He unsheathed an unusually long sword and sent it flying towards Willow. She screamed and covered her face with her arms. She felt the blade hit her chest, but it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as she thought it would.
 “I’m sorry. I’m so…sorry. I should have…have gotten here sooner. Are….are you okay?” She recognized Eversor’s comforting voice. She loved it when he would tell her stories. She liked it better when they were just stories. She moved her arms a little to look down at her chest. She saw the tip of the sword embedded in her. The entire blade was covered in blood, but does blood drip uphill? “I know…it hurts, but I want you to…to walk backwards and I’ll….pull the sword back at the same…time alright? On three. One, two, three!” She walked backwards a couple steps and the half  of an inch of sword in her came out. “Good job! Now I…need you to turn around. Don’t open your eyes!! And I want to check on…Bettie and make sure she’s okay.” She always tried not to disobey him, but she didn’t turn around. She opened her eyes and tears streamed down her face. Blood doesn’t flow uphill. Eversor was kneeled down in front of her. The sword ran through his chest and he had grabbed it in his hands. It looked like a big red flower had bloomed on his chest. Blood poured from his mouth and his hands were covered. “Are you okay? Willow?”

One dark night I went to bed and I felt really thirst so I woke up to get some water in the kitchen and then I heard a glass break so I went and I look and I saw a woman with no face and she was just standing there looking at me so I starting running away from it. When I look I saw it wasn’t looking at me again also it wasn’t even there or at least that’s what I thought . when I was about going back to my room I saw the ghost standing by my room door. I Just felt weak. and then when I woke up the ghost was gone.

The strange sound that came from my walls woke me up once again. This time it was just past 3 am. I groaned in frustration and stuffed my head in between my pillows. This had been an ongoing situation for months. I'd never realized it until it got cold, so my deduction was that it was my downstairs neighbor's heating unit. It made sense to me...

But it didn't really sound like a heating unit either. I'm far from a heating mechanism enthusiast, and I'd never turned on my heater in the seven years of living here. Never saw the point in racking up the electricity bill when I could just apply every blanket in the hallway closet you know?

Another thing that didn't add up for me, was that my downstairs neighbor's heating unit wasn't adjacent to my bedroom. In fact, it was in a different room entirely.

It sounded as though it was coming from the wall right next to my bed. That was probably the reason for it sounding so loud. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and pressed my ear against the wall.

Bingo, I could hear that sound. That cold and dry sound of machinery. The only thing that made sense was that it was a heating unit. It was pretty loud and very noticeable. But deep down I knew it was one of those things where I'd have to manage. I couldn't tell the neighbors to not use their heater. I was on the verge of returning my head to my pillow when I heard the voice.

"Good evening Miles." It said. It was low, horse, and there was a certain chill to it.

I frowned. Did I hear that right?

I pressed my ear to the wall again.

"You heard me, Miles."

I began to shake, and it had nothing to do with the fact that it was freezing in my room. I didn't know what to say. Was I dreaming? Was I going insane?

"Come on over Miles."

And that's how I found out that there was a man living in my apartment walls.