Headlights pierced the twilight. They guided an old Ford Mustang as it cruised along the county road. Its wheels hummed over slippery asphalt. Pine trees towered on either side with shrubbery lining the banks.
From the roadside, Sergio hunched amongst the grasses. He froze, permitting the old muscle car to roll past. Its engine gurgled close and away from earshot. It faded into the darkness. Sergio broke from the grass. He darted out towards the asphalt shoulder. The fluttering of his hoodie in his ears. It rustled just beneath his muffled panting. His heart drummed in his chest. Its throbbing pulsed into his scalp.
His sneakers squeaked beneath him. He accelerated. Short quick strides kicked droplets into his tailwind. Sergio ran for time. He ran for safety. He ran for his life.
***
“Did you start it without me?” Thanh paced from the apartment kitchen. She shuffled in her mismatched socks over the tile floor. She spun and plopped a seat aside her partner. Her torso pressed onto Finn’s.
He grunted, reaching over her shoulder, “Yeah. But you didn’t miss anything. Barely started.”
Finn clawed at Thanh’s bowl. His free arm swam in the pool of popcorn until she pressed it onto him.
“Hold on.” Thanh said. She slid her palm onto his knee and braced herself up from the suede black sofa. “I forgot the lights.”
Finn smothered his mouth in popcorn. His eyes centered on the TV as his foot rose. It rested on the wooden accent table.
Thanh returned and slid under Finn’s arm.
“Which one did you pick?” she asked.
“Freed.”
“Is it scary?”
“Nah,” Finn dismissed. He hugged her tightly. “It isn’t really scary.”
Thanh’s palm came over his thin chest. Her black hair ran down her lightly freckled cheeks down to her shoulder. Her brown eyes gazed over Finn’s profile. Her fingers caressed his chin. She scanned his slick, gelled hair.
“Let’s watch something more.” She paused pondering her next word. “Better. Something we both like.”
“We watched yours last time,” Finn countered. “Let’s watch this.”
“I hate scary movies,” Thanh whined. She pouted, pressing her face into Finn’s arm.
“They hate you too,” Finn smiled.
Thanh scoffed light heartedly. She peered at her partner. He fed his self another mouthful. Slowly, Thanh drew her gaze towards the TV.
On screen, a blond, short haired woman emerged from a hotel. She wore glossy, red lipstick. Golden hoops dangled from her ears. She wore a glittering red dress and walked with a sway. Her hips ebbed with every step.
Flashes chased after her. A crew of cameraman followed her every step. The sparks rained down from the hotel lobby. Security restrained fans at the entrance.
The celebrity met a white bullet-proof SUV. The door was opened for her. She climbed in and it started away.
The camera jumped to the curbside. Her car pulled from the hotel. It turned a corner and aimed its headlights for the camera. The wheel ran by, throwing an autumn leaf airborn. It danced its way back to the concrete. Here, it slept lifelessly.
***
Sergio fought the burning in his lungs. They stung as if filled with acid. He huffed and wheezed. His stride waddled down to a jog, and finally, he slowed to a walk.
One hand came over his hoodie. He tugged his head free. Finally, he gasped for air. The humid fog had clogged his chest. He frowned, squeezing his face in pain.
Sergio drew his hand over his chest while the other dangled freely. It swung like a ragdoll. His flat soled shoes scuffed over the black asphalt. They pressed against his toes. They ached, radiating into his foot.
Blood rushed down his shins. It warmed them like bread in a toaster. His jeans hugged him tightly. He chaffed like it was a hot summers day.
Sergio’s heart began its decent into normalcy. Its drumming slowed. His shoulders slacked. He breathed to match his new pace.
Suddenly, a glint of light broke from his rear. It bounced off the street reflectors. A car came over the hill. The deep blue-gray road came alight.
Sergio flicked a glance over his shoulder. He bolted away. His eyes grit shut as he charged with fists punching the air. The hoodie waddled from his neck. The air swept back his curly bangs.
The car gave chase. It drew up behind him. So close, it nearly ran him over. Its light spilled over his torso, encircling him like a halo.
Sergio split from the road. He darted through the tall grass, swerving past the last pine tree along the roadside. He leapt and bounded. Knee-tall silhouettes of grass and shrubby flew past him.
A breeze swept over the field. It brought a blue light that ran across the vegetation.
Sergio spotted a fallen tree. He hurdled over it. His rear foot nearly hooked on it. He stumbled, recovered, and continued his stride. One second too late and he’d have fallen.
A second wave of light washed over the forest. This time red. The strobe lights of the police officer spun. They whirled over the cop car. It sat streetside, its owner watching from the driver’s side.
Sergio waddled away. The officer tracked him for a few minutes. He followed Sergio to a lone compound in the distance.
The officer flicked a switch on his dash. The strobe lights shut off. Darkness encircled him. It drew in close as he shifted the car into drive. The engine gurgled and he followed the road as it meandered through the forest.
**
An oncoming car pulled into a scantily filled parking lot. It hummed its way off the main road, split by a Y-shaped intersection and rolled to a stop. The tire kissed the parking bump and it clicked off. It was a Ford Mustang, deep blue and dazzling with galactic dusk. Its smooth sheen glowed in the moonlight.
The door opened and out stepped a man in suede shoes. Saffron, or Saff, wore a trendy ocean-blue tuxedo. He was a man of appearances. His scalp was oiled smooth on top while a well-manicured beard strapped around his jaw below.
Saff lived out his lower thirties on the road. A musician, he’d found it hard to stay in one place for too long. Gigs, parties and networking led him around the country. He’d visited most major cities a few times already and when he wasn’t on the road, he hung out at the communal housing lot.
It straddled an untapped corridor between two major cities. He could get to work on either side swiftly. Furthermore, it gave him brief respite from the music and night lights. When Saff wanted to get away from it all, he came to the communal home.
The car door shut. “I bet you would, man,” Saff said energetically.
Phone up to his ear, the man strolled up the pebble paver footpath. Fog escorted him on either side. It masked the communal home. It was a large square building. Dated, it had a weedy courtyard and rooms lining three of the interior faces.
“You’d do anything for the money.” Saff exclaimed. “But, you see me? I don’t do ghosts man. I don’t know what they got in that studio, I don’t know what they got in those rooms, but you won’t catch me in there.”
He gripped the door handle, grinning from ear to ear. He had pearly white teeth in perfect rows. Saff swung round the door, locking it behind him.
“Crazy man. It’s crazy.”
Saff spun. He met the intersection of two dark corridors. A quick swipe over the light switch and he found them defective.
“Uh oh,” he flickered the switch on and off. “Y’all ain’t got no light out here?”
He pulled away and faced into the darkness. “Yeah,” he quickly resumed. “Yeah, I’m still here.”
Saff started down the hall. He pivoted around the wall’s edge and made for his room. Foggy moonlight fell in from the courtyard. Saff swept a glance. He could barely see the grass. The other side was completely obscured. He came back to his steps and drove his key into the lock. He twisted the latch free when he froze in place.
“Ho-hold on man.” He stammered. “J-just a second.”
Saff lowered his phone carefully. His palm came down near his hips.
“Who’re you?” Saff asked.
Adjacent to him, at the end of the hallway, stood a little boy. No older than 10, he waited in the center with arms behind his back. The boy wore an all-white blouse, he had jet black hair snipped into a bowl haircut and pale skin.
“Ay,” Saff called. “Are you listening man? I said who’re you?” He quickly answered his phone. “Yeah? No, I’m talking to this kid here standing…”
Saff’s voice dwindled.
The ominous boy carried his chin. He wore a deadset glare and said nothing. Instead, his eyes rolled clear. The black dots wound back out of sight and into his skull. His mouth pulled open.
“What the?” Saff panted.
The child grunted. His chin spun round, bringing his eyes to where his mouth was. A full 180, the boy’s short hair dangled from his scalp. He fell back onto his hands, then turned on all fours. He brought his face to view Saff. A paranormal entity, he flashed a smile.
“Oh, hell no.” Saff exclaimed in disbelief. He started for the front door. “No. No. No. Somebody help please!”
The child scampered towards him. Quickly, it scaled the walls and ran along the roof. It was fast, much faster than the man. Saff darted away. Older and weak, his every step dragged. It took him forever to build momentum. It felt like an ominous dream.
“Let me call you back!” Saff exclaimed into his phone. His pitch rose sharply, and he scurried away.
**
Thanh clasped the popcorn between her fingers. She cupped them and brought them to her mouth. Finn plunged his hand inside. He fished a handful out and smothered his face. He scooped with his palm and fed like an animal.
Their shoulders gently brushed together. Thanh pressed upon him slightly.
“Is he that guy from the bar?” Thanh asked. She pointed with her pinky finger.
“Looks like him,” Finn mumbled.
“But, I thought he was—”
Rumbling sounded from the hallway. Thanh snapped for the door. She fell silent and waited for another sound.
“Did you hear that?” she turned asking Finn. She pinched up the slacked string of her tank top. She drew it over her shoulder.
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Finn planted the bowl and reached for the remote. He whispered, “Hold on.”
The movie volume lowered. A second tumbling noise broke across the doorway. It banged much louder than the last.
The couple sprung to their feet. Thanh reached for the door, less than a meter away. She threw it open and stuck her head out.
“What is it?” Finn asked stepping past her. His white t-shirt draped over his boxer shorts. The two paused. They scanned the hall before them, glancing to either side.
“I don’t see anything,” Thanh responded. “But, you heard it too, right?”
A scream rung out from the TV. A flash of color washed over Finn’s profile. The movie had reached its first jump scare.
“I heard it,” Finn glanced past Thanh. He inched his way back inside as if called by the TV. “It might’ve come from another room I guess.”
Thanh hung out in the hall for a moment longer. She cautiously stepped one foot out. Hugging the doorframe, her black hair draped over her shoulder.
“Hey,” she called. “Why’re all the lights off?”
“Are they?” Finn swept up the bowl of popcorn into his lap. He fell to his seat responding, “Probably maintenance.”
Thanh reached backed into the room. She swept her keychain off from the command hook and pressed the light switch on. The light swept to either side. She scanned the ominous halls. Fog crept in from over the cutaway openings of the brick walls. It stemmed from the courtyard. This smoke, along with the twilight stars, obscured the communal home.
The halls were so dim, Thanh couldn’t even see the brick wall at the end. A puzzled look came over her face. She clicked her light off. Her foot grazed over the vinyl plank flooring. She slid back inside. The rumbling of the TV climbed.
“Come on,” Finn called.
Thanh retreated into the room. She swept one final glance at either side and shut the door behind her.
**
Grass crunched beneath Sergio’s every step. He jogged through the fields, wandering through the pitch-black forest. He panted and waddled his way around trees and shrubs.
Suddenly, a vine snagged his ankle. Sergio flopped over. He yelped on his way down and landed with a plop. Twigs, grass shards and sticky flower seeds clung to him.
He worked his back up to his knees. His hands swept over his hoodie. He swatted his face clean. Then, a plop of water pecked his nose.
Sergio aimed his gaze skyward. A speckled night sky of twinkling stars hovered up above. Another drop landed on his cheek.
“Great,” Sergio huffed.
He fiddled with the vine to break free. It had thorns and bristles that poked and prodded into his fingers. He grit his teeth and fought through them.
Sprinkles showered over him all the while. They came down fast and he needed to act faster.
The vine came undone. Sergio tip toed out from its range. He could barely see anything on this plantation. Only the silhouettes of the tall trees stood out. He was careful not to run headfirst into any of them.
After the plantation, he stumbled upon another clearing. In this one, he found a brick building in the distance. It was dim, with only a handful of lights shining from the windows. It was a lone building, with a small parking lot. Just off the main road.
There was a good chance the officer would be there, but it was his only hope against the rain.
Sergio started for the building. The rain came down upon him. He hopped and bounded in moistening soil. It turned to mud quickly and he scurried to get out.
**
A cracked window permitted Sergio entry. He had listened for a few minutes. Only one occupant. Slow to move and shift positions. Perhaps elderly.
The occupant motioned for the bathroom. The lights flicked on, and the vent came with them. Finally, the TV completed the white noise.
Sergio lifted the window up. He quickly and quietly vaulted inside. He lowered it behind him while a white curtain covered his back. He swept it clear and peered into the room.
No one was there except for a black cat that glared straight for him. It sat at the foot of the owner’s bed. It’s arms and legs tucked away, it looked like a plushie. Only its yellow eyes locked onto the intruder.
“Shh,” Sergio instructed it. He crept for the door.
The cat followed him. Its ears perked up at attention. It watched Sergio climb over the diffuser, duck below the dream catcher, and avoid the robotic vacuum. Finally, he made it to the other side. Sergio swiveled open the squeaky door, peered out into the hall and slide out of view.
In the hallway, Sergio found it difficult to see. The courtyard had minimal visibility, but the halls were impossible. Outside the communal home was better than this. At least there was some moonlight.
He squinted into the darkness. His palm grazed the brick walls and he started away from the room.
Suddenly, he heard a tumble. It came from across the yard. Shortly after, a searchlight broke into the darkness. It flickered and swept from side to side.
Sergio’s palm found a doorknob. He tried it, and it opened. A lucky break, Sergio slipped inside and shut it behind him.
Finally safe, Sergio spun. He had to find a hiding spot in case the officer came knocking. He started inside the room. His hands wavered in the air as he walked around blindly looking for a light switch.
Suddenly, he kicked something and shuffled. He nearly lost balance and braced onto a chair aside him. His palm came flat over the table and he scrubbed it. It was a desk. He searched for a lantern and tugged the tangerine light on.
“Oh!” Sergio gasped. His hand nearly came over his mouth.
Sergio found Saff sprawled out on the floor. The man was cold, lifeless, and pale. His mouth hung open and his eyes had rolled back. His jacket had ripped. Underneath, Sergio could see gashes in his flesh. Saff was mauled. He appeared as if ambushed by a bear. The man stood no chance. Whatever it was, it tore him to shreds.
Sergio froze for a moment. Wide eyed, he took in the scene. What could have done this?
What could have left a fully grown man in this state?
A door shut from across the courtyard. Sergio glanced at the front door. He fell back down to Saff whispering, “Oh no.”
Sergio fell to a crouch. He searched for what to do next. He didn’t want to touch Saff. The man freaked him out. But, he had to do something. Sergio shook in a panic. He scanned the room. Not sure for what, he kept his head on a swivel.
Eventually, Sergio discovered a piece of evidence: Saff’s phone. It sat on the floor adjacent to Saff, just in the doorway leading into the bedroom. He retrieved it.
The screen came alive. It had only 10%. He swiped at the notifications. A list of phone numbers had left over fifteen calls.
Sergio glanced at Saff. Lifeless, the man appeared like a mummy. Sergio crawled over. He crept with Saff’s arm between his legs. Squatting down, Sergio reared his head away. He squinted painfully, as if he didn’t want to get too close.
Saff’s phone dangled over his face. A few inches off his nose, the screen shifted hue. Its backlight adjusted and a cool blue came over Saff’s nose and cheeks. The phone had unlocked.
Sergio retracted it. He started scrolling through the contacts. Not sure of what he would find, he scoured the man’s phone. Messages, photos, emails and calendar events. Sergio sifted through the content. He searched for an alibi. Something that could clear his name from this unfortunate discovery.
Suddenly, he heard clicking. Sergio snapped to the front door. He froze like a deer in headlights. He waited. The sound reappeared, albeit softer this time. An unnerving click emanated just from beyond the door. It came with a flop. As if someone flopped their wet foot upon the ground.
Sergio lunged across Saff. He braced the table and reached for the lantern. He stretched his finger out and just at the tip, he flicked the light off.
Pitch black and dark, Sergio waited. Another flop before the door. His nerves climbed.
He wondered, “Are they coming inside? Do they know?” He scanned the room, drawing upon the black canvas with his memory. He could see the bed just past the doorframe. The sofa sat at the far end of the living room. A little fridge sat aside it. Some details had already escaped him. There were blank spaces. One space, however, he could not forget.
Sergio gazed between his legs. Saff’s corpse laid just beneath him. A man, no longer with us. Chills ran up his spine. He grit his teeth. A tingle slithered up his leg. An unnerving thought, Sergio carefully lifted his distal foot off the ground. He couldn’t see anything, which made it worse. He drew it over Saff. Inch by inch, he moved, trying not to brush the man.
At any moment, Sergio thought, Saff’s hand would reach up and grab him. He could already feel it. The firm, cold grip snatching him. The swift brace upon his body. He was ready to scream at any moment. He held his breath.
Footsteps flopped across the doorway. They were slow, and ominous. An accompanying fog swept beneath the doorfame. It obscured the thin slice of moonlight along the door’s underside.
Sergio’s heart pounded. He felt exposed, like he was about to caught--in more ways than one. Fortunately for him, nothing happened. His brought his foot down and he stood against the desk. The flopping carried on past his door a nd went away. It persisted well on over to the neighbors.
Thank goodness, Sergio muttered to himself. Another lucky break. He spun to flick the lantern light back on. It came alive and the tangerine hue filled the room. Twin drumsticks sat on top of the desk. Aside them were tambourines and a midi electronic piano.
Saff’s musical legacy spilled out before Sergio. He found sheets with lyrics scribbled on them, notes transcribed over napkins and photos. In one, Saff stood on stage. A saxophone between his hands. Lights flashed in the background and dazzled against his jewel littered suit. Aside him was a beautiful full-sized woman. She wore an equally spectacular dress that draped down onto the stage. She threw her head back and howled into a microphone. Her curly lochs reached the cusp of her hips. The two were electric and the image captured just the right moment.
A heart encircled the woman’s head. An arrow pointed at her, stemming from the word, Dee.
Sergio flinched at the buzzing in his hand. He checked Saff’s phone and found a text from the same name. Dee had called him four times already and had sent five text messages. Curiosity go the better of him. He clicked the messages app open and saw Dee was getting worried. Dee wondered if Saff’s phone had been stolen. She pestered him to pickup or for the captors to at least confirm that he was okay.
Sergio’s thumbs clicked on the screen. It was at 9%. He typed up a message for her. He wanted to inform her that Saff wasn’t around anymore, and that she should stop reaching out. But, he didn’t know how to go about it. Sergio started a draft, then slowed to a stop. His thumbs hovered over the screen. His eyes flicked a glance at Saff. He cleared it.
Instead, Sergio stuffed the phone into his pocket. He crept around Saff again and made his way to the fridge. Inside were a few French wines, cod fish, and fruit. There was also a single beer, most likely left over by a friend.
Sergio twisted the cap off and drank it all in one go. He trashed the bottle and retired to the bedroom. The constant high alert and adrenaline of the past few hours had left him drained. The exhaustion caught up to him. Saff’s phone buzzed as Sergio tossed it onto the bed. It was at 6%. The door closed behind him. Saff remained frozen upon the floor.
**
Outside the communal home, a squad car parked in the parking lot. It waited with its lights off. Just behind Saff’s car, the engine gurgled quietly.
Two more squad cars met at the Y-shaped intersection. They coordinated their turns and pulled into the parking lot. As they approached, the lead car lowered its window.
An officer rested his forearm on the door. “Where is he?” Mario asked from the passenger seat. A handlebar mustache sat over his lip and ocean blue eyes beneath the brim of his hat.
“Inside,” the waiting officer pointed. He was a dark-skinned man, with hairy arms and veins bulging over his muscles.
“You saw him go in?” Mario inquired.
“He’s in there,” Deon answered.
“Alright,” Mario faced the driver. He nodded to his partner at the wheel. The cars cut off. One-by-one their doors opened. “Let’s go get ‘em,” Mario groaned to his feet.
Rose stepped up between them. A shorter woman, her shoulders were in line with Deon’s hips. She strutted with authority and wore her dirty blond hair in a tight bun. “How do y’all wanna do this?” she huffed.
“Tag ‘em and bag ‘em,” Mario suggested playfully. “We all bum rush into there.”
“You’ll stay out here,” Deon commanded in his deep voice. “Rose and I’ll go room by room and order people outside. Better to keep the element of surprise.”
“Do we know how many people are inside?” Rose aimed her chin skyward. She pinched the brim of her hat. “Or if he’s armed?” She continued in a low voice.
Deon scrubbed his fuzzy chin. He grunted scratching his jaw. “Not exactly.”
Rose suggested, “How’s about we order them all out and pick him off from there?”
“That’d put too many people in danger,” Deon’s hands met his hips. He clenched his belt. “He’s not armed. But, you’re right, he might’ve found a weapon.”
The two pivoted. They planted their respective lead foot forward. Thoughts ran across their minds as they scanned the communal home. Entrances, exits and potential hazards.
“Or,” Mario insisted. “We order them all out at once. Pull a fire alarm. Make it like a mosh pit. They rush us, we rush them. Meet in the middle?”
Rose and Deon scoffed at the idea.
“What? We could get some music, make it like a party.” He shuffled in a two-step. “No?”
Deon started towards the communal home. He approached carefully, his boots crunching over the grass lawn. He moved at an angle and kept his head on a swivel––looking for openings. One way or the other, Sergio was coming out.
“We’ll need backup.”
**
“Don’t go in there!” a woman protested on the TV. She shrieked in a whisper. “Please. You have to believe me. It’s not safe to go in there.”
A man, her partner, stood before a wooden door. He was bald, muscular and wore a red flannel shirt like a lumberjack. He had grit and wore it like a warrior. The man rolled back his shoulder. He met the woman in her eyes. An axe in his hand, he raised it into view.
“Dianna,” he spoke with firm bass. “Whatever’s in there, it’s either it or us. And I can’t afford to lose you—”
Suddenly, the tentacles of an alien burst through the door. It clawed at the man. He struggled and fought. His partner screamed. Violins crept into the soundtrack. Their sharp shrieks climbed rapidly.
Then, the TV cutoff. The lights followed sharply.
“What?” Finn exclaimed.
“Did the power just go off?” Thanh inquired.
The pair scanned the ceiling. Their fan spun slowly. It worked its way to a stop, squeaking and rocking with every turn.
Thanh sat up in her seat. She followed Finn as he plopped the bowl of uneaten kernels and climbed to a stand. He paced to the light switch and flickered them on and off.
“Is it the whole building or just us?” Thanh asked. “Check outside.”
Finn reached for the doorknob when twin knocks sounded. He froze. His fingers hovered just centimeters from the handle. A glance back to Thanh and she locked eyes with him. They had already adjusted to the darkness, but neither knew who was at the door.
“Who is that?” Thanh whispered.
Finn shrugged and twisted it open.
Two bright flashlights shined into his eyes. Finn squinted away. His palm came up.
“What the?”
“Don’t make any noise,” Deon commanded. He had his pistol drawn and a flashlight aimed for Finn. His wrists crossed in an X. “Come outside. No-no, don’t go back in. Come out, now.”
His partner, another officer, pressed his shoulder against the brick wall. He posted against the other side of the door.
“Put your hands up,” the subordinate commanded. “Who else is in there? Ma’am, go ahead and come on out. Keep your hands where I can see ‘em.”
“Close the door,” Rose commanded. She stood a few meters from Deon and monitored the adjacent halls. “Go back inside. Go back in now. We’ll tell you when to come out.”
The operation was well underway. Outside the communal home, more officers arrived on scene. The squad car count was up to six at this point. They ordered the inhabitants out and onto the curb. Officers covered all the exits and parked along the main road. Their target, Sergio, slept peacefully in Saff’s room.
A lone officer, scanning the remaining few rooms, approached a door. He drew his pistol and formed a knuckle with his free hand. The flashlight attachment came alive and he knocked three times.
“Police! Open up!”
An art thief makes his way into a communal home. He hides himself amongst the residents, stumbling upon a deceased tenant. He stashes the corpse and plants incriminating evidence in the other occupants’ rooms.
Officers arrive on scene, just as more house members are returning for the evening.
They cut the power and demand all occupants outside.
Sergio wakes up and finds the power cut. He disperses evidence of Saff’s death and finds a place to hide.
The owner of the communal home arrives and warns of a power outage. Furthermore, she’s an art collector and finds her pieces are missing.
After confirming this, officers are left with a double mystery.
The are thief uncovers what caused the murder, but struggles to recruit an audience for fear of capture.