Chapter Text
"I swear, this place never has anything good," your sneakers shuffled dryly against grimy tiles as you scanned the aisles in boredom. Iris, a long-time friend of yours, clicked her tongue in disapproval, putting back yet another packet of seemingly expired crisps.
Despite the lacklustre selection of snacks, the convenience store held a certain air of calm. Maybe it was simply a welcome reprieve from the overwhelming number of assessments you had been deliberately ignoring for the past week. Whatever the case, it was a peaceful feeling.
"Best before June 6... That was only a week ago, right?" You glanced over at the dark-haired girl, who was referencing a packet of gummies in her hand.
"Eh, whatever. I'm sure it's fine."
Iris was an oddity among the other girls at your college. For being a psychology major, she wasn't exactly... uh... the brightest. The two of you had met during a group project back in your first year and had kept in close contact ever since.
Satisfied with what she had chosen, Iris began making her way over to the register, with you following suit. You drearily glanced over the colourful array of gimmick candy, carelessly thrown onto the shelves as if whoever was in charge of this place was indifferent to the idea of running it.
The man behind the counter sat with sunken eyes, lazily shifting his attention towards the two of you. An awfully thick-sounding cough left his throat, and your nose wrinkled in disgust. Sniffling what you could only presume was a ward of mucus up his nose, his gaze flickered towards you, and he offered a grin. You assumed he was trying to be friendly, but it came off as rather unnerving.
Scanning the barcode on the packaging, the man's tongue slid over his lip, running along the chapped skin. His left eye appeared hazy, blurred shades of blue mixed into his sclera. You tried to keep your focus on his right eye.
"Five ninety-nine, sweetheart," he drawled, the nickname slipping from his lips like sludge. His voice, tainted by one too many cigarettes, made your skin crawl. You offered a wavering half-smile, trying your utmost to be polite. Yeah, it was safe to say you wanted to get out of this joint as soon as possible.
Your wish was unfortunately not granted, however, when you heard Iris groan, furiously shuffling through her bag.
"Dammit, I think I left my wallet behind," she huffed exasperatedly. The man gave another grin, showing off his yellowed teeth.
"Aw, that's alright," his voice dripped with mock pity. "I can think of another form of payment, if you're interested." Yeah, fuck being polite. You did not like what this guy was insinuating.
You ripped open your wallet and slammed a ten-dollar note down on the counter, pushing it toward the man with disgust. You muttered a bitter 'no thanks' under your breath, watching Iris's momentarily stunned expression. Quickly interlocking arms with her, you pulled her away from the counter. The door chime sang as you made your departure, an ironically upbeat farewell.
As soon as you stepped outside, a frigid gust of wind rushed past, tousling your hair out of place. You clutched your scarf tighter as if it would miraculously warm you up. Winter had not been forgiving, with harsh, freezing temperatures and detestable weather that made you want to hibernate in your room for the next three months.
The area you lived in wasn't pleasant by any means. Weird store clerks, dodgy-looking houses, drugged-up residents—basically every single bad attribute all crammed into one. The only reason you had decided to stick around for this long was because housing was cheap.
"I hate men sometimes," you remarked, watching as fog spiralled underneath your feet. Iris didn't seem to be listening, already unwrapping her candy with an obnoxious crinkle. Popping one into her mouth, she practically groaned in delight.
"Fuck, I needed this." You giggled, smiling at her reaction. The bliss was short-lived as a second flurry of ice-cold wind ruffled your clothes, causing an unpleasant shiver to run down your spine.
"God, it's freezing. Let's get a move on, yeah?" You motioned your head back towards your apartment.
"[Name], you seriously need to try these, they're so good." She blissfully stated, your words seemingly floating over the girl's head.
"They're expired." You flatly stated, to which Iris rolled her eyes in response.
"Only by a week!"
"Whatever, let's just head back already."
Your apartment wasn't too far from this area, though the dreary weather would make the walk there less than enjoyable. Above, a swarm of crows cut through the air, harsh calls echoing throughout the street. You craned your neck upwards, lost in the muddled expanse of the sky that seemed to stretch endlessly. Burying your hands in your pockets, you absentmindedly fiddled with the frayed edges of thread.
Your neighbourhood had always been pretty barren — particularly during the winter months. Some may have found it lonely, but you found a strange sort of solace in the mundane rhythm of it all. It was predictable; manageable. To be content with nothing meant to be happy with the little things — that’s how you preferred it.
So lost in your thoughts, you didn’t notice the lack of footsteps next to you. Glancing over your shoulder, you saw Iris stood a few feet behind, staring at a poster that was hammered to a telephone poll. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she adjusted her glasses to examine the words, candy discarded in her hands.
"You good?" You asked, casually strolling back towards her. You assumed she would snap out of her stupor and rejoin you, however she remained still, eyes glued to the piece of paper.
"I think you should take a look at this," she muttered. You cursed under your breath. Yet another distraction that forced you to stand in the freezing cold for even longer. You trudged your way over to her, bitterly moping as you turned to read the poster. It looked weathered from the sun and rain, faded in some spots, but the writing was still visible. Once your eyes fell on what had piqued her interest, the look of disdain was instantly wiped from your face.
"Missing person, Victor Henderson, aged 28," you mumbled out loud. After skimming over some of the details, you landed on the last few sentences.
"Last seen near the edge of Wormwood forest after suffering a schizophrenic episode."
Your eyes travelled up to where the photo of the missing man was displayed ─ or, more accurately, the lack of photo displayed.
It was as if someone had ripped the image straight off the poster, the jagged tear creating a gaping hole where his face should be, revealing the pattern of the wooden pole underneath. Deliberate — as if someone had intentionally not wanted his identity to be seen.
"It's weird to see this around here," Iris mentioned. "I mean, you see missing pets all the time, but a missing person? That's basically unheard of." She stared at the page with concern, a light gust of wind causing the edges to lift.
Tales of Wormwood forest had been whispered amongst the residents for years. The expanse was lined with tall pine trees that hung heavy shadows over the townhouses below, and its unsettling atmosphere meant it was the go-to setting for ridiculous stories revolving around made-up creatures. Ghosts, cryptids, crazy-psycho-murderers ─ you name it. You had chalked it up to cheesy narratives made up by the neighbourhood kids, but the fact that this man went missing near the forest... it left a sour taste in your mouth. You didn't believe in any of that paranormal stuff, but you would be lying if you said those woods didn't give you the creeps. A missing person would obviously be the result of a much more rational accident ─ maybe an animal attack? A case of suicide? You couldn't be sure, but you tried not to think about it too much.
"Let's not dwell on it, hey?" You attempted to lighten the mood. "I'm sure they'll find him. As you said, missing people aren't common around here, so the police are probably putting heaps of effort into the search." You placed a hand on her shoulder, and she offered a shaky smile in return.
"I guess so," she nodded, shaking off any thoughts that were eating away at her. She had always been one to overthink things, and you knew she was easily gullible when it came to those spooky campfire stories that would circulate around the area.
The crows circled overhead once more, their dark silhouettes cutting against the grey sky. They settled on the power line above you, perched neatly in a row. As you walked alongside Iris, you plucked out numerous events from the past week to chat about, yet there was an unmistakable tension in your steps ─ a lingering unease that refused to fade.
Your gaze swept down the path, flicking between the many posters of the same missing man, all plastered across various power lines. Each one was identical—even down to the same faded text and dirt-stained edges. Each photograph had been torn off, leaving behind that same haunting void that seemed to stare back at you, even more unnerving than any picture of the man's face ever could.
If this was some sort of prank, it was not a funny one. Still, a part of you tried to brush it off as just that—a joke. An incredibly disrespectful one, but a joke, nonetheless.
As Iris continued her mindless chatter about some petty relationship drama she had picked up from a friend of a friend on campus, you couldn't help but glance back at the crows that stood on the power line, their beady eyes watching you in return.
The age-old tale; wherever the crow finds itself, it will bring death in its wake.
.⠀. ୨୧⠀︶ ⠀♱⠀ ︶ ୨୧ . .
The chipped paint of the "Welcome" sign overlooking the entrance to the Wormwood Apartments hung crookedly above you. It was a tall, gloomy building that stood out like a sore thumb, squeezed between a perpetually greasy fast-food joint and an old DVD rental ─ quite the contrast to the charming suburban cottages that sat in perfectly neat rows across the street. With cracked windows and peeling paint, you had learnt to call it home during the three months you had been living there. After all, there wasn't much accommodation around for broke college students. It was temporary, a stepping stone, a roof over your head while you juggled lectures, the hunt for part-time jobs, and dealing with those fuckass student loans.
With a loud creak, you shoved the entrance door open, struggling to maintain its weight as you held it ajar, allowing Iris to slip inside.
The interior of the complex wasn't much better than the outside. It still held onto tacky decor that was probably decades out of fashion. A common grievance amongst the residents had been the lack of safety precautions, as the security cameras frequently cut out, the fire alarms looked like they hadn't been updated in years, and there was some sort of foreign mould travelling up the wall in clumps of speckled grey.
Traversing through the hallway, your feet pattered softly against the carpeted floors. Idle chatter filled the space—talk of classes, teachers, and the usual college concerns—only halting once you reached the elevator.
"No offence, [Name], but this place gives me the creeps," Iris shivered, her gaze fixated on the elevator. Her eyes narrowed at the rusted gate that loomed in front of you, peeling paint and corrosion on the metal indicating it had seen better days.
You playfully rolled your eyes as you walked inside. "At least I don't still live with my parents."
She scoffed at your obvious jab, "Hey, it's not my fault that there's nothing for sale around here!"
The elevator rattled to life, and you watched patiently as each floor number ticked by, finally landing on yours. As the two of you exited, an all-too-familiar stretching hallway came into view. It was starkly empty, devoid of decorations, but you supposed that was the point. It was a transitional space ─ not to be observed, simply to move through.
You supposed you were indeed doing exactly that ─ gliding past the unchanging row of identical doors until you reached the one labelled ‘fifty’.
You jiggled the handle, only for it to jam for possibly the fifth time this week.
"It does this all the fucking time..." you mumbled under your breath. Iris giggled, quickly placing a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound.
With one final tug, you managed to shove it open, the heavy wood frame thumping against the wall. The sudden jolt almost made you fall forward, but you managed to catch yourself, stumbling to your feet. This elicited another giggle from Iris, to which you jokingly scowled at her in response.
The familiar stench of mildew greeted you, damp and suffocating as always. It had been an issue ever since you moved in, and your previous attempts to air out the smell remained futile. Kicking off your shoes, you dumped your belongings onto the kitchen bench, before hurrying over to the heater in an attempt to warm up. It might have been a fire hazard to leave it on whilst you were out—especially with the fire alarms having a dodgy track record—but hey, at least you were warm!
Iris glanced over at you, playfully scoffing at the sight of you hunched over in front of the heater like it was your life line.
"It's not even that cold, you wimp," she grinned, making a beeline over to your cupboards, clearly intent on rummaging through whatever food you had.
"You're literally shaking," you retorted, motioning towards her hands, which were clearly trembling as she opened a bag of chips. "I think you're seeing things," she proclaimed, and you giggled in response.
The hours ticked by, with some weird surrealist movie droning in the background through your old television. You absentmindedly cleaned the kitchen, occasionally glancing at the movie, however, you admittedly weren't registering anything that was going on. Iris had made herself comfortable on your couch, and had been typing furiously on her phone for the past 2 hours.
At this point, she had basically made herself your roommate. In between classes, throughout the night—she was at your apartment during most of the week. She had some problems with her parents, and while you had only met them a few times before, you could always sense some sort of unresolved tension between them. They always spoke in hushed tones and bickered between themselves in a language you couldn't comprehend. It was obvious they held her to high expectations, leading their relationship to become strained.
The first drops of rain hit your window, sky hanging heavy with a swirling mass of dark grey clouds.
You walked over to the fridge, swinging the door open and surveying the possible options for dinner. A half-drunken bottle of orange juice and a block of cheddar cheese stared back at you.
You clicked your tongue in annoyance. It looks like your plans to stay home for the night were ruined. You glanced outside again, a strike of lightning battering across the sky, as if taunting you. The rain only seemed to be getting heavier as the minutes ticked by. Sighing in defeat, you peeled off your rubber cleaning gloves.
"Hey, I'm just gonna go to the store real quick," you glanced at Iris, leaning under the kitchen island to grab a shopping bag. Said girl looked over at you, tilting her head. "You want me to come with you?"
You shrugged your shoulders dismissively. "Nah, It's all good"
"Are you sure? It's pretty dark outside, isn't it?" She asked, eyebrows drawing together.
"I'll be fine," you dragged out, waving her off. You offered a glance at your reflection in the hallway mirror, nodding at your appearance. Iris turned her attention back to her phone. "Okay, buddy. But don't come crying to me when you die."
You deadpanned, "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't come crying to you, or anyone for that matter, because I'd be dead."
"That doesn't really reassure me," Iris worriedly stated, not drawing her eyes from her phone. "Just be safe, okay?"
Nodding in agreement, you reached for your car keys. You hoped your car's heating system would cooperate; it had been unpredictable lately, which was far from ideal.
"You're not thinking of driving, are you?" Iris finally drew her attention away from her screen, haphazardly glancing at the keys in your hand. You stared at her with a puzzled expression.
"Uh, yeah. Why?" You tilted your head, staring at the girl blankly.
"I thought your car was being serviced?"
You paused, before groaning. You'd forgotten about that. Letting out a huff, you dumped the car keys on top of the cabinet.
"Guess I'll just have to walk then." You grumbled, running a hand over your forehead in annoyance.
"Are you kidding? It's like a hurricane out there," Iris sits up. "Why can't you just do the shopping tomorrow?"
"I need shit for dinner," you breathe. "I'll just use the umbrella, I'm sure it'll be fine."
Iris deadpans, showing you she's not convinced in the slightest. She stares for a second longer, before sighing in defeat.
"Call me when you get there, okay? It's dark and rainy, which is like, perfect weather to get kidnapped." You offered a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, yeah. Tell me if you want anything, okay? I'll be back soon." You said, swinging open the door.
Navigating through the lobby, your footsteps were muffled by the thick carpet. You ensured that you grabbed your umbrella from the stand located near the building's entrance, the rain's harsh rhythm much louder through the thin walls of the hallway. By the time you stepped outside, it was coming down in torrents, seeming even heavier than when you were cozied up at home.
The wind whistled past you, spitting the rain in all sorts of directions. The water managed to hit you at an angle that your umbrella couldn't quite block, meaning you got absolutely drenched in a matter of seconds.
Underneath the heavy static of rain, a cacophony of barking echoed through the street, followed by an onslaught of wailing sirens. The ruckus piqued your interest, and you glanced over to the source of the noise ─ however, your vision was obscured by the thick fog the rain had caused. Whatever, it was probably nothing to be concerned about.
Car tyres crackled against the road as they rolled past, headlights barely illuminating what was in front of them. That had to be a safety hazard. The sirens still blared from a few blocks over, and the lingering fog paired with the darkness and rain didn't help take your mind off Iris's point of it being "perfect kidnapping weather".
The pungent stench of smoke travels through the air, paired with a barrage of yelling, and even more sirens.
Okay, just what the hell was going on?
You looked over to the general vicinity of the noise again. The rain blurred your vision, but you were still able to make out a swirling mass of smoke lifting into the air.
Was something on fire? Your pace faltered, a flicker of surprise igniting curiosity within you. First, a missing persons case, and now this? Where were you, Crime City? Sure, minor felonies weren't unusual in this area, but these events felt alarmingly disproportionate.
You shook your head, resuming your walk to the store. Whilst admittedly curious, you figured anything of significance would take the morning news by storm. Plus, the rain would be a lucky sight for the firefighters. In the grand scheme of things, it really wasn't that big of a deal.
.⠀. ୨୧⠀︶ ⠀♱⠀ ︶ ୨୧ . .
You practically gasped for air as soon as the automatic doors glided open, the sound echoing through the quiet store. One of the cashiers cast a slightly disapproving glance your way as you shook off your umbrella, sending tiny droplets of water flying in all directions.
You juggled your shopping bag in one hand while reaching for a basket with the other. As you surveyed the store, you noticed how deserted it was. Well, it made sense, you supposed. Most people were likely enjoying dinner at this hour, not frantically rushing around for last-minute ingredients.
After scurrying off to the nearest aisle, you began collecting what you needed. You were honestly just making it up as you went, grabbing anything that looked like it could potentially be used in a meal.
Just as you were walking towards the grains, a faint notification sounded from your pocket. You pulled out your phone, smiling at Iris’s message.
Iris ♡
plsplspls can you get me some chocolate
A small pile began to form in your basket, made up of a jar of tomato paste, a few herb packets, and a box of pasta. You somehow ended up in the confectionary aisle, and you scanned the options on display, noticing how bare the shelves were. Surely the weather wasn't so abysmal that they couldn't restock their produce. Though, it seemed luck was on your side—there was a single chocolate bar left.
Grabbing the packet, you placed it on top of the mismatched array of other ingredients that sat in your basket. With a satisfied smile, you began to head towards the back of the store, aiming for the dairy aisle. Did you even need milk? Eh, whatever. Better to be safe than sorry.
A wall of white bottles stared emptily back at you. The low hum of the refrigerator buzzed in your ears, serving to irritate you as you tried to decipher the difference between low-fat and regular milk. You stood awkwardly out of place, weighing two bottles of milk in your hands as if they were apples, trying to act like you knew what you were doing. Oh, right, you also needed to call Iris to let her know you made it to the store safely, or maybe at the very least reply to her message. God, there was so much to do—
A bump to your shoulder knocked you out of your thoughts, and you immediately whipped your head over to the person who had brushed past you.
It was a woman. She offered a chaste "my bad," never turning around, never exchanging a glance. She was tall, with slightly messy brown hair. The lower half of her face was tightly concealed by a scarf, however it didn't come across in an "I'm cold" way, more like an "I'm a criminal who's purposely hiding my face to avoid CCTV cameras" kind of way.
"No worries," you muttered; however, she was already too far away to hear you, disappearing into the frozen food aisle. How strange.
Whatever. Weird encounters aside, you still needed to finish up with your shopping. Putting a random carton of milk in your basket, you begin making your way to the checkout. To your left, you spotted a cashier expectantly looking at you, waiting for you to walk over so she could help you check out. Upon seeing her, you immediately did a complete 180, heading towards the self-service section instead. You hoped she didn't take it personally, but you definitely were not in the mood for small talk with anyone at the moment, particularly after your stressfully soaking journey here.
As you began scanning your items, your gaze drifted around the store while you fished items out of your basket. The rhythmic beeping of the scanner became a distant hum as your pace slowed, your attention drawn to a figure near the exit. It was the girl who had bumped into you before. She was leaving.
You felt almost as if a weight had been lifted off your shoulders. Look, you really didn't mean to be rude, but she didn't exactly give the friendliest of vibes.
You focused your attention back on the task at hand, scanning the last item. The basket sat empty now, and you started digging for your wallet while casting a quick glance at the stack of produce you were about to purchase. You supposed you could make pasta for dinner with the tomato paste, and then you could give Iris that chocolate afterwards—
Hold on a second.
...Where was your chocolate bar?
That fucking bitch!
You whipped your head around, hoping the conclusion you had come to wasn't the case. You bent down to glance underneath the conveyor belt, convinced it had somehow miraculously fallen underneath. Nothing. You craned your head to glance down the aisles you had walked through, but came up short yet again.
You didn't even bother trying to retrace your steps to see if you had dropped it, as you had a pretty good idea you knew exactly where it was.
The memory was so clear in your head, that you could practically replay it with near perfection. When that girl brushed past you, you could have sworn you heard the crinkle of a wrapper—she must have taken it! You knew all along that she was a no-good, lying thief!
Okay, so maybe hunger was interfering with your brain, because you typically wouldn't have such an outlandish reaction to this kind of thing. Rationally speaking, no, this mildly suspicious woman probably didn't steal your chocolate bar.
But what if she did?
At the moment, it seemed the odds were stacked against her. Whilst you didn't get the best of vibes from this woman, you really, really wanted that chocolate bar. Like, really bad.
This was basically a hate crime! She unrightfully stole your belongings! In a flurried panic, you clumsily threw some loose coins at the self-service machine as a form of payment, which all bounced off the screen and clattered onto the floor. You snatched your bag of groceries, bolting out of the store and throwing yourself back into the pouring rain.
You launched yourself into a sprint, feet slapping against the ground, small droplets of water flying off your shoes. You could barely make out her fleeting figure amongst the rain, but it only served as a motivator for your legs to continue running.
Oh, she was going to pay for this. You could practically taste victory, fully prepared to see the horrified look on her face when she inevitably realised that she had been caught. As you approached her, you couldn't help but notice the fact that she seemed awfully calm to be completely drenched from the rain. She wasn't even shivering, walking at an oddly mundane pace as if she wasn't caught in a storm.
Just as you were starting to plan your words, the woman must have caught the sound of your (unmistakably loud) footsteps, as she quickly turned to face you. In a flustered panic at the sudden attention, you tried to force some words out.
"Do you have my chocolate bar?" Yeah, okay, so your original plan to be cool and badass kind of blew up in your face.
You looked up at the woman with a meek expression. To her, you probably looked like a kid. Her hair was drenched, face still buried in her scarf. You couldn't help but notice the medical eye patch covering one of her eyes. Her other eye was an unnerving shade of bright, almost neon green. Her expression was deadpan, but her body language was tense, as if she believed you were trying to pull a fast one on her.
"Excuse me?" She spoke with an accusatory tone, though there was also a subtle hint of confusion in her voice. You couldn't exactly blame her—you probably looked extremely weird following her through the rain, in the dead of night, only to ask about your missing chocolate bar.
You blinked furiously, your eyelashes doing little to shield your eyes from the relentless water that was pouring down. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket, seemingly getting impatient. Damn, could she give you a second?
"My chocolate bar—you have it, don't you?" You reaffirmed, ignoring how intimidating this woman was. She seemed to be trying to conceal her mouth as she spoke, burying it deeper into the fabric of her scarf. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Your eyes travelled down. Well, this was embarrassing. She clearly had no correlation to your missing chocolate—
Wait, no, never mind.
"I can literally see it poking out of your pocket." You motioned, pointing towards the glimmer of a wrapper that stood out like a sore thumb. Her gaze fell slightly, and despite her mouth being concealed, you could tell she was offering a lazy grin.
"Observant, aren't ya?" She teased. You raised your eyebrows, thinking you had cracked her shell.
"Can I have it back?" You asked expectantly, clinging onto hope.
"Hm, well, It's not yours, is it?" She considered, glancing up thoughtfully. "You never paid for it."
"You didn't either!" You snapped back, placing your hands on your hips. You were trying to contain your irritation, as this woman's physique made it clear that she could probably beat you to a pulp if you managed to tick her off enough.
"Touché," she shrugged, eyes falling dim, "but no, I'm not giving it back." The brunette swiftly turned on her heel, already beginning to walk off. Who the hell gave this woman so much authority? She was not top shit.
"Hey! I was still talking to you." Your brows knitted together in frustration, keeping hot on her trail. No way in hell were you giving up that easily. This was honestly such a ridiculous situation, and you had to admit, you were being petty about the whole thing, but she started this fight, and you were determined to be the one to end it. The girl turned her head, glancing at you with disinterest as if she was already fed up after 5 seconds.
"Look, can I just have it back? It was for my friend." You sighed, irritation scratching at your voice. She grumbled as she tried to brush some strands of hair out of her face.
"I don't really see how that's supposed to convince me."
"Couldn't you have just paid for it yourself instead of taking mine?" You shot back. "I'm clearly the more upstanding citizen here, so I'm obviously more deserving of it." It was a bit of a stretch, sure, but you were growing desperate. Normally, you would've dropped the subject and trudged home in defeat, but there was something strangely fun about bickering with this woman. It was the first time something differed from your usual routine — it was a welcome change, even if not necessarily a positive situation.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Your Highness, didn't know you were such a deity around here," she remarked, bending down to eye level. You stood your ground, narrowing your gaze.
"I never said that. I'm just saying, you don't exactly look like a role model citizen, especially not after you stole my things." You held your hands up in a surrendering motion, rolling your eyes.
"I didn't steal it, I just took it while you weren't looking." She said, flickering something off her nail. Hello? Was that not literally the definition of stealing?
"Just give it back already! I swear, I'll take it by force if I have to." You huffed. The woman scratched under her eyepatch, subtly flexing her arm. "Yeah, I'd like to see that." She smugly stated, before glancing at something behind you.
You clenched your fists. This was possibly the most infuriating encounter you've ever had. You were starting to doubt you would ever get your chocolate bar back. You were about to argue another point, when you noticed that the woman was no longer looking at you, instead distracted by something just past your line of vision.
"Fire, huh?" She muttered, completely disregarding your question as she slowly grabbed a cigarette and lighter out of her pocket. At the mention of flames, you turned your head, finally looking over to what had caught her attention.
In the distance, you spotted the smoke you had seen before, billowing up from the same area. From this angle, you could see the tops of the flames just barely licking the sky. A scowl crossed your face, snapping your attention back to the woman.
"Don't think you can change the subject all willy-nilly." You crossed your arms over your chest. The woman brought her attention back to you, and at the sight of your irked expression, she let out a chuckle. What the hell was she laughing about? This was clearly a serious situation! A chocolate bar was at stake here!
"Look, ya know what, here—" She snatched the candy out of her pocket, flicking it in your direction. "You're weird, you know that?"
Your eyes widened; you hadn't actually expected her to return it. After seeing how stubborn she was, you thought you would have to be here for at least another 30 minutes or so until she would even begin to contemplate giving it back. The brunette tilted her head, "You owe me though, 'kay?" She raised her eyebrows, acting as if it were an obvious fact.
...Um, no? She's the one that stole your things in the first place! If anything, she owed you!
"Uh, yeah...okay," you said, hesitantly reaching for the chocolate, fingers brushing against her noticeably calloused hand. Despite your mind screaming objections, you chose to just agree with her in fear of her taking it back.
Her vision wandered back to the smoke, muttering a curse under her breath. She walked straight past you without a second thought, leaving you standing in complete and utter confusion. You watched as she retreated over to the direction of the flames, her expression laced with annoyance, yet also something else—something that you could only describe as recognition. Like this seemed familiar to her.
Whatever. You were probably overanalysing things.
You glanced down at the chocolate bar, now nestled safely in your hands. A grin spread across your face. Hell yes. Iris had better be grateful for this.
A strike of lightning startled you, illuminating the trees that furiously tousled in the distance. You had almost forgotten it was raining so heavily, and you were reminded further when a shiver racked your shoulders, shooting down your spine.
Shit. You needed to get home before you developed hypothermia or something.
.⠀. ୨୧⠀︶ ⠀♱⠀ ︶ ୨୧ . .
After squeezing about a gallon of water out of your hair, you trudged your way back into your complex, patiently waiting for the elevator gates to noisily clatter open. The button of your floor felt rough underneath your finger, the worn-out number unidentifiable after years of contact.
As the elevator rattled to life, that familiar sinking sensation in your stomach began to rise. You shivered, instinctively wrapping your arms around yourself.
Your hand travelled down to your shopping bag, glancing at its contents. The chocolate bar stared back at you, cushioned between the box of pasta and tomato paste. You couldn’t wait to tell Iris about all the trouble you went through to get this stupid chocolate to her.
The memory of what transpired with that strange girl had been replaying in your head your entire walk home. Initially, you thought she was hiding her face to avoid the cameras in the supermarket, but you noted that even when she was outside of their view, she was still determined to conceal herself. The eyepatch was also an odd detail, but you figured that it was due to an injury. It happened to most people, you guessed.
The floor indicator's hand slowly ticked through each number until it came to a halt at yours, emitting a ding as the doors rattled open. As if you were trapped in some kind of shitty horror movie, the elevator lights flickered above you. You craned your neck to look up, a sense of unease coursing through your brain.
It's funny how things suddenly appear much more ominous at night. The hallway of identical doors that you had once become accustomed to now appeared to stretch longer, almost never-ending. The water that had been marinating in your shoes seeped out onto the carpet with every step, leaving behind a trail of footprints imprinted on the fabric. You prayed that it wouldn't stain.
You glanced up to ensure you hadn't accidentally walked past your room, but that's when something ahead caused you to slow your pace significantly.
Three doors down from your apartment, there was a man, dressed in black and disturbingly motionless.
Fantastic. Just wonderful.
A chill ran down your spine, though you weren't quite sure if it was from the cold anymore. The lights were far too dim, barely illuminating the outline of the guy’s body. Something in your gut warned you that this person was not one of your neighbours.
A sharp breath slipped past your lips. All you had to do was reach your apartment. You weren't a fucking pussy. You had already dealt with one weird person today; surely you could handle another.
You picked up the pace once more, however, it felt unnatural, your muscles stiff and movements robotic. It was awfully quiet, the silence inviting you to become overly conscious of your own breaths. His looming shadow stretched across the floor, inching closer to you as you approached. Hunched frame, Rigid posture, and threateningly still.
Perhaps you were overreacting, but walking alone at night with a suspicious man in front of you wasn't exactly your idea of a good time. Right as you were about to walk past him and retreat to your apartment, curiosity gripped you. With a subtle tilt of your head, you discreetly glanced up at the figure as you awkwardly passed by.
Two dark voids stared back at you, seemingly piercing into your very being.
The abrupt moment of "eye contact" (if you could even call it that—as you seemed to be staring into a blue mask) made your eyes widen. A squeak left your mouth, prompting you to hasten your steps. The soft patterns of your feet blanketed the unwavering silence, a sudden rush of adrenaline boosting you towards your apartment. With trembling hands, you opened the door, scurrying inside and locking it shut behind you. You leaned against the door, one hand over your beating heart, and the other dragged over your face.
Yeah, fuck that.
A pillow collided with your head, causing you to flinch.
"You didn't call me, you idiot!"