Close Quarters

Chapter 1: Unfamiliar Face

It was a damp, melancholy evening. Rain hammered against the pavement as loud as bullets whilst thunder roared through the air like a bomb. You walked down the street clutching onto your coursework trying to stop it from getting soaked, even though it didn't work. Your hair was wet and matted and Your glasses were so wet to the point where you couldn't even see through them.

You thought to yourself, just five more minutes then i should be home.

Finally you arrived at the apartment complex.

You ran inside, the main door slamming behind you.

The apartment complex was nothing special. The exterior was old and worn down, quite frankly an eyesore. The inside was again, old, but it was what you knew as home. As you stepped in the complex the automatic light started frantically flickering at you. The floor had old footprints everywhere from neighbours who had entered earlier and the walls have all sorts of stains on it, some you dont want to know how or when they got there.

You slowly walk over to your mailbox casually checking if there's any post, there wasn't any, you then start walking up the staircase. Your shoes squeaking with every step, you leave a small trail of water behind yourself. You finally got to your apartment, number 23. You were just about to unlock the door when you heard a loud bang that echoed from downstairs.

It sounds like it's coming from the front entrance.

You paused and peered down the stairwell trying to see who it was. It might be one of the alcoholics coming back from the bar. You couldn't see anyone so you quietly waited.

That's when you saw them.

Someone you've never seen before...

They were wearing black cargo pants, a dark fitted t-shirt, a faded old hoodie and muddy worn out boots. You couldn't quite catch their face when they were walking up, but by the way they were climbing up the stairs you could tell that they were in pain.

Then.

They looked up.

It was a man.

You quickly ducked back to my previous position. Your heart hammering, you quietly smacked your forehead out of embarrassment whilst also failing to unlock the door as quickly as possible.

Just as you almost had it, the strange man suddenly reached the top of the stairs, your floor, and leaned up against the wall wincing in pain at every breath he took. You glanced over at him for a split second, concern riddled all over your face, then quickly looked away.

Stop staring you idiot, you're going to get yourself in shit. You thought to yourself.

Suddenly he walks closer, stopping at the apartment next door, number 22. Your heart skips a beat. He then pulls out a key and stares at you with curiosity and cautiousness before unlocking his door, stepping inside and leaving nothing behind apart from his large footprints, a couple blood splotches and his cold presence.