Anthology of the Dark

Bathtub

   [TRIGGER WARNING: Read with caution!]

   Sigh, just got home from work. Damn! I'm super tired.

   I had to stay a bit longer in the office because we have an event coming up and it's just around the corner so everyone's pulling each other to do their work and finish it as soon as we could. It's been a long week and I'm very exhausted.

   I live alone in this apartment. I always wanted to be alone. Although my rent is expensive, I always pull through because I don't like the idea of sharing a room with a stranger or strangers at that. I just want my own space, my own calm space away from everybody. You could say I'm an introvert. I just don't want any company after a long day, I just want to relax. They don't allow pets in this building, it's a shame really, so I only have a few plants (But let's be honest, the plants aren't also getting a lot of TLCs so they're all turning yellow at this point) hanging around the room.

   I drop my bag on the floor, took off my jacket and shoes and headed straight for the bath.

   I love baths. I think baths are the best thing ever. Every day before I go to bed, I always take a long hot bath. I'm lucky because this room that I got have a bath tub in it so I always use it. I enjoy pampering myself with scented candles, bath bombs and dim lights with lo-fi music playing from my Spotify playlist. I dip my toe checking if the water temperature is right and I hop in.

   I love this apartment. My family said it is a great grab. See, I got this unit for a low price, I couldn't believe how lucky I am that I got this place for such a low price. There were only two other people who rented this place and the realtor said they had to give this apartment up because they just stayed for six months and then they had to leave because of unexplained circumstances, which is great because now I have this to myself. Thank God for them really.

   I closed my eyes to relax. This is the life, I thought to myself. I deserve this. I needed this break. Work has been really getting to me and well... I just really needed a break. I might've passed out a little because when I opened my eyes, I realised the water has gone cold and the candles are half burnt already. Well, crap... I stayed in longer than I originally thought. I looked at the clock and at least 30 minutes had gone by. I got out of the tub and drained the water and headed to my bed to get dressed.

   When I got out of the bath, there weren't any lights... I could've sworn I left my lights on when I got into the bath. Anyway, I brushed it off and headed to my... What?! W-what is this? Where are my things? What? I think someone's inside my room! I rushed to the kitchen to grab the phone but when I got there, my phone isn't there. It's not that I misplaced it, it's just not there. It's not there! What is going on?! I run back to my bedroom and found my bedroom empty, my bed is there but my things are gone! There's just a few old black garbage bags and a yellow tape. What?! Someone must've barged in my room and taken my things! Shit! I've been robbed!

   Or may be the robber is still here?! Oh no! I must've forgotten to lock the door and maybe he came in! I didn't think twice already I headed for my door... But the door was unlocked. I knew it! Someone did came in and stole my things! Nevermind, I have to get out of here. So I ran towards the door and as I opened it, someone pushed the door towards me, it almost hit my face. It's a man! There's two of them! Shit! They are the robbers!... Wait... One of them opened the light. They are wearing police uniforms.

   "Officer!," I exclaimed "I've been robbed! I was in the bathroom and—"

   "Police!" he yelled at me "Is anyone in here?"

   "Yes, hello? I've been robbed! I don't know who did this but—"

   The police man turned on the lights and to my horror, my room is filled with things that aren't mine. These aren't my furniture, those are not my couch and those are definitely not my appliance. I thought may be I got into the wrong apartment but no, I remember I took my keys out and placed it in the door knob and got in... I dropped my bag and jacket on the floor, I headed to the bath and set up my candles and... And...

   The police man continued to walk in while his partner stays by the door looking after a family of four. Two kids, a mum and another lady. They look pretty shook. One of the kids is crying while the other seems to be trying to be strong for his little brother.

   "We first heard it in our bathroom," one of the ladies said to the other officer "The water is just on and no one's in there."

   "We thought may be someone had gone into our room and hid inside the bathroom" the shaken lady added, crossing her arms as if to comfort herself "But just as I was about to bust in on the door, it opened by itself and well, at that point we're all freaked out."

   "The kids were in the bedroom then and then they heard someone running in the room and just rushing everywhere"

   "Scared them, really."

   "Don't worry, madam," the officer assured them in a calm manner "We're going to check if the place is clear."

   I'm just standing there patiently waiting for them to acknowledge me in my robe standing by the door.

   "I mean," one of the ladies said with a slight crack on her voice "When we first got here it was fine... Just a few days ago." She stepped closer to the officer and started to whisper "Really, I'm starting to think we're being haunted by the ghost here. We got this place at a low price because the previous tenant who stayed here sort of committed suicide in the bathroom and all. We couldn't find any cheaper place and well, this sold for a really good price."

   "The only down side was, yeah," the other lady continued "the previous tenant did it. We didn't really believe in that sort of thing but... It's just gotten absolutely bollocks."

   What... Previous tenant... What previous tenant? I'm... I'm here. I live here. I remember, I'm just here taking my bath, I dosed off because I was exhausted from work. I just wanted to relax. I just... I just... I just wanted to rest. I'm so tired. I'm tired. I'm not dead... I didn't kill myself. This isn't real... This isn't real!!!

   I rushed down stairs and run towards the door. I busted it open, sigh, just got home from work. Damn! I'm super tired.

   I had to stay a bit longer in the office because we have an event coming up and it's just around the corner so everyone's pulling each other to do their work and finish it as soon as we could. It's been a long week and I'm very exhausted.

   I live alone in this apartment. I always wanted to be alone. Although my rent is expensive, I always pull through because I don't like the idea of sharing a room with a stranger or strangers at that. I just want my own space, my own calm space away from everybody. You could say I'm an introvert. I just don't want any company after a long day, I just want to relax. They don't allow pets in this building, it's a shame really, so I only have a few plants (But let's be honest, the plants aren't also getting a lot of TLCs so they're all turning yellow at this point) hanging around the room.

   I drop my bag on the floor, took off my jacket and shoes and headed straight for the bath.