PHANTOM | ATEEZ

01.

The house was much less inviting after nightfall. What appeared during the day as a family-friendly place ready to house newlyweds was now foreboding and uninviting. The two-story brick structure was lit only by the moon and a sole streetlight on the corner of the avenue. Ivy was beginning to climb the sides of the walls, the streetlight aiding it in casting misshapen shadows against the brick. Its shutters had seen better days, craving a new coat of paint along with a new unsuspecting owner. You could feel the faint energy from within from where you stood on the sidewalk. Even Linda Park's cheerful smile on the house's "FOR SALE" sign couldn't remove the sense of dread you felt. Another house closer to the end of the street had a light on in a second-story window, indicating a person was stirring inside. Other than that, you were completely alone with 2020 Danbam Way.

The wooden porch steps groaned underneath your weight as you approached the front door. You winced, hoping the noise wasn't loud enough to disturb any neighbors. When the night remained still, you held in a sigh of relief and tried the knob of the front door. You were surprised to find it already open.

Perhaps the realtor forgot to lock up, you thought, making your entrance.

The interior of the house juxtaposed the facade, appearing charming and welcoming. It had been staged and was fully furnished, perhaps in an attempt to hasten the sale. 2020 Danbam Way didn't stay occupied for long, and one realtor after the other was burdened with it, always desperate to sell it off once more.

The entry hall broke off into three different directions, leading toward a front parlor, a set of stairs, and the main living room. You opted to take the third route, deciding that was where the energy emanated from.

Tiredness began to overtake you as you approached the living area. You had to take a seat on the couch to stabilize yourself.

This must be its location.

With a slow inhale, your eyes fluttered closed, and you were ready to begin. Just as you parted your lips to speak, the sound of a thump overhead caused you to jolt. Your eyes were open once more. Gazing at the ceiling, you expected to hear additional movement. When none occurred, you settled back into the couch. It wouldn't be long before the spirit would become too much for you. You needed to work fast.

You barely managed to close your eyes before another thud echoed through the living room, this one followed by a grunt and the sound of hurried, heavy footsteps. They moved toward the front of the house, seeming to stop at the top of the staircase near the front door. You were sure the creator of the footsteps was not the host of the energy you were feeling, and this frightened you. Encountering a human in a situation such as this was always far more dangerous.

Against your tired body's wishes, you worked your way back to your feet. The energy was overwhelming you, causing the corners of your vision to blacken, but you pushed through it. If you were truly in danger, you needed to be able to escape.

"Shit."

The voice echoed down from the top of the staircase, sending a shiver down your spine. It was followed by the descent of its owner. Each thump of a large boot landing against a wooden step caused you to jump; your gaze flickered to and fro as you stepped backwards, putting some distance between you and the other person invading 2020 Danbam Way. You grew desperate to find something, anything to defend yourself with, but your efforts were failing you. It wasn't as if you would be able to defend yourself, though. The energy had shifted, now emanating in another location in the house, but you were still weak. It wouldn't take much to overtake you.

His dark baseball cap came into focus first. After finishing his descent, you noticed the rest of his clothing matched the hat; dark denim hugged his legs, his torso swallowed in a black zip-up hoodie. You began to feel silly, vulnerable even, in your pale yellow sweatshirt and ripped jeans.